[Elecraft] growing market share

[Wallace, Andy]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: David Pratt [mailto:david@kippax.demon.co.uk]
> 
> Definitely NOT, Eric.  The fact that the K1 & K2 are 
> available only in 
> kit form is what makes them very special.

Exactly. I was going to propose a hybrid K2, with SMD caps
and resistors, to save the huge amount of time involved 
there, but then I realized: nobody would have fun reworking
the board if a component was wrong; depending on how the robot
stuffed the board, markings may not even be visible; and SMT
parts, being smaller, resonate at VHF and who knows what that
might throw into the mix.

Only Wayne and Eric know what their dreams are. With the U.S.
economy in a slump, Elecraft seems to be doing well -- rumors
of new products happening, etc. etc! Maybe this market share
is all they WANT? I am so happy that there are still U.S. ham
manufacturers around at all. Nothing political -- just another
choice.

It's great that you can get pre-wound toroids direct from 
Mychael -- maybe an improvement would be to make that a one-click
option (another separate shopping cart line for a K2 which includes
the prewound toroids). 

Andy