[Elecraft] great news about the new products!

[Wallace, Andy]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Eric Swartz WA6HHQ - Elecraft [mailto:eric@elecraft.com]
>=20
> We've just released the KDSP2 advanced DSP for the K2.=20

[and other things]

> Instead of putting everything in one huge=20
> email I'll be posting them separately to the list.)
>=20
> 73, Eric  WA6HHQ

Everyone's probably seen these by now -- isn't that SUPER news?
I sure think so. It's incredible...speculation, rumors, begging
to know what is next. It's as if Wayne and Eric are painting a
"FREE BEER!" sign and everyone's watching for them to put it
in the window.... hi

I see some very interesting developments, besides the fantastic
idea of anything new coming out of Aptos:

- hybrid boards with some SMT parts or modules pre-assembled
- band decode and AUXBUS breakout controller which is compatible=20
  with OTHER BRANDS of rigs
- a DSP module which will allow some OPEN SOURCE programming

All three of these points are MAJOR selling points for Elecraft, in
my opinion.=20

Having made the hurdle over SMT assembly means that in
the future, even if Elecraft keeps the through-hole kit building=20
accessibility of their products, they can add cutting edge parts and
circuits which can only be done in SMT packages because that's all
the parts manufacturers make. It makes for a complicated process but
may work well for the small modules similar to the KDSP2.

Getting a product bearing the Elecraft name out which is compatible
with Kenwood, Yaesu, and Icom, is a HUGE attention getter. People who
have never tried any Elecraft product will now do so if they need
the controller and their house brand doesn't make it, or it doesn't
do what they need.=20

Open source DSP is another great idea. It's too bad it requires=20
pulling the part to program it, but I would think anyone who would
have the tools to write DSP code would have a programmer, too. Hopefully
it can be done on an inexpensive one. Eric's comment:

"The flash chips are socketed on the KDSP2 and can be reprogrammed by =
the user,=20
if they have a programmer, or sent back to us for reprogramming."

completely surprised me. Can you imagine Yaesu accepting customer code
and parts and a note saying, "here, flash this for me"? Wow.=20

No official answer yet about taking KAF2s back in trade though I
find it amazing someone would even ask that -- who else would?
Maybe Elecraft will, after all, but I certainly wouldn't expect them
to (other than cheerfully cancelling orders being processed for KAF2s).
And by the same token there is probably still a market for KAF2s,=20
so those who have them can probably sell them on the List here.=20

I can't wait to hear some WAV files of what this thing will do.=20
Field testers have been very quiet...=20

Something tells me the Elecraft booth is going to be completely=20
mobbed at Dayton.

Andy