[Elecraft] Separate Groups Would be a Mistake

[Michael Bower N4NMR]

Eric, I was hoping someone would say this.  You certainly brought out some
great points.  I, too, hope they keep it together.

Michael N4NMR
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net 
> [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of EricJ
> Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2005 12:36 PM
> To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: [Elecraft] Separate Groups Would be a Mistake
> 
>  I think it would be a mistake to pull out an Elecraft 
> technical forum. I'm involved with intranet design (not the 
> technical side, the conceptual side).
> Many corporate customers want to include forums for their 
> group to discuss common interests and problems. Very briefly, 
> the more compartmentalized they become, the less successful 
> the forums. The pressure initially is for more specialized 
> forums. The trend is towards fewer or one "general" forum 
> with a broader focus.
> 
> Here's why. A successful forum is a community. It isn't just 
> the occasional interesting topics and posts that hold the 
> group together. It is also the "chatter". Far from being 
> off-topic, most chatter serves to bind the group into a 
> community. There are lulls  between really interesting 
> completely on-topic posts, and the chatter keeps the 
> community together so that it is there for the next "new thing". 
> 
> It's the same in other facets of our lives. We don't just 
> talk about religion at church functions. We don't just talk 
> about ham radio at club meetings. What a boring world if 
> every group limited their discussions in that way. Sure, you 
> have to keep things mostly on topic, but you have to let 
> things stray a little (this group is very even-handedly moderated) 
> 
> Something as specialized as a pure technical forum on 
> Elecraft equipment is going to attract a relative few. My 
> guess is it wouldn't even attract many of those on here who 
> are very technically competent. It will not attract the great 
> majority of Elecraft owners who want to know how their rig 
> works, but mainly just want to enjoy their radios. There will 
> be the occasional "hot"
> technical topic (e.g. phase noise), but chances are good 
> there will be relatively long periods of time when nothing is 
> happening and members will drift on to other interests. The 
> few remaining will not be involved in heated technical 
> discussions because it will be the same small group that 
> already knows what the others are interested in.
> 
> I say keep it together. Sometimes I have an interest in what 
> the geeks are saying. I understand the highlights and maybe 
> learn something I can use.
> Some I delete when I see the call sign. I learn most from 
> guys like Don
> (W3FPR) and Ron (AC7AC) and many others in their offers of 
> troubleshooting help. Not that I have always experienced the 
> problem or expect to, but by getting insights into how the 
> rig works when it is working like it was designed. I learn 
> from just about everyone.
> 
> I also learned that there is a delete button. With only a 
> couple of dozen posts a day, it is not much of a burden.
> 
> Eric
> KE6US
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> Here is the polite question to Wayne and Eric and others from 
> Elecraft to maybe open another forum with pure technical 
> stuff because deletting all the messages wich are not of my 
> interests is very time consuming for me and i am shure my 
> writing for the others is also.
> Hope the voice will be suported and heard :) .
> 
> CU!
> 
> S55M-Adi
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> > You and your European friends are exactly correct that most of the 
> > stuff
> on
> > the Elecraft site is not really technical nor about specs etc. ...
> > I, like you and a few others, would rather exchange 
> information about 
> > how the radio can be made better in handling big signals etc.
> >
> 
> >
> > Anyhow, I hope you all are successful in coming up with another 
> > reflector for technical discussions on the K2. Please let 
> me know, as 
> > I would like
> To subscribe.
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