[Elecraft] Elecraft Product Ideas

[Bill Coleman]

On May 20, 2006, at 7:17 AM, Fred (FL) wrote:

> 1.  A 13.8vdc  dual-6146 TUBE AMPLIFIER, separate box,
> with view of the tubes ... 200 watt PEP. I know
> it may sound odd - but TUBES crank it out better than
> solid state - no matter what they tell us!

First, you may be hard-pressed to get 200 watts PEP out of a pair of  
6146's. Typically, these babies are 180-200 watts INPUT.

Second, your statement about tubes cranking it out may have been true  
25 years ago, but solid state rigs have come a long way. The K2/100  
can crank it out with the best of the hollow-state finals rigs of  
yesteryear.

This is interesting from a nostalgia viewpoint, but not practical for  
Elecraft from a business point of view.

> 2. A small separate POWER/SWR METER, hf, 160-10
> or 80-6, 15/200 watt range, KIT.  BNC/SO-239
> I/O's

It would be especially interesting if it had reasonable accuracy, too.

> 3. A KIT vertical QRP/100W ANTENNA .... back packable,
> with decent SWR and carry-able in form.

There are several manufacturers producing such verticals now. I'm not  
sure how much you would consider kit-able.

> 4. A KIT horizontal END-FED-ZEP ANTENNA ... back
> packable, with decent SWR in carry-able form.

A KIT for this? Two insulators and a hank of wire?

> 5. A KIT LOOP HF antenna, back packable, hangable,
> plug-together, qrp to 200W.

Like the old AEA Isoloop? This might be interesting, but I doubt  
there's much that could be in kit form. Perhaps if it had automatic  
antenna tuning.

> 6. An in-line POWER OUTPUT INDICATOR (bnc, bnc)
> sensitive/viewable to .250 watt variance.
> Two (2) versions;  NEON, mico-meter.

If you've got #2 above, I don't see why you'd need this.

> 7. A marine-grade BOATABLE, tossable marine (river,
> lakes) portable HF ANTENNA.  (Float, water ground
> line, tow line, boyant)

Not exciting.

> 8. Elecraft "Golf Shirt", XXL please!  White
> please, and some form of cotton/poly - not
> cheap.  Small K2 on front pocket.  Collar,
> short sleeve.

This sounds cool.

> 9. Elecraft HF PORTABLE TUNER Kit; meter, dummy
> load option, Elecraft K2 gray, 15/200W ranges.

The KAT100 doesn't do this? All you need to add is a dummy load.

Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr at arrl.net
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
             -- Wilbur Wright, 1901