[Elecraft] It's Not Only the K3!

[Lyle Johnson]

I don't know if many of you have taken note of this, but...

At Hamvention this year there will be *three* new radios that weren't 
there last year.  They are all moderate to high-end rigs, and they are 
all from the US.

The last time I saw this level of activity among US ham equipment 
manufacturers was in the mid '60s when Swan and Drake and SBE were 
challenging Hallicrafters and National and Hammarlund and Collins.  Oh 
yes, back then, as I was a 13-year old kid just entering the hobby, I 
kept being assured by all the old timers that Amateur radio was dying, 
RM-499 (Incentive Licensing) was going to kill it, what was the ARRL 
thinking?

For those who wring their hands and say Amateur radio is dead, it has no 
relevance in the 21st century except during hurricanes, all products are 
made in Asia -- just look at the confidence being expressed in Amateur 
radio, and its future, by the substantial investments these three 
companies have just made.

Naturally, I think you should get a K3 if you are in the market for a 
high-performance radio.  If you aren't, then you should get two :-)

I hope to see you at Dayton in just under three weeks!

73,

Lyle KK7P