[Elecraft] Neat K3 Video!

[Joe Subich, W4TV]

Don, 

> Joe - my original post pointed out the great success
> of the K3 initial production release, they did a
> terrific job of rolling radios out there without
> unforseen problems out of the box.

I'm not saying the Elecraft group did not do a good job in rolling 
out the K3.  Like Jerry, Dick and others I am saying they ignored 
non-Elecraft hardware and the needs of operators who have not been 
indoctrinated in "the Elecraft way."  A top of the line transceiver 
is a far different product than an overgrown QRP/backpack radio and 
had far different requirements for interfacing with other hardware. 
It's well and good to provide CW inhibit and receive antenna loop 
that interfaces with Elecraft's own VHF/UHF transverters but some 
thought needs to be given to de facto standards like amplifiers from 
Alpha/TenTec/Icom/Yaesu amplifiers with negative ALC and RF Enable 
(inverted CW inhibit) and the operating patterns of lowband users 
with low noise receive antennas.

> Maybe an unforseen problem of your own - oh my gosh I
> may need to build a switching cable. ;-)

As I said before, none of these problems are fatal - it will be 
relatively easy to add an external relay and XOR gate to resolve 
the antenna switching issue, add an inverting op-amp (and +/- 12 V 
supply) to handle the negative ALC, and add a transistor circuit 
to invert "RF Enable" for "CW inhibit").  However, all three 
changes could have been incorporated in the K3 for pennies in 
parts instead of requiring user modifications or "add on" boxes
with just a little "market research" beyond the tight-knit group 
of insiders who do not push the operating envelope. 

73, 

   ... Joe, W4TV 
  
     


> -----Original Message-----
> From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net 
> [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Don Rasmussen
> Sent: Sunday, December 02, 2007 6:56 PM
> To: Elecraft List
> Subject: [Elecraft] Neat K3 Video!
> 
> 
> Joe - my original post pointed out the great success
> of the K3 initial production release, they did a
> terrific job of rolling radios out there without
> unforseen problems out of the box. 
> 
> Most wouldn't consider the fact that the radio was
> released without an interface that you consider to be
> important to be in the category of unforseen problems
> on initial delivery.
> 
> Maybe an unforseen problem of your own - oh my gosh I
> may need to build a switching cable. ;-)
> 
> --- "Joe Subich, W4TV" <w4tv at subich.com> wrote:
> 
> > 
> > > I guess I have to leave you room for your opinion
> > > Jerry, but it's a newly released radio and the
> > > function you mention is working as engineered. 
> > > 
> > > It's not like the radio is popping finals, has RFI
> > > shielding problems, or "hangs" periodically.
> > 
> > No, this is a case of "not invented here" - a
> > complete 
> > failure to understand what is already in the market
> > and 
> > in the shack of users who would be expected to adopt
> > the 
> > new radio.  
> > 
> > To Jerry's list I would add a limited implementation
> > of 
> > RX antenna switching.  Simply expanding the existing
> > 
> > relay in the KXV3 from DPDT to 4PDT and inverting
> > one 
> > control line when RX Ant is selected for the main rx
> > 
> > would allow completely independent selection of
> > receive 
> > or transmit antenna for the second receiver.  Again,
> > 
> > like the ALC polarity or sense of the CW inhibit
> > loop, 
> > it should be relatively easy to hack an external fix
> > 
> > but it should not be necessary in a radio of this
> > class. 
> > 
> > 73, 
> > 
> >    ... Joe, W4TV 
> >  
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net 
> > > [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On
> > Behalf Of Don Rasmussen
> > > Sent: Sunday, December 02, 2007 5:03 PM
> > > To: Elecraft List
> > > Subject: [Elecraft] Neat K3 Video!
> > > 
> > > 
> > > Jerry pointed out:
> > > "The biggest events I have seen are pretty
> > important:
> > > The reversed polarity of the ALC voltage (K3 ALC
> > > polarity setup is not presently compatible with
> > widely
> > > used amps from Yaesu and ICOM" <snip>
> > > 
> > > I guess I have to leave you room for your opinion
> > > Jerry, but it's a newly released radio and the
> > > function you mention is working as engineered. 
> > > 
> > > It's not like the radio is popping finals, has RFI
> > > shielding problems, or "hangs" periodically.
> > > 
> > > I've seen all this and more with other new
> > transceiver
> > > offerings. It also seems the bad seems to stay far
> > > longer than anyone would expect. 
> > >