[Elecraft] Kinda OT, about changes ....

[N2EY at aol.com]

In a message dated 12/30/07 11:33:11 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
k8tb at bosscher.org writes:

>     And pricing? The K3/100 is right on par with the great Heath SB-101 
> from the 1960-70's, when you factor in government CPI adjustments.
> 

The SB-101 was from the mid-1960s. Replaced by the SB-102.

IIRC, the bare-bones SB-101 kit cost $360 less shipping 40 years ago. That 
works out to $2160 today, adjusted for inflation.

What you got was a good basic 100 watt SSB/CW transceiver that covered 80, 
40, 20, 15 and 10 meters. No RIT, no AGC choice, no noise blanker, no memories, 
no keyer, no sidetone on SSB, no built-in speaker, no ATU, no general 
coverage, no WARC bands, no second rx, etc. 

You could add one optional four-pole filter for CW ($22 then, $132 now), and 
a second VFO ($100 then, $600 now) could be added externally. Some years 
later, an external digital readout became available, for $180 IIRC (works out to 
about $900 today...).

Of course both the SB-101 and K3 need power supplies if you want to run them 
from AC power. But the SB-101 also needed a power supply to run from 13.8 
volts DC.

And as much as I am a fan of Heath gear, the SB-101 was in no way competition 
grade. Not compared to rigs like the Drake twins, or the Collins S-line, 
whose receivers alone, with no options, cost much more than the SB-101.

>     But to me, the most amazing change is the flip of what happened 
> 30-40 years ago when the offshore equipment pushed Heath and 
> Hallicrafters out of the picture.
> 
>     Within the last few years, there are 3 companies that looked at 
> Japan, and said, "Oh ya? Watch this!"
> 
>     Elecraft, Ten-Tec and Flex Radio. All 3 right here in America. (cue 
> the patriotic music!)
> 

Actually, Ten-Tec appeared in the late 1960s, with simple QRP rigs. By the 
1980s they were making general-purpose HF transceivers like the Omni and 
Corsair. 

IMHO, it was Ten-Tec that pushed amateur HF transceiver design towards better 
CW performance. Before TT got into the act, manufactured HF transceivers were 
designed for SSB and had CW added as an afterthought. Nobody offered a 
transceiver with true QSK before TT did so. And it was Ten Tec that first pushed QRP 
out of the super-simple class.

>     It does make me happy to see this. I am impressed with all three 
> companies. A good friend of mine bought the SDR-5000 and it is a great 
> radio. I, for my reasons, chose the K3. It is a joy to be able to have 
> the choice.
> 

Consider the choices in new ham rigs available in 1967 and the choices 
available now. And what they cost. 

Good times then - and good times now.

73 de Jim, N2EY


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