[Elecraft] Today's HW-101?

[n2ey at aol.com]

-----Original Message-----
From: Darwin, Keith <Keith.Darwin at goodrich.com>

>Do you guys think it is feasible to design / build a basic 100 watt HF
>transceiver kit that would sell for $600?  Something that would give
>basic SSB / CW / Data modes, 10-80, with good (not great) performance.

The main problem I see in meeting the $600 price goal is the 100 watt 
requirement.
Look how much the KPA100 costs.

--

If I understand the problem, what you'd want would include:

- 80/40/30/20/17/15/12/10 meter coverage. (leave out 60 and 160 if they
drive the price up, include them if it doesn't cost too much).
- Synthesized VFO with RIT, maybe a couple of memories
- CW, SSB, data modes via soundcard
- PTT, VOX, semi-break-in
- Basic controls on panel (RF gain, AF gain, tuning, band select, AGC 
off/slow/fast, filter narrow/wide)
- Kit form

What you're describing is a basic K2/100 with SSB.

IMHO, if you took a K2/100 and removed features like the preamp, 
attenuator, QSK, direct
keypad entry, dial lock, selectable tuning rate, CW reverse, multiple 
filter widths, scanning,
yada yada yada, I don't think the price would come down much, nor would 
the hardware
be much simpler.

IIRC, an HW-101 with sharp filter but no power supply cost about $280 
in 1968 or so.
Run that price through an inflation-adjustment calculator and see how 
it compares
to the cost of a basic K2 with SSB and KPA100.

Note also that you could build the K2 first, then add the SSB and 
KPA100 later.
Plus other options (audio filter, NB, 160/2nd rx, etc.) that were never 
available for the '101.
And that the HW-101 did not have RIT nor even the option for a second 
VFO.

However, the HW-101 smells better.

73 de Jim, N2EY
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