[Elecraft] K3: 7.2 pound tuning knob

[S Sacco]

Before someone calls for a big Elecraft Group Hug...

As long as I have my K3, I'll wish that it allowed me to directly
switch to the band I want, rather than have to sequence up/down, or
program memories, which still requires two keystrokes.

Same with the mode.

Although the knobs aren't as close together as I thought they'd be, I
still wish there was a bit more space between them.  All said, the UI
(including menu system) is excellent and very intuitive, and MUCH
better than I thought it would be.

I'm still wondering why/how Elecraft gets away with such little
surface cooling area for the PA.  It must work, but I've always
wondered why the other manufacturers seemed to put more into that
area.

It doesn't have a built-in power supply, which shifts the
size/weight/cost away from the K3, but are nonetheless expenses the
owner must bear.  Along with that, it also doesn't have band-scope,
which is something I grew to like quite a bit when I had my ProII's.
Again, the size/weight/cost for this has been shifted away from the
K3, but is an expense the owner must absorb.

The K3 was shipped 8-9 months too soon, given the immature state of
the firmware.  This behavior would have been wildly and viscously
attacked if exhibited by a Japanese manufacturer.

Elecraft consistently failed to provide accurate shipping status.

Elecraft has already been well rewarded for their efforts:  If we
assume they've shipped 650 K3's @ $2,200 (I thought I'd err on the
lower-end of the range), they're received $14,300,000 in revenue.
Revenue NOT = Profit, obviously.

That said, I like my K3, and have a 2nd on order, and I'd do it all
over again...but, no doubt, better radios are on the horizon (they
always are).  The K3 is not protected by any patents, so the hardware
is easily cloned.   It's the firmware and UI which will be Elecraft's
competitive advantage going forward.  Time will tell if they're up for
the challenge.  I like to think they will be, but if they're not, oh
well.

Time to go back outside, and finish my South 4/4 10M stack.  Next up:
the 4/4 20M stack.

73,
Steve NN4X




On Sat, Apr 5, 2008 at 8:26 AM, DOUGLAS ZWIEBEL <dougzzz at gmail.com> wrote:
> Bill, W4ZV said
>
>  >BTW I had to laugh out loud when I saw a new IC-7700 owner tout its
>  7.2 pound tuning knob!  Gosh "he could've had a K3" for only 1 more
>  pound!
>
>
>  Yup, it's true.  On a weekly basis, I still get to appreciate the size
>  and weight (or lack of) of the K3.  I am (lately) moving lots of stuff
>  on the desk around, opening up the K3, etc and there is NOTHING like
>  being about to lift the entire rig up off the desk with ONE HAND while
>  the other hand is free to do "other stuff."  A very long way from
>  thinking that I should have help when simply "moving" a brand X rig
>  off the desk.
>
>  And excerpted from a private email from Wayne to me on May 5, 2007, in
>  describing the vision....
>
>  "Affordable -- portable -- high performance."
>
>  Portable?  VP6 showed that.
>  High Performance?  ARRL and Sherwood, plus lots of happy users show that
>  Affordable - YMMV, but on a "bang for the buck" scale, "without a
>  doubt" and beyond reproach.  Again, taking Bills' example of the
>  IC7700...well, all I can say is "give me a break."  How many K3's can
>  you get for one 7700?  :-)
>
>  We should all celebrate in what Elecraft has accomplished...beyond
>  just the radio itself, but in setting (through achievement) new
>  benchmarks.
>
>  de Doug KR2Q
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