[Elecraft] New: K3 tops the list

[Joe Subich, W4TV]

> No it doesn't.  This is exactly the reason why the ARRL buys a 
> rig and doesn't accept product from manufacturers to test.

Well, the K3 that ARRL is testing is a factory built radio.  In 
all probability it will be identical in every way to the one that 
the factory aligned and Sherwood is testing (except that the first 
ARRL test radio will be a 10 watt version).  When a given product 
is available only from the manufacturer there is no way that they 
will not get one identical to all of the other factory assembled
and tested units.  

On the other hand, what's different about a factory aligned radio 
than the entry for the Icom 765 that says: "m  	Receiver was 
optimized by Malcom Technical Support for best dynamic range" - 
or for that matter if Sherwood were to test any other radio that 
had recently been aligned the manufacturer or manufacturer's 
service facility? 

We're not talking about a custom K3 here ... it's a customer 
radio on which the final alignment was done in Aptos.  There 
is no reason to cast doubt on the validity of Sherwood's tests. 
If anyone wanted to make the test results better, they would 
have been done using the 8-pole filters supplied by Elecraft 
and not the 5-pole customer filters in the radio. 

73, 

   ... Joe, W4TV 
  

 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Brett Howard [mailto:brett at livecomputers.com] 
> Sent: Tuesday, February 19, 2008 1:26 AM
> To: 'Joe Subich, W4TV'; 'John [K7SVV]'; elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: RE: [Elecraft] New: K3 tops the list
> 
> 
> >To arbitrarily dismiss this test as non-representative smacks of a 
> >troll. 
> 
> No it doesn't.  This is exactly the reason why the ARRL buys a rig and
> doesn't accept product from manufacturers to test.  If you 
> know what is
> going to be tested for you can make sure to tweak and tune 
> for those specs
> and/or even worse you can make non representative samples.  
> 
> When I was working in the car audio industry we used to read 
> reviews all the
> time about amps that measured out at whatever power.  Then 
> we'd buy one and
> find out that it only did 70% of what the magazine reviewed 
> it to do.  After
> calling the magazine and asking them about their test methods 
> we got to
> talking and they tore the amp apart and found out that the 
> amp they had and
> the one we had was loaded with different output FETs.  
> 
> Did Eric and Wayne do this?  I highly doubt it!  But did they 
> make sure that
> the thing was tweaked and tuned as well as they would have their own
> personal rig?  You bet they did!  Did they do a better job 
> than joe blow
> who's putting together the kit?  Probably a lil because they 
> probably have
> access to better equipment and they know and the tips and 
> tricks to eek out
> every bit of performance.  Are we talking much?  No probably 
> less than a dB
> of difference between the unit but its still slightly 
> different than just
> coming from the hands of the owner directly.  That's all he 
> was saying.  He
> wasn't dismissing it just slightly questioning it.  Then in 
> the same breath
> said it was a fantastic radio!  
> 
> 
>