[Elecraft] K3: Request for some stats

[G3SJJ]

Doug, I might be able to slightly clarify soon! Received shipping 
notification today of my 14 May with deposit order. I think things have 
got fudged now but initially the 1st prodn run with deposit was to be 
200 units. This was increased but supposedly ended on 14 May at 1800, 
four hours after I placed my order. I have thought for some time that 
250 would be the 1st run figure, but with 241 being a May 8 order I 
guess that is blown. 260 maybe!

It seems to me that the idea of the 1st prodn run was to generate 
interest and therefore income! I suspect having done that the idea of 
discrete prodn runs will have been phased out as far as we are 
concerned, again probably more of a revenue generating idea. I don't 
think they will release figures of orders placed on their suppliers.

I am disparately frustrated about the 2nd Rx as the hype about this was 
a major influencing factor in my decision to purchase.  What I find 
disturbing is all along the lack of cogent information and of course 
paying $600 up front, 8 months ago, for no reason, and almost as 
worrying, the number of people who defend this as being acceptable practice.

I am truly puzzled at the latest statement about the 2nd so close to its 
published launch date. There is either a duff batch of populated 2nd rx 
boards, maybe $50,000 worth or the problem was known a long while ago 
and a decision made not to go ahead with ordering the boards, in which 
case an announcement could have made much earlier. I don't go along with 
the "debacle" theory but there is a strong smell of the "mushroom" 
theory (kept in the dark and fed s---t!!)

I think the product is brilliant, the workforce is excellent, but the 
communication is extremely weak and has really soured the situation. It 
will be recovered but many people will now be much less confident when 
they open their National Contest Journal and see a full page K3 advert! 
It will certainly take me a long time to believe any future Elecraft 
updates or press releases.

ESD mat at the ready, diary clear for when Mr UPS calls in a few days 
time. Yippee

Chris G3SJJ






DOUGLAS ZWIEBEL wrote:
> Eric, Wayne:
>
> I am requesting that you (A) release the size of "production run 1"
> and also please tell us (B) how many K3s are still pending "without
> deposit" from run #1.
>
> I know that initially you indicated that such information was a proprietary.
>
> However, at this point:
>
> 1.  Everybody will know the prod run size once we see orders going out
> past the order date that you have already stated is the end of run #1.
>  Will another month (I hope not more) of secrecy provide any
> additional or continued protection from whatever you viewed as somehow
> valuable to be kept as proprietary?
>
> 2.  I am in  Run #2 and I would like to get some idea (stress on
> "some") of when my radio (or all prod run #2 radios in the case of
> others who might share my thoughts) might be going out.  I am not
> asking you for an estimate, but I (meaning me, myself) would like to
> make some basic assumptions (not entirely accurate) about when I might
> expect my radio.  I can't speak for others, but from what I've seen
> posted, everybody is interested in every single scrap of information
> available to help ease the frustration from the very long and
> unexpected delays.  My approach would be to take the number of ordered
> radios divided by the empirical data of past shipments (average) per
> week.
>
> 3.  I am also in Run #3 (ordered my 2nd K3 on Nov 21), but I have
> little confidence in my ability to project the real ship date for that
> other than that the original estimate provided of "mid February" will
> clearly not be accurate.
>
> Respectfully submitted and anticipating a reply,
>
> de Doug KR2Q
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