[Elecraft] kit building or buy ready for use

[Dave Hachadorian]

I recommend that you buy it factory-built, at least for the basic 
unit.

I have two K3's.  One I bought second-hand, and one I built. The 
one I built had a missing major part, which caused a delay, and 
then didn't work when it was finished. It turned out that there 
was an unsoldered component on the motherboard, which was 
undetectable in factory subassembly testing.

Although you save $200 by building it yourself, you really don't 
learn much in the process, and you have to spend about $25 for an 
ESD mat. If you have to ship it back to the factory, it will cost 
you $50 in the USA, and much more from overseas.

There is no substitute for the final system tests that the 
factory-assembled units get. Subassemblies are not tested 100%.

Dave Hachadorian, K6LL
Yuma, AZ





----- Original Message ----- 
From: ""Volker Wächter"" <dd1vw at gmx.de>
To: <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Sunday, December 20, 2009 9:03 PM
Subject: [Elecraft] kit building or buy ready for use


> Hello @ all,
>
> I do not know what most of you did.
> As many others, I am also interested in a K3 Trx.
>
> what do you recommend ?
>
> do-it yourself an purchase a kit, or buy it ready for use ?
>
> as far as I know, elecreft points out that a complete ESD 
> equipment is
> strictly recommended.
>
> what did you do ?
>
> 73 de Volker, DD1VW
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