[Elecraft] kit building or buy ready for use

[Don Wilhelm]

Phil,

How is your manual dexterity?  Can you follow written instructions?  Do 
you have 10 to 12 hours of time available to assemble a K3?
If you have answered YES to the above questions, then you can build the 
K3 kit.  The value of $200 vs. 10 to 12 hours of your time is for you to 
decide.

If you build the K3, fears about adding options, doing upgrades or 
performing any maintenance later on will be minimized because you know 
how it 'goes together'.  The calibration steps are straightforward and 
detailed in the manual - and for some of them, K3Utility has been 
upgraded to make some of those even easier than the manual procedure.  
Your owner-built K3 will perform just as well as a factory assembled K3 
after the calibration steps are performed.

In other words, building the K3 is neither difficult nor complicated..  
The warranty is the same whether it is factory assembled or a kit.  If 
you have trouble or questions, an email to K3support at elecraft.com or 
this reflector will likely provide you with the guidance required.

73,
Don W3FPR

Phil Hystad wrote:
> I would like to see more comments from K3 kit builders to counter these 
> points being made here.
>
> I am also planning on getting the K3 and there is only one thing that is
> holding up my order right now and that is trying to figure out when I can
> spend the time to put it together.  But, I am also a little bit wondering if
> the cost differential of kit versus factory built is worth the learning experience
> when you contrast that with the hassles of potential problems.
>
> If the kit cost versus factory built cost were different by a wider margin it would
> be an easier decision.
>
> phil, K7PEH
>   
>