[Elecraft] K3 DIY vs factory assembled: "If I get a bad part, will I be stuck?"

[David Ferrington, M0XDF]

I considered that, for about 1 minute, when I bought my K3. My fellow  
club members with K2s said there wouldn't be a problem - there wasn't.  
I didn't have any missing parts so can't comment on delivery of those.  
But the K3 shipped via UPS and got here in 2 days (shipped 15-Dec and  
arrived 17th). I found the HexKey I had ordered had been missed out of  
the shipment, Elecraft very apologetic and it shipped and arrived  
within 5 days (considering that was Xmas post time, very good). A mod  
kit I ordered arrived within a few days via USPS (I have to say I'm  
more impressed with US postal service than I am the UKs).

I don't think you'd have to wait long for a missing part in mainland  
Europe. But I expect shippment to some distant rural area might be an  
issue. I would not have thought Canada would be?
73 de M0XDF, K3 #174
-- 
Math Anxiety: an intense lifelong fear of two trains approaching each  
other at speeds of 60 and 80 MPH. -Rick Bayan

On 22 Dec 2009, at 03:16, Gary, VE1RGB wrote:
> 	Your argument is solid for citizens of the USA.  But life offshore
> is different and the logistics support system from Aptos, while it  
> cannot be
> faulted, cannot do anything about the vagaries of postal and  
> transportation
> and customs and immigration systems which attract delay and cost,  
> sometimes
> of eye-watering magnitude, to those of us who live elsewhere.
> 	Gary, VE1RGB