[Elecraft] K4: serious challenge for the $10K toys

Sat Jan 3 12:08:37 EST 2009

Of course there is a fast way of developing a big radio.  Just take the
current electronics and put them in a bigger case.  My Orion II is a =
good
example.  There is a LOT of room inside.  But a bigger case does not =
make a
better radio in my opinion.  As for the idea that a higher price =
indicates a
better radio or an "institutional" quality radio, there is the Yaesu FT =
9000
example.  That very expensive rig is subject to recall to replace almost =
all
of its innards and I don't believe that has been accomplished yet. So =
much
for design reliability.  I have no doubt that Elecraft could design a =
radio
for the institutional market if it chose to do so but I'll bet that =
market
has its problems as well.  As for the 7800 that appears to be quite =
capable
and I'm sure there are institutional users, but for critical missions, I =
bet
the choice is more likely the radios from Rhode & Schwartz or Harris =
which
are way beyond the price points we are accustomed to.

By the way, commercial users tend to look for the lowest priced, =
dependable
equipment which will get the job done. Globe Wireless uses TenTEC =
receivers
for computer controlled, unmanned remote locations.  If they weren't
dependable 24/7 workers, I doubt they would be used.  They are far from =
the
most expensive but they apparently meet the needs.

Bruce-W8FU

-----Original Message-----
From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net =
[mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.
net] On Behalf Of Johnny Siu
Sent: Saturday, January 03, 2009 1:43 AM
To: Elecraft Reflector; DOUGLAS ZWIEBEL
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K4: serious challenge for the $10K toys

Hello Doug,

For the market of 10k and 15k rig, it has to be supported by a large
institutional market which is the most profitable.

The requirements from institutonal users could be different from hams.
Durability, physcial strength and easiness of operation could be another
areas to look into.  I fully appreciate that Elecraft is a very clever
manufacturing engineer and marketing manager.  When you examine both K2 =
and
K3, for all the non-essential parts (including the fat head and pan head
cabinet screws), I am rude to say that they use the cheapest materials.  =
For
the T/R switch of KPA100, they only use the cheap IN4007 diodes for the
switching (but works very well!!).

On the other hand, for the criticial parts such as the front end of =
XV144
they use an excellent MOSFET.  Elecraft is very clever in a way that =
they
can mimize the production costs against performance.

K2 and K3 are excellent in specifications but I doubt whether they can
really operate under full institutional usage 7/24 a week.  May be there =
is
another version of K3 for institutional users which I don't know.

I am an ICOM user as well.  I understand that ICOM earns huge revenue =
from
the institutional version of their IC7800, IC7700 and ICR9500.  For a
purchase of 10k or over, the prospective purchaser will look into other
issues.  For me, I would also think of resell value of my used gears if =
I
invest 10k or more.

May be I am lucky that in Hong Kong, all the top gears (except K3) are =
only
80% of the US prices.  Therefore, when I sell my IC7800 or IC7700 in =
future,
the loss to me could be minimal.

With the clever minds in Elecraft, I think they have the capability and
talent to enter the profitable institutional market.  Perhaps, they may =
go
for IPO in due course (of course not now) for funding.

cheers,

Johnny Siu VR2XMC

--- 2009=C4=EA1=D4=C23=C8=D5 =D0=C7=C6=DA=C1=F9=A3=ACDOUGLAS ZWIEBEL =
<dougzzz at gmail.com> =8C=91=B5=C0=A9s

> =BC=C4=BC=FE=C8=CB: DOUGLAS ZWIEBEL <dougzzz at gmail.com>
> =D6=F7=EE}: [Elecraft] K4: serious challenge for the $10K toys
> =CA=D5=BC=FE=C8=CB: "Elecraft Reflector" <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
> =C8=D5=C6=DA: 2009 1 3 =D0=C7=C6=DA=C1=F9 =C9=CF=CE=E7 10:57
> Hi Joe...
>=20
> Yes, I'm sure a K4 (or how about a K88 so the SE Asia
> guys would buy
> in big time) could be "easily" made.  In fact,
> for "that" group, it
> might make sense to price it even higher than
> "theirs"...say $15 or
> $20k.  You know, when you get into the upper tiers of any
> market, it's
> the HIGH PRICE that convinces folks that it's good.=20
> And if it really
> is good (as I'm sure the K88 would be), then bingo.=20
> Tons of profit
> margin....with a concomitant lower volume.  It all balances
> out.
>=20
> However, if you look at the track record of Elecraft, they
> appear to
> be very good at identifying very tiny niche markets
> (although the K3
> seems to have a wide appeal...wider than expected?).=20
> Somehow,
> competing "head to head" with a "big"
> radio doesn't seem to fit the
> "Eric/Wayne" approach.
>=20
> As I recall (it's probably on their web site
> somewhere), the K3 was
> targeted to be a "high performance, very portable,
> light weight"
> radio...with some very neat features too.  They have
> certainly
> achieved that.  If I were them (which I am not), I'd be
> focusing on
> refining what I have (which they are obviously doing).  It
> is probably
> just a matter of time before the FT9009 and IC7878 come
> out, using
> nearly identical receiver design approaches to those used
> in the K3
> (and Orion).  Citing my own previous post today, this could
> be the
> Trophy wife with four PhD degrees.  It's got to be only
> a matter of
> time.  Of course, it will still be a BIG, HEAVY radio,
> taking up lots
> of real estate and providing lots of future opportunity for
> Herniorrhaphy surgeons.  The K3 will still have its niche
> market.
>=20
> Okay..end of make-believe "I can see the future"
> diatribe.  :-)
>=20
> de Doug KR2Q
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