[Elecraft] K3 Design - Cost, Schedule and Performance

[Fred Jensen]

John Watkins wrote:
> K3 Design - Cost, schedule and performance

> When you design and ultimately go into production with
> any piece of equipment for the purposes of making a profit/paying the
> bills you have three variables that are always competing with each
> other as your team proceeds.  These are: cost, schedule and performance.

While I was working for a defense contractor, a Marine General asked me 
how we priced our bids and what could he do in the RFP's to keep the 
bids low.  I told him the ancient engineering mantra:  "Fast, Good, 
Cheap ... pick two, Sir"

I recall the days on this reflector when a place in the queue for the 
yet-to-be delivered K3's [I was in the queue] was almost becoming a 
salable item; "Pay me for my place in the queue, I'll go to the end, 
you'll get your K3 sooner." Fortunately Goldman Sachs didn't find out or 
we'd have had derivatives based on "securitized places in the K3 line" 
to add to the economy woes.  Elecraft seems to have chosen Good and 
Cheap [i.e. cheaper than the competition].  "Fast" sort of fell by the 
wayside until they got it right.

I think it was a very wise decision.  Delivering a product that wasn't 
Good or didn't compete well with the existing products in the market 
would have spelled death to the K3 ... and likely the company.  Some 
folks left the line, but most of us stayed and now have a really cool 
radio that is both Good, and Cheaper than the competition ... which 
actually may not be quite as Good as a K3.

I lost most of my hearing 40+ years ago on the other side of the planet, 
and SSB is very hard for me.  This last weekend in Sweepstakes, I posted 
the best score I ever have, thanks to the K3.  I'm a pretty happy ham 
right now.

73

Fred K6DGW
Auburn CA USA