[Elecraft] Interesting Conversation about FT-5000 vs K3

[Lee Buller]

I am reluctantly writing this email to the reflector with a very dangerous 
subject line....but here it goes.

My good ham friend came through town on Monday and we ended up going to dinner 
with the YLs.  As dinner progressed, he asked me what I thought about the 
FT-5000 vs the K3.  I said that "they would have to pry my K3 out of my cold 
dead hands at the end."  He said that the FT-5000 is pretty spiffy according to 
the QST review and out-guns the K3.  I said the K3 is a mature radio yet has the 
power to evolve to even greater "spiffy-ness."

He is current using a IC-765, which is a good solid rig, but somewhat out of 
date.

I told him about the K3 and that he needed so sit down and work with one.  We 
bantered back and forth and then he said something rather odd...

He said, "I think Yaesu, ICOM, and Kenwood will still be around in 10 years.  
Will Elecraft?"

I responded,  "Heck who knows?  Did you ever think Drake would leave the 
business or Heathkit kick the bucket?  Do you think Ten Tec is going to be 
around in 10 years?  And why do thing the Japanese companies would be any better 
once you realize General Motors took it on the chin this year."

He said, "I am not sure I want to buy a rig from a QRP company or any company 
that is owned by two guys.  What happens when they retired or die?"

I replied, "Elecraft has their roots in QRP which is a great deal for how they 
design their radios, small, compact, and low current drain.  They are hardly an 
exclusive QRP company.  But, heck, who knows who really owns some of the other 
companies, it is just that we know more about Elecraft because they are very 
communicative.  I don't see a lot of people having direct communication with the 
owners, designers, engineers of the other companies.  Besides, I am sure they 
have made plans for the future, most companies do."

My friend said, "Yea right."

Then we broke the discussion down to how the K3 is going to match the FT-5000.  
I said it was all a moot point because you have to look at not only 
specifications, but service, quality, ease of upgrades, cost of add-on features, 
price point, and how much you want to spend in the hobby.  We started talking 
prices.  (Later on, my wife asked me...does radios cost that much now-a-days?  
She was shocked)  


So, after this long email explaining the conversation...  How do companies, like 
Elecraft, Y, K, I, and T, protect their customers in the future knowing that in 
10 years things could have gone south or the principals might have "moved-on?"  
Or, like everything else in the world....you spin the wheel and take your 
chance.  No guarantees!

I like the two guys from California...I wish them long lives.  

Lee - K0WA



 In our day and age it seems that Common Sense is in short supply.  If you don't 
have any Common Sense - get some Common Sense and use it.  If you can't find any 
Common Sense, ask for help from somebody who has some Common Sense.  Is Common 
Sense divine?

Common Sense is the image of the Creator expressing revealed truth in my mind. 
-  J. Wolf