[Elecraft] Elecraft Amps

[Phil Hystad]

I would also vote for a soldering style kit but I also recognize that there could
be some SMT components already in place.  Indeed, there are kits like this already
where many of the components are SMT on the PCB but there is still work to be
done with other components and a soldering iron.

I like the idea of a full soldering solution for the PA board though as that would 
provide the kit interest and motivation with enough challenge adding new 
skills to deal with high-current RF transistors, cooling issues, and possibly 
winding your own splitters and combiners (if they are needed).

I disagree somewhat with the "If I were CEO..." comment.  That logic may
be true for a big company but small aggressive companies win more often
by taking the less conservative road and springing out with new ideas.  Isn't
that where Elecraft came from in the first place.

Adding to that idea, back in 1978, several of us engineers & mathematicians
and programmers had an idea for a new somewhat aggressive 
business venture so we proposed this
to the CEO and other executives of our company.  They turned us down.  So,
we split and formed our own company and within 5 years we had totally
surpassed our former company beating them out on more and more
competitive bids (large custom projects) in the north american market.  Our
former company chose to get out of the market that they could no longer
effectively compete and they sold that division to someone else.

73, phil, K7PEH


On Feb 11, 2010, at 10:15 AM, WW2PT wrote:

> I'll weigh in, just in case the Aptos crew is taking notes and  
> counting votes. ;-)
> 
> An off-the-shelf, high-end appliance to compete with THP or SPE would  
> be a high-cost, low-volume, low-profit venture, something I would not  
> want to undertake in the current economic conditions if I were CEO of  
> a small company like Elecraft.
> 
> Personally, I'd love a small (500w or 600w) solid-state amplifier kit  
> that I can build myself (a *real* kit, with soldering iron and  
> everything!). Some of us don't have the time, tools, and/or smarts to  
> homebrew such a creature on our own and would jump all over a kit like  
> this. It doesn't have to be anything revolutionary, just a simple amp  
> built around MRF150's or whatever. Base model would work with any rig  
> to make it appeal to the mass market, with options to expand  
> functionality (built-in ATU, K2/K3 interface, etc.), kind of like the  
> way the K2 is marketed -- buy what you need. If it could be sold for  
> less than a comparable Ameritron, I'd buy one in a heartbeat.
> 
> 73,
> Paul WW2PT
> 
> 
> 
> On Feb 11, 2010, at 9:48 AM, lawrence libsch wrote:
> 
>> Group -
>> 
>>     For those who believe Elecraft can't compete in the amp market,  
>> I ask you to consider the market into which Elecraft introduced the  
>> K3. Now almost 4000 of us have sold or retired other high quality  
>> transceivers for the K3.
>>    It's excellent that many K3 owners already have quality amps  
>> that function well for them. Many of us, however would like to  
>> purchase an amp from Elecraft with true K3 compatribility and the  
>> kind of quality and service advantages that Elecraft has brought to  
>> the K3.
>> 
>> 
>> K4KGG,   Larry
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