[Elecraft] APF et al.

[David Yarnes]

I just want to thank Wayne, Eric, and the gang for taking us beyond the 
original definition of what a K3 could do.  Yes, I know, we're having a 
little problem getting the APF right, but does anyone really thing it won't 
be right in the end?  I don't.  And I suspect there may be a few other 
"goodies" in the future.

The real point is that this is virgin territory as far as what we were 
promised on the front end--at least what we were promised specifically! 
That's what separates Elecraft from the other manufacturers, and I, for one, 
am grateful.  I just hope the rest of you are too.  There's been a hint of 
frustration that APF didn't work perfectly at the outset, and some 
additional frustration about just how to engage it, but this will most 
certainly be resolved as practically as possible.  The K3 does have some 
limitations, mechanical or otherwise, but it's still a radio that will keep 
gaining more and more capabilities.  That's what "upgradeable" radios are 
all about I think.  The implimentation of some of these capabilities may be 
complicated by other factors, but "what the hey"!  Don't use these 
improvements if it bothers you that much.

I had a very nice Orion II, which I liked a lot, but it just didn't have the 
potential for improvement like my K3.  So I sold it.  While Ten-Tec is still 
trying to get the Orions to perform more or less as advertised, the K3 has 
zoomed past that plateau.  In truth, nobody else out there is really 
offering a radio that will be stretched--most of the upgradeable 
capabilities for these radios is devoted to trying to get them cleaned up.

Some of you may not agree with this, but I'm convinced that we (K3 owners) 
have the only radio that will truly expand, as opposed to being one of a 
series of "new and improved" models.

So, bring on your suggestions for improvement (that's how the APF feature 
got added), but don't be too critical of the time it takes to get it right. 
Patience is a virtue.  If anyone thinks there is another manufacturer that 
is doing a better job of enhancing their product, I'd like to know about it. 
Oh, by the way, most of these enhancements are free, in the form of firmware 
upgrades.  I don't think you are seeing much of this elsewhere.

Dave W7AQK