[Elecraft] Now accepting orders for the Elecraft KX3 Transceiver

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

Mike, consider that many of those posting here have no one 'live' with which
to share their excitement. 

With every new Elecraft rig starting the ordering process, there is an
avalanche of these messages from excited Hams. 

Personally, I grin and thump on the delete key more often, hoping the new
rig is as much fun to operate as they anticipate. It settles down after a
few weeks (or months, Hi!)

You call it "QRM". That's an excellent description. But understand that 90%
of the messages here on any subject are just QRM to many. 

Consider that the K2, K1 or KX1 enthusiast who tries to follow messages
about his rig must delete 99.9% of the posts here as "QRM". Even those who
have the K3/P3/KPA500 "K-Line", but whose interests do not include
contesting, chasing dx, and interfacing their rig with a computer, find the
vast majority of messages here simply QRM. 

In that regard I find scanning the messages here much like scanning the Ham
bands - sometimes it's interesting "reading the mail" and often not. 

73, Ron AC7AC

-----Original Message-----

> Here's 1!

No, it's already about number 15, in just a few hours!

> This is the first new radio (other than a portable receiver) I have bought
> new - ever (in >50 years of wanting to).

Great!  But please...exactly **what value** is it to the list if each of
the several thousand purchasers of the KX3 post "I ordered one" or "I 
ordered 13" or "I didn't get an e-mail after I ordered one" every time an
order is placed for the **next several months**??  Just what???  It's of no
value to me, and I doubt I'm alone with that assessment.  Not even the K3
caused such a rash of such pointless, inane "I ordered one" postings so
quickly.

I agree that the KX3 is potentially one of the most exciting products that
will soon present itself for amateur radio use.  I too will acquire one
when it becomes available.  But my telling the list that is just noise and
adds absolutely NO value to the list.  I hate to think of the potential for
the types of KX3 postings that have been made in the last 15 hours to
continue
all through 2012.

Postings and commentary on some surprises in the information found at the
KX3
order page http://www.elecraft.com/Misc/kx3now.htm would seem to be more
useful
and informative, such as:

1. KXAT3 - "Includes filter elements to optimize AM broadcast band receive
            (0.5-1.6 MHz)."
2. KXBC3 - "Includes real-time clock, providing time display and alarm."
3. KXPD3 - Is it really worth $130?  (This is a question, not a comment.)

Or, how about specific questions that remain, such as:

1. Will the KX3 manual appear for download soon?
2. Will the KX3 manual contain detailed schematics, or just module-to-module
   interconnections? 
3. Will a KX3 purchased "assembled and tested" be assembled with purchased
   optional internal accessories (KXAT3, KXBC3, KXFL3) installed and
   tested?
4. Is the broadcast band coverage module that was proposed last May now
   incorporated as part of the KXAT3, as the information that Elecraft Sales
   sent out yesterday implies, or is there yet another device coming? 
5. Will MARS firmware be available when the KX3 starts shipping?

These are just a few items I can think of in about 15 minutes that would be
of much greater import to the list than my posting "I ordered one too".
Making a posting that says only "a KX3 has been ordered" is pure list noise.

> I imagine that a whole lot of other people have been, and are, in similar
> circumstances (of a very long drought - and to us this KX3 is like warm
> summer rain).

That's the real worry!  The KX3 could easily become a landmark product
purchased by thousands within a short interval.  I can only hope that a very
small percentage (0.001%) will feel compelled to clutter the list for months
to come, with postings as seen today that add nothing but QRM.

Mike / KK5F