[Elecraft] Why I won't purchase K3

[The Smiths]

Alexey,


Welcome to the world of SMD.  Are you prepared to sit down and solder a 45 pin SMD processor to a board?  I'm sorry, but there's just no way for that to happen.  I think that perhaps you can find some enjoyment in doing the Mods to the rig as time rolls on.  For example, I took my own DSP board, de-soldered all of the SMD components and other non SMD components that were required to be replaced in order to do the Daughter board and Low Freq. Audio modifications.  Trust me, that was no walk in the park.  Sure, I could have sent my board back to Elecraft to have it swapped out for $100, but instead I sat down with my 700Watt iron and went to town on my own. 
 
I can tell you from that experience alone, I would NEVER want to have to construct the entire K3 rig if I had to place 500 plus SMD resistors, or 900 plus SMD Capacitors etc... The chance of loosing them as you're putting them onto the board alone is a HUGE challenge.  Plus it 'can' require the use of special tools that most people just don't have.
Soldering an SMD resistor 0402 size is like trying to write on a grain of salt, it's just not going to happen for everyone my friend.  I just don't think that you can come to expect you'll ever be able to make a fully functional Microprocessor controlled DSP rig from a non assembled kit any longer.  You're idea on kits is antiquated now.  I certainly know that 98% of the Elecrafters out there would never be able to do it (sorry 98% of Elecraftors out there)..  


One other thing I would have to disagree with you Alexey, I built my K3 from the kit, and I can tell you from that experience alone I was able to understand FAR more than others that received theirs as a pre-built unit.  When it came time to do the Mods, or trouble shoot another K3 in order to repair the Hardware, I had a MUCH better understanding of exactly what was wrong and how to go about 1-understanding what each board was, and what it did, 2- getting to the bad board in the rig, 3- removing and repairing/replacing it properly, 4 - Trouble shooting with a provided schematic and understanding the circuit.  Sure, I didn't put every resistor or Cap in the unit, but holding each of those boards in my hand, and then reading about what each of them did made my understanding for the K3 a MUCH bigger growth and knowledge experience than someone who bought a pre-built box they've never seen the inside of.
 
Stuffing and soldering of the kit is not the learning experience, it's how you go about understanding each of the boards that you're putting in. Pick up the schematic and read it for each of the boards.. Those are still provided to you.. Anyone can stuff a PCB and solder down the components, but that by no means says that they have an understanding for what the actual circuit does.  
That's something only the user can choose to learn on his own.  If everyone that stuffed a board and soldered understood what they were doing, how the design was made, and how the circuit works we would be paying a LOT more for our electronics these days.. Because there are little old ladies (no offence little old ladies out there) would be making a whole lot more than $10 an hour in the USA.
 
So, again, welcome to the the world of SMD... Get your screw driver ready,  and pray for Mods, because that's all you're ever going to do again....


Michael
N6MQL

 
> Date: Sun, 6 Mar 2011 05:30:54 -0800
> From: alexeykats at gmail.com
> To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: [Elecraft] Why I won't purchase K3
> 
> Ladies, gentlemen, and all the other species of HAM community,
> 
> I apologize for such aggressive and somewhat insulting subject of my
> posting. But after reading all the "why I purchased Elecraft radio" reasons
> I felt like chirping in.
> 
> I like radios, I like to find out what I can do with it. I like building
> things with my own hands. I didn't have so much fun building fully loaded
> K1, K2, and KX1 in years... like... like.. like I had when I was assembling
> my own computer with nothing but pliers, 40W soldering iron and individually
> acquired spare parts back in 90es. It felt like I was giving birth to a baby
> or something - making sure that it is in the best state I could possibly
> make it. And I could also learn from it, a lot, in fact.
> 
> Now, don't get me wrong, when it comes to the specs of K3 I bow my head to
> the designers of it - it's truly a one son of a gun radio. It's pretty much
> the heaven dream for CW. I know that. But there is one thing which makes me
> uneasy - it's not the radio I built. It's not even the radio I assembled.
> It's the radio someone else built, and all I am reduced to is plates
> arrangements and screwdriver turning. It's almost like I am not sure whether
> I should be thanking Wayne and Eric, or curse them. (Probably thank them
> more than anything...)
> 
> My gripe with K3 is that even if I buy it, build it, and use it, I can't
> honestly say that I BUILD it. Simply because I didn't build it. With K1, K2,
> KX1 I learned a lot from its schematics, I was able to figure out what went
> wrong if something went wrong (just to prove to myself that it was me who
> was an idiot). I loved the process of making sure that I understand each and
> every piece of it, to the last capacitor, even if I don't understand the
> assembler code of its main controller (I spend enough time with computers to
> hate them thoroughly as it is). My problem is I can't do the same with K3.
> I'd love to own it. I'd love to use it. But I'd hate to build it.
> 
> I am sorry if this posting makes no sense to all of you. I was simply trying
> to express my feelings...
> 
> I think I'll try to find more money to build another K1 or K2. (Actually, I
> like K1 more, don't ask me why.)
> 
> -- 
> Alexey Kats (neko)
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