[Elecraft] Why I won't purchase K3

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

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.  ...


Michael
N6MQL

I've replaced many such components in the field with nothing more than some
diagonal cutters, a solder sucker, soldering iron and solder.  

When mounting a part, one does not solder each pin individually but floods
the pins with solder which only sticks to the pins and pads, just like what
happens in production "wave soldering". An option is to use solder paste and
a heat gun.

I believe the reason there are no component level kits for rigs of the K3's
complexity is simply business. The cost of kitting such a rig and the tiny
market for it (compared to a no-solder kit or factory assembled version)
make such a kit unprofitable. 

73, 

Ron AC7AC