[Elecraft] Which ONE rig would I buy?

[Don Wilhelm]

Dave,

I have to agree.  My rig prior to the K2 was a Yaesu FT-900AT.  I think 
that rig is one of Yaesu's best kept secrets - good performance in a 100 
watt class transmitter and  good receive performance.  Removable front 
panel - but the buttons and knobs were quite close together.  When I 
built my Field Test K2, I was surprised how much space there was between 
the buttons and knobs.

OK, there is not as much space between them as on my National NC-100 
receiver, but then that receiver is heavy (I have not weighed it), and 
it is 19 inches wide and 8.5 inches high - the desktop rack cabinet it 
resides in is 21 inches wide and about 16 inches deep.  It is a real 
behemoth compared to the K2 or the K3 or KX3, and all 3 of those 
transceiver have vastly more function than that NC-100.

That NC-100 has sentimental value because that receiver traded hands 
between my old Elmer W8ELL and I several times - the price was always 
what he initially bought it for - $35.  Because of that fact, it will 
pass with my estate - I will never sell it.

So yes, I look at the comments that the Elecraft buttons are too close, 
and I compare them with my FT-900 and just "shake my head" - either 
those ops have really, really FAT fingers or they have not experienced 
transceivers like the Yaesu FT-900.

The FT-817 is much worse for econometrics - the tuning knob is too 
small, the menus are too deep and the buttons are too small - yes, I 
have an FT-817, and those are my user's assessments.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 4/4/2012 7:57 PM, David Gilbert wrote:
> I have to fully agree on both points.
>
> When I bought my K3 I kept hearing all the comments about the density of
> the knobs on the front panel, so I actually did a comparison to my old
> 756Pro.  I measured the area of each front panel and divided by the
> number of knobs and buttons.  Guess what ... the K3 was about 25% less
> dense than the 756Pro, and none of the K3 knobs are as inaccessible as
> the five ridiculously small ones at the bottom left of the Icom.
>
> I did indeed spend quite a bit of time in the menu when I originally set
> up my K3 but I've had my rig for over three years now, I'm reasonably
> active in contests, and I honestly cannot remember the last time I used
> the menu for anything.  Once it is set up to suit your operating
> preferences you can access just about everything you operationally need
> from the front panel ... the obvious exception being quick changing of
> AGC parameters.
>
> I'm not saying that the ergonomics of the K3 are ideal, but in my
> opinion most people who complain about it either are too lazy to learn
> the rig, haven't actually tried it, or what they really want (without
> admitting it) is simply a rig that is impressively large.
>
> 73,
> Dave   AB7E
>
>
>
> On 4/4/2012 3:53 PM, Nate Bargmann wrote:
>> My hands are not small and the K3 has plenty of spacing between its
>> buttions and knobs that inadvertent contact is due to my sloppy reach
>> rather than an issue with the K3.  Like any other radio it does take
>> some time to learn well.  The menus are for configuration and once you
>> have it working as you like it, you're not going to be getting back into
>> them.  In other words, menu access is rarely needed for day-to-day
>> operation.
>>
>> If performance is anywhere in your list of desirable features, then the
>> K3 is the only choice, IMO.
>>
>> 73, de Nate, N0NB>>
>>
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