[Elecraft] K3 improvements was: A Rob Sherwood's talk in Dayton

[Ray Sills]

I don't think the intent for not adding improvements that can't be  
done for -any- K3 is there to hold back any improvements.  It seems to  
me that the K3 -is- the best K3 that can be produced.  And, it is  
modular enough that those owners who want a second receiver can get  
one.  Or transverters, or tighter filters.

If a K3 owner wanted to go in an replace some of the circuitry...  
well, they certainly could.  And, it might well improve some  
performance aspect.  But then, it would not be a K3 anymore, but a  
modified K3... and the factory would not have an obligation to  
maintain it any more.. you'd be on you own.  That's OK for some  
people.  But, part of the value of a K3 is that you know what you are  
getting, that you can get factory upgrades and updates, that you can  
have it serviced if some part fails.

Eventually, the K3 will reach it's "end of life" as a product... when  
the components can no longer be sourced.  But at least a large part of  
it's feature set is done via software, and -that- can always be  
updated or reworked.

73 de Ray
K2ULR



On Jun 7, 2013, at 1:58 PM, Keith-K5ENS wrote:

> My only point is that from reading Wayne's statement, Elecraft is  
> not going
> to make improvements to the K3 that can not be fitted to the units  
> in the
> field. And I'm not sure there is any improvement that couldn't be  
> fitted due
> to the design of the K3.  If I remember when I built my K3 are the  
> parts
> just plugged in. That makes me think the K3 today is not the best K3  
> that
> could be produced.  It's just not going to be made available because  
> it
> would make today's K3 "less valuable".   Where does that put plans  
> for any
> future model?  I would think making changes to the K3 would be  
> easier on K3
> owners than a completely new model.  It could be a lot less  
> tooling.  As I
> have stated before the K3 as it is today is getting old.  But hey  
> Kenwood is
> still selling the TS-2000.  Not that I would want one.
>
> I am a K3 owner SN 2654 with no plans to replace it with another  
> brand.  I'm
> just pushing for the next best great product from Elecraft.  I know  
> it's
> there.
>
>
>
> Keith, K5ENS
>