[Elecraft] K3 - Ergonomics

Fri Apr 4 01:56:03 EDT 2014

I used FT-2000, FT-897 previously and the K3 requires, which some people do not do, reading a manual.
Once you have set it up to your need it works fine..during a contest all I need is there where it should be.

I sold all the Japanese radios now and working mainly with the K3...not to forget the restaurated Drake 7-line which is next to it. (it also has different ergonomics) And as Monty stated you have to learn the functions.

Like the comparison with cars...one day a convertible is cool, the other day a roadster or a hatch. Each handles differently and has different controls...depends on what you want.

For the "Knob lovers" the Y,K and I of this world offer their, what I call, "Shack Altars" for a 5 digit amount of bucks..you pay for knobs you turn maybe once a year! Easy spottable by the dust accumulation over a month. :-)

I like the K3 as it is! It´s like a roadster .. small, lightweight, pure, handles easily and gives direct feedback! AND if you do not know to drive it, it will not excuse mistakes. 
If you do not know what you do, you can completely misconfigure your K3!

My 2 cent on this topic...

73s
Bernie
DL5RDP

-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: MontyS [mailto:montys at mindspring.com] 
Gesendet: Freitag, 4. April 2014 00:14
An: David and Dianne on Comcast; elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Betreff: Re: [Elecraft] K3 - Ergonomics

I don't want any rig to be the "last rig I Own".  I had a K3, and loved it, 
for over 5 years.  I will probably get another one in the future.  I've 
owned a HW-100, a Swan - the first with a digital readout, a Kachina 505 - 
the first computer-controlled radio, an IC-756 Pro with a color screen, a 
Kenwood TS 840 that was solid as a rock, and the Elecraft K3 as main radios.

The K3's ergonomics are different, but pretty easy to learn unless one needs 
hundreds of buttons and knobs.

Monty K2DLJ

Joe, W4TV and Ian, GM3SEK; I found both of your
posts to be spot on with me and very insightful.

I own K3 #371 and have been disappointed with the
lack of its further development in the past 18
months or the "finishing" of some features as
mentioned by Ian.. And as much as I have tried,
really tried, for SIX years to adapt to the "tap
and hold" button feature...it's not for me.

When new, the K3 was a blast to own, to use and to
participate in the development of it for about the
first four years. But my attitude towards it has
changed in the past two years or so.

It's not the the K3 is "bad", far from it, but  it
could be refined into an even better rig rather
than into an apparent development stepping stone
for the KX3 which holds no interest here for me.
To me, one of the shortcomings of SDR is that the
promise of on-going support and upgrades is
usually not fulfilled in the long run, for myriad
business and technology related reasons. I view
promises from any manufacturer (TT, ICOM, Kenwood,
Flex etc.) concerning future, long-term firmware
development with great skepticism. It never
continues past a certain time-frame which is
usually ends much sooner than one initially
expects.  As for updated/redeveloped K3 boards to
be forthcoming, I hope ... but expect not. So I am
not holding out hope for any further meaningful
development for the K3. Elecraft has been far
better with it than most but it appears that the
K3 with 8000+ units sold is now a mature product
which will see refinements and enhancements as
rarer and rarer occurrences if at all.

I have found myself contemplating parting ways
with the K3 and Elecraft of late being drawn back
to using  my TT Corsair II and Omni V.9 more and
more. Highly modified by me, they compete very
favorably with the K3 for my op style and
expectations. (IMO TT has gone in a very strange
business direction of late which causes me to
wonder what they are doing).

Everyone is entitled to their personal opinions
and for most the K3 seems to still be the epitome
of HF rig evolution. That's fine. I mean you no
bad will nor is my intention to convince you
otherwise.

But after six years I still miss my dedicated band
switching (with stacking registers) and I still
don't like Kool-Aid regardless of flavor.  ;-)

73 de N1LQ-Dave

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