[Elecraft] Is there a good reason to buy a K3S

[Dauer, Edward]

I agree as well.  Buying a K3S has been tempting in the way that buying 
the latest model car sometimes is - though I should disclose that one of 
my cars is 14 years old and well into its second 100,000 miles.  But as a 
practical matter, with the K3 upgrades (which I am doing), that temptation 
hasn’t moved me to buy the new model.  One improvement that would make me 
jump to a new model, almost regardless of the cost, probably won’t be 
available until the K8 or K9, namely a Blue Tooth-type system for ridding 
my desk of the cabling jungle connecting the K3 to the KPA500, the KAT500, 
the P3, the PR6-10 (yes, I know that one is in the K3S) and all the rest.  
OK, I’d allow two to remain - DC in and RF out.  

As for the related question, of someone who has no K3 buying a used K3 
versus a new K3S, two variables would be important to me.  One would be 
cost.  The other would be quality.  I would rather buy a K3S kit than a 
used K3 even if factory-built, to have the advantage of knowing my radio 
more intimately by building it.  That difference would be worth a goodly 
amount of difference in the price.  In addition, buying a used anything is 
always a trip into the unknown, with no guarantees and the risk of 
problems, disagreements, and all of that.  Avoiding that sort of risk is 
also worth a substantial amount of money.  

The analysis of that question is different from that of the question of 
upgrading an existing K3 versus buying a K3S:  While I plan to keep my 
100,000+ mile car indefinitely rather than trade it in on a new one, only 
someone truly desperate should want to buy the old one from me, regardless 
of the lower price.  (But I am open to offers - it’s a cream puff 2001 
Infiniti QX4 as is / where is - replies off-line, please.)

Ted, KN1CBR


>Message: 6
>Date: Wed, 29 Jul 2015 09:08:40 -0400
>From: Don Wilhelm <w3fpr at embarqmail.com>
>To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Is there a good reason to buy a K3S
>Message-ID: <55B8D058.8040405 at embarqmail.com>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=flowed
>
>David,
>
>A very good analysis.
>I agree completely that the K3S is an upgrade to the K3, and an existing 
>K3 can be upgraded to almost the equal of the K3S - the RF board cannot 
>be upgraded, but just about all the other changes can be incorporated 
>into your K3 should that be desirable.
>
>I consider this upgrade to be similar to what happened to the K2 at 
>serial number 3000.  The boards were redesigned, and all the prior 
>upgrades were incorporated into the new boards.  The older A level 
>boards could be upgraded with the kits provided by Elecraft, and there 
>were only a few minor differences between an upgraded A level K2 and the 
>newer B level.
>
>I believe Elecraft is unique in allowing customers to upgrade to the 
>latest level by providing upgrade kits at a modest price.
>
>73,
>Don W3FPR
>