[Elecraft] K3S and expectations

[Ray Sills]

Hi Gang:

I don't have a horse in this race, because neither a K3 nor a K3S is  
in my future.  Nothing to do with price, just the case that I don't  
have space for a hamshack at my QTH.  So, I operate portable... quite  
happily with my KX3 or KX1 or FT-817 or any of a bunch of QRP rigs.   
With the KX3, I have a "world class" rig that I can hold in my hand.   
Amazing!

And, we seem to reaching an area where performance improvements will  
be hard to find, or possibly financially out of reach for both the  
company and it's customers.  Evolution does go in fits and starts;  
it's rarely a smooth progression of improvements.  Who knows where or  
when the next major development will take place.

But as I see it, both the K3 and K3S offer a very high level of  
performance and capability.  It certainly looks like a K3 will be able  
to be brought very close to the specs of the K3S.  The fact that  
Elecraft rigs -can- be upgraded and/or options added is remarkable in  
itself.  And, it may be a while before a "K4" is on the horizon.  Such  
a rig may depend on a new device or chip which has yet to be designed  
or produced.  In the meantime, the K3 offers performance and  
performance per dollar that is undreamed of back when I got my first  
ham license... (1956).

73 de Ray
K2ULR
KX3 #211


On May 16, 2015, at 8:50 AM, Doug Turnbull wrote:

> Dear OMs,
>     I for one am pleased.   Elecraft might have held back on  
> upgrades for
> the K3 in order to make the difference greater!   These radios are  
> at the
> leading edge in ham radio.   Evolution is not always that fast.   Mean
> while many  new KSYN cards are being sold and the K3 stays near the  
> very
> top.  I made a wise decision in choosing the K3 and in recommending  
> it to
> close friends.
>   73 Doug EI2CN
>
> On Saturday, 16 May 2015, GDR <kt5d at charter.net> wrote:
>
>> It seems a disappointment that the newest Elecraft product is in  
>> fact, an
>> old product upgraded to current modification state and given a  
>> different
>> paint job and a new knob. I was hoping to see a totally new,  
>> interesting
>> gizmo that would inspire me to rob the piggy bank or sell my K3 to  
>> fund the
>> K4 (imaginary) replacement. I have noticed an increase in the  
>> number of
>> K3's offered for sale the last couple of days. I'll wait for the K4  
>> (or?)
>> and hope it isn't seven years away.
>>