[Elecraft] The KX1 Now and Forever. Look at the QCX.

[Mike Morrow]

> I understand that Elecraft can't make the money work with a
> rig with a very niche market.  So how about a KX0, or KX9000
> in todays marketing bull.  Make it one band.  Make it 5 watts.
> Make it buildable by real people, no smds.
> ...73 Eric WD6DBM

All of what you seek, and more, is already available at almost give-away prices in the mono-band transceiver Model QCX kits ($49) and optional custom enclosures ($37) from QRP Labs.  The QCX is a modern extremely sophisticated, innovative, and capaable design by Hans Summers, G0UPL.

QCX Description Page:
  http://qrp-labs.com/qcx.html

Presentation materials by Hans at Dayton FDIM;
  http://qrp-labs.com/images/news/dayton2018/seminar.pdf
  http://qrp-labs.com/images/news/dayton2018/fdim2018.pdf

QCX Assembly, Alignment, Operation, and Theory Manual:
  http://qrp-labs.com/images/qcx/assembly3_LT.pdf

This manual is outstanding in all areas.  Like the kit design, it is a real tour de force.  The kit requires no SMD soldering and is almost all easy TTH construction.  The QCX includes all necessary built-in test signal generation and associated displays for making alignments.

I don't believe there is any conflict mentioning the QCX mono-band unit on the Elecraft list because it is NOT a competitor to ANY product that has ever been in Elecraft's 20-year product line.  In one year, almost 6000 QCX kits have been sold.  I have recently received four of them and begun construction.

There's more than enough room in my QRP world to appreciate the excellence of my three 20-year-old Small Wonders DSW mono-band units, my 18-year-old K1, my recent KX2, and my (I hope) soon-to-be completed QCX units.  I love the technical innovation in every one of these.

Mike / KK5F