[Elecraft] THE FUTURE OF OUR HOBBY

Tue Dec 17 12:15:57 EST 2019

One of my ventures into ham radio was the purchase of a complete Heathkit station.  While the original SB-104 left a lot to be desired, the fact that Heath offered financing for the complete purchase.   Don’t recall the details but I made monthly payments until it was paid in full. 

Bob, K4TAX

Sent from my iPhone

> On Dec 17, 2019, at 9:08 AM, Fred Nassar <fnassar62 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> With all due respect, I disagree with the statement "there are few
> inexpensive ventures into HF available today." I was licensed at 14 and
> remember my first HF rig was an used HT-44 and DX-160. I used that pair for
> six years and learned a lot about how to optimize my set up until I had
> enough money to purchase my buddy's FT-101E for $400 (1981). After college
> I was able to buy new gear using a TS 570 and 590S many years  and now
> using a flex 6400. With the advent of the IC7300 and other SDRs the used
> market has been disrupted. Decent used HF rigs can be had for $300-$500
> (cheaper than a new smart phone). Even a new  7300 or 590sg are within
> reach for the new ham. Both very good rigs offering many to most of the
> advance features that top of the line rigs offer. I think the movement to
> SDRs  will continue to offer very affordable albeit maybe not new and not
> "state of the art", but very much usable and capable to make QSOs and more
> importantly having fun.
> 
> I think what Elecraft does is unique and there is value in that. They bring
> a high level of customer service and stay very close to the customer. They
> almost seem like one of us hi hi...While the big three may offer more
> tiers, they do so at the cost of other things some hams find important.
> Elecraft has been around over 20 years and now launching what appear to be
> a very successful K4. I think they are doing just fine with their business
> model.
> 
> 73,
> Fred
> KE4Q
> owner of a KX3 and maybe a K4 someday
> 
>> On Mon, Dec 16, 2019 at 9:39 PM Don Wilhelm <donwilh at embarqmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Ted and all,
>> 
>> I do not think restricting the choices to VHF and UHF gear is going to
>> "save the hobby".
>> 
>> There are few inexpensive ventures into HF available today.  There are a
>> few inexpensive CW only kits available from QRPme.com, but those are
>> quite limited and are CW only.  Oh to have the Dave Benson SWL series
>> back.  Those were good kits which could put the new ham on the air with
>> a good receiver, but again CW only.  I do not see any equivalent today.
>> 
>> The QRPme kits are interesting, but being CW only, they are limited to
>> those willing to learn CW.  Even a 'knock-off' of the K1 is CW only.
>> 
>> For potentially new hams, we hams need to have something that is viable
>> for HF and not expensive.  Remember the high schooler and the recent
>> college graduate who does not a lot of extra money.  I do not see many
>> choices for them other than the inexpensive VHF/UHF FM transceivers,
>> which work fine with repeaters, but do nothing for the HF spectrum.
>> I built my first transmitter of salvaged TV parts at a very, very low
>> cost, but that was back in the late 1950's when such parts were
>> available many for the asking at the local TV repair shop.
>> 
>> A used HF transceiver may the only current logical choice.
>> 
>> Elecraft has championed the high performance, high end market, and has
>> done well at it, but that performance comes at a price.  Few beginners
>> in ham radio can afford a K3S let alone a KX2, so for beginners, they
>> are "left in the lurch" with choices mainly in the used gear market.
>> 
>> Nostalgia for 'what was' is interesting, but does nothing for the
>> newcomers to HF with limited funds.  Even the era of cheap surplus
>> military gear is gone.  I used to buy Command set transmitters and
>> receivers for $5 each at the surplus store, and you could salvage parts
>> from them to build transmitters and receivers, but those rigs are
>> collectors items today and are expensive.
>> 
>> 73,
>> Don W3FPR
>> 
>> 
>>> On 12/16/2019 4:44 PM, Ted Edwards W3TB wrote:
>>> More...
>>> Although it has not happened, I have long expected June VHF and Sept VHF
>> to
>>> displace Field Day and then get more of those many new Techs active.
>>> 
>>> On Mon, Dec 16, 2019 at 3:42 PM Ted Edwards W3TB <w3tb.ted at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Yet, here is another product idea that is driven by my concern that so
>>>> many new Techs get an HT and don't develop further into our fine
>>>> hobby/avocation.
>>>> A Transceiver more significant than a Chinese cheapie for getting on
>> other
>>>> modes in the VHF and/or UHF bands.
>>>> I do wish there were a quality-yet-simple radio for 6m/2m would be so
>>>> handy to them to discover SSB and Digital work on those bands.  CW, too.
>>>> 
>>>> On Mon, Dec 16, 2019 at 12:52 PM Jim Brown <jim at audiosystemsgroup.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>> 
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