[Elecraft] Will there be a K4

[Dave Cole (NK7Z)]

Now that I have owned a K3 for a few years, I have what the new folks 
don't have, K3 experience...

Here is my take on this, now that I have some experience under my belt...

How much better can Elecraft make a K4, as compared to a K3?

I am already atmospheric noise limited, so sensitivity is not the issue 
with my K3.

My current K3 reacts well to close by hams...

My current K3 allows computer control...

My current K3 allows remote control...

My current K3 seems to fit all of my needs...

My current K3 is to die for on CW...

Sure I could use more dynamic range, but honestly, that is not really 
limiting my QSO or DX count...  So really, all I might see is a new 
display, maybe some color, maybe a few more features, perhaps some 
better filtering...

What would really chap my ass would be for Elecraft to come up with a 
K4, and fork the software, and upgrade paths.  That would pretty well 
end all development on the K3 after some till defined ime frame, not yet 
stated...  If Elecraft comes up with a K4, and it is just a prettier 
version of a K3, with maybe a few new additional features, but Elecraft 
does not fork the product line, and/or software, I would be happy with 
my current radio.

The K3 really does perform so much better than anything I have ever used 
I don't imagine there is a lot that could be done to make it so much 
better as to make me want a K4.  I doubt any prospective K4 would up my 
DXCC count, or make -50 FT8 signals suddenly decode.

I am also 66, so my current, or next radio will be probably my last... 
I really don't want to get on the Flex bandwagon, of paying tons for a 
radio/science experiment, only to have it sell of 40% of new, three 
years later...  I am happy with the K3 for now...  If a K4 comes out, 
maybe, but if I did not have a K3, I and knowing what I know after 
owning one for years, I would be pretty ticked at myself for waiting a 
year for a K4, even if it came out...

73s and thanks,
Dave (NK7Z)
https://www.nk7z.net
ARRL Technical Specialist
ARRL Volunteer Examiner
ARRL OOC for Oregon

On 3/24/19 11:38 AM, Chip Stratton wrote:
> Seems like you need to decide what you want to do with a radio, which radio
> will do best for what you have to spend, and get that radio. Why wait
> around for something that might or might not be in the future and may or
> may not fit your needs better in some incremental way? You will never know
> if a K4 is coming until Elecraft actually announces it.
> 
> Chip
> AE5KA
> 
> On Sun, Mar 24, 2019 at 2:15 PM levandowski <sjl219 at optonline.net> wrote:
> 
>> I've been a dedicated Elecrafter for well over a decade.  I've built and
>> owned all the radios - sometimes more than once - plus the KXPA100, and
>> many other products.  Wayne should look at my purchase history records.
>>
>> But I reached the point where I got tired of orange screens so I sold
>> everything and bought a Kenwood TS-590SG where the screen color went from
>> yellow through orange to green.  It was a very capable radio and sounded
>> very nice.  But I still wasn't satisfied.
>>
>> So I traded it in on a TS-890S five months ago.  Now that's a beautiful,
>> capable, colorful and HEAVY radio.
>>
>> But there's just something about Elecraft......so I sold it last week, put
>> the money back in the bank and now I'm operating a little Hilltopper as my
>> only radio while I take a deep breath and figure out which of the Elecraft
>> radios that I previously owned and stupidly sold, I'll re-purchase.
>>
>> I'm holding out hope for a new, colorful offering in the May time frame
>> but if not, it's probably going to be either another KX3 or a KX2 again.
>> Barefoot.
>>
>> I guess I had to take the whole trip until I could figure out where I
>> wanted to settle down....
>>
>> 73, Stan WB2LQF
>>
>>
>>> On March 24, 2019 at 1:35 PM Bob McGraw K4TAX <rmcgraw at blomand.net>
>> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> Purchase what you want today. Tomorrow may never come.   If you wait
>> until tomorrow you'll never have a new radio.
>>>
>>> Bob, K4TAX
>>>
>>>
>>>
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