[Elecraft] Will there be a K4

Sun Mar 24 15:50:16 EDT 2019

I bought my K-Line K3-P3-KAT500-KPA500 used and it’s met all my DXing needs, and I’ve not missed any ATNOs if I was around to work them.  Upgraded the Synth cards and had the gold pins installed and that’s it.  It’s been the best rig I’ve ever owned. 

I flirted with the idea of a K3s, but just couldn’t cost justify the added expense. 

The Wizards of Watsonville always seem to have something up their sleeves and it will be interesting to see what’s next. 

If the new offering is a greater performance improvement than the K3s, I might be tempted. 

-- Mike Flowers, K6MKF, NCDXC - "It's about DX!"

> On Mar 24, 2019, at 12:29 PM, Dave Cole (NK7Z) <dave at nk7z.net> wrote:
> 
> 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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