[Elecraft] K4?

[Peter Spotts]

Yes, the economics can be brutal. But the investment gap was ever thus. I'm 
a boomer who first learned of amateur radio when I was in junior high 
school. I wouldn't get my license until many years later. But I pored 
through Heathkit, Allied, and Lafayette catalogs and visited our local 
Henry Radio store looking longingly at the radios. Then, as now, there was 
a wide range of price and performance. IIRC, the gold standard, or so it 
seemed, was the original Collins line, before Rockwell bought them out. My 
meager in-person sampling of stations at the time yielded a similar 
observation to yours: more Heathkits, Drakes, Atlases, and others than Collins.


In the end, I guess, we pay the price we must for a radio that meets our 
operating interests and needs, and change radios if or as those interests 
change.


As a mid-price-ish rig, "We'll always have the K2 [he hoped]; here's QSLin' 
you, kid."


A satisfied K1, KX1 builder/user...


W/best regards,

Pete
--

--
Peter N. Spotts -- NM5PS
ARRL Public Information Coordinator, New Mexico Section
http://www.nm5ps.net | Email: nm5ps at arrl.net | Skype: pspotts
QCWA #34679 | SKCC #4853S | QRP-ARCI #4174 | CalQRP #67
NEQRP #714 | NAQCC #2446 | G-QRP #13202 | Polar Bear #348

On March 25, 2019 08:45:07 Bob McGraw K4TAX <rmcgraw at blomand.net> wrote:

> With all of the wonderful ideas and features advanced for a K4, I find
> one thing which has been seemingly omitted. PRICE! Yep, hams want
> radios with all the features whistle band bells along with alleged
> performance.............. in the $1000 price range. Look at the volume
> of sales of radios in this price range. A large majority of hams today
> do not have $3500 to $6500 to invest in a radio. Yes I know the
> technology, engineering investment and cost to produce is a major
> component of price. But still, hams want inexpensive radios. It may
> not be feasible to produce a product in the $1000 price range, but ICOM,
> Kenwood and Yaesu seem to think so.
>
>
> ICOM IC-7300 = $979; Yaesu FT 991A = $1100; Kenwood TS-590SG = $1200;
> Yaesu FT-DX3000 = $ 1300; Kenwood TS-480HX = $1000
>
>
> Yes I know these are not in the performance league of the current K3S,
> but these are what is on the air, in mass, today.
>
>
>
>
> 73
>
>
> Bob, K4TAX
>
>
> Very happy with my:
>
>
> K3S, KPA500, KAT500 and P3
>
>
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
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>
>
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--
Peter N. Spotts -- NM5PS
ARRL Public Information Coordinator, New Mexico Section
http://www.nm5ps.net | Email: nm5ps at arrl.net | Skype: pspotts
QCWA #34679 | SKCC #4853S | QRP-ARCI #4174 | CalQRP #67
NEQRP #714 | NAQCC #2446 | G-QRP #13202 | Polar Bear #348


On March 25, 2019 08:45:07 Bob McGraw K4TAX <rmcgraw at blomand.net> wrote:

> With all of the wonderful ideas and features advanced for a K4, I find
> one thing which has been seemingly omitted.    PRICE!    Yep, hams want
> radios with all the features whistle band bells along with alleged
> performance.............. in the $1000 price range. Look at the volume
> of sales of radios in this price range.   A large majority of hams today
> do not have $3500 to $6500 to invest in a radio.   Yes I know the
> technology, engineering investment and cost to produce is a major
> component of price.  But still, hams want inexpensive radios.   It may
> not be feasible to produce a product in the $1000 price range, but ICOM,
> Kenwood and Yaesu seem to think so.
>
> ICOM IC-7300 = $979;  Yaesu FT 991A = $1100;  Kenwood TS-590SG = $1200;
> Yaesu FT-DX3000 = $ 1300;  Kenwood TS-480HX = $1000
>
> Yes I know these are not in the performance league of the current K3S,
> but these are what is on the air, in mass, today.
>
>
> 73
>
> Bob, K4TAX
>
> Very happy with my:
>
> K3S, KPA500, KAT500 and P3
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html