[Elecraft] K4?

[W2xj]

When I was in high school my first station was Collins S Line and a triband beam on a 50 foot tower. Also, a Viking 500. 

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> On Mar 25, 2019, at 12:14 PM, Peter Spotts <nm5ps at arrl.net> wrote:
> 
> 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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>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
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>> 
>> 
>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> 
> 
> --
> 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
> 
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
>