[Elecraft] K4

[w7aqk]

Wes and all,

No, a 2nd RX is certainly not mandatory.  If you have one it is still no 
guarantee that you will do great things  (I haven't--not like Wes has!!). 
Nonetheless, it is a tool, and a very good one if used properly.  Some may 
question the cost benefit, and that is a very valid point.  However, 
cost/benefit doesn't seem to enter into the equation much of the time, since 
if it did, we wouldn't see so many exotic rigs on people's desks!!!

My K3 has two receivers, as did the Orion II that preceded it.  However, I 
didn't get the 2nd RX straight away on my K3.  It didn't take long, though, 
as I had gotten spoiled by the Orion II's 2nd RX and what I could do with 
it.  Actually I had a "taste" of what a 2nd RX could do with some of my 
older Ten-Tec gear (Omni A, series B, and a Corsair).  Both had outboard 2nd 
VFO accessories, and with either you could monitor a 2nd frequency while 
transmitting on another.  Not quite the same as having a 2nd RX, but close 
enough, particularly at that stage of rig development.

Maybe I misread things, but with the K4 it looks like a 2nd RX is standard, 
not an accessory.  The "P3" is built in as well.  The only accessory I noted 
that would be mandatory in my case is the ATU, the KAT4.  So, all together 
it seems that a K4 can actually be cheaper than a well accessorized  K3S! 
Now, that is an interesting fact.  I say that because, in the past, Elecraft 
has announced new rigs, but then taken several (many!) months to actually 
get production going.  Since the K4 is supposedly a big advancement, and a 
well equipped one is actually cheaper than the predecessor K3S, it would 
seem that orders for the K3S are about to dry up--big time!!!  I don't see 
Elecraft sitting on their hands for several months with no rig orders (can 
the KPA1500 orders sustain things in Watsonville?), so my guess is that the 
time frame between announcement and production is going to be much shorter 
than usual.  Well, that's my guess anyway.

Well, this is strictly a spectator sport for me.  I have no plans to replace 
my K3 anytime soon.  Not that I'm not impressed with new developments, but 
I'm just too far down the road to jump all over new stuff like I used to.  I 
am looking forward to seeing a K4 in action though!  Hi.  Somebody nearby 
please buy one!!!!

Cheers,

Dave W7AQK



----------------------------------------------
From: Wes <wes_n7ws at triconet.org>
My K3S has only one receiver. The K3 before that had only one receiver.? The
TS-870 before that had only one receiver.? The Drake TR-7 before that had 
only
one receiver.? The Henry Tempo-One before that had only one receiver. The
Collins KWM-1 before that had only one receiver and everything before that 
was a
separate RX/TX. And yet, I'm on the DXCC Honor Roll, have CW, Phone, RTTY 
and?
9-band DXCCs all from within a 10 mile circle in Tucson running no more than
500W to wires or a triband Yagi at 50 feet.? Everybody knows you can't do 
this
without two receivers.

Wes? N7WS