[Elecraft] K4 effect on Used Gear Market

[Tom Azlin W7SUA]

I do not worry the "reduction in value" of my radios.

I figure that was my gained value in using the radio. I tend to ask 50%
what what I paid when selling my excess good condition out of production 
radios and 75% of what I paid for still in production radios. My benefit 
is the use of the radios and the buyer gets a good price. In one or two 
hamfests the radios are sold.

My wife tells me I am just renting the radios and not to worry the 
price. I do try maintain a conservation of radio space rule. Buy one, 
sell one so shelf space stays constant. When we moved from VA to AZ sold 
2/3rd of radios and should have sold 3/4ths.

In this case I am likely to just shift my upgraded K3 over to a 
backup/field position if I get a K4. I sold my fully loaded dual 
receiver K3 using the 75% rule. Unlikely I will sell my remaining single 
receiver K3.

73, Tom w7sua

On 5/19/2019 8:26 AM, Dauer, Edward wrote:
> Thanks to all who are providing more info about the K4.  Certainly
> whets the appetite.
> 
> What the K4 does to the value of used K3 s, however, is highly
> speculative at this point.  For one thing, their second-hand value
> will vary with how soon, if at all, Elecraft stops producing them,
> and there is no way even to guess about that without knowing all of
> the company's internal cost functions as well as sales projections.
> But speculating is fun to do so I'll add one variable of my own:  The
> K4 may depress the value of whatever rigs many of us now have as
> backups under our K3.  That's what I plan to sell, keeping the K3 as
> a backup (if I buy a K4.)   But I have no idea what those rigs are in
> other shacks -- in many cases the station may be two K3 s deep now.
> But for others, which of the other two rigs to sell may depend on how
> easy it is to swap transceivers on the fly -- i.e., if a K4 fails at
> a bad time can I just take it off the table, put a K3 in its place,
> plug in existing connectors without needing adapters or other
> changes, and continue running QSOs?  If so, some used K3 s may not be
> entering the market quite so fast.
> 
> So yes, the relative value of used K3 s will very likely decline,
> inevitably so when there's additional competition.  Though even that
> could depend partly on unpredictable changes in both demand (new hams
> entering the market) and supply (other radios made by other
> manufacturers becoming available at nearby price points.) But by how
> much will their value change relative to what would have happened in
> a non-K4 world?  At this point, that calculation -- including this
> post -- has so many unknowns it's more in the realm of SWAG than
> analysis.  Which doesn't mean it's not fun to do.
> 
> Ted, KN1CBR