[Elecraft] Elecraft Service

[Rick NK7I]

Seriously mislead?  Really?  Or was it unrealistic expectations 
(depending on when you bought too).

Does the K3 meet your current and expected needs NOW, while it is 
working?  Then enjoy it.  Buy parts as you can to repair or upgrade it; 
listed weekly on most email lists; at a discount cost (for now).

There is NO reason for that to change, but your needs might.

e.g. Say in 2008 (when the K3 came out), you bought a new large screen 
LCD TV (circa $3,000 US).  Would you complain now that it doesn't have 
wifi, has no streaming, isn't in 4K and cannot be repaired?  Or would 
you relegate it to the guest room (or e-cycle) and move on?

Or a computer (those were Pentium days, barely I-x chips were 
available); or any other piece of timely technology?  They still run, 
but try adding more memory or other parts now.

The BEST cell phone I ever owned, was a Motorola 'bag phone'; no 
streaming, texting, video etc features, it was a near flawless analog 
PHONE.  Then the cell world shifted to digital and it was worthless.  
Was I mislead to buy that?

That answer is no; we should expect technology to change and adapt over 
time, eventually fading away in usefulness.  That at some point, older 
products are no longer of useful value to most of the others, except 
collectors.

If it's still useful and meets your needs, I fail to see how you were 
mislead.  You did your research, bought the product chosen while knowing 
(that throughout history) at some point it would fail and repairs are no 
longer factory supported.  It was a good run, it's still useful now, as 
that line is ending.

You can't get factory parts for my old '64 GTO anymore either, at least 
not without a 'premium' cost.  (Wish I still had it too!)

I see the end of the K3 run as an opportunity for a start up repair 
shop; just like old car buffs and OLD radio folks manage to create.  One 
door closes, another opens.

73,
Rick NK7I


On 4/21/2022 12:11 PM, David Gilbert wrote:
>
> I bought my K3 for two reasons ... its performance and its modularity 
> which promised long term support for upgrades and repair.  The 
> performance is still near top notch, but I was seriously mislead on 
> the long term support and if I ever buy another rig it won't be Elecraft.
>
> 73,
> Dave   AB7E