I pretty much did the same thing -- I'm close to retirement and made my last significant transceiver purchase a couple of years ago. Personally, I love anything Elecraft (especially the KX1), but I did end up with an Omni-VII as my main rig, which I'm very happy with. My point is that for around $3k I can get a mighty fine radio that I'll be happy with and can handle a variety of operating circumstances. When you get significantly above that, the return on investment becomes narrower and it becomes more of a status symbol. I've been a professional communicator all of my working life, and while the difference between a 3-dollar radio and a 3-thousand-dollar radio is huge, the difference between a 3-thousand-dollar radio and a 6-thousand-dollar radio is mostly features.
Steve, KW4H On Tue, Nov 16, 2010 at 5:17 AM, Edward R. Cole <[email protected]> wrote: > I had the brochure of the K3 on my bulletin board for several years > as "unabtainium". I studied the reviews, and considered the comments > of several owners of the K3, and it finally came down to raiding my > 401K for the $3,199.97 that I spend for my K3/10+KRX3. That is more > than my first car cost in 1965 (Mustang). And I consider it my last > significant ham purchase now that I am retired. Fortunately, it > appears to be a good investment since it is continually improving > thru firmware advances (the promise of SDR technology). > > I have lots invested in my ham hobby (if I were to total everything > it might approach $15-20K acquired over 50-years). In 2008 I spent > $5K installing a 16-foot dish (to work maybe 200-400 hams world-wide > on 1296-eme). But then I do not own a $35K Harley, or a $80K > motorhome, either. > > For what its worth the $6K Yaesu represents two month's retirement > income. But It would not interest me even if I were a > Millionaire. If I had six figure income it would go into some fine > test equipment (and some travel with my wife to exotic places). > > 73, Ed - KL7UW > 500-KHz to 10-GHz > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Mon, 15 Nov 2010 12:01:19 -0500 > From: KW4H <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] OT: QST's review of the Yaesu FTDX5000MP > To: [email protected] > Message-ID: > > <[email protected]<rnbsm%[email protected]> > > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > Not to be deliberately crass, but I have absolutely no use for a $6,000+ > radio -- contesting or not. Like most hams, this is a hobby I do for fun, > and spending that kind of money on a transceiver is virtually unthinkable. > For the price of that rig, I could buy some new living room furniture and > take the XYL on a two week Caribbean cruise. > > 73! > > Steve, KW4H > > > > > > 73, Ed - KL7UW, WD2XSH/45 > ====================================== > BP40IQ 500 KHz - 10-GHz www.kl7uw.com > EME: 144-800*w, 432-100w, 1296-testing*, 3400-winter? > DUBUS Magazine USA Rep [email protected] > ====================================== > *temp not in service > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[email protected] > > 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:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
