Well worded & Thank you for the perspective. 73,
Gary KA1J > It has often been stated, by both Elecraft and our customers, that we > leverage user input as we flesh out new products. In this article I'll > clarify our development model, hopefully elevating it above hearsay. > It's intentional and methodical. We like to think it's one of the > things that makes Elecraft unique among well-known amateur radio > brands. > > * * * > > The design of commercial gear is subject to many constraints. It has > to meet user expectations, earn type acceptance, do well in > performance benchmarks, and yet be fairly priced. To varying degrees > it must also satisfy a universal requirement for communications gear: > it should be usable during emergencies to support local or regional > traffic. (For some of us, knowing we might be called upon as the last > resort in difficult times motivates us to keep our equipment and > skills fresh.) > > Most use of our gear is by hobbyists, so an additional set of > requirements comes into play. For example, a radio has to be enjoyable > to operate. If it's a kit, it must be rewarding and educational to > build. > > We take this two steps further. > > First, we believe that our customers -- the real experts when it comes > to using ham gear -- are a rich source of creative and technical > input. Second, we recognize that since this is a hobby, the road is > just as important as the destination. In other words, we want to share > the *process* of product design with our customers, not just plant a > stake in the ground and say "this is what we've done; take it or leave > it." > > To this end, at the onset of a new product cycle we imagine the > hardware and firmware as an elastic canvas upon which we and our > customers can sketch and refine ideas. This means products must be > endowed with a great degree of modularity; we have to leave spaces > that can be filled in the future, firing the imagination of users. > Here's a musical analogy: If you've ever listened to jazz trumpeter > Miles Davis play, you'll notice some gaps between his phrases. These > allow listeners to engage with his music, completing their part of the > conversation. The result? You work a bit harder at it, but come away > more satisfied. (Don't get me started on the Key of Morse.) > > What this means in practice is that we take continuous customer input, > weight it, adjust firmware implementation priority, and revise or > extend hardware over time. Let me give you two examples of how this > has played out. > > K2 > > The K2 was the test case for our "canvas" development model. To ensure > flexibility, we designed intermodule communications around a 1-wire > bus -- the auxBus -- which we routed to every option connector in the > radio. These connectors were strategically distributed to nodes where > they could pick up supply voltages, control, and RF or audio paths. > The idea was that each module would have its own small MCU, hanging on > the auxBus, where it could exchange information with the main MCU. > > We then started shipping the K2 to early adopters, soliciting their > input on what they'd like to see next. I can't claim that this process > was entirely democratic, and in truth it was messy at times. But the > upshot was that we quickly followed with new K2 options and firmware > features in an order that gave users a vote. When 60 meters came on > the scene, we added a module for that as well. > > Here's where the auxBus comes in: On power-up, each option module > checks in with the main MCU, reporting its status. But the MCU needn't > know every detail of how modules function. For example, when you go > into the menu entry for the K2's ATU (KAT2), the text for the various > settings is supplied by the KAT2's own MCU, over the auxBus. If you > update the ATU module to one that has different settings, the main MCU > doesn't have to be updated -- just the KAT2 itself. The main MCU thus > functions as a "server" for semantic information supplied by each of > the option modules. > > The K2 is also an exemplar of hardware flexibility, embodied in > something we called the 2D fastener. This is a short length of 1/4" > aluminum bar with three tapped 4-40 holes that permits attachment of > PC boards, sheet metal, and hardware. Over the years we and our > customers have taken advantage of 2D fasteners to upgrade or enhance > products. Our seafaring customers helped us migrate to all > stainless-steel hardware at some point, facilitated by 2D fasteners as > generic attachment points. > > Shortly after we thought we'd fully populated the K2 with options, we > were contacted by Lyle Johnson, KK7P. Lyle had reverse-engineered the > auxBus node associated with our KAF2 analog audio filter module, where > he inserted his own: the KDSP2, a DSP-based audio filter complete with > noise reduction. This is an extreme case of tapping community > creativity. In addition to adding the KDSP2 to our product line, we > added Lyle to our engineering staff. > > One final note about the K2 and extensibility. Once we had accumulated > a number of useful upgrades, we created an "A" to "B" conversion kit. > This was the genesis of our promise to provide an upgrade path for > every owner of our transceivers so they can remain current. > > K3 > > The K3, with its larger MCU and plenty of interior space, has > benefitted from many suggestions by its user base over the 10 years > since initial release. We phased in a high-performance sub receiver, 2 > meter transverter, enhanced ATU, DVR, SWL band-pass filter array, > reference lock module, USB port for control/audio, and most > significantly, an entirely new synthesizer design. As the phrase > "competition-grade" evolved, the K3 continued to set the standard. > > Accessories have been added to the K-Line based on customer needs as > well -- the P3 panadapter, KPA500 amp, KAT500 ATU, SP4 speaker, and > K-Pod remote controller. All of these new modules and accessories were > accompanied by hundreds of free firmware upgrades. > > Like the K2, the K3 underwent one major face-lift, in the form of the > K3S. In keeping with our model, we offered just about everything but > the "K3S" front panel bezel to those who wanted the latest in Elecraft > tech. > > * * * > > Our first two decades have been a time of challenge, opportunity, and > satisfaction for our team. Reflecting on this time, we need to thank > our customers not just for their creativity and enthusiasm, but also > for their patience. We've traveled the road together, bumps, potholes > and all, and I hope you've all enjoyed the ride as much as we have. > > It goes without saying that our future products will continue to > reflect our philosophy of community involvement and "hands-on" design. > > > Here at Elecraft headquarters, we're already raising a toast to the > next decade. > > Wayne, N6KR > > > > > > > > > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@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@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
