For roughly two decades I was the manager of a division of one one the
largest U.S. semiconductor companies, with both engineering and
profit/loss responsibility that included being on the Board of Directors
of two offshore joint venture manufacturing facilities. Annual revenue
reached $350 million for the portion I was responsible for by the time I
retired.
Dave AB7E
On 5/10/2025 3:50 PM, Jim Brown wrote:
On 5/10/2025 3:08 PM, David Gilbert wrote:
The point is that I have never /needed/ to get a board from anywhere
else, and none of those other places ever promised me I wouldn't have
to worry about lost support. The Elecraft marketing pitch back then
(it doesn't matter how long ago) was that support would /always/ be
there due to the modular design of the rig. No matter how you try to
spin it ... Elecraft reneg'd on a promise. The truth is that Elecraft
could be still making, or at least repairing, modules like the KIO3
and KIO3b that still have components readily available. *They simply
chose not to honor their promise*.
Dave,
Have you ever run a business or been involved in management? It ain't
as easy as it looks. It's HARD to find and keep good people, and
you've got to pay them a living wage. You may not be able to buy a
KIO3B, but KIO3 boards are around. The difference is only a matter of
convenience -- fewer interconnect cables. Elecraft is a small company,
still with its original owners, both hams, who we can exchange email
with.
I still own four K3s, all early production. Two bought from Elecraft,
loaded, two bought used from trusted sources. When I say loaded, I'm
talking dual RX, both all the options and with sevn of the more
expensive filters between the two receivers. The first one bought used
came with no tuner and no 2nd RX. It lived in W6GJB's contesting
trailer until it needed service, and it's currently at Elecraft. I
added a KIO3B to one of oldest, because I had to do so to make SO2R
SSB and RTTY work with N1MM. The last one I bought about 3 years ago
from a member of our contesting club, also loaded, with P3SVGA, for
$2K. I bought it for spares.
A K4D has been my #1 rig for almost 3 years. I love it. The most
important upgrade for me are the filters. It's also currently at
Elecraft because I did something stupid. I was told 3-4 weeks
turnaround. A week after I dropped it off, the service tech emailed me
to ask about how I broke it and other conditions, to give him clues
about troubleshooting it! Name me another company making radios who
would have done that!
As to cost -- we're buying in 2025 dollars, not 2008 dollars. A google
query came up with 1.5:1. Add what we would have paid for a K3 with
two RX and a couple of filters for each, plus a P3/SVGA, and the
number isn't all that different. My 2nd K3 cost me $3,500 in 2008, P3
cost $750 in 2010, SVGA was $280 in 2012. That adds to $4500. 1.5x is
$6,700. Subtracting less inflation for the P3 and SVGA, call it $6,600.
73, Jim K9YC
______________________________________________________________
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
Message delivered to ab7e...@gmail.com
______________________________________________________________
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
Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
