These are two quite different animals with different design objectives. The FT-5000 weighs 46 pounds and runs on household AC. The K3 weighs 8 pounds and runs off 12 VDC. And here we bump into reality when it comes to 200W. Getting 200 W out of 12 V finals would be a real trick if you want a clean signal. Each rig fits its own segment of the market, and part of the market would be happy with either. I doubt that Elecraft needs to loose much sleep over the FT-5000.
David K0LUM At 7:59 AM -0800 2/26/10, lstavenhagen wrote: >Well I dunno. From looking at the specs on the website, I can't see that the >FT-5000 is going to offer anything over and above what you can get with the >K3, really. At least nothing off the top of my head that would justify the >extra cost. > >The only feature I see appearing on more rigs that I'd say Elecraft might >want to look into is the 200W final amp. This is nice because, IMO, >- it reduces the need to go kilowatt with an outboard amp. True it's only a >doubling of the typical 100W output, but you can go for quite a while longer >without having to invest in a KW. >- more headroom for high-duty cycle modes like the digital modes. I.e. you >can go 100% duty-cycle at higher power levels than with a 100W final. >- very very cushy duty on the final when you are driving an amplifier, >particularly one of the older dual 3-500Z amps which can require quite a bit >of drive to get to full power. You can run that higher drive level into it >all day long without having to be flat out or close to it like you sometimes >are with a 100W final into one of the "boat anchors". > >It's probably a relatively low investment in R&D and parts, etc., for >Elecraft to implement too (tho maybe the size might be a problem in the >K3?). > >That'd be my suggestion as far as a good bang/buck investment Elecraft could >make. > >The claimed IP3 performance of the 5000 is pretty good indeed, but I'll >believe it when I see it. Like I said a lot of these boxes are still trying >to match the K2 as far as performance hi hi. > >73, >LS >W5QD > > >-- >View this message in context: >http://n2.nabble.com/FT-5000-tp4052723p4639973.html >Sent from the [HAM] mailing list archive at Nabble.com. >______________________________________________________________ >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
