Elecraft K3 Wait and Wait and Wait!

[WA3WSJ]

Hello Drew, AF2Z

I plunked down over $1300 for a deposit on my K3, but after waiting five
months and then calling Elecraft they told me to wait another three
months. That was a total wait of 8-months! At the five-month point I
told Elecraft to cancel the order and send my money back.
I then went out and bought an Icom 703+ and just love this little radio.
It's no K3, but for less than $700 it's worth the money.

I still plan to buy a K3, but I WILL NOT WAIT MONTHS to receive it.
Elecraft doesn't have their act together concerning the K3. This is from
an op who built a K1, K2 and a KX1. I'm VERY disappointed in Elecraft
selling the K3 before they were geared up for production.

When Elecraft has a K3 ON-THE-SHELF I might buy one.

72,
Ed, WA3WSJ
**********************************************************
Yeah, that's right... most of us took a crash course in CW, learning
it overnight. Then worked all band DXCC the next day. And we expect
the solar flux to be at 300 in another week here or so. So where's our
K3's? We didn't become ham radio operators because we like to wait
around for stuff. No sir.

73,
Drew
AF2Z


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[drewko]

Hello Ed,

Yes, some people would prefer to wait till they can buy one without
waiting...

For myself, I ordered one before I'd decided whether or not to
actually buy one-- so it is really Elecraft who is waiting for me. I
think they will be sending me an email any day now asking for my
decision. I imagine they are probably getting pretty nervous about my
final intentions by now.

There is a lot of psychology in all this.

73,
Drew
AF2Z


On Wed, 21 May 2008 08:10:07 -0400, Ed, WA3WSJ wrote:

>Hello Drew, AF2Z
>
>I plunked down over $1300 for a deposit on my K3, but after waiting five
>months and then calling Elecraft they told me to wait another three
>months. That was a total wait of 8-months! At the five-month point I
>told Elecraft to cancel the order and send my money back.
>I then went out and bought an Icom 703+ and just love this little radio.
>It's no K3, but for less than $700 it's worth the money.
>
>I still plan to buy a K3, but I WILL NOT WAIT MONTHS to receive it.
>Elecraft doesn't have their act together concerning the K3. This is from
>an op who built a K1, K2 and a KX1. I'm VERY disappointed in Elecraft
>selling the K3 before they were geared up for production.
>
>When Elecraft has a K3 ON-THE-SHELF I might buy one.
>
>72,
>Ed, WA3WSJ
>**********************************************************

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[Augie "Gus" Hansen]

> ...
> Yes, some people would prefer to wait till they can buy one without
> waiting...
>  

Am I the only one who finds the concept of "waiting" to avoid waiting a
bit silly?

Gus Hansen
KB0YH

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[Arie Kleingeld PA3A]

I don't mind waiting.

When I ordered the K3, I knew that it was gonna take 5 months or so
until delivery.
In the mean time I use my other rigs (K2 and an 96 MP) with great joy,
and read a lot about the K3 on the reflector.

73
Arie PA3A

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[WILLIS COOKE]

--- Augie Hansen <[hidden email]> wrote:

>
> > ...
> > Yes, some people would prefer to wait till they
> can buy one without
> > waiting...
> >  
>
> Am I the only one who finds the concept of "waiting"
> to avoid waiting a
> bit silly?
>
> Gus Hansen
> KB0YH
>

Maybe so Gus.  I waited until I was convinced that the
K3 was the next transceiver for me and that it would
be a significant improvement over my venerable
TS-850SAT that I have owned for 18 years.  I placed my
order late in the day on December 27, 2007 and now I
am eagerly awaiting my Katiegram.  I have seen posts
that those who ordered on December 25 have received
their Katiegram a couple of days ago, so maybe today
is my day?

If you are not yet convinced that the K3 is the rig
you want and can afford you should wait until this is
so.  If you are convinced, then you should consider
ordering it now.  If you order it today, you will get
it sooner than if you order it tomorrow or next week,
or six months from now.  If you still think you might
be happier with an Yaekencom then you should keep
thinking until you are satisfied with your choice.


Willis 'Cookie' Cooke
K5EWJ
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[N5GE]

On Wed, 21 May 2008 08:10:07 -0400, "Edward R. Breneiser"
<[hidden email]> wrote:

>Hello Drew, AF2Z
>
>I plunked down over $1300 for a deposit on my K3, but after waiting five
>months and then calling Elecraft they told me to wait another three
>months. That was a total wait of 8-months! At the five-month point I
>told Elecraft to cancel the order and send my money back.
>I then went out and bought an Icom 703+ and just love this little radio.
>It's no K3, but for less than $700 it's worth the money.
>
>I still plan to buy a K3, but I WILL NOT WAIT MONTHS to receive it.
>Elecraft doesn't have their act together concerning the K3. This is from
>an op who built a K1, K2 and a KX1. I'm VERY disappointed in Elecraft
>selling the K3 before they were geared up for production.
>
>When Elecraft has a K3 ON-THE-SHELF I might buy one.
>
>72,
>Ed, WA3WSJ

[snip]

Reminds me of the very annoying Mitsubishi automobile advertisement of the late
80s where the guy doing the commercial is screaming, "GET WHAT YOU WANT, AND GET
IT NOW!".

Tom, N5GE - SWOT 3537 - Grid EM12jq

"Those who would give up
Essential Liberty to
purchase a little Temporary
Safety deserve neither
Liberty nor Safety"

An excerpt from a letter
written in 1755 from the
Assembly to the Governor
of Pennsylvania.

Support the entire Constitution, not
just the parts you like.

http://www.n5ge.com
http://www.eQSL.cc/Member.cfm?N5GE

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[N5GE]

On Wed, 21 May 2008 08:01:02 -0600, Augie Hansen <[hidden email]>
wrote:

>
>> ...
>> Yes, some people would prefer to wait till they can buy one without
>> waiting...
>>  
>
>Am I the only one who finds the concept of "waiting" to avoid waiting a
>bit silly?
>
>Gus Hansen
>KB0YH

[snip]

Nope...

Tom, N5GE - SWOT 3537 - Grid EM12jq

"Those who would give up
Essential Liberty to
purchase a little Temporary
Safety deserve neither
Liberty nor Safety"

An excerpt from a letter
written in 1755 from the
Assembly to the Governor
of Pennsylvania.

Support the entire Constitution, not
just the parts you like.

http://www.n5ge.com
http://www.eQSL.cc/Member.cfm?N5GE

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[Charlotte & Bob Higgins]

>> Yes, some people would prefer to wait till they can buy one without
>> waiting...
>
> Am I the only one who finds the concept of "waiting" to avoid waiting a
> bit silly?
>
> Gus Hansen
> KB0YH
 
Hmm...

Bob K4LW
K3 #356-waited 9 months and worth it
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[Ken Kopp-3]

There are times when waiting is the only option ...

I FAX'ed my K3 order the first day and waited seven months
for delivery.  I knew that going into the deal, but I was
confident it would be worth it ... and it was!  There weren't
any alternatives ... for me, anyway.  I had a new K2 and
that made the wait easier. (:-))

I wouldn't have wanted Elecraft to "ramp up" production.
That brings with it "troubles", and I we've seen some
evidence of that in recent months.  It means hiring new
staff ... perhaps into not enough work space ... that don't
have the Elecraft "genes" and that require "nurturing".
Witness the missing 4-40 nuts in Australia ...

I recently purchased a Heil HS that came packed in an
incorrect shipping container, resulting in a crushed Heil
box.  No damage to the HS, but still the result of a staffer
who either didn't know or care about "details".  Elecraft
is a company that's what it is because of attention to "details".

"We'll ship no wine until it's time" comes to mind ....

73! Ken Kopp - K0PP
       [hidden email]
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[Augie "Gus" Hansen]

Hi Cookie,
> ...
> If you are not yet convinced that the K3 is the rig
> you want and can afford you should wait until this is
> so.  If you are convinced, then you should consider
> ordering it now.  If you order it today, you will get
> it sooner than if you order it tomorrow or next week,
> or six months from now.  If you still think you might
> be happier with an Yaekencom then you should keep
> thinking until you are satisfied with your choice.

I need to clarify my situation. I was a relatively early adopter of the
K3, having placed my order on 7 June 2007 with a 50% deposit. My order
date was determined by my desire to have the money in hand before
committing to a purchase, not due to any technical concerns.

The wait of nearly nine months was more than originally expected by a
factor of more than two, but the rig (#441) was worth waiting for. It
easily meets, and in some areas surpasses, my expectations. And my
K2/100 served me well during the K3 gestation period.

Had I waited to order until Elecraft had the K3 available off the shelf,
I'd still be waiting to place an order, which as I implied is rather
silly if you know you want one.

Cheers,
Gus Hansen
KB0YH

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I got lucky with my K3 and did not have to wait.  Let me explain.  Part of the fun for me in Ham Radio is waiting.  Yes, I know it sounds strange, but it is true.  Ham Radio has be be budget neutral for my family.  So, years ago my wife and I gave each other a weekly allowance...so called mad money.  It has gone up over the years, but it is not a significant amount of money each week...but over a year or so it could add up.  So, I have to SAVE for my ham radio obsession.  

I was about 75 percent of the way to buy a K3 outright and had the plan to order it in July and wait patiently.  But, a local ham who had ordered one decided he did not want one because of...well...what ever.  So, he asked me if I wanted to take the order.  Well, I said yes and made the appropriate arrangements with Elecraft to take over the order.  But, I had to pay for it.

Now the rule in the family is .... you have the money you can buy it ... but not credit and no credit card.  This plans turned out to pretty good over the years.  My loving wife, knowing me, said go ahead and get it and she would cover the rest out of mad money.  I said I would them sell the PRO II and pay her back.

Three weeks later, I got a Lisagram and a week later I had the unit in the house.  A week later, knowing the K3 was a keeper, I put the PRO II up for sale and it was sold the next week.  

So, I was not expecting to get a K3...but the waiting and saving for the K3 was for me exciting as I watch the list and read the literature and looked at the on going development of the unit.  It was great anticipation.  Exciting.  Now, the K3 has met all my expectations and just getting better.  

I love to wait....cause it is sweet in the end.

Lee - K0WA



In our day and age it seems that Common Sense is in short supply.  If you don't have any Common Sense - get some Common Sense and use it.  If you can't find any Common Sense, ask for help from somebody who has some Common Sense.  Is Common Sense divine?
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[WILLIS COOKE]

Hi Augie, It seems that I misinterpreted your post
about 180 degrees.  I answered thinking you were
waiting to order until there was no que, but
re-reading your post, I see that is not what you said.
 I think it is what the person who started this thread
did say.  Oh well, I sure hope that Katie gets to me
today or if not real soon.  I am starting to get
anxious to see the little jewel!

--- Augie Hansen <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Hi Cookie,
> > ...
> > If you are not yet convinced that the K3 is the
> rig
> > you want and can afford you should wait until this
> is
> > so.  If you are convinced, then you should
> consider
> > ordering it now.  If you order it today, you will
> get
> > it sooner than if you order it tomorrow or next
> week,
> > or six months from now.  If you still think you
> might
> > be happier with an Yaekencom then you should keep
> > thinking until you are satisfied with your choice.
>
> I need to clarify my situation. I was a relatively
> early adopter of the
> K3, having placed my order on 7 June 2007 with a 50%
> deposit. My order
> date was determined by my desire to have the money
> in hand before
> committing to a purchase, not due to any technical
> concerns.
>
> The wait of nearly nine months was more than
> originally expected by a
> factor of more than two, but the rig (#441) was
> worth waiting for. It
> easily meets, and in some areas surpasses, my
> expectations. And my
> K2/100 served me well during the K3 gestation
> period.
>
> Had I waited to order until Elecraft had the K3
> available off the shelf,
> I'd still be waiting to place an order, which as I
> implied is rather
> silly if you know you want one.
>
> Cheers,
> Gus Hansen
> KB0YH
>
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>

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[Dave-W5UN]

Elecraft personnel would be very wise to take a cue from Flex-Radio,
and keep everyone informed about delivery scheduling, and related
problems by posting regular updates here on this reflector (HINT, HINT).

I, too, await my K3, which was promised by May 1, but which I now
realize will probably not be delivered before July (if then). And I
paid in full for mine - being a real generous, albeit not wealthy,
guy. Meanwhile, my SDR-5000 is filling the void.


Dave, W5UN

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[dave.wilburn]

No worries.  You wait.  In the mean time, the rig will cost more, and
those who endured, will be enjoying the rig.  I know I am certainly
having a good time with mine.


Dave Wilburn
K4DGW
K2/100 - S/N 5982
K3/100 - S/N 766

"For those who fought for it, freedom has a flavor the protected will
never know."


Edward R. Breneiser wrote:

> Hello Drew, AF2Z
>
> I plunked down over $1300 for a deposit on my K3, but after waiting five
> months and then calling Elecraft they told me to wait another three
> months. That was a total wait of 8-months! At the five-month point I
> told Elecraft to cancel the order and send my money back.
> I then went out and bought an Icom 703+ and just love this little radio.
> It's no K3, but for less than $700 it's worth the money.
>
> I still plan to buy a K3, but I WILL NOT WAIT MONTHS to receive it.
> Elecraft doesn't have their act together concerning the K3. This is from
> an op who built a K1, K2 and a KX1. I'm VERY disappointed in Elecraft
> selling the K3 before they were geared up for production.
>
> When Elecraft has a K3 ON-THE-SHELF I might buy one.
>
> 72,
> Ed, WA3WSJ
> **********************************************************
> Yeah, that's right... most of us took a crash course in CW, learning
> it overnight. Then worked all band DXCC the next day. And we expect
> the solar flux to be at 300 in another week here or so. So where's our
> K3's? We didn't become ham radio operators because we like to wait
> around for stuff. No sir.
>
> 73,
> Drew
> AF2Z
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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>

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