K3 production runs - Any increases planned?

[R Atkins]

Are there any plans to increase the number of units per production run? I've just been through the roughest financial year of my life. When I heard the announcement of the K3, I started looking for a way to purchase it. By the time I found a way (counting change I have been saving for the last dozen years), the first run was full.



By the time I finished counting out nearly $2000 in change, the second production run was full. Now I see it's going to be late October before I even have a chance at one.



I want this radio REALLY bad, but it's very difficult to wait for it when I've worked through my tech, general, and extra class since the announcement, have to wait 4 more months still, have nothing but a mobile 2m, and can have any of several (admittedly lesser) radios at my door the next  day.



I know you want to get this stuff right, and this is huge growth for the company.. but c'mon Elecraft, please tell me some good news! This is as bad as finding out that Rudolph broke a leg and Santa won't be here until Easter! :-)









       
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[Craig Rairdin]

There are several pieces of good news here:

1) Delayed gratification is good for the soul. It builds character.

2) More time to wait equals more time to gather and count more change for
more options.

3) Third production run is plenty of time to get all the bugs out. I'll
probably be applying patches (software at least; hardware maybe) to my low
serial number K3 while you're happily plugging yours in.

4) All your options will be available when you get your radio. I have to
wait for my subreceiver until September I think.

And there are some lessons to be learned:

1) The early bird gets the worm.

2) Sometimes you go to Dayton and all you DO get is this lousy t-shirt.

3) A penny saved is another 9 months waiting for your K3.

4) Failure to plan on your part does not constitute an emergency on anyone
else's part.

5) There is a penalty for early withdrawal of retirement funds, regardless
of Elecraft's new product announcements.

With all this going for you, you'll be a much better person when your K3
finally arrives.

Craig
NZ0R
KX1 #1499
K1 #1966
K2/100 #4941
K3/100 < #220

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of R Atkins
Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2007 12:05 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] K3 production runs - Any increases planned?



Are there any plans to increase the number of units per production run? I've
just been through the roughest financial year of my life. When I heard the
announcement of the K3, I started looking for a way to purchase it. By the
time I found a way (counting change I have been saving for the last dozen
years), the first run was full.



By the time I finished counting out nearly $2000 in change, the second
production run was full. Now I see it's going to be late October before I
even have a chance at one.



I want this radio REALLY bad, but it's very difficult to wait for it when
I've worked through my tech, general, and extra class since the
announcement, have to wait 4 more months still, have nothing but a mobile
2m, and can have any of several (admittedly lesser) radios at my door the
next  day.



I know you want to get this stuff right, and this is huge growth for the
company.. but c'mon Elecraft, please tell me some good news! This is as bad
as finding out that Rudolph broke a leg and Santa won't be here until
Easter! :-)









       
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________
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[list1]

Hi Rusty,
Well, it doesn't have to be that bad.  It depends on what you do until you
get a K3.  First congrats on getting your Extra.  That's quite an
accomplishment.  But there is still a lot of other things that you can do
for a minimal investment now.  Things that can help to build up your
operating skills so that when you get that K3, you will be able to utilize
it much more effectively and therefore obtain more enjoyment from it.
True, the K3 will be the best thing around but you can get on HF for less
than $100 now.  Get an SW40+, or a used AT3 and get on the air.  A KX1 can
keep you busy for many months.  Did you learn CW on your way to obtaining
your Extra class license?  If not then that's what you absolutely must do
now.  Maybe not getting a K3 right away is going to turn out to be the best
way for you.

So just get on the air and have fun, and before you know it the waiting time
for a K3 will be only the time spent to ship it.

72.
Steve, W2MY

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[W2AGN-2]

Craig Rairdin wrote:

> There are several pieces of good news here:
>
> 1) Delayed gratification is good for the soul. It builds character.
>
> 2) More time to wait equals more time to gather and count more change for
> more options.
>
> 3) Third production run is plenty of time to get all the bugs out. I'll
> probably be applying patches (software at least; hardware maybe) to my low
> serial number K3 while you're happily plugging yours in.
>
> 4) All your options will be available when you get your radio. I have to
> wait for my subreceiver until September I think.
>
> And there are some lessons to be learned:
>
> 1) The early bird gets the worm.
>
> 2) Sometimes you go to Dayton and all you DO get is this lousy t-shirt.
>
> 3) A penny saved is another 9 months waiting for your K3.
>
> 4) Failure to plan on your part does not constitute an emergency on anyone
> else's part.
>
> 5) There is a penalty for early withdrawal of retirement funds, regardless
> of Elecraft's new product announcements.
>
> With all this going for you, you'll be a much better person when your K3
> finally arrives.
>
> Craig
> NZ0R
> KX1 #1499
> K1 #1966
> K2/100 #4941
> K3/100 < #220
>

Just curious, does the purchase of a K3 make one arrogant and patronizing, or is
it a prerequisite?




---
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[Craig Rairdin]

> Just curious, does the purchase of a K3 make one arrogant and patronizing,
or
> is it a prerequisite?

I don't have enough data to draw that conclusion. Have you ordered yours
yet? :-)

As I thought was obvious, both this post and my previous one were intended
to be humorous. :-) I assumed the OP was at least partially tongue-in-cheek
as well.

Craig
(omitted arrogant and patronizing list of Elecraft serial numbers from my
sig)

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[David Pratt-2]

In a recent message, R Atkins <[hidden email]> wrote ...
>I want this radio REALLY bad, but it's very difficult to wait for it
>when I've worked through my tech, general, and extra class since the
>announcement, have to wait 4 more months still, have nothing but a
>mobile 2m, and can have any of several (admittedly lesser) radios at my
>door the next  day.

As an interim measure, Rusty, why not build a simple CW rig for 40
meters?  It could be a basic crystal oscillator and low power PA,
possibly using vacuum tubes. There are plenty of crystals and suitable
components around. This would enable you to practise your CW skills and
get some experience on HF before your "big rig" arrives. You will
already have a receiver of course - the one you have been using for
short wave listening before getting your license.
73
--
David G4DMP
Leeds, England, UK
------


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[Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ]

R Atkins wrote:
> Are there any plans to increase the number of units per production run?
Actually, we -have- increased our production run sizes as much as
possible to handle our initial order rate. We have increased both our
parts orders and production/purchasing staffing to handle the demand.
The current delivery schedule reflects that increase.

I'd like to ramp even faster, but to be honest we want to maintain our
product quality and there are also limits on how fast we can many of our
parts delivered. There are a lot of long lead time parts in any product
(both standard and custom parts). It only takes one late parts delivery
to slow everything down.

We are also trying hard not to over promise on deliveries. There are
always chances for additional production start up delays, but we are
trying to be as conservative as possible.

Plus we're running as fast as we can.. ;-)  Hang in there!

73, Eric   WA6HHQ
Elecraft
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[W2AGN-2]

Craig Rairdin wrote:
>> Just curious, does the purchase of a K3 make one arrogant and patronizing,
> or
>> is it a prerequisite?
>
> I don't have enough data to draw that conclusion. Have you ordered yours
> yet? :-)
>

Yep, I have my order in for the first run. I assumed it was a prerequisite.

--
---
  _    _    _    _    _
 / \  / \  / \  / \  / \   John L. Sielke
( W )( 2 )( A )( G )( N )  http://w2agn.net
 \_/  \_/  \_/  \_/  \_/   http://www.blurty.com/users/w2agn
check out: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/QRPariahs/
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[N2EY]

-----Original Message-----
From: R Atkins <[hidden email]>

>I want this radio REALLY bad, but it's very difficult to wait for it
when I've
>worked through my tech, general, and extra class since the
announcement, have to
>wait 4 more months still, have nothing but a mobile 2m, and can have
any of
>several (admittedly lesser) radios at my door the next  day.

With all due respect....

The key factor to Elecraft is *quality*. That's why you want a K3
rather than some
other rig.

There's an old engineering saying: "Good, inexpensive, fast - pick any
two". As much as I hate to say it, that saying applies to ham rigs,
including the K3.

More importantly, note this:

If all you have right now is a 2 meter mobile, and you're new to HF
amateur radio, you need a lot more than a K3 and a license. You need an
antenna system, adequate power supply, a proper shack table and
accessories (key, mike, headphones, clock, lamp, grounding), etc. The
K3 alone won't make a single QSO, and without a decent antenna system
its potential will never be realized.

What antenna system will you have for the K3?

73 de Jim, N2EY

besides, some of us have been waiting *years* for the K3  ;-)






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[Gary D Krause]

Hi Craig,

I thought your post was rather humorous.  I have no idea where he got arrogant
and patronizing from.  I've found that you have to be pretty careful with what
you say around here.

Gary, N7HTS


On Thu, 21 Jun 2007 12:55:00 -0500
  "Craig Rairdin" <[hidden email]> wrote:

>> Just curious, does the purchase of a K3 make one arrogant and patronizing,
> or
>> is it a prerequisite?
>
> I don't have enough data to draw that conclusion. Have you ordered yours
> yet? :-)
>
> As I thought was obvious, both this post and my previous one were intended
> to be humorous. :-) I assumed the OP was at least partially tongue-in-cheek
> as well.
>
> Craig
> (omitted arrogant and patronizing list of Elecraft serial numbers from my
> sig)
>
> _______________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
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> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft   
>
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

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