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K3S VS: K4

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K3S VS: K4

Personally, I think the K3S is a nice set of new features for new
buyers. It's just a refresh, adding a few more modern features to one
of the best transceivers on the market. However, the only thing that
will get more than a casual glance from me is a full-size rig with the
P3 features built-in, putting out 200 watts. PSK, RTTY and CW decode on
the screen, plugin keyboard, touch screen, and so on. THAT is the state
of the art.

Several years ago I sold my K-line and bought one of the top end rigs.
It was very, very nice. However, after a year, I sold it and bought
another K-line. I learned my lesson. But, that doesn't stop me from
longing for a lot of those top-end rig features.

Right now, Elecraft dominates a certain segment of the market. It could
dominate the ENTIRE market if it choose to develop a full-size, fully
integrated, desktop, main station transceiver.

So, bottom line for me is K3S? Hmm. Nice. Wake me up when the Big
Kahuna arrives.

73, Doug -- K0DXV
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Buddy Brannan

Re: K3S VS: K4

Ga...no touch screen, please!!!! State of the art ain't always what it's cracked up to be.

--
Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
Phone: 814-860-3194
Mobile: 814-431-0962
Email: [hidden email]

> On May 16, 2015, at 10:48 AM, Doug Person via Elecraft <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> Personally, I think the K3S is a nice set of new features for new buyers. It's just a refresh, adding a few more modern features to one of the best transceivers on the market. However, the only thing that will get more than a casual glance from me is a full-size rig with the P3 features built-in, putting out 200 watts. PSK, RTTY and CW decode on the screen, plugin keyboard, touch screen, and so on. THAT is the state of the art.
>
> Several years ago I sold my K-line and bought one of the top end rigs. It was very, very nice. However, after a year, I sold it and bought another K-line. I learned my lesson. But, that doesn't stop me from longing for a lot of those top-end rig features.
>
> Right now, Elecraft dominates a certain segment of the market. It could dominate the ENTIRE market if it choose to develop a full-size, fully integrated, desktop, main station transceiver.
>
> So, bottom line for me is K3S? Hmm. Nice. Wake me up when the Big Kahuna arrives.
>
> 73, Doug -- K0DXV
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Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT

Re: K3S VS: K4

In my opinion, the K3(*) will become a legacy product when it is no
longer possible to add functions without changing the front panel.

There are already functions that aren't entirely obvious to the
untrained operator (fortunately, if you want ESSB for example, you can
learn the key sequence).

That is the argument for a touch screen interface -- if you need another
button, or need to change a label, you can just draw it on the screen,
without changing hardware.

I'm mildly curious about the front panel on the K3 vs. K3S for that reason.

73 -- Lynn

On 5/16/2015 11:13 AM, Buddy Brannan wrote:
> Ga...no touch screen, please!!!! State of the art ain't always what it's cracked up to be.

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Buddy Brannan

Re: K3S VS: K4

Of course, my argument *against* the touch screen is that I can't use one, unless of course someone attaches a screen rader like Voiceover or Talkback to it. Which would probably not really be a thing. I'll be really sad if ham radio turns into something I can no longer participate in and keep up with the "state of the art". Anyway, I think touch screens are just transitional, meaning they're just a stop gap until some better/more intuitive thing comes along. Gimme knobs and buttons and things that have tactile feedback. Seriously, I think some of these guys are just putting in touch screens because they believe that it's "the newest thing to do", not for any inherent superiority of a touch screen interface.

--
Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
Phone: 814-860-3194
Mobile: 814-431-0962
Email: [hidden email]

> On May 16, 2015, at 2:58 PM, Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> In my opinion, the K3(*) will become a legacy product when it is no longer possible to add functions without changing the front panel.
>
> There are already functions that aren't entirely obvious to the untrained operator (fortunately, if you want ESSB for example, you can learn the key sequence).
>
> That is the argument for a touch screen interface -- if you need another button, or need to change a label, you can just draw it on the screen, without changing hardware.
>
> I'm mildly curious about the front panel on the K3 vs. K3S for that reason.
>
> 73 -- Lynn
>
> On 5/16/2015 11:13 AM, Buddy Brannan wrote:
>> Ga...no touch screen, please!!!! State of the art ain't always what it's cracked up to be.
>
> ______________________________________________________________
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>
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Buddy Brannan

Re: K3S VS: K4

As cool as braille displays are (and as expensive, though cheaper than even 10 years ago), the technology hasn't changed significantly in years, if not decades. Still waiting for some clever person to come out with a multi-line display, but not yet.

In general, I think web accessibility has improved a lot, at least where there aren't artificial constraints and when developers don't stray too far off published standards...of course, that's never a given.

Also, Elecraft's commitment to accessibility, if not by designing it in at every stage, certainly by making it easy to develop, is only one reason I love this company and its products. Its commitment to long support of its products and unmatched customer focus are huge. Their customer loyalty is certainly no accident, and I'm happy to be counted in that number.

--
Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
Phone: 814-860-3194
Mobile: 814-431-0962
Email: [hidden email]

> On May 16, 2015, at 3:21 PM, Walter Underwood <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> Right, touch screens are a highly-visual interface. Though my vision is good, I understand that Elecraft is serious about accessibility. I’ve worked on accessible web products and it is a tough challenge. Elecraft can’t justify that engineering on sales, they must do it because they care.
>
> One of the best engineers I’ve ever worked with was always beta testing new stuff, like Telesensory’s volatile Braille displays. Those were cool.
>
> wunder
> K6WRU
> CM87wj
> http://observer.wunderwood.org/ (my blog)
>
> On May 16, 2015, at 12:05 PM, Buddy Brannan <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>> Of course, my argument *against* the touch screen is that I can't use one, unless of course someone attaches a screen rader like Voiceover or Talkback to it. Which would probably not really be a thing. I'll be really sad if ham radio turns into something I can no longer participate in and keep up with the "state of the art". Anyway, I think touch screens are just transitional, meaning they're just a stop gap until some better/more intuitive thing comes along. Gimme knobs and buttons and things that have tactile feedback. Seriously, I think some of these guys are just putting in touch screens because they believe that it's "the newest thing to do", not for any inherent superiority of a touch screen interface.
>>
>> --
>> Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
>> Phone: 814-860-3194
>> Mobile: 814-431-0962
>> Email: [hidden email]
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>> On May 16, 2015, at 2:58 PM, Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT <[hidden email]> wrote:
>>>
>>> In my opinion, the K3(*) will become a legacy product when it is no longer possible to add functions without changing the front panel.
>>>
>>> There are already functions that aren't entirely obvious to the untrained operator (fortunately, if you want ESSB for example, you can learn the key sequence).
>>>
>>> That is the argument for a touch screen interface -- if you need another button, or need to change a label, you can just draw it on the screen, without changing hardware.
>>>
>>> I'm mildly curious about the front panel on the K3 vs. K3S for that reason.
>>>
>>> 73 -- Lynn
>>>
>>> On 5/16/2015 11:13 AM, Buddy Brannan wrote:
>>>> Ga...no touch screen, please!!!! State of the art ain't always what it's cracked up to be.
>>>
>>> ______________________________________________________________
>>> Elecraft mailing list
>>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>>> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>>>
>>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>>> Message delivered to [hidden email]
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> Elecraft mailing list
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>>
>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
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>
> ______________________________________________________________
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Bruce Beford-4

Re: K3S VS: K4

In reply to this post by Elecraft mailing list

> Ga...no touch screen, please!!!! State of the art ain't always what it's
> cracked up to be.

"The future ain't what it used to be..." -Yogi Berra

73,
Bruce N1RX

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