K4 Status Update

[Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ]

K4 Status Update - from deep inside Elecraft

First I apologize for the delay getting this update out. I've been head
down, along with the rest of our team and our suppliers, for a good part of
this month working to solve problems and get K4s flowing out to you faster.

We ran into delays in December due to several items:

Our biggest problem has been due to an interruption of deliveries on
critical K4 Printed Circuit Board Assemblies (PCBAs) from our primary
high-quality assembly subcontractor, who is located near us in Monterey,
CA. This was due to both an unexpected surge in demand from their other
customers, who were ramping up faster than expected, and on top of our K4
production needs, a significant increase in demand from us for our regular
non-K4 product PCBAs (KPA1500, KX3, KX2, etc.) - both from huge Black
Friday/Cyber Monday orders and our normal holiday season surge in sales.

Due to a miscommunication between us, they delayed several key K4 PCBAs in
favor of PCBAs for our other products. When we finally caught the error
(after multiple shipments were late or did not arrive) it took several
weeks to get everything straightened out. Circuit board assembly lines,
parts acquisition, etc. do not stop and start on a dime. This is
frustrating to say the least. While we may have received the majority of
the K4 PCB assemblies, if any of the other boards needed to complete the K4
100% are delayed, it holds up K4 manufacturing. That's frustrating for us
and of course you. We've corrected the issue and we will see more PCBAs
arriving late this week or next week. This should get K4 production back on
track with regular deliveries to us on a weekly basis. I'm hopeful that
January and beyond will be much smoother.

We have also just received several needed parts for a small number of
production K4s that had all their circuit boards and were already in
manufacturing. These K4s will be ready to test soon. If all goes well, they
will be out by next week. If there are additional test-related delays, they
will ship the following week.

Early in December, it took us longer to finish implementing and testing a
planned update to the K4's internal Linux OS, which slowed things a bit.
Thanks to the hard work from our s/w engineers and our Field Testers,
that's completed, and we have updated the automated s/w build process and
server along with K4's built-in s/w update process. It's very cool and easy
to use.

The other news is that due to the larger than expected surge in regular
orders, above and beyond orders and backlog for K4's, we have a very large
regular product backlog which we are shipping to you as quickly as
possible.

One last note - Elecraft will be closed for the holidays this Thursday and
Friday (12/24-25) and New Years Day on Friday (1/1), with a few employees
off extra days for well-deserved rest during that period. We hope everyone
has a great holiday!
Eric   WA6HHQ
*elecraft.com <http://elecraft.com>*
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[Elecraft mailing list]

Thanks Eric!

> On Dec 21, 2020, at 8:43 PM, Eric Swartz <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> K4 Status Update - from deep inside Elecraft
>
> First I apologize for the delay getting this update out. I've been head
> down, along with the rest of our team and our suppliers, for a good part of
> this month working to solve problems and get K4s flowing out to you faster.
>
> We ran into delays in December due to several items:
>
> Our biggest problem has been due to an interruption of deliveries on
> critical K4 Printed Circuit Board Assemblies (PCBAs) from our primary
> high-quality assembly subcontractor, who is located near us in Monterey,
> CA. This was due to both an unexpected surge in demand from their other
> customers, who were ramping up faster than expected, and on top of our K4
> production needs, a significant increase in demand from us for our regular
> non-K4 product PCBAs (KPA1500, KX3, KX2, etc.) - both from huge Black
> Friday/Cyber Monday orders and our normal holiday season surge in sales.
>
> Due to a miscommunication between us, they delayed several key K4 PCBAs in
> favor of PCBAs for our other products. When we finally caught the error
> (after multiple shipments were late or did not arrive) it took several
> weeks to get everything straightened out. Circuit board assembly lines,
> parts acquisition, etc. do not stop and start on a dime. This is
> frustrating to say the least. While we may have received the majority of
> the K4 PCB assemblies, if any of the other boards needed to complete the K4
> 100% are delayed, it holds up K4 manufacturing. That's frustrating for us
> and of course you. We've corrected the issue and we will see more PCBAs
> arriving late this week or next week. This should get K4 production back on
> track with regular deliveries to us on a weekly basis. I'm hopeful that
> January and beyond will be much smoother.
>
> We have also just received several needed parts for a small number of
> production K4s that had all their circuit boards and were already in
> manufacturing. These K4s will be ready to test soon. If all goes well, they
> will be out by next week. If there are additional test-related delays, they
> will ship the following week.
>
> Early in December, it took us longer to finish implementing and testing a
> planned update to the K4's internal Linux OS, which slowed things a bit.
> Thanks to the hard work from our s/w engineers and our Field Testers,
> that's completed, and we have updated the automated s/w build process and
> server along with K4's built-in s/w update process. It's very cool and easy
> to use.
>
> The other news is that due to the larger than expected surge in regular
> orders, above and beyond orders and backlog for K4's, we have a very large
> regular product backlog which we are shipping to you as quickly as
> possible.
>
> One last note - Elecraft will be closed for the holidays this Thursday and
> Friday (12/24-25) and New Years Day on Friday (1/1), with a few employees
> off extra days for well-deserved rest during that period. We hope everyone
> has a great holiday!
> Eric   WA6HHQ
> *elecraft.com <http://elecraft.com>*
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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]

______________________________________________________________
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Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

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[Bill Frantz]

Best wishes to you and the other employees. Enjoy a restful holiday.

SNAFUs happen.

73 Bill AE6JV

On 12/21/20 at 8:41 PM, [hidden email] (Eric Swartz) wrote:

> One last note - Elecraft will be closed for the holidays this Thursday and
> Friday (12/24-25) and New Years Day on Friday (1/1), with a few employees
> off extra days for well-deserved rest during that period. We hope everyone
> has a great holiday!
> Eric   WA6HHQ

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