Musing on K3 Production and other things

[Bill W4ZV]

K0WA:

 >Who makes the PC Boards?
Who stuff's the boards? (or what ever you do to surface mount components)
Who checks the boards?
Who fixes the boards?

         Probably someone like Solectron, Flextronics
Sanmina or a dozen other companies who manufacture
loaded boards.  It's most definitely not Elecraft.

 >Who puts the radios together for those people who want a assembled K3?

         Could be Elecraft or a sub-contractor.  My guess
would be Elecraft to maintain tight QA on the rig and
do final calibration and testing.

 >Can they handle the number of orders? (over 1K now I've heard)

         This is the kind of problem most companies would
love to have!  It is NOT a problem to lose any sleep over.
 >I wonder if Elecraft will have a board swap program?

         I hope so.  Modular construction and upgradable
firmware are two reasons I would not lose sleep about
ordering early.  It will not cost much to return a module
for rework or repair.  At 8 pounds it won't even cost
much to return the entire rig if necessary (compare that
to the boatanchor weight of the Icom and Yaesu behemoths).

         BTW don't forget that warranties are doubled
when using certain types of credit cards.  I've done
this for years and the claim process is very simple.
Keep you sales receipt and credit card slip!

                                 73,  Bill  W4ZV

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[Fred N. van Kempen]

Flextronics..... *runs away, screaming*

--f
 

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Bill Tippett
Sent: woensdag 9 mei 2007 15:42
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] Musing on K3 Production and other things

K0WA:

 >Who makes the PC Boards?
Who stuff's the boards? (or what ever you do to surface mount
components) Who checks the boards?
Who fixes the boards?

         Probably someone like Solectron, Flextronics Sanmina or a dozen
other companies who manufacture loaded boards.  It's most definitely not
Elecraft.

 >Who puts the radios together for those people who want a assembled K3?

         Could be Elecraft or a sub-contractor.  My guess would be
Elecraft to maintain tight QA on the rig and do final calibration and
testing.

 >Can they handle the number of orders? (over 1K now I've heard)

         This is the kind of problem most companies would love to have!
It is NOT a problem to lose any sleep over.
 >I wonder if Elecraft will have a board swap program?

         I hope so.  Modular construction and upgradable firmware are
two reasons I would not lose sleep about ordering early.  It will not
cost much to return a module for rework or repair.  At 8 pounds it won't
even cost much to return the entire rig if necessary (compare that to
the boatanchor weight of the Icom and Yaesu behemoths).

         BTW don't forget that warranties are doubled when using certain
types of credit cards.  I've done this for years and the claim process
is very simple.
Keep you sales receipt and credit card slip!

                                 73,  Bill  W4ZV

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[Bill W4ZV]

At 02:03 PM 5/9/07, you wrote:

>Flextronics..... *runs away, screaming*

         What does that mean?  Ever heard of these
companies?  HP, Dell, Microsoft, Nokia, Motorola,
ABB, Siemens...even Philips in your home country.

http://www.flextronics.com/en/portals/0/presentations/q32003/sld016.htm

                         73,  Bill  W4ZV

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[Hisashi T Fujinaka]

On Wed, 9 May 2007, Bill Tippett wrote:

> At 02:03 PM 5/9/07, you wrote:
>
>> Flextronics..... *runs away, screaming*
>
>        What does that mean?  Ever heard of these
> companies?  HP, Dell, Microsoft, Nokia, Motorola,
> ABB, Siemens...even Philips in your home country.
>
> http://www.flextronics.com/en/portals/0/presentations/q32003/sld016.htm

I'm not sure if you're talking about the same Flextronics (I haven't
done my research on this) but companies who work with large volume
customers don't always play nice with small customers. That list doesn't
sound like a hobbyist or a start-up would get any call backs.

Sorry for going off topic.

IHTFP

--
Hisashi T Fujinaka - [hidden email]
BSEE(6/86) + BSChem(3/95) + BAEnglish(8/95) + MSCS(8/03) + $2.50 = latte
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[Dick Dickinson]

        K3 Pie in the Sky(?) Wish List - feel free to add to this

        1) Remote head for mobile and other applications
        2) +/- 600 Watt Amp
        3) +/- 600 Watt Amp with Tuner

        Additionally, I'll like to compliment Elecraft for creating a great
looking rig.  It seems as if a potentially complex set of functions have
combined in an accessible manner while maintaining a classic amateur radio
look.


Regards,
Dick - KA5KKT/4
 

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[Dick Dickinson]

        K3 Pie in the Sky(?) Wish List - feel free to add to this

        1) Remote head for mobile and other applications
        2) +/- 600 Watt Amp
        3) +/- 600 Watt Amp with Tuner
        4) Internal PS in ATU area

        Additionally, I'll like to compliment Elecraft for creating a great
looking rig.  It seems as if a potentially complex set of functions have
combined in an accessible manner while maintaining a classic amateur radio
look.


Regards,
Dick - KA5KKT/4
 

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[Dick Dickinson]

        K3 Pie in the Sky(?) Wish List - feel free to add to this

        1) Remote head for mobile and other applications
        2) External +/- 600 Watt Amp - 12v
        3) External +/- 600 Watt Amp with Tuner - 12v
        4) Rack Mount
        5) Internal PS in place of ATU
        6) Remote ATU

        I'll compliment Elecraft for creating a great looking rig.  A
complex set of functions have been combined in an accessible and attractive
manner while maintaining a classic amateur radio look.


Regards,
Dick - KA5KKT/4
 

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