TRANSLATION: K3 Subreceiver Status Update (KRX3 option)

[dhhdeh]

Hi Everyone,

The delay of the second receiver option is to me both highly regrettable
and somewhat deceptive.

I, for one, based my purchase decision greatly on this option being
ready for prime time which is obviously was not and apparently will not
be any time soon.  Production delays are forgivable and understandable
but discovering that this option which is touted as a big-time feature
but is really no where near ready is confidence deflating.

I have been personally patient waiting for my K3 (as are many others)
and occasionally publicly supportive on this list of the delays that
Elecraft has been experiencing. Now we discover that a MAJOR K3 feature
is no where near production ready, if even designed at this time. Come
on....

As for me, I'm reassessing my purchase decision  and may wait until the
K3 project has matured.

I have bought lots of transceivers over the years and this was to be the
first I ever considered buying in its first year. I now wondering if I
should still make that exception.

The Ten Tec Omni VII has a 5.0 Review rating out of 25 reviews on Eham
and may be a worthy and fully developed competitor.

Very disappointed in all of this.

Elecraft does a lot of great things but this one was really lame.

Flame away. I could care less.

My $.02

73 de N1LQ-Dave


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[Barry N1EU]

Dave, I also find the K3 subrx delay a real bummer that may impact my purchase timing.

But as far as your proposition that "The Ten Tec Omni VII . . . may be a worthy and fully developed competitor", are you REALLY buying that?  I guess worthiness (not to mention "fully developed") totally depends on the context of comparison and how quickly you're apt to butt up against the radio's limitations.  In tough band condx, I don't think it would be much of a comparison.

73,
Barry N1EU

David and Dianne on Comcast wrote

Hi Everyone,

The delay of the second receiver option is to me both highly regrettable
and somewhat deceptive.

I, for one, based my purchase decision greatly on this option being
ready for prime time which is obviously was not and apparently will not
be any time soon.  Production delays are forgivable and understandable
but discovering that this option which is touted as a big-time feature
but is really no where near ready is confidence deflating.

I have been personally patient waiting for my K3 (as are many others)
and occasionally publicly supportive on this list of the delays that
Elecraft has been experiencing. Now we discover that a MAJOR K3 feature
is no where near production ready, if even designed at this time. Come
on....

As for me, I'm reassessing my purchase decision  and may wait until the
K3 project has matured.

I have bought lots of transceivers over the years and this was to be the
first I ever considered buying in its first year. I now wondering if I
should still make that exception.

The Ten Tec Omni VII has a 5.0 Review rating out of 25 reviews on Eham
and may be a worthy and fully developed competitor.

Very disappointed in all of this.

Elecraft does a lot of great things but this one was really lame.

Flame away. I could care less.

My $.02

73 de N1LQ-Dave


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[Julian, G4ILO]

Barry N1EU wrote

Dave, I also find the K3 subrx delay a real bummer that may impact my purchase timing.

But as far as your proposition that "The Ten Tec Omni VII . . . may be a worthy and fully developed competitor", are you REALLY buying that?  I guess worthiness (not to mention "fully developed") totally depends on the context of comparison and how quickly you're apt to butt up against the radio's limitations.  In tough band condx, I don't think it would be much of a comparison.

The K3 also has a 5.0 review rating at eHam. What does that prove?

Like you, I am disappointed at the amount of promised features still to be delivered. It takes the shine out of owning a new K3 just a bit. If I was going to write a review at eHam, I'd give it only a 4 just because of that.

But do I regret buying it? No. And when those features eventually come, I'll still be ahead of all those who held off buying until they were ready.

[Bill W4ZV]

Barry N1EU wrote

Dave, I also find the K3 subrx delay a real bummer that may impact my purchase timing.

But as far as your proposition that "The Ten Tec Omni VII . . . may be a worthy and fully developed competitor", are you REALLY buying that?  I guess worthiness (not to mention "fully developed") totally depends on the context of comparison and how quickly you're apt to butt up against the radio's limitations.  In tough band condx, I don't think it would be much of a comparison.

In addition to performance (e.g. 10-15 dB IMDDR3), there's a difference in cost.  I would configure the K3 as a competitor to Omni VII as follows:

Omni VII (no ATU) - $2650
600 Hz CW filter    -      99
Total                     $2749

K3/100 (no ATU)   -  $1989 (assembled)
KXV3 (for RX ANT) -       79
500 Hz CW filter    -       79
Total                      $2147 (assembled...less $240 if kitted)

The Omni VII has no Sub-RX and never will.  The K3 will eventually have one with roughly equivalent performance as its Main.  Is the O7's scope worth another $600 (assembled K3) or $840 (kitted K3)?  Not in my opinion, but 10-15 dB IMD difference would be worth it to me even if the prices were reversed!

73,  Bill  W4ZV

[Ian Maude]

Hi all,
I have tried to stay out of the noise on this but I felt I had to comment.
I know the delay in the 2nd Receiver is frustrating but I think the fact
that one of the owners of the company will mail the list to say that
they are reworking because they are not happy with the result is
fantastic!  It would have been so easy to simply release it 'as is'.  
However, they have decided it is not up to the standard they were
looking for.  I cannot think of another company so committed to
quality.  I would much rather wait and get a great product.

On the subject of the Omni VII, in my opinion it is not an Omni at all,
it is a Jupiter.  VHF first IF etc.  The Omni VII was a far better radio
IMHO.  You may have different opinions of course :-)

I am sure if the gentleman who is thinking about cancelling his K3 order
were to ask, there would be plenty of people looking for his place in
the queue ;-)

73 Ian

--

Ian J Maude, G0VGS
SysOp GB7MBC DX Cluster
Member RSGB, GQRP
K2 #4044 |K3 #?

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[rkayakr]

Dave

  I agree that the delay in deliver is disappointing. I have a second receiver on order too.
  I also am disappointed by the lack of maturity of the firmware.

   HOWEVER - I have a K3 (#70) and it is a joy to use. What it does, it does VERY well and I still believe that the remaining features will be implemented and operating annoyances fixed.

WRT to eham reviews of the OMNI VII
  I'm sure the OMNI VII is a fine piece of gear. The K3, OMNI VII and Flex 5000 are all interesting, innovative products with many 5 star ratings. You might visit the Ten-Tec OMNI VII Yahoo group. I believe that you may see similar concerns about that product. I wouldn't be surprised to hear the Flex has it's own issues.

 I've been involved with programming and new RF product development for 35 years. The only rule that consistently applies is Hofstadter's Law:
    It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter's Law

     Bob
       KD8CGH
         KX1, K2, K3, ... ?