Isn't it amazing the subjects that come up when someone's favorite non-Elecraft radio company is getting it's butt kicked in the contest wars. That "more K3 than anything else combined" at the WRTC really rankled some nerves. I don't think I have ever heard "will the company still be here in 10 years" used before in a discussion about what radio to buy. They are really getting desperate.
73, Guy. On Wed, Dec 1, 2010 at 10:14 AM, Lee Buller <k...@swbell.net> wrote: > > I am reluctantly writing this email to the reflector with a very dangerous > subject line....but here it goes. > > My good ham friend came through town on Monday and we ended up going to dinner > with the YLs. As dinner progressed, he asked me what I thought about the > FT-5000 vs the K3. I said that "they would have to pry my K3 out of my cold > dead hands at the end." He said that the FT-5000 is pretty spiffy according > to > the QST review and out-guns the K3. I said the K3 is a mature radio yet has > the > power to evolve to even greater "spiffy-ness." > > He is current using a IC-765, which is a good solid rig, but somewhat out of > date. > > I told him about the K3 and that he needed so sit down and work with one. We > bantered back and forth and then he said something rather odd... > > He said, "I think Yaesu, ICOM, and Kenwood will still be around in 10 years. > Will Elecraft?" > > I responded, "Heck who knows? Did you ever think Drake would leave the > business or Heathkit kick the bucket? Do you think Ten Tec is going to be > around in 10 years? And why do thing the Japanese companies would be any > better > once you realize General Motors took it on the chin this year." > > He said, "I am not sure I want to buy a rig from a QRP company or any company > that is owned by two guys. What happens when they retired or die?" > > I replied, "Elecraft has their roots in QRP which is a great deal for how they > design their radios, small, compact, and low current drain. They are hardly > an > exclusive QRP company. But, heck, who knows who really owns some of the other > companies, it is just that we know more about Elecraft because they are very > communicative. I don't see a lot of people having direct communication with > the > owners, designers, engineers of the other companies. Besides, I am sure they > have made plans for the future, most companies do." > > My friend said, "Yea right." > > Then we broke the discussion down to how the K3 is going to match the FT-5000. > I said it was all a moot point because you have to look at not only > specifications, but service, quality, ease of upgrades, cost of add-on > features, > price point, and how much you want to spend in the hobby. We started talking > prices. (Later on, my wife asked me...does radios cost that much now-a-days? > She was shocked) > > > So, after this long email explaining the conversation... How do companies, > like > Elecraft, Y, K, I, and T, protect their customers in the future knowing that > in > 10 years things could have gone south or the principals might have "moved-on?" > Or, like everything else in the world....you spin the wheel and take your > chance. No guarantees! > > I like the two guys from California...I wish them long lives. > > Lee - K0WA > > > > In our day and age it seems that Common Sense is in short supply. If you > don't > have any Common Sense - get some Common Sense and use it. If you can't find > any > Common Sense, ask for help from somebody who has some Common Sense. Is Common > Sense divine? > > Common Sense is the image of the Creator expressing revealed truth in my mind. > - J. Wolf > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
