I've owned my K3 for roughly two years, use it a lot, and I love it. I think I know how most of it works and how to set it up, but there is simply no question that the K3 user manual is a horrible piece of documentation. There is a lot of information there, but it is fragmented and terribly organized. I could understand how the manual might be weak coming out of the chute, but at this stage in the K3 development I think there is very little excuse for such a poorly structured reference. Whether in printed or pdf form it's just awful, and I fully agree that it fails miserably as a marketing tool to attract potential buyers. The K3 has an unwarranted (in my opinion) reputation as an overly complex rig to set up and operate, but the user manual only accentuates that perception.
73, Dave AB7E On 12/7/2010 9:26 AM, Don Nelson wrote: > > For those in a decision making position on a product line, the thought > of more sales would be most welcome. > > How many HAMs have not wanted to buy a K3, for example, because it is > too complicated? Now there is a challenge. The K3 is complicated and > those would-be buyers are correct in their assessment. Now enter a > really outstanding tech writer. Some who who has the knack and a sense > of what is needed in a document to compel the reader to try the product. > The user manual is available to anyone who wants to download it from the > web – a wise marketing tool. If the user manual was well enough done, a > would-be HAM would learn how the product works, in detail, and enjoy the > process of learning about that product. > > The current K3 user manual is more of a reference manual. It is compact > and efficient in presenting information without the inefficiency of > examples and explanation. A user manual would be much more than that and > would have the luxury of including examples and comparisons of different > settings with explanations of how and why a feature works the way it does. > > I can believe that at least 250 more K3s would be sold if there was a > good K3 user manual and other marketing documentation (user useful > material). If my calculator is correct, that would be on the order of > $1,000,000 in additional sales. Now if I were in that decision making > position , I surely would sit up and do more than take notice. > > Don, N0YE > ______________________________________________________________ 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
