Having noticed the recent semiannual K4 speculation I wanted to offer speculation in a different direction.
The K2 was originally offered as a true kit that, upon completion, provided a radio capable of both home use and trail use. The trail/remote and home use capabilities have been supplanted by the other radios in the Elecraft stable. The only really unique feature of the K2 is that it is a true kit; that said, it is a bit behind the curve in tech plus it is a major PITB to "align". I would like to see Elecraft revisit the K2 (well, not exactly): 01) Keep it a kit as much as possible. So maybe RF and AF sections could be kits (at least partially). 02) Fully assembled as an option. 03) Make the "middle" a high performance SDR; factory assembled and aligned. 04) 6 KHz band pass filter in the first IF with the DSP doing the remaining filtering functions. 05) Include a 12 volt to (say) 60 volt conversion to power a "high voltage" RF section. 06) 100 watts output. 07) No FM but add 6 meters. 08) Include Digital Voice as a mode. Pick one of the Open Source implementations. Make it an "App"; Elecraft would maintain the latest source code and latest "compiled" App; anyone who wished could modify and install their own version; might be an area where Amateurs could contribute something meaningful. 09) Competent single receiver (with RIT) but not necessarily (in Japanese radio jargon) "Competition Grade". 10) Very competent transmit (with XIT): no splatter, no clicks, no noise. 11) Put it all inside a "big" box in the style of the best looking piece of Ham Radio gear ever designed: the Collins 75A4. 12) Real "Collins" style knobs , real "bat handle" toggle switches. 13) Only a few radio functions need constant, easy access, tie those to the big knobs and toggle switches. 14) Note the switches and controls would only tell a DSP or MCU to take some action. I'm not talking multi-pole, multi-gang rotary switches. 15) Preassembled wire bundles to attach the front panel controls and switches to the main unit (with quick disconnect to allow easy removal). 16) Add a 5-inch color touch screen display (like my Garmin GPS) in the middle of the front panel with a nice size, high inertia tuning knob for freq control. 17) Put the ancillary functions on the (multi-page) touch screen. 18) The touch screen pages should be tab accessible; with user definable pages. 19) Embed this all inside the "75A4 Cabinet": nice size box, mostly air inside but with room to add additional features (maybe even a decent speaker). 20) This is not meant to be a DXpedition, mountaintop, contest box; just a desktop system that you could turn on with a (toggle) switch, select your band with a rotary switch, select your mode with a rotary switch, touch the tab on the touch screen to verify your audio/keyer/data settings then kick back and operate. Toggle switches for AGC On/Off, AGC Fast/Slow, Noise Blanker On/Off, Noise Reduction On/Off, rotary controls for receive bandpass width and shift, so on. Touch screen pages to set/adjust the characteristics of the Noise Reduction, Noise Blanker, AGC, etc. Switched LCD meter to provide S-meter, power, audio level, whatever. OK, OK, OK.I know it can never happen: 1) No one would want one. 2) It would be too big. 3) It wouldn't be big enough. 4) Elecraft doesn't have the financial resources to develop such a device. 5) Purchase price would be too high. 6) Besides it would take engineering talent away from the development of the K4, the 1500 watt solid state amp, the VHF to near-infrared transceiver, the Elecraft EPad, etc. But, it would be a really neat rig: very "Retro" look with a high tech heart. Mike W5FTD ______________________________________________________________ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
