Investor. ;-) I’ll grant you we’re not investors in the traditional sense. But we’ve invested in the company nonetheless. Would you prefer venture capitalist instead? We provided funds that Elecraft was able to use to stay afloat and continue engineering and manufacturing efforts. Sure, we’re not going to make back millions on our “investment” and we have no stake in the company, but we will get one heck of a radio. That’s really all I cared about, to be honest.
Someone in the thread mentioned they are hearing lots of excuses. I have not. If all I was getting was excuses I would have cut ties and got a refund a long time ago. What I’ve heard are valid reasons. Actual real verifiable things that have happened that are out of anyone’s control. Perhaps it’s just a matter of personal perspective. I think that most agree a periodic official update with a little more regularity would be nice, but perhaps not at the cost of getting rigs out the door. 73, David - N5DCH > On Mar 31, 2021, at 1:29 PM, Julia Tuttle <ju...@juliatuttle.net> wrote: > > Yeah, periodic would be fine -- I think the big thing is setting > expectations for when and where, so folks can check there instead of > wondering or asking. > > And I'm totally fine with the event video updates as long as the content is > also available in a text form somewhere obvious. (Heck, I'd volunteer to > transcribe them if it that'd be helpful.) > > Honestly, I think sharing a little more of what's gone wrong and right > might be helpful -- I know I'm more sympathetic about this sort of thing > when I have an idea what's going on -- but I don't have a clear idea of the > downsides. > > The aircraft option seems problematically local -- perhaps we could launch > a small satellite instead. :D > > 73, > > Julie > > On Wed, Mar 31, 2021, 15:20 Hal Massey <haljr.mas...@gmail.com > <mailto:haljr.mas...@gmail.com>> wrote: > >> Julia, that makes sense. Perhaps we could add ‘periodic update instead of >> whenever they can?” >> PS— I like the event video updates because those clear the noise threshold >> of the multitude of emails I get but that is just a personal preference. A >> loud sky writing aircraft overhead for 7-8 hours would work even better for >> me but that’s probably asking too much. >> >> Regards >> -Hal >> >> On Mar 31, 2021, at 12:37 PM, Julia Tuttle <ju...@juliatuttle.net> wrote: >> >> I'm not waiting on a K4 myself, but the K4 launch has put a strain on >> other parts of the business (like fixing KX3 firmware issues or responding >> to lower-priority support emails). >> >> I'd be happy to see updates whenever they're available, but to this list >> and clearly labeled as such -- it seems like a lot of the time the details >> come out in the middle of other threads that folks might miss. Somewhere on >> the website would also be nice. >> >> On Wed, Mar 31, 2021, 14:33 Hal Massey <haljr.mas...@gmail.com >> <mailto:haljr.mas...@gmail.com>> wrote: >> >>> What do you have in mind? I liked the event video. >>> >>> The most customer oriented thing they could do is fedex a letter >>> overnight with your radio status every day. But that gets expensive. You >>> might feel great about it. You say that is hyperbolic? True. But even a >>> weekly email with status is not cheap. >>> >>> Can you articulate what you do want in terms of communications? >>> >>> Regards >>> Hal >>> >>> On Mar 31, 2021, at 12:24 PM, Julia Tuttle <ju...@juliatuttle.net >>> <mailto:ju...@juliatuttle.net>> wrote: >>> >>> "The point of all of this is why is Elecraft not on this list telling us >>> these things like they used to?" >>> >>> Yes, that, right there. >>> >>> However much they are or aren't going to say, why do we have to watch >>> event >>> videos to hear it? >>> >>> On Wed, Mar 31, 2021, 14:16 W0MU Mike Fatchett <w...@w0mu.com >>> <mailto:w...@w0mu.com>> wrote: >>> >>> The point of all of this is why is Elecraft not on this list telling us >>> these things like they used to? >>> >>> I hear lots of excuses. Sure there are supply line problems for >>> everyone. HRO still has lots of product. Elecraft has a big competitor >>> in FLEX are they having similar issues? I hear that some big box radios >>> have some wait times but not in the years category. >>> >>> K4 investor? You have not invested in the company you are a customer >>> unless I missed the profit sharing version of the K4. >>> >>> Most people have given them lots of slack. Why is communicating with >>> people that have fronted you lots of money to make this radio possible >>> so difficult. I don't get it. >>> >>> I don't have a K4 on order either but if I did I might be concerned. >>> >>> W0MU >>> >>> On 3/31/2021 10:13 AM, David Herring wrote: >>> >>> Further to this excellent post, Eric did say that, at that point in >>> >>> time, his expectation was that the group A backlog would be cleared by end >>> of May. I didn’t go back through the video to find it, but I was watching >>> one of his presentations live and did hear that. >>> >>> >>> Another thing that Wayne mentioned in one of the meeting rooms was that >>> >>> at one point Elecraft had to go back and re-design a portion of the K4 >>> because tariffs levied on certain parts from certain countries would have >>> rendered the project unaffordable. >>> >>> >>> What’s more, and I don’t recall which of them said it, but Elecraft >>> >>> apparently had to deal with retirements of certain important people in the >>> process. >>> >>> >>> Ordinarily I’d never wait 2+ years for delivery of a product I’d >>> >>> ordered, perhaps many of us wouldn’t, but… >>> >>> >>> Tariffs, Retirements, The Pandemic, Employees Down With COVID, Wild >>> >>> Fires (and employee loss of property), Vendor Delays… >>> >>> >>> None of that was under Elecraft’s control. Not much of that could have >>> >>> been foreseen. “Stuff” happens. >>> >>> >>> That is why, I imagine, most of us K4 investors are just patiently >>> >>> waiting. Content to give them the space they need to press on with >>> addressing the issues as they come and moving forward. >>> >>> >>> 73, >>> David - N5DCH >>> >>> >>> >>> On Mar 31, 2021, at 9:23 AM, Kimo Chun <kimoc...@gmail.com >>> <mailto:kimoc...@gmail.com>> wrote: >>> >>> Presentation from the Expo. >>> Elecraft K4 High Performance Direct-Sampling SDR Transceiver, Eric >>> >>> Swartz >>> >>> WA6HHQ <https://www.qsotodayhamexpo.com/player.html?link=NTI4MjQzNTQ1 >>> <https://www.qsotodayhamexpo.com/player.html?link=NTI4MjQzNTQ1>> >>> >>> Perhaps more recent announcements by Elecraft have superseded this. >>> I realize others have already mentioned some of this. But I thought I'd >>> >>> go >>> >>> back (for the 3rd time) to try to itemize some of Eric's statements. >>> >>> Note: >>> >>> I don't take dictation and didn't spend a lot of time replaying it over >>> >>> and >>> >>> over to get everything verbatim. Nor replaying the whole thing. >>> These are my interpretations and words. Please pardon any omissions or >>> errors. Go listen for yourself. The delivery time frames are based on >>> >>> the >>> >>> Expo date: March 13, 2021. >>> >>> Check minutes 17:00 to about 20:00 and around 1:22:00 on. There are >>> >>> other >>> >>> segments. >>> -He discusses the supply problems they had due to COVID and how they >>> >>> have >>> >>> now amassed an inventory of the long lead time items in the last 3 to 4 >>> weeks. A local chassis supplier was one of the most recent hang ups. >>> >>> Plus >>> >>> parts stuck in shipments the COVID-restricted Longshoremen haven't >>> >>> handled >>> >>> yet. They are now smoothing things out and production will be ramping >>> >>> up. >>> >>> >>> Kit versions are at least 4 to 5 months out. >>> -They are still learning and modifying production techniques which will >>> make it easier to build. Then how-to documentation must be updated. >>> -The first day orders 16th (2019?) at Dayton, may be fulfilled soon. >>> -The second day orders 17th will be 3 to 4 weeks or longer after Group >>> >>> A is >>> >>> done. >>> -Group B is even larger than Group A. >>> -Orders kept coming in all summer after Dayton and have dropped to a >>> consistent medium rate. Some spikes like when it was announced they >>> >>> started >>> >>> shipping. >>> -When asked, "If I were to order a K4 right now, how long would I have >>> >>> to >>> >>> wait?", he answered, "Over 3 to 4 months". >>> - I asked the very last question - When will the K4HD be finalized? He >>> said, "Conservatively... by the end of the year". So production comes >>> sometime thereafter. Plug in upgrades to the K4D, presumably, first for >>> those who ordered K4HD but took the K4D first. >>> - Testimonials from K4 owners would be found on the Elecraft-K4 GroupsIO >>> list. >>> >>> Side bar: somewhere else in the presentation he said Group A >>> will, hopefully, be completed in the next month or so (did I get this >>> right? I didn't find that section). Group B (even larger) comes after >>> >>> that. >>> >>> I haven't re-checked the definition of Group A and B sorry. >>> >>> I hope this helps some of you with delivery anxiety. >>> 73, >>> Kimo KH7U >>> (Happy with my almost new K3S s/n 11727, so the K4 is but a dream down >>> >>> the >>> >>> road. I tend to be the opposite of bleeding edge). >>> ______________________________________________________________ >>> Elecraft mailing list >>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >>> <http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft> >>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm <http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm> >>> Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net <mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net> >>> <Elecraft@mailman.qth.net <mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net>> >>> >>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net <http://www.qsl.net/> >>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >>> <http://www.qsl.net/donate.html> >>> Message delivered to david.n5...@gmail.com <mailto:david.n5...@gmail.com> >>> >>> ______________________________________________________________ >>> Elecraft mailing list >>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >>> <http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft> >>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm <http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm> >>> Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net <mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net> >>> <Elecraft@mailman.qth.net <mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net>> >>> >>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net <http://www.qsl.net/> >>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >>> <http://www.qsl.net/donate.html> >>> Message delivered to w...@w0mu.com <mailto:w...@w0mu.com> >>> >>> >>> ______________________________________________________________ >>> Elecraft mailing list >>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >>> <http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft> >>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm <http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm> >>> Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net <mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net> >>> <Elecraft@mailman.qth.net <mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net>> >>> >>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net <http://www.qsl.net/> >>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >>> <http://www.qsl.net/donate.html> >>> Message delivered to ju...@juliatuttle.net <mailto:ju...@juliatuttle.net> >>> >>> ______________________________________________________________ >>> Elecraft mailing list >>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >>> <http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft> >>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm <http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm> >>> Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net <mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net> >>> <Elecraft@mailman.qth.net <mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net>> >>> >>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net <http://www.qsl.net/> >>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >>> <http://www.qsl.net/donate.html> >>> Message delivered to haljr.mas...@gmail.com <mailto:haljr.mas...@gmail.com> >>> >>> >>> >> > ______________________________________________________________ > 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 david.n5...@gmail.com ______________________________________________________________ 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
