Well, I look forward to getting my K3. But I won't be selling my loaded K2. I bought the K2, not because it was a kit, but because the receiver performs well. It is a very compact rig and easy to carry onboard when I go offshore to operate. I have a nice small aluminum case with foam that is cut out for the K2. So my K2 will continue to be a backup rig when home and my primary rig to take with me on trips. When trekking through airports every pound matters when you have a rig in one hand and a laptop over the other shoulder. N2TK, Tony
-----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2007 1:15 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] loaded K2 vs K3 James Duffey wrote: The conclusion one can draw is that there won't be many K2s sold for exclusively home (base) use. I disagree! It all depends on the situation. Not everybody wants/needs a fully-loaded K2. Taking out a couple of options radically lowers the price. For example, the KDSP2 costs $229 - that's more than a third of the cost of the basic K2. The KPA100 is more than half the cost of the basic K2. I'm not complaining about those prices, just noting that it's only a fully-loaded K2 which approaches the price of a bare-bones K3. The more options one puts on a K2, the less > > value it presents. I would say "the less *value differential*" The market for those who want a low power consumption > > rig must be close to saturated, or at least will be if lots of K2s hit the > market in anticipation of their owners moving up to a K3. > > To me, the K2/100 seems doomed as the price differential, as you point out, > needless to mention the value, is clearly in the favor of the K3. And the > big advantage of the K2, low power consumption, doesn't really come into > play with these QRO rigs. > > I agree that if someone is looking for a high performance Elecraft rig (yes, I know that's redundant) in the 100W class, they're not going to save much between a fully-loaded K2 and the K3/100. But if someone is willing to forego a few options it becomes a different game entirely. There's also the 'pay-as-you-go' factor. For at least some of us it is *much* easier and more practical to make several small purchases rather than one big purchase. Suppose a ham can save a dollar a day for rig purchases. At that rate, a basic K2 kit can be bought in less than two years of savings. Once the basic K2 is working, most of the options can be added every few months, except for DSP, 100W and ATU. But a basic K3 would require almost 5 years of saving up! It looks to me like Elecraft has placed the K3 in just the right spot to expand their line. Of course the different products interact. The introduction of the KX1 probably deflected some K1 sales to folks who wanted a high-performance backpacking rig. The four-band K1 probably took some K2 sales to folks on tight budgets. Etc. --- What really tickles me is that a small American company quietly announces a couple-of-kilobucks high-performance HF transceiver *kit*, announced *before* Dayton, and their biggest problem is being absolutely snowed under by orders, many from folks who have never even seen the rig. That's what I call a Good Problem. 73 de Jim, N2EY ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
