The power of emotions !
I built a K1, a K2. I have an ALT-512, a K3, and a KX2. No sure I need all of them. I am considering selling my K1, and maybe my selling my ALT-512…but my emotions tell me it is difficult to sell these radios.
73 de Pierre F5MOG
When speaking to Michel OE7MPI on OE/TI-517 we were talking rigs and I said I’d sold my KX3 because I don’t like wearing headphones and the speaker volume is terrible. If you did a blind test between an FT-817/8 and KX3 for sound quality I know which would win in my book!
He said he’d got hold of an Alexloop powered microphone/speaker that solves the poor volume issue and works really well as a speaker/mic. He did say they’re not that easy to get hold of either, but it might provide you with another option.
Regards, Mark.
It’s really a shame to see mom-and-pop businesses struggling. Especially such otherwise wonderful companies like Elecraft. As the owner of a small business, I can relate to their difficulties.
Icom and Yaesu are such huge, diversified corporations that they seem to have weathered these turbulent times better than companies like Elecraft. Kenwood maybe not so much and that’s too bad as well because Kenwood makes – or made – some pretty good stuff too.
IIRC several key people at Elecraft lost their homes to the Santa Cruz County fires of 2020 adding to their supply chain and other pandemic woes. While I am rooting for them, it has been hard to stay loyal. I recently chose a new FTdx10 over a K4D given the sky high price point for their SDR rig and the uncertain delivery date.
Another country heard from,
73 Eric KG6MZS
Hi Eric (@KG6MZS)
It is a lot of money and its interesting to hypothesize about why so few K3s are available on the used market. The original K3 (not s) are available a dime a dozen (well not quite but very available).
I find the company very honest. They have supply problems.
Everybody has supply problems.
Paul,
part of it is lots more original K3 were produced than the later K3s.
But the other part is the step up in performance. The newer low noise synthesizer KSYN3A transformed the radio, you could update your old K3 with new synth as I did. Indeed many other upgraded board were available to take you towards a K3s.
But all these upgrades only got you 80% of the way to the performance of a K3s. The K3s motherboard has improvements around noise / decoupling & filter isolation.
K3 lovers like me have already or aspire to upgrade to a K3s for that reason. I keep my eyes open for a K3s up for sale in the UK…
73 Gavin
GM0GAV
I also thought about what added value a K3S would bring me.
The conclusion was that my K3 with KSYN3A, KXV3A, KBPF3, KDVR3, P3, and the nice K3S main tuning knob (hi) covers my needs for normal radio operation, i.e. no contest operation, quite well.
We fully understand the delivery delays due to supply chain impacts due to COVID‑19 and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Manufacturers around the world are struggling. However, the backorder explanation alone is not convincing. I think you should explain the current situation in detail and persuade us.
In my case, I kept being told it was backordered. However, in fact, the person who ordered after I ordered received the item first. They lied to me no matter what the circumstances were. I think they should honestly admit their mistakes and apologize. My current state of mind is that as long as the product arrives, that’s fine.
Thank you 73
Jokota-san (@JF3KLH )
If you haven’t tried any of these then possibly consider them;
Paul
Dear Paul
Thank you for your detailed explanation.
I’m ashamed to say that the only way to contact ELECRAFT was by email or the web.
Therefore, I wanted to obtain information through the SOTA reflector.
I’m not good at English, so this challenge was scary. Of course I can’t speak Japanese properly
I can’t speak English, so it’s impossible to make a phone call.
I didn’t even know there was an elecrft discussion group. From now on, I would like to solve it using the method you taught me.
Thank you for your kindness 73 Arigato Yokota
Yokota,
This was more in response to my post on groups.io with an appeal to Wayne@N6KR to keep an eye on it. Based on your feedback, this matter was settled for me.
I’m all the more astonished by your renewed, harsh accusations and allegations to the address of Elecraft in your last emails in this thread.
To be fair, please communicate and resolve this matter directly with Elecraft.
73, Heinz
Hi, Heinz
Thank you for your advice to ELECRFT.
But don’t get me wrong. I did not post to SOTA REFLECTOR for problem solving. As the title suggests, I posted this because I wanted to know the current delivery status. This is because there was no specific delivery date information from ELECRFT.
Thankfully, we received responses from several people.
If there are people who are experiencing delivery delays like me, I will of course wait.
But to my surprise, I was able to confirm that this was not the case.
As a result, I am glad that I asked SOTA REFLECTOR.
I think that you who like ELECRFT products will understand.
You know the parts that make up the MH-3, right? Considering the worst, I also considered making my own and investigated. 2KΩ, 4.7KΩ, 10KΩ resistance, 0.33μF capacitor, 4-pin terminal, push switch, and microphone unit are all you need. Parts are also readily available. Don’t you think it’s hard to imagine that the delivery was delayed due to the influence of the supply chain?
73 Yokota
I certainly have no ability to do that. I think all either one of us can do is speculate at this point.
I seriously doubt any evil-doing on the part of Elecraft, Wayne and Eric seem to be very decent people. I do know from trying to run my own small company that honest mistakes are easy to make due to internal problems with communications.
I certainly understand your frustration Yoshito. I’ve been there recently waiting for my KX2 to arrive and my K3 to be repaired. I find it best for my own health and well being to assume the best in the motivations of others when all I can do is speculate about what is going on.
Hang in there!
73 Eric KG6MZS
Yokota,
Although I have been a radio experimenter since I was literate, I do not consider myself competent to answer this question, as I work exclusively in Morse telegraphy, hi.
Whatever the real reasons for this really unpleasant delivery delay, the accusations and allegations you made in this thread about Elecraft are a bit too daring. Because the facts are not clear to the general public at this point in time, this could also be construed as damage to reputation.
So you should remain factual and, despite everything, polite until the matter has been clearly clarified. Let’s hope that will be the case soon and, as befits a gentleman, you can apologize here for the misplaced accusations and insinuations made about Elecraft.
73 gl, Heinz
Dear Eric
If the microphone I ordered arrives, that will be the solution.
I can sleep well once it’s resolved.
Because I don’t have to write to REFLECTOR.
73 Yokota
Dear heinz
Without information, everyone makes wild guesses.
I am in no way slandering ELECRAFT.
If they had answered my inquiry politely each time, I would not have asked about delivery via SOTA REFLECTOR. I’m the one being offended. Please understand.
My KX2 was delivered on Christmas Eve. Elecraft advised they are hoping to have them at their facility by end of January. So maybe mid February before we see it?
Here is the schematic. The PPT works well with a 3 pin plug using ring 1 and sleeve. All no rocket science.
73 Chris
Can’t fault you, I wouldn’t be happy!! What’s happened to the Yank philosophy - the customer’s always right, etc?? I’ll stick with excellent communication and customer service from the Japanese marques.
