Elecraft can only stay around for two reasons, the first the owner(s) and
employees must have a passion for amateur radio and the second is that there is
little competition. If there were more amateur radio kit companies that
produced kits of the same complexity and price they would have a real problem.
I think they have great products but there are not enough customers out there
to support very many such companies. Most other kit suppliers have other
sources of income and their kits are fairly simple compared to the Elecraft
kits.
73
bill wa4lav
________________________________________
From: amps-bounces@contesting.com [amps-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of
Charles Harpole [k4vud@hotmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, January 31, 2010 9:28 PM
To: amps@contesting.com
Subject: [Amps] I dont accept answers to why did Heath die?
Sorry, but I do not accept the answers to why there are no more ham Heathkits,
at least today.
Today, hams are hungry for a safe and sure building projects which 1. includes
all all all the parts, 2. has good instructions in English, and 3 results in
something one would want. Elecraft may be partial proof of the consumer kit
choices.
Power supplies and RF amplifiers could be the items a person would want and
would be willing to build. Maybe add SWR meters, Keyers, advanced speaker
enclosures, remote touch pad for several rigs (K3 etc), and remote antenna
switches?
I get a laugh at the building projects in QST over the last few years.... Who
in the world actually builds these things? It looks to me like ARRL wants to
continue the idea, now a myth, that hams are overall very technically adept and
cutting edge regardless of if the articles are actually built by anybody.
To me, ham radio as a hobby today is much like the old car guys... Model T,
etc. Add old airplanes, or add your favorite. These are old technology played
with for fun and celebrated for what it is... a beautiful and wonderful part of
history. CW is the same thing, the practice of an elegant old communications
method. No one puts down a guy with a beautifully restored Model T Ford, and
hams should NOT stand being put down just because our technology does not
nearly equal what the military has, for example.
We should accept and celebrate the kind of radio hams do. The return of
point-to-point wiring! Hurray! Bring back kits!
Charles Harpole k4vud@hotmail.com
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