Re: [CQ-Contest] Lost leading 'dit' - summary

[VR2BrettGraham <vr2bg@harts.org.hk>]

W4ZV added:

>  >The Elecraft community is very hostile to suggested firmware changes,
> even if they are a good idea or can be done without changing whatever it is
> that they think is so important (like sending CW with the mic button).
>
>          Whoa pardner, you are putting me in the unusual position of
> defending a
> company and radio I don't even own (yet).  I feel Elecraft is very open to
> changes suggested by users.
>
> http://www.elecraft.com/manual/K2%20rev%202%20FW%20rev%20H.pdf

Bill, I said "Elecraft community", not "Elecraft company".

> Granted, Elecraft has a different situation than Ten-Tec with Orion because
> firmware cannot be uploaded via the Internet but must be supplied via new
> hardware, thus they seem to collect a number of issues before making major
> updates.  BTW, how many firmware updates are available for the FT-1000MP?

One?  Anyone with an early 847 knows Yaesu shouldn't have CPUs in the
radios until they do something about getting the software right the first 
time, or
putting it into something other than a masked, surface mount CPU.

>          An excellent example of Elecraft's responsiveness is their
> response to
> customer inputs about key clicks which required both hardware and firmware
> changes in the latest revision.  Would you please name one company from
> your part of the world that has ever acknowledged that they even have key
> clicks...much less one who is actually doing anything about them?

Again, there is a difference between the community & the company.  No
question about the company.  Have a look at the response of the community
to floating the idea of doing something about CW PTT by myself & another
contest type or anything else that would improve things for contesters & I 
think
you'd be put off by the reaction.

> P.S.  One knowledgeable K2 user seemed to think there was no problem with
> his K2 keying his old Alpha amp, but perhaps he missed your point about
> PTT.  It would probably be best to clarify this on the Elecraft reflector
> rather than here.

The Elecraft community is not interested in the least in what is needed by 
the
contesting community in a product & are quite unreasonable about anything
that they don't like & they don't like contests to begin with.  I suspect the
contesting community is probably a bigger portion of the active equipment
market, so the idea is either to establish that the contesting community
really does use something, that it could be added & everybody could be happy,
or the contesting community can sod off & take its custom elsewhere.

As more & more folks reply after I completed the survey saying they too use
CW PTT, those who don't use VOX see the problem & are helping to establish
a reason why Elecraft might consider doing something despite all the negativity
about CW PTT, even from some parts of the contesting community.

Having worked in the industry for companies like Elecraft, the sales approach
should register loud & clear & is the only thing I can think of that might 
counter
the united front of "guardians" who insist the world conform to the radio, 
instead
of the other way around.  Other suggestions on changes went down equally
poorly with that Elecraft community, but was eagerly taken up by the company.
CW PTT, for some reason, is going differently & I hope it isn't because it just
flat out is impossible with how they have managed to do what they've done with
what they've got (which is impressive, based on explanations from Elecraft 
about
the other change).

I really like my K2, but am getting worried it may be more of a toy than a 
radio
in some regards - hopefully, I'm wrong about that!

73, VR2BrettGraham

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