I'm inclined to agree with you and Jeff.
As far as buying the 539+418, one scenario that I can see is $$$ up front.
Assuming that the final price is around $800-900 for each, it may be
easier on a limited budget to buy the 539 first, then buy the 418 at a
later date, if more power is desired. Easier to justify to the XYL, if
required, as well.
A well-equipped Eagle is going to cost half again as much as the 539/418
combo. With the auto-tuner, a couple of CW filters and the NB, I have
over $2,300 invested in mine.
Apparently I got so preoccupied with the omission of the 12- and
60-meter bands in the 539 that I overlooked the fact that no auto-tuner
is available. How many of us who run 5 watts or less use resonant
antennas all of the time? Strike four.
My rationale is that, since I already have the Eagle, and with a KX3 at
home waiting to be assembled when we get home from vacation, if I bought
a 539 it would be a shack-bound item.
However, I like the design and features of the 418. As Jeff said, many
of us QRPers have multiple QRP radios. I have a 556 Argo, K1, K2, K3/10
and a KX3, as well as a QRP++ and even a HW-9, most of which should work
well with the 418.
72/73 de Jim - AD6CW
On 8/13/2012 11:38 AM, Ron Notarius W3WN wrote:
I think you may be on to something Jeff.
It's pretty clear that there is a market for a QRP radio that can be, in one
fashion or another, upgraded to 100 W out. Elecraft is selling quite a few K2/10's
& K3/10's that can be upgraded at a later time...a K2/10 with the KPA100, a
K3/10 with the KPA3.
Now, if you think the cost of the TT 418 is high, look at the cost to upgrade
the brick on the K2 or K3. Factor in as well that the Elecraft bricks are
specific to that model radio only, whereas the TT amp will work with almost any
appropriately rated rig.
Now personally, for the shekels involved, I'd personally be more likely to buy an Eagle
than an Argonaut VI + TT418 combo. But that's me. Clearly there is a market for a brick
to update a QRP rig to a "standard" outpput, and clearly there may be a market
to take the next step as well.
We shall see.
73, ron w3wn
On 08/13/12, Jeff Davis wrote:
I think their strategy is to offer a QRP transceiver (the new Argo VI)
with a matching optional 100W PA. If the Argo VI comes in at under a
$900 then they can offer a QRP/100W station for around $1600 and be in
the ball game. In addition, since the amp works with other low-powered
equipment, they build a new market for that. I have 14 QRP kits in the
shack here, built over the ages, and a 100W PA that would work with
most any of them is an attractive option for me.
What I don't fully understand, however, is why someone would buy that
combo (Argo VI and amp) from scratch?
For about the same money I can buy a 100W Eagle that can be turned
down to QRP level, and get it with an internal auto-tuner. That would
take up less space on the desk and be a singular package versus the
Argo VI, amplifier, tuner, power supply, etc.
With no auto-tuner option in the Argo VI, either QRP or 100W, the
desktop footprint grows as does the investment - assuming one makes
use of non-resonant antennas...
73, Jeff KE9V
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