Not sure what sort of response you were trolling for here, Jim. It sounds as though you feel Elecraft has priced their products and accessories at a non-competitive level? Or that the performance or function does not justify the costs? I guess I just don't understand.
The fact is, competition is good. When companies products compete for the consumer's dollar (or yen/euro/etc), the consumer wins in the form of choices. Some will prefer a less costly item by giving up a particular capability. Some will not be able to afford the higher priced product and will buy what suits his/her situation. All such decisions are compromises. Sometimes, advances in technology make a particular capability feasible at a lower price point or smaller size, less weight, etc. An example would be all the modes and functions available in a modern SDR/firmware based radio like the K3 or KX3, vs. trying to do all the same functions in hardware. I find Elecraft products to be exceptional performers, at a fair price. That does not mean they are the cheapest on the market. By no means. However, when you compare features and performance, the Elecraft products are what I would call fairly priced. I have never felt that I was being overcharged for something I felt should cost less. This is especially true when considering the economies of scale and development costs in a small company dedicated to a niche business. I am also not sure what you mean by the "absurdity of the current add on costs" either. One of the appealing features of the Elecraft product line is the ability for the consumer to only purchase those accessories that are needed. Many folks don't need or want an internal automatic antenna coupler. Fine, don't order it. However- as I said- I have found that those items are well designed, and often offer performance that is on par with or exceeds other available products. Elecraft also rightly includes tight integration between their products, such as the KPA500/K3, that offer additional functionality that should be included in judging the "rightness" of a price point. I have owned a fairly wide variety of equipment over my 25+ years as an amateur. Not as much as some- but I have purchased, (and built my own) enough to recognize the value of the Elecraft products. I still enjoy using my 602-based mono-band rigs I've built, and I still enjoy home-brewing. But there is also room in my stable for the "Elegant Craftsmanship" of Elecraft gear. I am fortunate in that respect. Elecraft does not strive to produce the lowest cost products. They provide high quality, high performance products at prices that reflect this. This is my experience. Beauty is in the eye. 72/73, Bruce, N1RX > If they can produce a similar product at a reduced cost, including the > absurdity of the current add on costs that Elecraft charges, good for > them! > Hope they are successful - "successful" meaning their version offers like > functions and specifications, at a reduced cost! > 72, Jim R. K9JWV ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
