[TenTec] Elecraft K3 vs Orion

[Grant Youngman]

> The modular K3 is priced below the FT2000, ProIII, or 
> OmniVII.  It is  $1,807 
> below the OII.

Well, sure.  But let's make it a fair comparison and get close to apples to
apples.  If you don't want or need what comes in an Orion, you can certainly
not buy it if you buy a K3.

K3, sub-receiver, 1 x general coverage option, transverter interface, TCXO
option, DVR option, FM roofing filter (they don't specify the bandwidth), 6
Khz roofing filter, 1 Khz roofing filter -- factory assembled as far as
possible is $3292, and there's no sweep (regardless of how you may feel
about sweep on the Orion).  And since we don't yet know any specs and
haven't done a "feature by feature" comparison, the diff between the K3 and
the Orion may or may not be a significant number.  Size is also a factor for
many, me included.

You get nickle & dimed and end up at about the price you'd expect to pay for
a transceiver with the usual set of "from the factory" options.

Once again, the K3 will likely be a fine radio, but you do pay for what you
get, no matter who you buy it from.

Grant/NQ5T