Date: Sat, 29 Mar 2003 00:56:04 -0600
From: "Ken Bessler" <kg0wx@cox.net>
Subject: Rig back from the shop - still broken - **an update**
To refresh:
I had owned my FT-817 for 3 months when suddenly
I had no power on 160-6 meters. I sent the rig back
to the store where I bought it (radio shack) and they
sent it to Yaesu.
5 weeks later, the rig came back - still broken.
I sent the following e-mail to Yaesu service:
************************************************************
"5 weeks ago I turned my FT-817 in to my dealer
(B&H sales in Derby KS (316) 788-4225) for
warranty repair. The rig has no output from 160m
to 6m (2m & 440 work fine).
5 weeks later the rig comes back. I excitedly
drive 20 miles to my dealer to pick it up then
drive back looking forward to getting back on
the air. I hook up the rig to find it still broken!
What is up with that?
The rig is now back at my dealer and is going
to be checked by the local tech to confirm it's
state. Then the rig will be (probably) going
back to you.
Shame on you, Yaesu service! I mean really
- it's bad enough for the rig to break but to
then add insult to injury by not fixing the rig
then shipping it back to me broken. Is this an
example of your standards now?
I've been a 100% Yaesu user since my first
rig (a FT101B) way back in the 70's. This
turn of events needs to be investigated and
something done to change my tarnished
perception of Yaesu.
Signed, a disgruntled (and maybe EX) customer."
(name, address and phone included)
**********************************************************
Tonight, at about 8pm central time, I get a call on
my phone. It's the Yaesu service manager! He's
apologizing profusely and promising to investigate
the matter. He says to return the radio and it will
get fixed and double checked asap.
To Yaesu's credit, he seemed genuinley concer-
ned. I'm impressed.
To be continued.........
Ken KG0WX
======================================================
Date: Sat, 29 Mar 2003 09:40:45 -0800
From: "Ed G." <spectrumhog@starband.net>
Subject: Re: Rig back from the shop - still broken - **an update**
To Ken, and others,
This is just a reminder; as a technician for many years, I have seen
many radios come across my bench that did not seem to have a problem. In
the hurry of the schedule, these don't get examined very long. (More
often than not, in my industry, a claimed problem that doesn't show up on
the bench is not really a problem with the radio.) Only after
succeeding claims of the same problem do these radios get further
examined.... and this sometimes requires daily tests for days on end until
the problem shows up.
Your FT-817 could be one of these, with a chronic intermittent
failure that may take some time to occur for the bench tech.
Also, there can be MAGIC in the UPS/FEDEX shipping process. It
never ceases to amaze me how a radio with a problem is shipped and ends up working on the other end of the UPS MAGIC.
Ed WB6SAT
==========================================================
Date: Sat, 29 Mar 2003 18:26:44 -0600
From: "Ken Bessler" <kg0wx@cox.net>
Subject: Re: Rig back from the shop - still broken - **Fixed!**
The rig was tested on the IFR bench today and to my
suprise, it worked perfectly! I even took some of the
components of my antenna system with me to test them.
I took all patch cables, meters, switches, triplexer,etc.
All tested fine. At one point I had the idea that maybe
it was only able to put power into a dummy load, not
an antenna. So, I hooked up to the shop antenna (an
Alpha-Delta DXCC) and tested. No problems! I was
then convinced I had either an intermittant radio
problem, a bad coax or a problem with my GAP Titan
antenna. So, I took my equipment home, fully
expecting to see the same problem.
I powered up and keyed down on 20 meters....5 watts!
So, I've got an intermittant problem somewhere. All
I can do is inspect the antenna system and maybe do
some maintenance. Then hope that if it IS a intermittant
problem with the rig that it breaks permenantly before
the warranty elapses.
As to Yaesu service, they obviousley did thier job and
I hearby apologize for getting upset with them.
I hearby eat crow.......
Thanks Yaesu - I'll buy from you again (when I have a
need - I just bought a VX-7R(b) to go with the FT-817.) :-)
73's de Ken KG0WX
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