Pardon me, but I have to laugh a bit about this posting.
On this list, I have heard individuals discussing purchased antennas
in which they:
(1) threw away all of the nut and bolts and replaced with
stainless or
(2) were unable to use any of the manufacturer's suggested
lengths and had to develop their own or
(3) replaced all element junction screws with rivets because
the screw were inadequate.
I have had heard complaints about false advertising, wild
performance comparisons, and the like.
People seem to like Force12 here. I am looking at their
antennas for purchase. Frankly their answers to
presales questions are so minimal and cavalier that I can only
wonder how much they help you after the sale.
Some of us can't have 100 foot towers, can't mount our
verticals 25 feet up with two elevated radials for
each band, and can't bury 120 radials of the appropriate
length. We have lives, wives, and neighbors.
The Titan (and other such antennas) fulfill a place in the market.
The GAP people respond typically within 24 hours to email and
generally give real answers, albeit sparingly. It is true that there
are several minor steps to take that make the antenna less likely
to shed hardware. Those steps are trivial. And they don't
involve rivets -- just some wire and a strong arm with a wrench.
The GAP people are no worse than the typical supplier
to radio amateurs. There are worse (try getting a prompt email
response from AES or MFJ from their web page).
73,
Mike Mellinger
WA0SXV
----- Original Message -----
From: Ed Juge <ed_juge@zianet.com>
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Friday, October 08, 1999 07:59
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] GAP Titan
>
> >Larry...
>
> I haven't owned a GAP, but a good friend, K2RM, had one for a couple of
> years. Rarely two months went by when some physical part didn't fall off
> into his back yard...literally! He tried everything including lightly
> guying the antenna with nylon cord. (He is NOT in a windy area and the
> antenna was protected by a stockade fence around the back yard.) I think
> GAP replaced parts until the warranty period ran out.
>
> I was with him when he talked with the owner of GAP at Dayton, two
separate
> years. The guy basically told him, "That's too bad." He didn't offer to
> replace his obviously bad antenna or extend the warranty or provide
> additional replacement parts, nor did he even express regrets for the
> on-going problems.
>
> Bob finally replaced the GAP with another vertical...an R5, I think. On
> our weekly schedule, his 40M signal from Ft. Worth, TX to me in Ruidoso,
NM
> increased quite dramatically. He hasn't had a single problem with the new
> antenna.
>
> Based on Bob's experiences, and equally on the attitude I saw from the GAP
> guy, I wouldn't have one as a gift.
>
> Ed, W5EJ
>
> >Rod - I'm not sure "exactly" why this group "hates" the GAP Titan. I
have
> one
> >an I am very pleased with it.
>
>
>
> -------------------------------------------
> Ed Juge
> phone: 817.291.0733
> email: ed_juge@zianet.com
> ======================
>
> --
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>
>
>
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