[TenTec] TEN-TEC Announcement January 4, 2016

Mon Jan 4 21:46:39 EST 2016

Sounds like reasonable repair policy except for one thing.  Don't most repair facilities charge a "repair estimate" fee but only if you don't have unit repaired. 265 minimum plus shipping just seems a bit high.  But guess I could be out of touch. 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jan 4, 2016, at 9:16 PM, Al Gulseth <wb5jnc at centurytel.net> wrote:
> 
> A couple of things: one, encourage folks to particpate in this reflector. 
> There's a wealth of "brainstorming" knowledge here to help users solve 
> issues, even those not directly caused by the rig itself. Also, there are 
> several "third party" servicers who post here if someone wants to avail 
> themselves of a lower repair cost for their legacy TT rig.
> 
> OT: $4900 for a replacement touch screen for an automobile? At least in this 
> area, one can find not just a part, but an entire older used vehicle (even 
> pickups, which command a premium due to being in a "country" setting) in very 
> nice condition for that amount or less with some careful shopping.
> 
> 73, Al
> 
>> On Mon January 4 2016 7:18:40 pm Gary J FollettDukes HiFi wrote:
>> I, for one, applaud this policy statement.
>> 
>> It is amazing to me how many folks think companies like Ten Tec should
>> somehow pay a highly skilled technical resource to jabber for an hour about
>> a problem that is well outside warranty responsibility.
>> 
>> Yeasu won’t do it, Icom won’t do it, neither will Elecraft of Kenwood. They
>> may give you 5 minutes of their time but, after that, you need to send your
>> radio in for repair.
>> 
>> To be fair to them, they WILL offer direction in solving a problem and I
>> hope Ten Tec can do so. But we all need to be conscious of the value of the
>> technician or engineer’s time, and not rag chew on the line. but instead,
>> get directly to the issue.
>> 
>> If something can’t be repaired over the telephone in 15 minutes or less,
>> likely 6 hours won’t do it either.
>> 
>> Now with this new “sustainable” service model, I hope TenTec can get back
>> to the business of serving their patient service customers ASAP and also
>> produce some products that evoke coveting like the Orion did when it first
>> appeared…
>> 
>> 
>> The Eagle is a cute portable radio with decent performance for that type of
>> set. But I want an Omni 6+ without the birdies, a knob or a button for
>> everything, no stupid processors that will go obsolete in 3 years.
>> 
>> I want a Notch Filter INSIDE the AGC loop.
>> 
>> DSP should be a plug in upgradable daughter board so, when its parts become
>> unobtanium, we can get an update board. Apple offers this in their high end
>> Mac Pro… Ditto on any CPU board that would be the radio’s controller.
>> 
>> And why not use a display that is commonly used in a consumer product or in
>> a commercial application such as a very common credit card scanner? These
>> have GOT to be a lot cheaper than the custom displays and, when they fail
>> in our fairly uncommon Ham radios, we will be able to buy junker
>> electronics that use the same displays and do a replacement. There is NO
>> logic to custom specifying a simple XY pixel type display. They all display
>> the same thing and in the same way.
>> 
>> (I wish Toyota would do that too! $4,900 for a replacement touch screen!
>> INDEED!)
>> 
>> Gary
>> 
>> W0DVN
>> 
>>> On Jan 4, 2016, at 2:13 PM, John Henry <jshenry1963 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> The following is from the new owner of TEN-TEC
>>> 
>>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> 
>>> As some of you may be aware, Dishtronix has purchased the assets (but not
>>> the liabilities) of Ten Tec from RKR Designs. .  I had desired to keep
>>> this under wraps  until Ten Tec is reorganized, but there is too much
>>> speculation concerning the service department to continue without an
>>> announcement of some sort.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> There is a myriad of things that must be accomplished before everything
>>> is formalized. Unfortunately these things must be done before we can
>>> continue with jobs that were sent in for repair to RKR. At this time I
>>> would ask people to be patient and please do not call or email me about
>>> your repair. When we get the phone numbers transferred successfully or
>>> new phone numbers we will post them. As we progress with the change,
>>> someone will contact you about your repair. When service resumes we will
>>> be contacting the repair customers.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> As some of you may be aware I have been looking at all aspects of
>>> operation of the company and restructuring operations has been necessary.
>>> In reviewing the service department accounts, it is apparent that some
>>> customers use the service department to diagnose the radio and elect to
>>> not proceed with the repair. Unfortunately this open door policy costs
>>> the company one hour of billable time to receive, unpack, open, diagnose,
>>> provide an estimate and repack a radio for return to the customer.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Effective immediately, all radios including those sent in to RKR, will
>>> incur  a 140.00 minimum charge to look at a radio, even if it is not
>>> repaired.  Service time is 125 per hour with the average repair requiring
>>> from one to two hours. This means you can expect to pay at least 265.00
>>> plus parts and return shipping for any repair.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> For customers who sent radios in to RKR which were not repaired, who
>>> object to these terms, we will return your unit to you at your expense.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> A second problem in the service department is with the time technicians
>>> spend on the telephone that quite often ends up having nothing to do with
>>> the Ten Tec product but is some other station deficiency.  The problem
>>> here is Ten Tec is not compensated for that time, yet Ten Tec pays wages
>>> to the technician. When the service department resumes operation, Ten Tec
>>> will charge the customer for any telephone call or email that consumes
>>> more than five minutes of technician time.  That time will be billed in
>>> quarter hour increments at the prevailing service rate.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> I am fully committed to bring Ten Tec back to a sustainable state. This
>>> will take some time. Please give us time to finalize these plans since
>>> there are so many business related issues to get through. We will
>>> definitely need to rely on you as customers to help continue the Ten
>>> Tec tradition of
>>> innovative product and cutting edge technology.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Given the content of the new owners announcement above, I (John Henry)
>>> also request that if you can wait a while for your product to get
>>> serviced in the Ten Tec service department, please let them alone until
>>> they get back with you as he described above. If you absolutely have to
>>> have your unit back now, then the service at tentec.com email address is
>>> still working, and will continue to work. The phones are in transition,
>>> so I doubt you will be able to call and get an answer for a while. once
>>> phones are set up, the numbers will be announced. Once the website is
>>> ready, everything will be on it. Remember, if going to tentec.com takes
>>> you to rkrdesignsllc.com, then the website transition has not completed
>>> yet.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Given the nature of this announcement, and it will almost positively
>>> bring out more questions, again, please be patient. The new owner is
>>> working through a lot of business issues, and I myself work a full time
>>> day job and consult into the evening, so, answers may be few and far
>>> between. Though this announcement is going out to a lot of venues, I will
>>> attempt to monitor
>>> 
>>> https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/ten_tec_radio_net/conversations/messa
>>> ges
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 73, KI4JPL
>>> 
>>> John Henry
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> TenTec mailing list
>>> TenTec at contesting.com
>>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
>> 
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