[TenTec] Omni 5, Omni 6 5.0 to 5.5 MHz PLL saga -- for the repair archive, except for the editorial comments

[MadScientist]

Well, I charge $80 per hour. However, with the occasional “tough dogs”, I limit the repair cost at an upper amount, based on the radio. In the case of an Omni 6 or similar, that limit is $250. Orion’s  (and similar) are a bit higher.

My reasoning is that, first, I have maybe 2 - 3 hours invested. Completing the repair ensures that I will at least get paid for that time, even if I need to use more than $250 for the repair. Often, as was the case with this radio, I learn something that will pay off on the next similar radio.

Secondly, I hope that most of my repairs do not even take an hour but the repair minimum of $80 ($150 for an Orion or similar) makes the effort worth my time. Like buying and selling, if the overall average yield fails to meet my expectations, I will simply stop doing it.

73

Gary



> On Sep 6, 2018, at 11:11 AM, Bob McGraw K4TAX <rmcgraw at blomand.net> wrote:
> 
> I just received a quote from a company regarding repair. Diagnostic fee $250 and $135 / hr.   If I have the unit repaired the diagnostic fee would be applied to the repair.   In any even, I'm spending a minimum of $250 plus shipping both ways.
> 
> Yes I understand the warranty repair issue.  However, if it had not been warranty, how much would be charged?    Frankly for ham radio repairs today, considering time and test equipment required and space allocation, $135 is a reasonable rate.   The days of $35 / hour are long gone.  Folks, get over it!     Now you know why I no longer repair ham equipment.
> 
> 73
> 
> Bob, K4TAX
> 
> 
> 
> On 9/6/2018 11:05 AM, MadScientist wrote:
>> Well I certainly did not charge the customer for the added time - it was a warranty repair.
>> 
>> I also learned from the experience so, to some extent, it was worth the time spent.
>> 
>> I WISH I could get people to pay me $135 per hour for this relatively rare level of repair expertise.
>> 
>> 73
>> 
>> Gary
>> 
>>> On Sep 6, 2018, at 10:46 AM, Bob McGraw K4TAX <rmcgraw at blomand.net> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Gary:
>>> 
>>> I most likely can't count or recall the times I have asked the question; "why do you think the radio needs alignment?"    If a component has been replaced, well then......... maybe.   Just to "do it" to be "doing it" is an invitation to introduce an issue or issues which did not originally exist.  Bad idea from the start.
>>> 
>>> I commend you for your good trouble shooting on your part.  Hope your customer was very understanding.   And with your time and effort, at normal billing rates, the radio was, frankly,  not likely worth repairing.  Now for those of you that may not agree, if billing rate is $135/hour and at 8 hrs, that's $1080 plus shipping.   Nah, the radio working is great OK, but not working, nah, not worth it.   Repairing old radios must be done solely for the "LOVE" of the radio, not from a practical or business point of view.  That's one of the reasons I no longer repair radios.  As my friend TIM says:  "Time Is Money".
>>> 
>>> Glad there is still someone that can and is able to repair these older radios.  With the prices of new radios falling and the ones being introduced into the market, any form of repair is largely out of the realistic realm of practicality .   Sad, but I think we'll see more and more of this.
>>> 
>>> 73
>>> 
>>> Bob, K4TAX
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
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