[TowerTalk] Force 12 C-3S (long, the rest of the story)

[K7LXC@aol.com]

In a message dated 98-08-04 14:18:33 EDT, tao@skypoint.com writes:

<< I am not sure I understand how it becomes the responsibility of the antenna
 manufacturer to solve system problems. In two postings we have seen comments
 to the effect that Force-12 was insufficiently response to their request for
 system assistance. I thought that Force-12 sold antennas (and perhaps
 customer support for those antennas). I did not realize that they were in
 the antenna-feedline-tuner-amplifier-transceiver system consulting business.
  >>

      Interesting comments. The fact of the matter is that when you put a new
antenna up and it doesn't work as expected that you focus initially on the
antenna as the problem. 

      Yes, the antenna is part of the system and another fact is that it's not
always the antenna. In my post yesterday we were installing a new X-9 and it
didn't perform as expected so I called the factory for some help. And I'm a
professional installer. In this case it wasn't the antenna either.

     A BIG fact is that many hams make assembly mistakes, make wrong
assumptions, do poor soldering jobs, put CoaxSeal INSIDE the coax connector,
install traps backwards, ad nauseum. The result is that the new antenna
doesn't work. The beauty of TowerTalk is that answers are available to anyone
who cares to ask. But the first thing most people do is to call the
manufacturer and say that their product doesn't work. The manufacturer tries
to help the owner through the myriad of things that would solve the problem -
many of which aren't the antenna.

      We've all seen those posts from computer technical support about
unbelievable real questions that real people have asked. Antenna manufacturers
(and retailers) get similar questions all the time. For a couple of years I
worked at a retail ham store so I know of which I speak. And we've all run
into situations where you talk to the manufacturer and they say "gee, that's
never happened before" to your obvious problem.

      The antenna manufacturer is in the business of creating happy customers
through good products and a reasonable level of customer service/technical
support. We as consumers have the same expectations and we vote with our
dollars for those goals. The amateur radio market is so small that word-of-
mouth can have an affect on a company's success. My point is that any company
that gives poor service and support creates ill will that will haunt them for
years. If you had a problem with your new Flamethrower Six antenna, wouldn't
you expect some help from the factory? How would you feel if their response
was, "Sorry, the antenna worked when it left the factory so it's YOUR problem.
But thank you for calling."?

Cheers,  Steve  K7LXC

Champion Radio Products
http://www.championradio.com

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