[TowerTalk] More from the M2 antennas quality control file

[Patrick Greenlee]

I'm not a Yagi guru or an EZNEC modeler. Can someone tell me what 1/16 
of an inch in element length means in performance parameters in the 
example below?  I have done mostly wire antennas and 1/16 or 1/8 didn't 
seem to make much difference.

Patrick  NJ5G

On 4/13/2015 7:10 AM, Lizeth Norman wrote:
> Bought a 432CP42UG from M2. Would you believe that of 21 pair of
> elements, 14 PAIR were the wrong size? 13 pair were 1/16" off. 1 pair
> was 1/8"
>
> Never, never again. 700$ waste.
>
> It took me 2 hours of puzzlement to discern the problem.
>
> The bad news is that they have NO WARRANTY WHATSOEVER!!! YOU BUY IT
> IT'S YOUR BABY!!!!
>
> See here:
>
> https://www.flickr.com/photos/n3ykf/16913167247/
>
> Looking at the photos, the elements are lying on paper that shows that
> the correct measurement as well as what should be the actual
> measurement. The elements are all represented.
>
> The assembly diagram shows that 9 pair are 1/16" different from each other.
>
> This screw up makes the wrong element the right size, as well as the converse.
>
> Good news is that it's a match at 50 Ohms. What sort of pattern and
> G/T is anyone's guess.
>
> BTW: There is another problem. Whoever designed the antenna is a liar.
> He/she defines the antenna as rated for 100 MPH. The antenna boom is
> secured to the cross boom (this is an antenna designed for an az/el
> array) by a pair of #8 screws. When the hurricane comes (I live in
> FL), common sense says the antenna is history. I will be happy to snap
> pics of it streaming downwind of the tower. Who needs an engineering
> degree to see this?
>
> FYI: Mike no longer works there. My experience with M2 customer
> service has been abysmal. I have owned 4 of their antennas (18 year
> time span). Still own 3. Have the receipts if some parasite of a
> lawyer wants to see them.
>
> Ask me and I'll tell you the story about how Mike's wife was screaming
> obscenities at me AND Mike at the same time, then she hung up. Was
> something about the package being 1/3 of the weight I was billed for.
> Rip off artist.
>
> Norman J McSweyn n3ykf
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