[TowerTalk] More from the M2 antennas quality control file

[Patrick Greenlee]

Sorry for the bonehead comment.  I was not thinking small antenna as I 
am working a LARGE antenna project.  My fault.  Yeah, 1/16 is a fair 
error in that size domain.

Odd that the supplier won't make it right for one customer and goes the 
second mile for another.  A quick way to lose future sales is to 
mistreat a TT poster.

If I was "stuck" with something like this I'd write it up and post to 
eHAM and wherever else I could and then put my spool gun onto the end of 
the lead from my Hobart MIG and add a little length to the missing 
places.  A pain that shouldn't have to be but I think the effort to 
correct is not such a big deal as to be a bad choice.  Of course if you 
don't weld aluminum or have a friend who does then that may be too 
expensive to hire done.

I hope an acceptable resolution is found.

Patrick   N5G

On 4/13/2015 7:39 AM, Lizeth Norman wrote:
> Hey Pat!
> How do you assemble an antenna when the elements are not the size
> listed on the diagram?? 42 pieces of utter confusion.
> Read before commenting, please!!
> Norm n3ykf
>
> On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 8:37 AM, Patrick Greenlee
> <patrick_g at windstream.net> wrote:
>> 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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>>
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