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and performance. Service you say? Well, for some reason the SWR went below the lower frequency limits on all 5 bands when I relocated the Sigma 5 to my second floor balcony. I call Force 12.... "ship back the center section" they say. Roger, I ship the center section (contains the tuning coils & pc board) on a Monday, UPS. Well, on Thursday, 3 days later, it was back on my balcony and retuned perfectly. IOW, they must have repaired it the same day they received it, PLUS got it back into UPS that same day. Oh, did I mention they paid the return postage? Needless to say, I am impressed and satisfied with Force 12. 73 to all Ted N7QY >Hello all, > >Well sad to say my recent and first experience with Force12 is my >last. Here's my story: > >I bought a Sigma V during Force12's "pre-Dayton" sale in March. There >was a tidy discount on the antenna, and, based on all >the positive reviews, I decided to buy one. I live in Santa Barbara, >about 2 hour's drive from the Force12 factory. I asked if I >could drive up and pick up the antenna, but was told that was not >possible. OK, I trust UPS. I was not informed that there >would be a long lead time for delivery. Remember, this is straight from >the factory, not a middleman. > >Four weeks latter, no antenna. I call the factory and was told there >was a delay in delivery of the circuit board, but the antenna >would be shipped the next week. 2-3 weeks latter, no antenna. I call >again, and was told my antenna was ready for >shipment. Sure enough, it arrived 2 days later in the middle of May. > >I have a engineering consulting business, and Rule #1 is to be straight >with the client. If there is a delivery or deadline problem, >I take the initiative and tell the client what's what. > >Now all this would be water under the bridge, if I had received a >quality product. Am I the only one who thinks the Sigma V is >built even below MFJ standards? Nice MIG/TIG welding at the joints but >everything else is a joke. Someone ("Charlie" in the >case of my antenna) used a marking pen to draw arrows on the pieces to >show what connects to where. Either dump the >marking pen or use a real label. Remember folks, current cost for this >antenna is $350. The PVC (thinwall plumbing pipe) that >is used to enclose the relay board has a slot cut in it (the exit point >for the coax connection and control cable.) that looks like it >was made by a drunk wielding a hacksaw. If I am looking for a homebrew >product, I will make it myself; I can butcher PVC >pipe with the best of them. > >OK, now let's talk about the "control head." It consists of a low-cost >rotary switch mounted on a bent piece of plastic. I >cannot believe how cheesy this is. Again for the going price, they >could have purchased a cheap Radio Shack project box, >and at least made some attempt to produce a quality product. > >I assembled the antenna and get low SWR on all bands but 20-M. Super >high SWR on all of 20 from 14.000 to 14.350. I >hear this is a common problem, but not everybody has an antenna analyzer >to figure out how to compress or stretch the 20-m >coils. Force12 claims that the antenna will resonate on the low or high >end of 20-m but will not cover the whole band. Fair >enough, but mine resonates nowhere on 20. > >Called Force12 yesterday (6/25), the nice lady who answers the phone >said Tom was out but if I left my number he would call >when he gets back. Well , guess what? No call. > >Sorry, all you Force12 lovers, but I don't get it. Maybe mine Sigma V >was made by that "counterfeit" Force12 factory. If >Force12 would take this piece of junk back, I will ship it to them in an >instance; at my expense. > >73 de K6SBA >David in Santa Barbara, CA >(who usually doesn't get this upset over a product) > >Mihai Mateescu wrote: > > Hi everybody, > > I wonder if any of you US hams is experiencing delivery delays for F12 > > products.... > > > >-------------------------------------------- >Force12Talk mailing list provided as a service by Force 12 Antennas, Inc. >Force12 Web Site: http://www.force12inc.com > >To Submit Message to the List: Force12Talk@qth.com >To unsubscribe and view the Message Archive: see http://qth.com/force12/list >For problems with the list: contact n4zr@qth.com -- "What could possibly go wrong?" Laurel and Hardy -------------------------------------------- Force12Talk mailing list provided as a service by Force 12 Antennas, Inc. Force12 Web Site: http://www.force12inc.com To Submit Message to the List: Force12Talk@qth.com To unsubscribe and view the Message Archive: see http://qth.com/force12/list For problems with the list: contact n4zr@qth.com |
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