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Cuddlebear
| | Posted on Monday, April 08, 2002 - 3:42 pm: | 
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Well Folks,
I feel I have given this Base enough time to prove itself. Here are the hard Facts Exposed.
#1) This base is not really worth the asking price that Ranger has it listed as because it isn't very stable frequency wise. The SSB has drift so bad that if you were on a raft you'd be in Cuba son...
#2) The weatherboard bleeds through the AM channels for christ sake! Seriously. if you listen to the weather, you had better turn down your RF Gain. Otherwise you see the dang RF needle all the way to the right and you hear the static of AM in there bleeding through. Turning the RF Gain down helps a lot. But not entirely.
#3) Even with the Talk Back feature turned low on the unit, You have to stand back at least three feet from the damn thing or you'll whistle your head off when you key up. Even on the stock mic, which is NOT a power mic. I found it whistled at a volume number 2, and setting 1-2 you can't hear a damn thing. Lousy feature to put on a rig if you can't use it if you ask me. So I keep it turned off. I even turned the main Volume button down with no good results.
#4) And here's the Biggee Guy's!
After calling Ranger with my obvious disatisfaction of all this, they said some of the problems could be traced to an "Alignment problem" And that if I spend the $20 bucks or so to send them the Radio. (UPS-Shipping) That they would be happy to re-align the radio free of charge. Well, Excuse me. But I have one peeve with this idea. Why the hell should I pay to send back a brand new radio that I just bought to have their techs fix something that should have been done before this thing left the factory??? Hey! I did my part by buying the radio on good faith. Their part of the deal should have been to make sure this wasn't a problem before it became one. Sorry Guy's, Maybe I'm just asking to much nowadays, But I spend $300+ dollars for a rig, I expect to open the box and play. Not Pay.
#5) No matter what Microphone you use on this rig, you sound like a Tin-Cup. I have had nothing but complaints on how Sh*tty I sound on this radio. So, In closing, I have one thing to say when it comes to purchasing this radio.
"RUN FORREST RUN!!!"
I'm going for the 2985-or the Melaka. |
Jyd
| | Posted on Monday, April 08, 2002 - 4:19 pm: |
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get a refund |
Bullseye
| | Posted on Monday, April 08, 2002 - 6:40 pm: |
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By all means Cuddlebear express your disatisfaction to whomever you bought it from and hope for a refund minus shipping of course. Then my best advice to you is to:
1-Log on to this website
2-Go to 10 meter radios
3-Look at the selection available and then
4-Order the Melaka
I run mine with a Galaxy Echo mic. but most any will sound ok Taz really likes his turner supersidebander and they are excellent sounding mics. but hard to find. I see them on Ebay occasionally. Hope this works out for you for the best. Maybe with some luck you can wind up with a KLV 550 to run with it. |
Taz
| | Posted on Monday, April 08, 2002 - 6:40 pm: |
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simply send it back.
If you want the melaka then have 307 work it all up for you. He knows the radio like the back of his hand. You can add a lot of things to the melaka too. |
Warlock
| | Posted on Monday, April 08, 2002 - 9:42 pm: |
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You may have gotten a lemon. I ran one for a few months and sold it to a friend. He uses it with a D104M6B and sounds great. Had no troubles with weather, talkback, and a little drifting on ssb before warmed, very little if any after warmed. |
Cuddlebear
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 09, 2002 - 7:07 am: |
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Warlock,
You could be right Sir. It is highly possible that I may have just gotten a lemon. I'm not sure. I have made an attempt to get a refund, but to no avail. They won't do it. (Didn't buy at copper. bought locally) But they are instead willing to try and make an exchange with Ranger. The store owner says he will have to talk to the manager over there at ranger in California because they don't want to do an exchange. They want to fix the radio. But the owner of the store says he would much rather see me have a new radio out of all this. He has seen the radio in action and he was even unhappy at it's performance. He claims he has sold 6 of these rigs in the past year with 0 returns till now. So, like a good sport, since I cannot get a refund, I'll try another radio. If the same thing, then I'll modify it, and sell it off, then get the Melaka from Copper. |
Taz
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 09, 2002 - 9:59 am: |
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Melaka=good choice |
Cuddlebear
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 09, 2002 - 3:22 pm: |
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Well,
Ranger has denied my request for another radio to be shipped in exchange for this one. They say they have had to many radios that have been messed with in the past. So, it is now their official policy not to exchange unless you spend more of your hard earned money to send it back to them for investigation and they find the radio was cheaper to replace then to repair. I checked with UPS and the shipping for this radio is around $32 not including insurance! They can stick it in their a**. I'll be damned if I'm going to pay more money for them to do what should have been done in the first place. Then wait a month for my radio back???? Screw it. It's outta here. And I'll damn sure never buy another one.
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Highlander
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 10, 2002 - 6:52 am: |
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That's too bad about your experience, but thanks for posting it---Ranger should realize that an unsatisfied customer can spread the word to large numbers of radio-hobby types like us on these forums. They should eat the shipping both ways if they sent out a radio that was badly out of alignment. |
Rightwing
| | Posted on Thursday, April 11, 2002 - 1:15 am: |
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get the melaka, or do what i did, buy a superstar 3900 and put in a 10 switch and a rbeep on-off switch. its anice cheap little radio and i love my radio very much |
Cuddlebear
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 10, 2002 - 11:26 pm: |
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Well Highlander,
I got the last word in about it. I paid by credit card. I put a stop Payment on the Visa this morning. Now it's between the dealer and them to hash out. Not my problem anymore. There are way to many problems with this radio for me to just eat it. Now the damn transmit went out totally> They will make right on this before I get done. They have no choice at this point. I have always believed in this simple rule of thumb: "No tickey, No shirtey." |
Ss8541
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 10, 2002 - 10:54 pm: |
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well you guys need to think about something. there are way more golden screwdriver techs that break more radios than they tune/repair, than real techs who use the correct equipment and tune radios correctly. it seems these days that anyone with a screwdriver and a wattmeter is a tech.
with this in mind, rci has seen many more radios that came back with a -supposed- factory problem that turned out to be a golden screwdriver problem than the factory problems. so to be safe and smart, they are charging you to ship it back to them. if not they are going to end up spending much more of their money to have golden screwdriver screwed up radios sent back than real factory problem radios. so blame this on all those g.s. guys who screw up a radio, and then send it back to rci as a factory problem, instead of blaming rci. for all they know this may be a g.s. situation. even if you bought it from a dealer that rci knows is reputable, they don't know that when it got home that the covers didn't come off and a screwdriver went inside. cuddlebear, i'm not saying this is what happened at all. i believe what you are saying. but you have to look at rci's side of this also. |
Taz
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 10, 2002 - 8:15 pm: |
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They act like they cant afford it! |
Cuddlebear
| | Posted on Thursday, April 11, 2002 - 11:28 pm: |
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Me again Folks,
Well, After talking with a few folks I decided I'll eat it. If i stop payment, Then the guy will sue me. not worth the hassle. I can't be hauled into court. I'll let it go. I recieved my Tips & Tricks video and modified the rig. Big difference! I don't understand how, but it cleared up several problems I mentioned. And by the way, let me clarify a mistake I made in one post. I said earlier that the transmit went out on the rig. what i meant to say was the recieve went out on it. The sideband does not function. Anyway back to my post. The 307 video fixed the talkback somehow, although i don't know how, unless it had something to do with the modulation circuit. (scratching head) and the modulation is now good and clear on AM. The freq drift more stable now. I dunno how. Sideband still doesn't work though. But most of the trouble has been eradicated through the video. These video's are the greatest thing. Fine detail, 307 takes the time to go step by step and explain every single thing to you. I love his tapes. These tapes are the layman's best friend. A true quality product! |
Taz
| | Posted on Friday, April 12, 2002 - 6:17 pm: |
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Hes good with radios! |
Colt
| | Posted on Friday, April 12, 2002 - 3:57 pm: |
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Cuddlebear,
Don't you think it would have been better to "eat" your pride and spent the extra 20 bucks to have the prob's solved? Of course, they may not even do that now, since it's been worked on. But, if you want the SSB to work, seems like it would be worthwhile to talk to them one more time and see if their original offer still holds.
Of course, the whole "golden screwdriver" issue could have been avoided in the first place had Ranger put anti-tamper tape on the cover at the factory. Then there'd be no issue as to whether or not it had been messed with.
I know it stinks to have to eat dirt one more time and give them another $20, but sometimes it's all you can do in a practical sense to cut your losses as best you can. |
Taz
| | Posted on Saturday, April 13, 2002 - 12:53 am: |
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I have been in your position cuddlebear man and dang, nothing makes me more mad than bad customer service!!!!!
THATS WHY I STAY WITH COPPER ALL THE WAY!
I WILL SEND IT TO THE FACTORY ONCE, THEN IF IT BREAKS AGAIN I SEND IT TO A GOOD TECH! THATS MY RULE!
Not yelling at you
Just yelling!
hehe
Taz |
Cuddlebear
| | Posted on Friday, April 12, 2002 - 11:15 pm: |
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Colt,
I agree that you have a point. But also, just for a moment I would like you to entertain this idea if you would be so kind. We as a nation, have become used to the idea of being screwed in one way or another. From Politics, to big companies that feel they can build cheap and sell big. We are so used to getting soaked in so many ways, that we have become almost "Sheep-like" when it comes to the slaughter of our wallets. It isn't pride my friend....It is Principal. I can remember when many companies like Cobra used to put the quality in before the name went on. Sadly, now Cobra has sold their pride in Manufacturing for an easy buck. Ranger as a whole, is some of the best equpiment that money can buy in most circumstances. But, If we allow ourselves to become to accustomed to paying more for what we used to call "Pride in workmanship" Then where does it end? How many times have you yourself been fleeced and you just figured it was easier to eat it then to make a fuss? Sometimes, Granted, not always, But sometimes it pays to be a rebel. It wakes up the drivers at the stick and lets them know that we still demand their attention to quality. And that they depend on us for a paycheck. And that it is our money, and we will not settle for anything less than we are entitled to. All things considered, If I had bought this unit at Copper, We wouldn't be having this discussion right now. Because Copper would have warrantied the radio right off. It never would have went that far. Because Copper would have made damn sure it worked before they sent it out. But you see, that is what you call "integrity in business" I have indeed learned a lesson here. I bought local to try and save a few bucks. When in reality I paid more in the long run than if I had gone to Copper. And Copper would have made damn sure my satisfaction came first. When I bought this unit local, I thought I could get the same quality control I get from Copper. Not so. For now on I'll do it right. I go Copper or nothing. That's just my opinion. You don't have to agree. And by the way, Ranger does use stickers. |
Colt
| | Posted on Saturday, April 13, 2002 - 11:42 pm: |
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Well, 'bear, I definately see what you're saying, and I agree that companies need to be held to the fire about quality. However, they were going to fix it on the warrany, right? I think had you sent it to them, since it does have an anti-tamper tape, they would have taken care of all the problems, plus re-taped it and kept your warrany in effect. But, compared to that situation, what do you have now? I know it's all water under the bridge now, but maybe next time(and hopefully there won't be a next time) it would be better to pay the shipping, and when all is settled, and your warrany has expired(so they don't have you over a barrel) send a "nice"(heh-heh) letter to the poobah of the company expressing your dissatisfaction and that you won't be buying any more of their products. Had they been forcing you to pay a repair fee, I could see more of what you were saying.
But, heck, don't think I was trying to act like Mr. Know-it-all. Though I was trying to help, I realize it's probably too late for this situation. And I don't want to act like one of those dudes who smugly tells you what you should have done now that it's too late, you know, like the blowhard who always tells ya he could have "gotten that for ya a whole lot cheaper if you'd have talked to me". You know the type. I'm not that type.
Heck, I'm the one who wrote your "CB ballad of Gilligan's Isle"(heh-heh). The ole Colt wouldn't do ya thata way.;) |
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