I normally don't post but in this instance I feel compelled to. Wife and I moved into a new house over the summer. I haven't been on the air in quite a while. I considered putting up the beam but I don't know my neighbors well enough to do so yet. I lack tall trees in the backyard so in the meantime I thought I'd go with something that doesn't require radials. I chose the Hy-Gain AV 640 due to reviews.
I ordered from HRO and promptly received the package. Upon inspection, I found that what Hy-Gain calls their voltage balun had something clanking around within. I opened it up and found that the zip ties were cleanly cut on both toroids, what I am assuming is their static discharge coil unwound and partially disconnected and what looks to be a capacitor completely severed from the soldering joints freely moving about.
Disappointed, I called HRO, ordered another one and prepared the damaged antenna for return shipping. Mind you, I still have the first antenna sitting in the garage (HRO sent the second antenna quick). Excited to spend the weekend assembling, I discovered (ready yourselves) that the second antenna had the exact same problem within the balun. Image the scene, two same brand and same model antennas exhibiting the exact same issue resting on the garage floor.
This is comical, really. How on Earth does such a circumstance occur? Identical issues with two separate antennas from two separate boxes. What kind of quality control exists in this company? Better yet, who is putting these things together?
Kudos to HRO, though. Their manager at the Atlanta location was empathetic and as helpful as could be. This one's on me. Fool me once, right?
Never again, MFJ. Never again.