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Author Topic: Hy-Gain  (Read 657 times)

KN4J

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Hy-Gain
« on: November 19, 2020, 03:41:39 PM »

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.
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KX2T

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Re: Hy-Gain
« Reply #1 on: November 20, 2020, 06:25:05 AM »

Hy Gain is not the company today like when they were owned by Telex in Nebraska, the element today of there beams are not properly swaged like the older beams were, no were near the tolerances they used to Manufacture and to be honest I have had to not only double slot were the elements join but also pop rivet as well so the antenna stays together plus maintains good electrical/mechanical contact besides using sandpaper to rough up the joints then clean it off then penatrox. Also there choice of poor grade stainless steel hardware is the lowest quality so be prepared to replace most of it with better grade hardware.
What would be nice is if DX Engineering bought both HyGain and Cush Craft, yes the prices would be higher but the quality would be much better cause everything MFJ has touched the Quality has gone down!
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N7EKU

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Re: Hy-Gain
« Reply #2 on: November 20, 2020, 06:58:32 AM »

Too bad for the worsening quality,

Especially on the element manufacturing.  Too bad also about the balun.  I've seen that with zip ties.  Poor quality ones will snap right where the head transitions to the strap.  Cheap plastic  >:(  Whenever you get a new batch, test one by clicking in the end and then tugging hard in all different directions.  They should at least spend a few cents more each on the zip ties to get quality ones!

For example:  https://usastrongcableties.com

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Mark -- N7EKU/VE3

AF5CC

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Re: Hy-Gain
« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2020, 10:01:22 AM »

At least they were consistent in their QC issues.
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KN4J

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Re: Hy-Gain
« Reply #4 on: November 21, 2020, 03:25:43 PM »

I need to add the following:

Working with the manager of the Atlanta HRO, Hy-Gain sent a new balun via next day delivery.  I was able to assemble the antenna with no time lost waiting.  I am still frustrated by the incident, but Hy-Gain made it right.  I can't speak highly enough of Mark, the Atlanta store manager.  He really dug in and was determined to make it work. 
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K7LZR

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Re: Hy-Gain
« Reply #5 on: December 04, 2020, 12:39:05 PM »

Hy-Gain is now an MFJ subsidiary. So parts quality and quality control are not expected be as good as they once were. In many cases you will need to finish and/or repair a new item before use.
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