This is the second repair that Carol has done for me, and I am very pleased indeed. In discussing the problem with Carol, we both believed that the radio was probably fried, and it was more likely that it could not be repaired economically, a wisp of smoke, a burning smell, and I was quite skeptical that the radio was going to be repairable. Meaning, that to repair it was probably going to be foolish because it was very likely going to be more expensive to repair it than it would have been to purchase a new radio of a different model, since this radio was no longer being manufactured or serviced by Yaesu. These manufacturers these days are releasing radio designs, and discontinuing them after just a couple of years, and they are also discontinuing servicing them directly. But, frankly, even if they offered factory service, I can almost bet that it would be more expensive, and you would get less service and longer turnaround time from the manufacturer. In all honesty, unless it was a warranty situation, I wouldn't even send a radio to the manufacturer any more. I would send it to Carol. This last radio I sent to Carol really wasn't that old in my book, certainly not an antique. I think it had a 2002 manufacture date. But, these manufacturers discontinue stuff so rapidly, that the radios are almost throw away unless you can find a good tech that can keep them going when you have a problem. I think they call that engineered obsolescents. This particular radio was no longer being serviced by Yaesu, and parts are no longer available for it, other than going directly into the boards themselves, and replacing common components. You can't just buy the boards to complete a repair, like so many techs do. Carol has the knowledge and experience to dig deeper, into the actual electronic design parameters. If a common component on the board is the culprit, he is capable of understanding the electronic theory within the manufacturer's schematic, and replacing the individual part on the board. Frankly, I find that to be a rare commodity these days, since we have so much that is of a modular throwaway design. In that kind of circumstance, where a radio has been fried, you aren't going to have the option of just replacing a board or some modular part, like so many techs do. The prospect of successful repair through modular replacement is always going to be more expensive, and a lengthy process while they procure the modular part that often has to come from Japan. You can sometimes replace common components on the boards, but due to the intricate modular design these days, many techs simply aren't capable of doing so successfully. But, of course, nobody can work miracles in the event there are proprietary electronic components, IC's for example, components that simply can't be replaced. But, Carol was willing to take a look at it, and if the repair could be done economically, he (yes, Carol is also a man's name)lets me know what he can do, and if the repair is economical to do, then I give him the go ahead to do so. Our deal was that if the radio couldn't be repaired, then Carol would keep it for parts, and I owed him nothing in return for the diagnostics. You can't get any more fair than that! Carol has done this for me twice now, once about a year ago on a different radio, and now this time about a week ago. That kind of deal is dependent on the circumstances of the repair, and he can't always be expected to do it...it depends on the rig. Sometimes he must charge a diagnostic fee in order to dig deeper into the repair to know whether a radio is repairable, and that takes time and money. So, he isn't in the business of doing diagnostics for free, and keeping the guts of the radios if they are not repairable. But, in the last two instances with me, that was our deal, and it worked out well for us. After having dealt with Carol twice now under that same scenario, either it's repairable or he keeps the radio, he has proven to me that he's not only a great technician, but he's a straight shooter, and doesn't take advantage of his customers. This last time, the repair cost was very reasonable, and I believe that Carol probably gave me a break on the repair cost, especially compared to factory repair prices. I think he did me a gracious favor with respect to cost, just to get my radio up and running. By the way, he did so within about 24 hours of having received it. He communicates with you throughout the entire process via email, or in person, whatever is necessary. The first time we worked together we spoke by phone to discuss the repair in detail. This last time we communicated entirely via email, and that was perfectly sufficient and expeditious. But, the bottom line is, he never leaves you hanging. He keeps you well informed, and he reports back to you as to what he has found during his diagnosis. In both cases, I shipped the radios out to Carol for repair, and had them back to me within about 5 days. Now, that's quick turnaround! I've had occasion to repair radios at Yaesu, and it has taken them weeks to get them back to me, and you hear nothing from them until it shows up at your door. Furthermore, Carol's shipping charges are fair, not inflated...they are the actual cost to ship. He doesn't take advantage that way either. If you want a fair, honest, competent and reliable technician to repair your stuff, you couldn't find a better one anywhere. Thanks very much Carol! You are a great resource, and you are sincerely appreciated for your honest, exceptional competence, and your great service!
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Earlier 5-star review posted by KG0BA on 2014-05-03
Carol also installed a slightly larger heat sink to help cut down on the heat, which may have contributed to causing the problem in the first place.
Carol made a design improvement to the radio by replacing the heat sink with a slightly larger one, a design flaw he observed with respect to there being a potential for excessive heat being generated otherwise. That was something he felt compelled to do on his own initiative. That's the guy I want working on my stuff.
Thanks again Carol! '73 KG0BA Randy |