All I wanted was some freaking UG-174 [Archive]

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KA9MOT

11-18-2014, 12:22 AM

I pulled the last 100 feet off of the roll and decided to order some more, so I'd have some handy when it was gone.
I bought the last 1000 feet from a shop that was selling off their inventory and closing up 6 months ago. Great stuff too! MIL SPEC and very good quality. Before that, I purchased my RG-174 from RF Parts and they had very good quality cable but I purchased the last of what they had and he didn't think he'd be getting anymore.

I started looking for some UG-174 that I could afford (<$500 for 1000 Feet) and found a roll at Jameco Electronics AND it was cheap. That cable arrived on the 12th. It was complete garbage. I called them and got an RMA and sent it back.
On a whim I checked RF Parts' website and they had some! And at $.23 a foot it was cheap! I ordered it that day. They took their payment off of my card about an hour later. Thursday morning I got an email from RF Parts. When I saw it I expected it would tell me they had shipped. I opened it to check the tracking number and instead it said, "Thank you for your order. We do not have 1000 continuous roll of RG174AU. We have 800 and 200 feet. Will that be Ok.". I said, "No Problem!".

Friday came... no email from RF Parts saying they shipped. I waited until 2 PM and called them. They didn't have 800 feet either, but they just ordered and should have 1000 feet for me by Friday (of this week). They did have 250 feet they could send me. I told them to overnight it to me.... he told me it would cost $80 to overnight it. So we decided if he sent it 2nd business day I'd have it Tuesday (Tomorrow)for $40. I agreed to that because I am desperate at this point. I ran out on Thursday. I never received an email stating they shipped it.

I called them today, to check the status, and get a Tracking Number. Oddly, the only person who knows what is going on is at lunch.....at 10 AM California time. I called back in an hour... Steve is still at lunch. I check my Credit Card account and they cancelled on Friday. Not a call, or email to let me know so I could make other arraignments.

Today I ordered the last 496 feet of RG-174 that Universal Radio had and asked them to overnight it @$80. They have a really good price too. The only thing that can screw me now is the weather. Universal said they were having a snowstorm, and if the planes couldn't fly, I'd not get my order tomorrow. :(

I have a bad feeling about this..........

N2NH

11-18-2014, 07:26 AM

Thanks for the information. I can't believe they charged your credit card before sending it out. That's illegal here. I will avoid them if that's how they do things.

kb2vxa

11-18-2014, 10:58 AM

KA9MOT

11-18-2014, 01:35 PM

kb2vxa

11-18-2014, 08:58 PM

If they cancelled your order and delivered it anyway you aren't legally obligated to pay for someone else's mistake.

KG4CGC

11-18-2014, 09:09 PM

If they cancelled your order and delivered it anyway you aren't legally obligated to pay for someone else's mistake.

Maybe not legally, but morally, if you have any balls ...

KA9MOT

11-19-2014, 11:57 AM

I left a message for him yesterday afternoon. The guy has been out or at lunch all day Monday and Tuesday. Maybe he just doesn't want to deal with it. We'll see if he calls. I have no problem paying for what they sent, but it is going to come with a conversation about the importance of communication. I won't pay for the 2nd day shipping. It is their fault I needed 2nd day shipping. Not to mention that they owed me shipping from 2007 (The last time they screwed up)... a card I never pulled until Friday

RF Parts did not cause me to be in such dire need. Jameco Electronics did. RF Parts, said they could deliver and couldn't and didn't bother to take the time to pick up the phone and tell me they couldn't. I should have been notified on Wednesday or Thursday morning that I should look elsewhere. To me, that is worse than Jameco selling me garbage, it was my choice not to use that garbage.

Universal Radio saved my ass... it cost me, but it would have cost me a ton more if they hadn't. That cable is top shelf, but it is a pain to work with (outer jacket does not like to come off), and at $.24 a foot, it is cheap too!

W3WN

11-19-2014, 02:02 PM

And an added twist.

This morning the UPS Man dropped off my RG-174 from Universal Radio. They also dropped off 250 feet from RF Parts. RF Parts cancelled my order....so...is this for my trouble? Can I pay for it? Are they going to super double secret charge my card? I don't know....Steve hasn't returned from lunch......

I do not care! I have cable and can make my very patient customers happy!!!!!
You canceled the order, yet they shipped the cable anyway. Now, the competence of their shipping department not withstanding...

Notify them and ask them to have it picked up. Otherwise, don't touch it.

If they fail to have it picked up in a reasonable time (a week to 10 days, maybe 2 weeks) then consider it a gift. You may want to ask them a second time, though. Just to CYA in case someone finally figures out what happens and wants you to pay for their error.

I'd also suggest checking with your card issuer to make certain that they don't slip an unauthorized charge in. Of course, if they do, challenge it -- and put the onus on them to have the merchandise picked up.

Either way, though... it's their error. You should not have to pay a shekel in return shipping costs.

KA9MOT

11-19-2014, 02:11 PM

They cancelled the order, not me. When they canceled the credit card account shows the funds being returned.
I have not used any of the cable they did send. I won't use it until we find out what they want to do. Either way I plan to keep it as it is long enough to use as back up in case there is a snafu in the future.

WØTKX

11-19-2014, 04:26 PM

I'd negotiate it as a win=win, and get them to lower the price a little more to keep it.

KA9MOT

11-19-2014, 04:54 PM

The deal has changed again, They've sent me an invoice for 1000' via email. I keep leaving messages for Steve and he doesn't call.....I've asked to speak with "anybody in charge" and I'm told Steve is the only one I can speak with. I don't know what in the hell they are doing... do they? Maybe I'm fun to screw with?

KG4CGC

11-19-2014, 08:58 PM

KG4CGC

11-19-2014, 08:59 PM

Secret Forum Gnomes who gift odd strangers.

KA9MOT

11-21-2014, 01:28 PM

Well.... looks like I won't have to bore you guys with this anymore......

RF Parts finally communicated via email. They sent an invoice for 1000 feet of RG-174. An hour later they sent a UPS Tracking number. I called them and told them not to ship...but I was told I had to talk to Steve...who was currently out. So, I told them I would return to sender when the cable got here.
Again, with-out communication, they charged my PayPal card. I really don't mind that, but what is up with these people's lack of communication? Only Steve knows the score?
I'll end up using the cable in the long run, and it is very good cable, so I am not unhappy, but I will never order from them again. Companies need to talk to their customers, especially when things go awry.

W3WN

11-21-2014, 03:38 PM

Sorry to hear about all this Steve.

RF Parts has always been interesting to deal with. Once, many moons ago, I needed two replacement transistors for the 2 meter Heathkit amp I had with the HW-2036A. Needed them right away, at the time, so I called them up (this was pre-Internet), got a price, ordered it on 2 day delivery, and was promised they'd go out that very afternoon.

Got them 2 weeks later. Oh, they'd been shipped 2 day delivery... 12 days after the order.

I don't think I've dealt with them since.