More Fine Junk...

[N7YA]

Ive heard a lot of grumblings on the air about Ameritron, not to mention reading gripes online. Im sure there are folks who have had their Ameritron amp for years and it works just fine, but the overall consensus is to steer away from it.

I think what weve learned from it all is what was mentioned....buy the MFJ/Ameritron/etc stuff at a great price, then get under the hood and make sure its ok before running power across it. What it seems to boil down to is you will be the final inspector on the line before it goes into use. Most folks just want it to work the first time, without question, when they pay for it...cant blame someone for wanting that.

[N8YX]

I think what we've learned from it all is what was mentioned....buy the MFJ/Ameritron/etc stuff at a great price, then get under the hood and make sure its ok before running power across it. What it seems to boil down to is you will be the final inspector on the line before it goes into use. Most folks just want it to work the first time, without question, when they pay for it...cant blame someone for wanting that.

That approach works for some people, myself included...but then again I've actually homebrewed a lot of gear, including amps.

Let's take the average neophyte who wants an amp and isn't quite willing to pony up the shekels for an Alpha, THL or PW-1. What do they usually gravitate to? You guessed it...an Ameritron. Same neophyte probably isn't going to possess the skills necessary to safely and effectively troubleshoot a defective tube-type RF power amplifier.

(I know. I've read 'Q&A' posts hither and nither from newcomers seeking help with their new amplifiers.)

Shipping a defective or nonfunctional piece of electronics equipment and expecting the end-user to perform needed repairs, QA checks and whatnot is as irresponsible as an automobile dealer selling you a new car that is partially assembled - with the expectations that you, the consumer will successfully complete its construction. What's that - you want a warranty too? Sorry...you've had your hands into it... :roll:

And so it goes with antennas. I've designed and built them in configurations as complex as anything Cushcraft manufactures but if I buy something "ready to assemble", I shouldn't have to chase down missing parts...perform finish machining on trap housings or element mounting clamps...and so forth.

If I may digress here: I've heard the owner of DX Engineering/Summit Racing (Sergey) called a number of things over the years...but "dumb" and "un-savvy" aren't among them. While DX doesn't offer their own "brand" of commercial antennas, they stock almost everything required to roll your own. Smart money says they're watching both the market and the competition, and if Cushcraft drops the ball, expect DX to introduce a competing product line.

ETA:

From another site, concerning (of all things) an antenna of questionable design:

"When a person buys something to use, they expect it to work properly WITHOUT having to be reworked to get rid of the bugs."

Evidently, I'm not the only one who feels this way.

[N8YX]

From the same site:

"I bought a Hy Gain AV620 from Mississippi's Finest Junk" and half of the tuning stubs were threaded with the incorrect die.
Then, I had to wait 4 weeks to get replacements. Hy Gain "IS NO MORE" "

Telling, indeed.