Seems about 12-13 years ago, when I was looking to purchase a service monitor for my use, I asked around for opinions and I visited several 2-way radio shops.
Some shops were quite friendly "Here is the instruction manual and the service monitor..." so I could try it out myself and others weren't. Since I was getting older and my uncorrected vision for reading wasn't all that good anymore, I also looked at view ability of the service monitor. Finally I had it narrowed down to the IFR 1200S and the CT Systems 5100S. Then I got the bad news: if I were to send an IFR 1200S to the factory for warranty repair, the repair would be free and recalibration, if needed, would be $700. My choice was the CT Systems unit. I haven't looked back. A few weeks ago, the frequency accuracy seems to have drifted (using the National Bureau of Standards 10 MHz transmitter as a fairly accurate frequency source) it has worked very well and reliably for me. Just my opinion here. 73, Neil - WA6KLA Rich Garcia wrote: > > I deal with HP, Agelent and Anritsu test gear every day. Big > corporation so all I do is pull out the credit card and pay for it, > in man hours it is not worth me searching for another appropriate > test facility. What I do see is a lot of abuse because of "approved > vendors" and "corporate rates". For instance the replacement of a > switch on a HP Power meter is $1244.33, why ? because they change > out the entire front pannel instead of replacing the switch. This > has become way too common and I have found that smaller companies > can still do a quality job if you pick the right one. Another > example is Kenwood... sky high rates for repairs but I can go to > Cliff at Avid and have a quality job done quicker at 1/2 the price > or less. > > I agree that if no one out there is capable or qualified to repair > the IFR's then the factory even at their inflated prices are the > way to go. Sure some parts need to be bought from them, some parts > may not even be available anymore from them while a depot may still > have them but bottom line is if someone can do the job at $50 > instead of $80 an hour or "flat rate" of $2000 to change a fuse I > would be interested in hearing about it. > > I really agree with your thoughts Eric but I have been burned way > too many times from the big ones at work to be able to accept it for > my personal gear. $700 for a calibration and several parts is one > thing but I know my power supply is shot, been using it with a > Astron on the bench, the signal generator seems to have problems and > I know that someone I lent it to exceed the input power on the > Antenna port by mistake. I can live with the power supply problems > but I am afraid the factory would kill me on the other repairs and > not agree to repair the unit without the power supply repairs. I > only have $1K now for the repairs and would not want to spend it all > if possible, I don't think $1K would cover it at IFR! > > Rich > > -----Original Message----- > From: Eric Lemmon [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Sunday, April 25, 2004 12:19 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [Repeater-Builder] Suggestions as to IFR Monitor Repairs ? > > Rich, > > Although the 1200S is no longer made, the IFR factory in Wichita > still supports repairs and calibrations. If you were to send your > service monitor to any of a number of instrument repair firms, it is > likely that any parts needed (other than common ICs and similar > components) would be ordered from IFR and a percentage added to > their cost. The last time I sent my 1200 to IFR for a full > calibration, several parts had to be replaced- at cost of $700. I > winced at that bill, but I now have a service monitor that works > perfectly. Before the repair, the synthesizer would unlock randomly > after the unit was on for a few hours. > > The IFR 1200S is a complex and costly instrument, and I personally > would not think of sending it anywhere but the factory for repair or > calibration. Unfortunately, almost any replacement of a major > component on this unit is likely to run into big bucks! > > 73, Eric Lemmon WB6FLY > > Rich Garcia wrote: > > > > Would like to hear from other IFR owners as to where you would > > suggest I have my own IFR repaired. I do not run a business so > > cost is a major factor but I would like to have my IFR-1200S > > repaired properly. > > > > Thanks, > > Rich K4GPS > > Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Repeater-Builder/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
