I've watched the messages mentioning factory service and I'd
like to bring some food for thought.
Everyone knows that the service dep't is second to none in customer
satisfaction. But - doesn't sending a radio like the TenTec line to the
factory for repair/alignment go against the amateur radio concept?
For many years, the FCC definition of the Amateur service was
"for building and testing of radio apparatus".
TenTec gear is the easiest of all to repair in the home, and the
engineers/technicians at TT are great at giving help and providing
replacement parts.
Operating a great radio requires familiarity, and no one is more familiar
with a radio than the guy who works on it.
I don't give amateur exam tests anymore, as I cannot in good faith
assist in licensing a non-cw licensee, but when I was administering
tests, the novice that I was most proud of was a fellow who bought
a brand new Hallicrafters FPM-300. After a couple of weeks, it quit.
I suggested he send it back, as it was on warrenty, but he declined with
the comment "If I can't fix it, then I don't deserve it".
He fixed it! Took weeks, but he worked his way thru it. By the way,
he had no electronics training, and his understanding of electronics
was about as basic as a novice could be.
My point? TenTec is not in the repair biz. All problems can easily
be reapired in your shack. The very most severe cases of problems will
only require a replacement board.
I would encourage all TT owners to get inside and play with it. You
can't do any harm that isn't repairable. And what you'll gain is some very
satisfying experience.
de KL7HF
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