lennyk

My Feedback: (12)

Yeah, the 4 ports/connect and walk away is the main thing, I can charge 3 batteries along with my digicam batteries.

I wonder how many of the buyers are buying them for
non RC use.

OldRookie

My Feedback: (13)

I am one of the guys that has gotten an Alpha4 with an early e-mail.
I was setting up my e-mail program to send the order at 8:00 AM Central time, and accidentally pressed the send when I was typing the order at about 2:30 AM. I figured they would throw that request out and continued to set up Outlook to send the order at 8:00 AM Central time, and went to bed. When I got up I checked my e-mail and had two order confirmations.
This was in October 1999 if I remember right. They may be doing something different now, but it worked then.

Greg

A Fun Flyer

I did not get the confirmation, at least not yet.
The Litco web site says the subject of the email should be "Alpha4". I was wondering if it should be put with the quotes or without.
Thanks,
AFF

sfaust

My Feedback: (11)

Doesn't matter either way. As long as you have Alpha4 in the subject, the spam filters will work correctly.

(#*LFJLFU#ORCYALPHA4O#U( C)(#U would work fine!

OldRookie

My Feedback: (13)

What if you only have Alpha without the 4?

Greg

AnthonyI

I just checked my e-mail to find my confirmation gleamming back at me. I dont think the quotion marks matter cause I didnt use them.

sfaust

My Feedback: (11)

They specifically state Alpha4 in their ordering instructions, however, maybe all they key in on is Alpha. If you get a confirmation, it worked. If not, maybe it made a different, or maybe you just missed the cutoff point. I don't really know. All I know for sure is what they put on their website, and the fact that I put Alpha4 and Alpha 4 on the subject line, and I got a confirmation.

OldRookie

My Feedback: (13)

That is what I had in my subject line. Just the Alpha.
Maybe that caused it, or just luck of the draw. The next time I'll use Alpha4.
I'm not sure what I used the first attempt. It worked because I got two confirmations.

Greg

Hinckley Bill

My Feedback: (569)

I sent emails from three different addresses, two work locations and my home email address...all by 3 minutes after 9:00 am

About 2 hours later my home account had a positive response from Litco....

My anticipated ship date is the middle of August...

Had alpha4 in the subject line of each email

The odd thing about this was that on the return email from Litco
the time of my email to them showed as 0500 am and the return time was 0536 am...go figure


Well lady luck was on my side this time around....


Bill

furloughed ual

My Feedback: (31)

how many of you who got the confirmation placed the order BEFORE 9:00 EST? What is the earliest ship date recieved so far? I guess i missed it by sending the email at 9:07 EST......

Hinckley Bill

My Feedback: (569)

I put my 3 emails out starting at 9:00:30 am and finishing at 9:03:30... the one in the middle from my AOL account is the one that got the response from Litco...

Palm Pilot

My Feedback: (1)

My first attempt was at 8:42 am EST this morning - a second attempt was done at exactly 9:00 am. A response was received for the first email by 9:40 am and nothing for the second one. For what it worth, I'm using cable internet which is 100 times faster than my old dialup AOL snail account. Ship date is in 30 days. I hope this charger is worth the trouble - of course anything would be an upgrade compared to my Accu-cycle.

n7tb

I was ready to go at 5:55am pst, and sent my message at about 6:00 and 30 seconds pst
My subject line was "Alpha 4 order". My charger will be shipped April 29th.

Terry

sfaust

My Feedback: (11)

Cable vs dial speed won't matter for a measly few text pages. The e-mail would be sent from AOL's servers which is much faster than any old cable connection.

If you are using the Accu-Cycle now, you will love the Alpha 4. It does everything the Accu-Cycle does, plus lots more, and can process twice the batteries in the same time. Plus, it will charge and float your gel and wet cels, has peak, voltmeter, etc, etc.

For the price of two Accu-Cycles, you got three times the charger.

Baja170

My Feedback: (8)

Don't count on AOL's email servers being faster than most Cable providers. I have run email servers for about 12 Years, and daily I see that AOL has some problems with mail acceptance and delivery. My cable ISP Charter.net delivers mail between 10 and 100 times faster than AOL ever does. Depending on the POP you are dialing into, some AOL email servers are faster than others for outbound SMTP, but inbound is another matter.

I would be happy to provide server logs to substantiate this fact. The only major providers servers in general that are slower than AOL are MSN and ATT Worldnet. Again I have plenty of logs to show the facts.


William

sfaust

My Feedback: (11)

No need to produce log files. I have no reason to doubt your word. This isn't a newsgroup

I never had an issue with sending outbound text mail from AOL when I was a subscriber. When talking with another person on the phone, and sending e-mail, they always got it right away. I only had problems when sending or receiving large files. I didn't noticed any difference when I switched to Charter with regard to text messages. They always seemed to arrive instantaneously whether AOL or Charter. Thats where my comments came from. But, I stand corrected.

This means that AOL subscribers are excluded from purchasing an Alpha, or at best, its a random shot at making the 12 minute window. Another reason to avoid AOL. I never miss it. Never liked it. Don't want to give up my unencumbered Charter access. Ever. I always hated paying to be flooded with advertising!

n4glb

My Feedback: (1)

I sent my e-mail from work at 9:00:07 EST. We have our own mail server with T1 connection to internet. I used "Alpha-4" in the subject line.

It's now 8:08 am 2/7/03 and my replay must be delayed some how!

Oh well...the Ultimate Charger II is looking better and better.

Lee

Hinckley Bill

My Feedback: (569)

Out of the three emails I sent the one that got through was via my AOL account.....must've hit that random window while it was still open...

But I do agree with you sfaust I hate AOL...between the interuptions with advertising, the tough time getting a line during peak periods and most of all the cost, I'm looking at switching to juno or earthlink or ??? Any suggestions?

Bill

ed42d-RCU

My Feedback: (13)

I sent an email with a subject "Alpha4 Order" and didn't make the cut. This is my first time ordering and I'm a little mad. I can't imagine someone who's tried to order a couple of times. What a lousy way to run a business. It amazing some other company hasn't stepped up to fill the void.

krayzc-RCU

My Feedback: (31)

your post are the same old same old that are on otehr post of anyone who has tried to order one and did not make the cut again stay on ebay also.

rsallen13

My Feedback: (1)

Eventually either the owner will look to retire or sell his design and we will see it produced in larger quantities.

or..............


it will be reverse engineered by some east Asian 3rd world electronics company and re-sold back into the us.

Just because he sands of the chip id info doesn't mean it can't be done. The only reason, I think, it has not be do to date is that it is such a small market. Even thought the demand is high it has not been enough to convince a company to do it.

If it was high enough it would have been done already. He has been making these things for years. The question that is never really been answered is how many does he "Actually" make in each run? How many does he actually sell? How many has he sold?

This could be one of the greatest marketing ploys ever. Open the window for 10 to 15 minutes. Imply by the web site you are over run with requests. This peaks interest and increases request and is self feeding.

But for $300.00 you can get a 6 port charger capable of handling 2000 mah batteries on each port, get a two port cycler charge, and a dual port fast field charger.

I sorry but I still don't buy into the Alpha $ Hype.

sfaust

My Feedback: (11)

I have been lookign for years to find an alternative for the same price with all the same functions. To date, I haven't found one, but an still looking. I don't like the Alpha hype either, but I've never found a solution that didn't cost more, give me less functionality, and require that I carry around mutliple peices.

Here is what I need, and get in the Alpha

4 ports, 1-9 cells, up to 2700mah packs
Charge rates to 250mah per port
Discharges at 1amp rate
Peak detect for NiCd and NiMh
Trickle only mode
Each port can run independent tasks
Charge and float mode for my gel/wet cells
12v and 120v operation
(optional Voltmeter and load test)

The Alpha gives me a bit more than this, but the above is all I depend on. Everything I came up with to meet those needs cost more than an Alpha, had less functionaltiy, and required 3 or so pieces of equipment.

What equipment are you assuming in your $300 seutp?

I believe I have heard about 1,000 units a year, or 200 in each run. I have no way to validate that, but thats a number I have heard on multiple occasions. Take it with a grain of salt.

rsallen13

My Feedback: (1)

I don't have the same needs as you but:

Ace DigiPulse - 6 ports up to 2000mah each - $94.99
Ace Digipace 3 - 2 port cycler - $99.99
Hitech CG - 335 - 2 port field charger - $94.99

I fly some smaller giant scale planes and like must of the people I flown with I only bring 1 plane to the field some times 2. The biggest pack I have is 2000mah and only 2 of them. Rarely do I need to fast charge at home and I usually will plug my planes in on Friday morning before I go to work and they are ready on Saturday morning. When I get home on Saturday and plan on flying Sunday I plug them in right away and they are ready for Sunday morning.

I Cycle my batteries about twice (one set each week 10 separate packs)during the flying season and would bring the field charger when I go to events. Otherwise the field/fast charger would be available at home on a 12v source if I feel I need it. This was the set up I had before I moved and sold it(except for the Hitech). I plan on getting a similar set up this year before the season starts. To me this is a very flexible set up.

I'm not saying that the Alpha 4 is not a good charger, and that it will fit the needs of some people. But if you are the average Joe who flies on the weekend and occasionally goes to events I (and I am no means and expert) I think you would be better served without it.

sfaust

My Feedback: (11)

The solution falls short of the fucntionality of the Alpha, and costs more. But, I couldn't agree with you more. The Alpha's not really a charger for the masses. There are many other alternatives out there if you don't have the requirements of supporting large airplanes.

But, when you have an airplane with 4 batteries and you want to fly it, you don't want to charge battery 1, then charge battery 2, then charge battery 3, then charge battery 4, then finally get to fly. You wan to charge your airplan, and do it all at once! And try that with 2 airplanes, a transmitter, and a glow plane. Thats typically what I bring to a meet.

It may seem like 'hype' to you, because you don't have the need for one. As soon as one has the need, they quickly figure out the market niche that fell into Litcos lap, and then realize they are right in the middle of it.

It all depends on ones needs. Hype to some, a very useful and time saving tool to others.

rsallen13

My Feedback: (1)

I to have a similar situation when I've gone to fly-in's. I have a gas Pitts with TME smoke, redundant batteries, and a transmitter I bring a second smaller plane to fly in the evening after the event closes, with hosting club members. I fast charge one receiver and the transmitter first and then each of the other 4 batteries one at a time with the smaller plane and smoke last. There is not a lot to do a night other that sit a round and BS. Maybe it is convenient to plug and forget, but I feel more comfortable doing one or two at a time. What if you have an issue? You plugged and forgot and the next morning you are out of luck because all 4 were on one charger.

I'm not saying that it is not a good tool. But there is SO MUCH HYPE about this and so much "you have to have this" mentality surrounding this single piece of equipment, more so that any other single piece of RC equipment by 10+ fold, that I just think that a little bit if common sense needs to step in and say "Okay it is good, but........"

Hey if they cost $99.00 I'd buy one, but for almost $300 and that much hassle I think even the most addicted Giant Scaler could put together a more flexible system at less cost with what is readily available on the market today.