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Having Radios Serviced

Old 12-18-2010, 12:13 PM
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Gary496
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Default Having Radios Serviced

So, do any of you send your radios to private shops instead of MFG service departments, to have general tune-ups and/or repairs? Are there advantages to sending to privateers? I'm having a not so good exprience with a privateer now. I'm very interested in your comments.

gary
Old 12-18-2010, 12:40 PM
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skyraider71
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Default RE: Having Radios Serviced

I recently sent in my 72mhz 7C to Radio South for a repair(programming knob).
I also had them replace the chrome faceplate since it was peeling.
I'm very pleased their service, and quick turn-around, and are very easy to deal with.
My radio looks great, and runs like new. I will not hesitate to work with Tony Stillman
again.
Old 12-18-2010, 12:40 PM
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onewasp
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Default RE: Having Radios Serviced

Simple answer = No.
Old 12-18-2010, 01:09 PM
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JIMF14D
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Default RE: Having Radios Serviced

No. The very few things Ihave needed over the last 10 years or so, Hitec has done quickly and at low cost.


Old 12-18-2010, 01:29 PM
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landeck
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Default RE: Having Radios Serviced

I have had my older radios serviced by Radio south for at least 25 years. They do great work on Ace, Kraft, and older Futabas. If the radios are still under warranty or it is a relativty new radio, I send it to the mfg service shop.

Bruce
Old 12-18-2010, 06:14 PM
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Default RE: Having Radios Serviced

I have always used Radio South for doing general servicing and maintenance work on my Futaba radios and have been quite satisfied with their service which I think is excellent.

Karol
Old 12-21-2010, 01:56 PM
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Gary496
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Default RE: Having Radios Serviced

I'm glad some one has had good sevice from Radio South. I have not. South rec'd my radio, a Hitec Eclipse with out the Spectra feature, the middle of last April. The dual rate switch didn't work and I wanted a channel/crystal change. I finally got the radio back in Mid July. By the way my credit card was debited in May for the cost of the repairs. I didn't check out the radio for a couple of weeks, but when I did, it didn't work. Put a Spectra module in it and it worked fine. Call Tony, and returned just the crystal module. After about a month I called to find out the disposition of the radio.It is now 3rd week of Aug.. Tony, very short, told me that It had been shipped, but he didn't have time to look up when it had been shipped. I wait for 2 weeks and no radio, I called again this time I was told, it had the wrong cyrstal and he said Hitec was the hold up as they did not have my cyrstal in stock. I thought that a little strange ,so I immeditley called Hitec CS to find out if they had my Cystral in stock and guess what, they did. I told them that Tony suggested that they did not have. The CS rep. mentioned that Tony was on the other line and Tony no longer had an account with them.(I don't know why he shared that info?). Now it is the 1st of Oct. and I rec'd the cystal module, guess what the radio still didn't work. Oct. 5 returned the module, Oct. 15 Tony called and said the problem was a mis- marked crystal, problem solved and that he would get right on it. Well, it is Dec. 21 and still no radio.

I don't understand it, the time it is taking. I should have sent to Hitec in first place. Live and learn. Looking back, for the money I spent, I should have just converted
to 2.4. Oh well.... LOL
gary
Old 12-22-2010, 06:31 AM
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Default RE: Having Radios Serviced

I just read this thread initiated only 4 days ago.

My first impression was "good advertising for Radio South".

Then I reached the last posting.

Looking forward to any additional postings

Merry X'mas to all.

Zor

Old 12-22-2010, 08:03 AM
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Default RE: Having Radios Serviced

I, too, had a Futaba 8UAPs repaired by Radio South with no problems.  Turn a round was good.  So I was happy with the results.  The repairs was not done in Tony's shop but the other shop.

Cheers,

Chip
Old 12-22-2010, 08:04 AM
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Default RE: Having Radios Serviced

Does Radio South service crash damaged JR 72mhz receivers?

FB
Old 12-22-2010, 08:15 AM
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Default RE: Having Radios Serviced

Wow, your post really surprised me for as far back as I can remember I have always had great service from Radio South. I am sorry to hear of your very bad experience and hope that finally it will have a successful ending.

Karol
Old 12-22-2010, 08:41 AM
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JIMF14D
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Default RE: Having Radios Serviced

I follow the rule that a Rx that shows crash damage should go to the garbage can. Not worth risk of loosing a good airplane.
Old 12-22-2010, 11:34 AM
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Default RE: Having Radios Serviced


ORIGINAL: Free Bird

Does Radio South service crash damaged JR 72mhz receivers?

FB
____________________________

Horizon Service does !
Accurate and very reasonably priced too.
Old 12-22-2010, 11:37 AM
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Zor
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Default RE: Having Radios Serviced


ORIGINAL: Free Bird

Does Radio South service crash damaged JR 72mhz receivers?

FB
I am curious to read the answer(s).
In a Tx , a PCB , a switch, gimballs, antenna, display can be replaced.

I am trying to figure out what can be replaced to service a receiver.

Zor

Old 12-23-2010, 02:31 PM
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tadawson
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Default RE: Having Radios Serviced


ORIGINAL: Zor


ORIGINAL: Free Bird

Does Radio South service crash damaged JR 72mhz receivers?

FB
I am curious to read the answer(s).
In a Tx , a PCB , a switch, gimballs, antenna, display can be replaced.

I am trying to figure out what can be replaced to service a receiver.

Zor

Your assumption is incorrect. On any device, any individual component on any circuit card can be replaced. The myth that only boards can be changed has come to be due to laziness of Mfgs. and the overall desire to use unskilled (read: cheap) labor in service departments. If all you do is swap boards in a one board device, any drooling idiot can do it, but the cost is huge compared to only changing the failed component. On an RX, any of the tuning coils, transistors, crystal socket, anything . . can be changed easily, and since crash damage is typically mechanical, it is usually the larger parts that get torn loose, and they are easy to find.

To the guy who pitches crashed receivers - consider sending them my way! There is zero reason that a repair can't be as good (or better) than a new device! Frankly, I prefer used on a fair amount of electronics, since you know it isn't going to fail due to a defect right out of the box . .

- Tim
Old 12-23-2010, 02:58 PM
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JIMF14D
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Default RE: Having Radios Serviced

So take a good Hitec 2.4ghz Rx. Ihave no idea of the internal details but the cost with shipping is $45. Crashed to me means there is obvious physical damage to the exterior. So say it gets crashed and a non Hitec site opens it and sees a coil or cap broken loose. His rate is $75 hr. so it costs $37 plus shipping for a "non-board swap" type repair if your lucky. Is it worth it? Does he temperature and vibration cycle it make sure there are no other weak leads. How does he see cracked leads etc inside device packages? Does he have all the specs and test info to really test this Rx?

Is it worth trusting a $400 airplane to this "repaired" Rx?

Not to me.
Old 12-23-2010, 03:58 PM
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Zor
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Default RE: Having Radios Serviced

Original by Tim

Your assumption is incorrect. On any device, any individual component on any circuit card can be replaced. The myth that only boards can be changed has come to be due to laziness of Mfgs. and the overall desire to use unskilled (read: cheap) labor in service departments. If all you do is swap boards in a one board device, any drooling idiot can do it, but the cost is huge compared to only changing the failed component. On an RX, any of the tuning coils, transistors, crystal socket, anything . . can be changed easily, and since crash damage is typically mechanical, it is usually the larger parts that get torn loose, and they are easy to find.

To the guy who pitches crashed receivers - consider sending them my way! There is zero reason that a repair can't be as good (or better) than a new device! Frankly, I prefer used on a fair amount of electronics, since you know it isn't going to fail due to a defect right out of the box . .

- Tim
Hi Tim,

In the mid 1960s RCA the largest consumer electronics of the time decided that any items retailing at less than $100.00 (notice 1965 dollars) were too expensive to troubleshoot and repair (at 1965 wages). The policy became replace by a new unit.

I am glad to read that you are making a living in the service business and service many PC board to the individual item level.

I would have no ideawhere to send you a 2.4 Ghz receiver or satellite receiver for repair.

Surely wishing you prosperity in your business in the coming New Year.

Zor


Old 12-24-2010, 06:07 AM
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Default RE: Having Radios Serviced


ORIGINAL: JIMF14D

So take a good Hitec 2.4ghz Rx. Ihave no idea of the internal details but the cost with shipping is $45. Crashed to me means there is obvious physical damage to the exterior. So say it gets crashed and a non Hitec site opens it and sees a coil or cap broken loose. His rate is $75 hr. so it costs $37 plus shipping for a "non-board swap" type repair if your lucky. Is it worth it? Does he temperature and vibration cycle it make sure there are no other weak leads. How does he see cracked leads etc inside device packages? Does he have all the specs and test info to really test this Rx?

Is it worth trusting a $400 airplane to this "repaired" Rx?

Not to me.
How about a $12,000.00 jet helicopter ?

Zor

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