9 replies to this topic

[beeblebrox]

You get what you pay for, but do you know what you are getting...

I see lots of cheap and nasty antennas, usually they're broken and I'm replacing them with something of better quality.

I'm gradually seeing more Log periodics (log) installed for digital installs around Melbourne .

Like everything there's quality and then theres the really cheap Chinese copies.  Typically in a Log the issues with the cheap ones are , strength of the elements, and the quality of build..

I got called to a job last week where the customer had another company out to fix their digital problems especially SBS.. and they installed a Band 3/4/5 log and a wideband alcad amp..  and charged them about $900

The customer was complaining about poor Ch10 and ABC reception...  and the other company said he needed a 30ft mast to fix his problems...

Hence he wanted a second opinion... the antenna location was good for SBS but crappy for the other chls so we did a site test with my test antenna found a good location for the VHF and put up a dedicated UHF for SBS and planned to reuse the existing log for the VHF..  when I put up the mount and put on the customers log, the signal was terrible compared to my test log...

Upon further inspection the termination onto the antenna was very badly done and when I took the cable out to fix this I found the other end see photo at http://www.dtvforum....t...ost&id=3817

Whoever constructed the antenna, used single shield Airspace cable connected to a poorly soldered F connector and then hot melt glued into the connector..   needless to say replacing the cable and connector dramatically improved the antennas performance...

You can't even say you get what you pay for when you get that kind of quality...

[mtv]

$900 for that?.... sheeesh.

If I were the customer, I'd be chasing a refund.... what a rip-off!!!

Undoubtedly, we'll be seeing more and more of these 'bargain' antennas, as they progressively fail, although, at $900 per install, it's far from a bargain.

[digitalj]

In Port Macquarie it only cost me $246 to get the following:

*Site Survey with DFSM
*Band 4+ antenna installed for Coffs Harbour reception of Digital as The alternate that is meant to be used was unreliable.
*Band 3 Antenna redirected and repolarised for Coffs Harbour reception
*New Mast installed to hold antennas in best position for Coffs Harbour Digital Reception.
*No more drop outs after that day.


That's how they should end up as and the price is fair.

[beeblebrox]

mtv, on Sep 3 2007, 10:16 PM, said:

$900 for that?.... sheeesh.

If I were the customer, I'd be chasing a refund.... what a rip-off!!!

Undoubtedly, we'll be seeing more and more of these 'bargain' antennas, as they progressively fail, although, at $900 per install, it's far from a bargain.

my sentiments exactly....  evidently it was two guys and they spent the best part of a day there (and they didn't replace any ca ble)....  I was there two hours and the first hour was figuring out what was what and site testing for a better vhf location...  I can only assume they sat on the roof smoking for a long period of time.. or they had particularly interesting navals to gaze at!!

[mtv]

dij,

I take it that was also connected to an existing cable run & outlet/s?
Also, you didn't have an amp in the cost.

Without knowing exactly what work beblebrox' customer had done previosly, it's difficult to compare, however I would have probably expected he should have only been charged around half of what he was.

[beeblebrox]

mtv, on Sep 3 2007, 10:39 PM, said:

however I would have probably expected he should have only been charged around half of what he was.

ditto

if he hadn't been so ripped of I'd have recommended a dedicated B3 and not used the dodgey log but given what he'd been through and after repairing it.. .it mad him happy I could reuse it..

[digitalj]

mtv, on Sep 3 2007, 10:39 PM, said:

dij,

I take it that was also connected to an existing cable run & outlet/s?
Also, you didn't have an amp in the cost.

Without knowing exactly what work beblebrox' customer had done previosly, it's difficult to compare, however I would have probably expected he should have only been charged around half of what he was.

Yes it was, but the technician had also tested the wall outlet and the flylead to make sure it would work well, and all that was needed was for the Amp that was being used to receive from the other transmitter to be reused for Coffs Harbour.

[bellotv]

The dodgy connection to the F connector was the reason Laceys used to justify why Fraccarros had coax terminating directly to elements and thus elimination of one more weakness in the antenna system.

Unfortunately they now have converted some Logs to this F terminated flylead.Personally I still buy the direct coax termination models  for this reason.

$900 ,rip off !!!!
My guess they spent half a day wondering why it was crap ,(and charged for this time ) gave up and got the hell out of there.

[M'bozo]

beeblebrox, on Sep 3 2007, 10:35 PM, said:

it was two guys and they spent the best part of a day there

I've come across cases like this and both guys have had their time charged out, sometimes at different rates depending on their experience, eg master/apprentice. I have also heard of people challenging this, and being told it is quicker to do the work that way - even when the customer has noted one is gazing at his navel some of the time.


Wonder if the customer had an itemised or aggregate invoice so they could work this out?


So, if you had done the work, what is the estimate of the cost do have it done properly the first time?

Sure, the $900 is a rip-off in this case, as the outcome was unsatisfactory.

And I'm guessing that the cost of the repair, based on what I might charge, would be around $300.

But then I have no idea of what a business in a large city would charge as I am a sole trader with lower overheads.

[M'bozo]

bellotv, on Sep 3 2007, 11:02 PM, said:

Unfortunately they now have converted some Logs to this F terminated flylead.

Which I have used since they became available. I got fed up with having to occasionally repair the antennas just so the little screws would do up. Always sprayed clear sealant on the connections after so there were less corrosion risks, installing as I do in a mostly coastal area.

Have pulled one of the new ones apart, don't know how the compression fitting will go with time especially with the Cu/Al junction, but then, Fracarro must know what they are doing