Paul,
In view of the nonsense reply by the manufacturer AND the
implication that is not Europa's alone, I would send the whole message to
AeroElectrics and other applicable nets for more wide distribution.
As a ham of many years, I had a complaint regarding a Yaesu
desktop transceiver and delivered it ti Yaesu's reps at the annual Dayton
hamfest - where they have an immense display area.
When I pointed out the failure of the set to perform as
advertised, I was told that they aren't interested - and when I objected to
that response and would distribute his answer widely (I had witnesses), he
said I could go to Hell. That was my last Yaesu product.
Ferg
----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul McAllister" <paul.mcallister@qia.net>
Subject: Europa-List: Yaesu Handheld Posting
<paul.mcallister@qia.net>
>
> Hi All
>
> I picked up this interesting posting regarding the Vertex (Yaseu) Aviator
Pro. I was thinking of buying one until I read this.
>
>
> Paul
> Subj: [c-a] Yaesu Handheld -- Caveat emptor.
> Date: 12/5/01 11:52:35 PM Eastern Standard Time
> From: brucem@theworks.com (Bruce McElhoe)
> To: canard-aviators@yahoogroups.com (Canard Aviator's Mailing List)
>
> Hello,
>
> I thought you might be interested and amazed at the exchange of letters I
> had recently with Vertex Standard, the manufacturers of Yaesu handheld
> transceivers. I wrote the following to their U.S. office in Cerritos,
> California. [condensed version].
>
> I bought a "VXA-100 Aviator Pilot" transceiver [with a VOR receiver]....I
> recently had the opportunity to try the navigation receiver during a
flight
> in my own fiberglass airplane with direct line-of-sight to several VOR
> transmitters in Nevada. I am distressed to find that, even in these ideal
> conditions, the heading information (including the CDI indicator) is
erratic
> and unuseable.
>
> I called your service department in Cerritos, California, and learned that
> erratic readings are characteristic of that model and can not be
corrected.
> I was told the following:
>
> 1. The navigation function is designed to have a steady reading only
> while the receiver is not moving. I was informed that readings would
always
> be unuseable in a moving airplane!
>
> 2. They are well aware of this shortcoming in the design, and their
> attempts in the past to improve the performance have been unsuccessful.
>
> 3. Your service department does not have a signal generator to test
> position information from the navigation receiver. They are currently
> unable to attempt repairs to my receiver, even if they thought they could
> succeed.
>
> I am disappointed in your product and advertising because I clearly
expected
> your VXA-100 to operate in my moving airplane. I was informed also that
> your newer navigation receiver, Model VXA-200/16, actually displays a
> readable VOR signal while the receiver is moving.
>
> Accordingly, I propose an exchange that will reduce my disappointment
> greatly and restore my confidence in the trustworthiness of Yaesu. [I
then
> proposed to send them my transceiver and the difference in price between
> mine and the newer VXA-200/16.]
>
> I received the following answer from David Akins, Manager, Commercial
> Service, Vertex Standard:
>
> [quote] We do understand the circumstances that you describe with respect
to
> the VOR operation in the VXA-100. The problems that you describe are more
> related to the attempted use of any handheld radio for VOR operation
inside
> a moving airplane. This is why we state in the VXA-100 Operating Manual:
> "Note The VXA-100's VOR and CDI Navigation features are supplemental aids
to
> navigation only, and are not intended to be a substitute for accurate
> (primary) VOR/CDI or landing service equipment.".... We do wish that VOR
> function could be made more accurate and stable, but our factory advises
> that this just is not possible in a handheld radio.
>
> "Nonetheless, we are unable to honor your request for a direct factory
> trade-in.....We are sorry for your disappointment. [unquote].
>
> Well, they got the "disappointment" part right. I wonder where I got the
> idea that a handheld VOR receiver would work in a moving airplane? Maybe
it
> was from their advertisements. Unfortunately, the receiver is useless as
> even a "supplemental aid to navigation". The digits change so fast on the
> display that they are unreadable.
>
> Caveat emptor.
>
> Bruce McElhoe Long-EZ N64MC
> Reedley, California
>
>
|