Radarbox second failure in less than a year!

[woodpecker]

Hi folks, my radarbox has failed again, this is the second time in less than a year, last time I had to ship the unit from UK to Portugal at my expense, £40 ($80). There must be a problem with the front end design of this unit as it has roughly equal time on the antenna with an SBS-1 which has been fine for 2 years. I have requested via support that airnav swap it out from the UK dealer, if not I want my money back, I think this is unacceptable, of all the equipment I own (and I have a lot) nothing has failed like this. What is the failure rate of this unit?

[RodBearden]

Hi Woodie - I don't know the failure rate, and don't know if AirNav would be prepared to tell us that (it would be interesting to know), but mine failed after about 6 weeks and I had to send it from the UK to Portugal.

I don't know how you sent yours, but using the UK Post Office cost me £8.76 ($16) airmail, signed for and insured, from the UK. It took just over 2 weeks to get it back, but, touch wood, it's kept going fine.

What I do know is that even if I had to go through the same experience again, I would - RB's worth it to me (but I would swear quite a lot)!

Have you checked out this thread: www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php?topic=977.0 - it might be the source of your problems and may hold the solution. AirNav never told me what had been wrong with by box - I still have no idea.

Hope you stick with it!

Rod

[AirNav Development]

Our support team will take care of your problems immediately.

The failure rate is very low, about 15 returned boxes in now almost 2000 sold. Actually ML&S, our previous distributor once reported that they were amazed on how a new product had such a low number of returns (compared for example with SBS-1).

As usual we will do our best to help you. Just wait for our support team answer as they are much more experienced than us (development team) with these issues.

[AirNav Support]

Hi woodpecker,

Firstly apologies, we have contacted you directly for more information on the failure. You haven't mentioned what has happened.

There is no design fault in RadarBoxes but if your box has a serious fault then it wil be replaced by a new one. However the faulty one will need to be sent to us in the UK (if you dealer is nice) you can get them to send it back and you can get a replacement from them. However you have not mentioned who they are to us in your support email.

[woodpecker]

Hi Support,

The unit only receives aircraft directly overhead, there is no other activity, the unit has gone deaf which I beleive is the front end amplifier blown, it is the same fault as last time.

The hopefully "nice dealer" I bought it from is Airnav, I purchased direct via your website last year and you shipped the unit from Portugal.

As requested in my support email, can you swap the unit out this week for me in the UK please, this question wasn't answered in the brief support response?

Thanks.

[AirNav Support]

Sorry, but you will need to send it back to us the UK. Details have been sent to you, if they find it too damaged they will replace rather than fix it.

We would suggest you add some static protection to your antenna setup and read the thread:

http://www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php?topic=977.0

[woodpecker]

The hardware is not fit for purpose, as you are unwilling to swap the unit then I would like to return it for refund. I have never had any radio equipment or TV fail from static, you could have put a pair of back to back diodes across the input, it is your responsibilty to design equipment fit for its purpose and of merchantable quality, this unit clearly is not and your lack of interest in swapping it does not inspire confidence.

[AirNav Support]

Woodpecker,

Firstly you playing a nice game here to keep in contact via email with us and then anything which does not follow your exact rules you post on the forum.

As stated in the email, you requested we sent you a replacement asp, we cannot do that without actually getting the RadarBox first and testing it to indentify the fault and whether it is under warranty. If it can be fixed it will be fixed and returned to you otherwise we will send a replacement.

This was explained in the email, Sorry but there is no refunds for RadarBox. Espically when you have had the product for that time length and not willing to send it back to us for a test.

[Allocator]

The hardware is not fit for purpose, as you are unwilling to swap the unit then I would like to return it for refund. I have never had any radio equipment or TV fail from static, you could have put a pair of back to back diodes across the input, it is your responsibilty to design equipment fit for its purpose and of merchantable quality, this unit clearly is not and your lack of interest in swapping it does not inspire confidence.

Hi Woodpecker,

Welcome to the forum, I'm surprised that you haven't posted before and I'm sorry that your first post is to tell us about your problems.  You do seem to have been unlucky, but I don't really see how you can suggest that RadarBox is unfit for purpose.  AirNav have been most helpful to all the users who have had problems and are keen to maintain this good customer relationship.

My RadarBox is an early model, being over 12 months old now.  It's on at least 12 hours a day and I use it at home and portable using a variety of indoor and outdoor antennas.  I'm always cautious when there are thunderstorms in the area, and I always disconnect my RB and amateur radio antennas and equipment in such cases.

All the best

Allocator

[woodpecker]

Airnav support says:-

"Sorry but there is no refunds for RadarBox. Espically when you have had the product for the time length you suggest and that there is no techincal fault to the RadarBox."

Shows what a "nice" company they are, I shall be taking this further and rest assured will promote as far as possible your poor equipment and unwillingness to help out!

[AirNav Support]

Woodpecker,

We have been quick in replying to you and stated the possiblites of you getting your RadarBox repaired. You seem to want a replacement without us even checking your RadarBox - nobody would do this as the damage to the RadarBox may not be covered under warranty.

You are now asking for a refund even though you bought the product 11 months ago.

We are happy to help you out, but please explain what we should do for you?

As no company would issue a refund 11 months after a product is bought or replace a product without a least testing it first to confirm its warranty related. We are trying to help you but as I am sure other users of this fourm would agree you are asking for items which are impossible.

Furthermore the way you have played this "game" of emailing support and then trying to get us to change our views by using the forum does not help your cause.

[woodpecker]

As I have said, I don't think it is asking much to have the unit swapped out, I am willing to ship it back but you won't swap it out.

This unit clearly has no front end protection and that is a design fault, if equipment is not of merchantable quality and is going to keep on failing with the same problem then I believe I am entitled to a refund, I have already accepted one repair (took weeks) and the unit now exhibits the same fault a few months on. As I said in my emails, I had planned to take the unit on vacation at the end of this week and you will not swap the unit, why?

One other option would be to tell me which part has most likely failed, first semiconductor device I presume, and I'll change it myself, I have surface mount rework kit and this is clearly going to be an ongoing problem.

[AirNav Support]

Please read our emails and posts, we did say we would replace it if neccessary but only apon inspection.

Why?

- We need to confirm the damage is a fault or accidental
- Covered under the Warranty

Some customers have sent back RadarBoxes which they have said they have not touched when infact the seal has been broken and they have tried to change things. Or in some cases they have said just like you there was no lightning strikes around and actually found a damage which could only be sustained of a strike on or nearby.

We need to confirm this isn't the case.

Regarding the fault you mention, as described in detail in the other thread this is not a design fault.

It seems Sir simply because of your vaction next week you have tried to cause a fuss on the forum so they we would bend to your needs.

We cannot bend the rules for you, I am sorry.

[woodpecker]

I am not asking for rule bending, I have asked as a goodwill gesture (bearing in mind I was without the box for weeks last time and spent £40 returning it) that you would swap out this unit for another. As you have shown though, you are unwilling to offer goodwill to a customer who wanted a working unit to take on holiday. 

[AirNav Support]

We cannot take the risk of sending you a replacement and then never getting a RadarBox back from you. Thats nothing to do with a good will gesture its to with risk management. As explained above many times we need to see the device first.

Your continued posts above of mentioning anything related to customer service and getting this conversation on the forum does not help your cause one bit.

It was obvious from the start when you emailed us and then kept the forum updated of anything you didn't like that you were after something you knew was not possible and that you decided to use the forum as a leverage point.