Radarbox faulty? low "my flights" count

[CoastGuardJon]

Hi John, thanks for that, I thought it could only be sent back to W&S under warranty, with a Ticket No. from AN.    I'm getting more and more disappointed with the RB reliability (this issue needs to be tackled, and resolved properly and permanently) and AN, which is a great shame as I've always supported them.

[AirNav Support]

CoastGuardJon,

We have replied to your tickets every time within a few hours. Please check your spam settings, I am sure as you know we are not a company to ignore tickets.

We also asked you to read the FAQ section about static, as that could be whats causing you issues.

[CoastGuardJon]

CoastGuardJon,

We have replied to your tickets every time within a few hours. Please check your spam settings, I am sure as you know we are not a company to ignore tickets.

We also asked you to read the FAQ section about static, as that could be whats causing you issues.

Hi AN Support,

I've still not had anything back from you - I've not got any spam settings set (and believe me, I know it - best part of 150 spams per day offering me little blue tablets for my ED!!!) my email is as recorded on this site (I'm getting alerts by email of postings to this topic OK) <[email protected]> .    Yes, I've read the FAQ on static, several times.    This latest die off occurred using your own standard antenna inside my cousin's house.   As has been said on here before, there is a problem with these SAW filters in the front end and you really do need to get it sorted - this must be costing AN an awful lot of money in warranty repair costs, labour and postage and I, like other customers, am getting rather fed up and disillusioned with your product.    Having a laptop sat on my lap with the antenna balanced on the window sill - static FAQ - what more can I do, wire myself to the earth pin of the psu plug?

[bratters]

Jon - this is the way I see it

the box is "relatively" new and, as with all products, weaknesses will only appear as more units are sold and more time elapses. It takes a while for a manufacturer to identify consistently failing parts. These parts then have to be re-designed and re-built, both for new boxes and as replacements.

The "static" problem however is a different issue. Airnav were and remain brilliant at producing software for decoding and plotting. But the RX being used in the old days was of course scanners by Uniden, Realistic, AOR, ICOM et al - professional tried and tested stuff for enthusiasts.

When Airnav introduced their own new single frequency receiver - Radarbox -  it was a revolution in lightweight compact design which could be quietly tucked away on a shelf with its dinky little aerial placed on the bedroom window sill.  A really nice attractive low-key piece of indoor kit however....... in the hands of a serious radio amateur determined to squeeze the last ounce of performance out of everything, radarbox was always going to get the full treatment. Someone used to rigging up and tweaking an HF set-up capable of picking up the faintest radio signals from halfway round the world is not going to be satisfied with a baby antenna perched on a window sill - no siree!

So here I think we may have a clash of product vis a vis customer. It's human nature to get the most out of a piece of equipment and while the box may have been built to a somewhat "limited" spec. usage-wise, the enthusiast was always going to "make the rivets pop".
I fancy next generation boxes - if there are to be any - will have to take into account the many guys who like to push the envelope.

Having said all of that, my own failures, like yours,  have not been supplied aerial outside  induced either.
 

[CoastGuardJon]

Hi John, this latest failure was with a brand new bog standard ANRB antenna supplied by W&S for £23, laptop, me and twig all indoors, nothing being pushed, squeezed, over-stressed (apart from me!) or subjected to any other RF.   The envelope certainly hasn't been pushed, nor has the RB been subjected to a pre-amp. bog standard RB with bog standard antenna.

Hi AN Support, still not had anything from you - just checked email again, can you PM me Ticket No. please.

[AirNav Support]

CoastGuardJon,

Let us first confirm we did send all the emails, there has been no problem with emails our side but we will PM to you again. We also ask you to have some patience as your orginal was posted at 5.30 and then hour later your saying again you haven't had anything from us.

Regarding the issues you have had. Firstly we do apologise for the issues you have had but they are rare and are not as you are suggesting as major fault affecting everyone. We have explained the SAW issue in detail in the FAQ and the warranty details and there isn't much point of us repeating it again.

Finally we would like to remind you, that our presence here and quick action shows we are helping our customers and working through issues. Do try to be patient and you will be up and running again in no time.

[CoastGuardJon]

Hi AirNav Support,

Thanks for the PM, although I note there's no Ticket no. in it or the attached email.      I first mailed you using your web-site contact facility, Tuesday, then again Wednesday, and again last night.

I have had NO emails from you.   I do NOT have any spam restrictions or settings on my Lineone email account, and was surprised at the lack of reply.

Do I need a ticket no. to return my box for replacement?  It will be winging its way back to W&S tomorrow.

At no time have I said this is a "major fault affecting everyone", but for those affected it is very annoying, and does seem to be more of a problem than you're willing to admit!

Anyway, there's no hard feelings on my side, and there's nothing to be gained by arguing with you in public.

Many thanks for the PM and offer therein, I'll take you up on that when my Box is back, up and running again!

[AirNav Support]

CoastGuardJon,

We have pmed you the ticket id. Did you get a ticket id auto response when you emailed us? If not that shows there is email trouble your end as we have your emails in our systems and we did reply.

Its not a a big issue, if it was we would have many more customers complaining. Our openness with our customers means we have the FAQ and have extended our warranty for that particular issue. The return percentage is still vastly below what manufactures would call a problem and ask for a replacement.

The only reason why it appear on this forum often is that we all know bad news travels faster. We still have 100s of customers to that one who posts saying its gone for a return.

[CoastGuardJon]

Thanks AN for the Ticket No..    No, I had no replies automated or otherwise, but interesting to know you got my emails!   ;>}

[KevinB]

I experienced the same as many others, reduced range and reduced number of flights. Sent the Radarbox back 3 weeks ago and am still waiting for it to come back. I still think it is strange that so many of us experienced similar symptoms around the time of 3.13 installation. Maybe just a coincidence or not? Have been lost without the box over the extended holiday period!

RadarBox just arrived back after 5 weeks!! Accompanying note says the front end saw filter was replaced. Eager to see if I get the range I previously had before the problem although probably not a good time to try it out with reduced traffic due to the weather. Anyway, at least it's back.

Kevin

[CoastGuardJon]

Mine also arrived back today with a note saying board replaced, will try to get upa and running tomorrow, with Win 7 64-bit.     Once again, a very speedy turnaround by W&S.     Where are you Kevin?

[KevinB]

Mine also arrived back today with a note saying board replaced, will try to get upa and running tomorrow, with Win 7 64-bit.     Once again, a very speedy turnaround by W&S.     Where are you Kevin?

I am on the South Coast about 5 miles NE of Portsmouth. Have to say I'm not seeing much difference on RadarBox after the repair but am only 10 hours in. I'll need to give it a several days to let the polar diagram build up.

[CoastGuardJon]

Hi Kevin, I was expecting you to be in some foreign and distant place - 5 weeks with W&S sounds exceptional and unusual - did they have a problem with parts or something.    If you're still not getting much traffic, I'd suggest you need to have a close look at your antenna and connections, sounds as though something's not right somewhere along the line.

[CoastGuardJon]

Hi all, back on the line with 200+ (240 @ 1927) nm, thanks AN for getting my Box sorted again - hopefully with the new board, it'll now be OK!

[KevinB]

Hi Kevin, I was expecting you to be in some foreign and distant place - 5 weeks with W&S sounds exceptional and unusual - did they have a problem with parts or something.    If you're still not getting much traffic, I'd suggest you need to have a close look at your antenna and connections, sounds as though something's not right somewhere along the line.

Jon - think it was a combination of returning via the dealer where I bought it, Xmas and the bad weather delaying delivery. Polar diagram is slowly building out but not as far as before yet. Probably a combination of weather and time of year. When the weather is better I will get the ladder out and check the aerial & fixings thoroughly though.

Kevin