What to Look for In a Quality 2-Way Radio Shop While there is no "foolproof" method to determine beforehand whether or not you will get your moneys worth in a particular service shop, the following criteria will help you narrow your search. Ultimately your own experience using the equipment afterwards remains the best gauge of satisfaction. This list should help you weed out the undesirables........228 Your best protection will always be the ability to ask questions. There is absolutely no substitute for this, as long as you know the correct answers. If you don't have time to ask the questions then don't get upset if you are not satisfied with the results. On the other side of the coin, any technician worth his salt will ask his customer a series of pertinent questions in an effort to fully assist him in solving the problem. If you as the customer don't have the time or are otherwise unable to answer those questions then again, don't be upset if the problem still exists. Of course, if the tech doesn't have any "probing" series of questions for you with regard to your particular problem/complaint then you're likely in the wrong place to begin with. When you, as the customer, walk into the shop with a problem or a complaint regarding the operation of your equipment, (taking for granted that you've carried the equipment in with you for the necessary testing) these two courses of action should take place immediately. #1 The customer and the technician should enter into a question-and-answer dialogue and exchange information in an effort to determine what the source of the problem/complaint might be. #2 The equipment in question should be thoroughly bench checked to either corroborate or eliminate any symptoms discussed in the question-and-answer dialogue above. At a minimum, these parameters should be analysed in this bench check procedure. #A Check transmitter power output. #B Check transmitter/receiver operating frequency. #C Check receiver front-end sensitivity. #D All measurements MUST be referenced to known parameters for comparison. #E Inquire of the customer as to whether the antenna system in use has been tested and that voltage standing-wave-ratio measurements indicate proper tuning of the antenna system. Measure if necessary, Albeit this is the short list but even this cursory inspection usually turns up something related to the symptoms indicated by the customer more times than not. #1 Question: Do they actively advertise and solicit business over the air? Answer: If they're any good at all they don't need to. Word of mouth in this business is everything since the medium is two way radio. What I am attempting to get across to you here is simply this. Would you be more inclined to ask someone to refer you to his shop of choice if you heard him from 2 miles away or from 20 miles out? If his radio produced a clean, clear signal or a signal that was severly distorted or difficult to understand? You get the idea........ #2 Question: When you bring a piece of equipment in for simple repairs do they attempt to sell you something new? Answer: Absloutely not. This is usually a good indication that no one present has the required skills or the necessary test equipment to do the job properly, let alone at all. Stay away from shops that for some excuse or reason cannot perform simple repairs. #3 Question: If you are driving an 18 wheel tractor rig do they tell you that one antenna works better than two? Answer: If they do then you are surrounded by idiots. What they are really saying is that they can't configure a pair of antennas properly on a vehicle like yours. The over-the-road driver by necessity requires the ability to be able to talk and to hear as far up and down the road as possible. Ask any Truck Driver. #4 Question: Do they recommend the installation of a "mod kit" or some other similiarly named add-on? Answer: If they do then you're not going to like the results. The truth of the matter is that they are unable to perform a straightforward tune up or alignment so they will defer you to "add" something to the radio instead. (Note) The addition of "kits" such as this will not produce optimum transmitter performance. After all, it costs them a lot less to pay $20.00 for some poorly written tune up manual which they can follow blindly or "install some piece of crap" than to spend the hundreds or thousands of dollars required for the proper education and test equipment. Unfortunately for you the consumer, these tactics are in use by the MAJORITY of shops in the country today. #5 Question: Is the shop an OPEN shop or a CLOSED shop? Answer: Just so you understand the difference/distinction between the two, an OPEN shop is a shop where the customers are able to watch the technician while he is servicing your radio equipment. If you are doing business in a CLOSED shop setting, ask yourself this question: Why will they not allow me to observe them while they are servicing my equipment? There is a reason for that and it has absolutely nothing to do with "Insurance Liability"! Never believe anything you hear, half of what you read and believe everything that you see! #6 Question: Here is a very pointed question that will leave the wanna-be tweaknician in most shops around the country with a look of bewilderment on his face or a mouth open wide enough to catch flies. "Do you own/use a calibrated radio frequency signal generator to measure receiver sensitivity and to effect proper receiver front-end alignment/receiver repairs"? Answer: Again, a MAJORITY of shops in the country do not own or have access to this critical piece of test equipment. If you are having problems hearing other stations at distances or are experiencing excessive noise levels due to improper noise blanker adjustments take note: Without this piece of test gear in their arsenal they cannot and will not be able to provide you with a solution or solve your particular problem! #7 Question: If you bring a piece of equipment in for what would otherwise be a minor or simple repair, do they tell you that you will have to leave it? Answer: If you are becoming just a little suspicious at this point and your "spider senses" are tingling, you're probably right to ask a few more questions. While it is understandable to be short a part or two every once-in-a-while, most simple/basic service and repairs should be able to be performed within the span of an hour or so, give or take. Even extensively damaged pieces (for example let's say that the receiver front end is non-functional and the transmitter is producing no measurable power) can be put back into service by a skilled technician in 90 minutes or less. I also do not understand why any shop engaged in this line of endeavor would not make every effort possible to maintain a healthy stock of the more popular devices on hand to facilitate immediate on-the-spot service and repairs. Just remember this. Anyone can sell radio equipment, but in case it isn't painfully obvious to most of you by now, not just anyone is able to properly service and repair it. Armed with the above information you should be able to avoid most of the riff-raff and bottom-feeders that are so proliferate in this industry. If you have some of your own criteria that you would like to have added to the above which you have found helpful in avoiding the chop shops please e-mail me at: http://www.firecommunications.com/site/contact.cgi One final thought. Most people looking to make a new equipment purchase usually look for the cheapest price and this in itself is not bad, but it guarantees you nothing with respect to ongoing service and maintenance. Allow me to recommend a different approach. Select a competent service/repair shop FIRST and then buy your equipment from them. You will end up money ahead in the process. Tell a friend. FYI and 73, Jack...........