[amsat-bb] Re: Elk vs Arrow

[John Neeley]

You sure that fellow didnt spell engineer---"injuneer'....afterall, he was 
looking for an Arrow...  ahemmmmm..






________________________________
From: Clint Bradford <clintbrad4d at earthlink.net>
To: amsat-bb at amsat.org
Sent: Wed, January 12, 2011 12:03:25 PM
Subject: [amsat-bb]  Elk vs Arrow

>> ... The Arrow does not publish any gain numbers ...

>> ... ELK publishes the normal numbers you would expect ...

Now, after reading previous posts the past day on this, the FIRST thing that 
comes t mind is whether or not the writer got his antenna as a freebie as he 
demeans other antenna alternatives ... AND I WISH NONE OF US HAD TO THINK LIKE 
THIS.

Because a writer here wrote a mini-review of the Elk, and stated it was "very 
impressive" as compared to the Arrow. I have to tip my cap to him for his 
honesty - he apparently (and hopefully!) won't let "availability of freebies" 
sway his opinion of actual performance. But another AMSAT member is "impressed" 
with receiving free equipment - which is being shown to cloud the truth as to 
performance between competing equipment.

Some think Arrow's owner is "arrogant" in that he didn't commission a formal 
test on the gain of his antennas. On the other hand, those of us that have used 
them know that they work. I had an engineer client purchase one from me back 
when I worked for HRO about five years ago. He was standing outside, waiting for 
me to open shop the next morning, carrying his Arrow to return. "This cannot 
possibly work," he adamantly exclaimed. "It is engineered all wrong. I want a 
refund."

Because i had recommended the product due to me own personal experience with 
them, part of me wanted to professionally "challenge" him and learn more about 
his overnight experience with the Arrow. But seeing how determined he was about 
it being "engineered all wrong," I changed my thinking to, "Hey, I can purchase 
it myself at a "open item" discount."

And I did. And it is the VERY SAME antenna I use to this day for demos and 
presentation.

BUT - back to the last few messages. What should we all learn? Unfortunately, we 
now have to think "behind the scenes" when we read felow AMSAT members' product 
reviews. We're seeing the fact that some vendors give away products has been 
able to sway and taint honest reporting.

Clint Bradford, K6LCS
909-241-7666
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