Steve, in hindsight, you are probably right. I should have sent it back
directly to Kenwood. However, I purchased it From R&L, and I honestly
thought that since it was a new rig, just out of the box, that R&L might
simply tell me to send it back to them, and they would ship me a new TS-590S
if they still had one in stock. I have had several other firms do that. If
the defective item was still under warranty, they have sent me a
replacement, and tell me that when I receive the replacement, to just put
the defective product in the same box with the packing, and ship it back. I
have even had a few firms send me a label to place on the returning box so
the defective product could be shipped back at no charge to me for the
shipping. I don't know if any of the ham equipment outlets do that or not.
Fortunately, this is only the second transceiver I have ever had to ship
back for repairs. The other one was a Galaxy 5 Mark II, and that was many
years ago.  

I have no complaints with Kenwood at this point. I would purchase another
Kenwood without hesitation. My sole complaint right now is with R&L
Electronics. It really doesn't make any difference anymore; the decision has
been made to have R&L ship the rig to Kenwood for repair under the warranty,
and I'm sure when I get it back, it will work just fine, like it should have
to begin with when I took it out of the box. I just will never purchase
anything from R&L again. I have had good service from Amateur Electronics
Supply, the Main Trading Company, among others. So, there is no reason to
ever deal with R&L Electronics again. 

Ron, K8HSY


-----Original Message-----
From: For blind ham radio operators [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Steve Forst
Sent: Tuesday, August 04, 2015 3:55 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: TS-590s verses the TS-590SG

Not trying to stir the pot.  I understand Ron's frustration, but when does
it cease to be a dealer issue, and become purely a Kenwood warranty issue?


I'm not quite sure how long he has had the radio, and I realize all the
stuff going on in his world with the new house and all that entails. 
This model has been out of production for a number of months.    I am 
guessing that he has had it for some time.

Maybe I'm looking at it  through the wrong end of the telescope, but I think
I just would have dealt direct with Kenwood service for warranty repair,
and not with the dealer.

In any event, the 2 other options from the dealer were a joke.   The 
Kenwood center in Virginia Beach (Kenwood service east), usually has a fast
turn around time. Hope it all works out.

73, Steve KW3A





On 8/4/2015 4:25 PM, Tom Behler wrote:
> Ron:
>
> The first two of these terms/options don't make any sense to me at 
> all, from a customer satisfaction point of view.  I just don't get it!!
>
> I also have to tell you that I have become less satisfied with R and L 
> in recent yearrs.
>
> My most recent experience was when I called them about the Tentec 
> Scout 555 I was trying to trade in toward the purchase of the MFJ 998 
> auto-tuner, and the Ameritron ALS600 earlier this year.
>
> They offered me $300 for the rig, the power supply, the keyer, and all 
> nine band modules.  Main Trading Company offered me $550 for the 
> entire setup, without question.  In fact, this is what I got when I 
> sold it at a local swap in my area, again, without question.
>
> I am not sure what is going on with R and L, but I don't think it is good.
>
> Tom Behler: KB8TYJ
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: For blind ham radio operators 
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> On Behalf Of Dr. Ronald E. Milliman
> Sent: Tuesday, August 04, 2015 2:09 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: TS-590s verses the TS-590SG
>
> Well, I just got off the phone with Larry, head honcho at R&L 
> Electronics, and the next time I want to be insulted, I certainly know 
> exactly who to call. They received my defective TS-590S and put it up 
> on their test bench and checked it out. They found out that this old 
> blind guy really knew what he was talking about all along, and the 
> radio displayed all of the problematic symptoms that I described. So, 
> here is the final deal Head Honcho Larry offered me:
>
> 1. He would give me a $500 credit toward the purchase of the new model 
> TS590SG for my radio as is, and I pay the difference of $1,109 or
>
> 2. He would send my TS-590S back to Kenwood for repair, and when it 
> came back refurbished, he would give me a $700 credit toward the 
> purchase of the new model TS590SG, and I pay the difference of $909 or
>
> 3. He send my TS-590S back to Kenwood for repair under the warranty, 
> and when refurbished, Kenwood will simply send my radio back to me.
>
> I am extremely disappointed in R&L. I don't think Larry made any 
> attempt to work with me at all. In fact, I consider his terms and 
> options nothing short of insulting.
>
> I told him to just Have Kenwood repair my TS-590S and send it back to me.
>
> Ron, K8HSY
>
>
>