Dual band FM VHF/UHF rig

According to Southgate News, Moonraker is selling a dual band amateur rig aimed at foundation licencees. It retails for £89.99 and comes preprogrammed with amateur frequencies like repeaters and simplex channels and set to 10W by default, although it can do 25W.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/november/new-dual-band-fm-mobile-radio.htm#.X7aFraiTLrc

See also https://www.moonraker.eu/amateur-radio/transceivers/anytone-at-779uv-dual-band-mini-mobile-radio

Excellent Moonraker service

Well, I succumbed and decided to buy an Inrico T320 network radio from Moonraker. The first unit had faulty software loaded. Without quibble, Moonraker despatched a replacement unit and collected the first unit. I cannot fault their customer care and I am very inclined to use them again. Well done!

Some are very sniffy about network radios saying this is not real amateur radio.  They use the internet (via wifi, 3G or 4G to connect with Echolink or similar services). Basically they are Android phones with a PTT in the style of a 2m or 70cm handheld. The beauty is they have full Android functionality as well (like BBC News, GPS, camera and email). This is not the same as traditional amateur radio, but I have already had great fun with mine. My first QSO was via GB3SD near Weymouth, Dorset.

I still prefer "traditional" amateur radio, but these have a definite place. One thing is very apparent: repeaters the world over have fewer stations using them. I am still exploring.

Even lower price for the Yaesu FT991

Steve G1KQH has just informed me that the Yaesu FT991 is being sold at £991 by Moonraker until stocks are exhausted or Oct 4th. I am sure we will see lower prices still in the months ahead. I can see MLS, Waters and Stanton and others doing battle.

The question is what price will the IC7300 be?  Once this becomes available there will be a price war between the UK dealers to offer the best deals. I expect even now a better deal can be had for the FT991 if paying cash and not looking for terms.

A price war is brewing....

Moonraker

Ever since the spring when Moonraker supplied me with rubbish patch leads that just fell apart because the crimping was so poor, and a dual band VHF/UHF yagi antenna that had to be glued to fix one of the loose elements, Moonraker has not been my favourite supplier. They clearly did zero quality checks on the goods sold. I hope they have improved.

However they have some nice 10m radios at sensible prices including a 20W FM/AM unit for under £100 and a multi-mode 10m rig for under £150.

See http://www.moonraker.eu/ .

UPDATE 2200z:  Moonraker also supply PMR446 and LPD433 dual band transceivers. The latter band is within the 70cm amateur band, which is perfectly legal at 10mW with no amateur licence, here in the UK. On UHF, 10mW goes a long way from a local high spot. See http://www.moonraker.eu/professional-radio-and-446/pmr-446 . There are several to choose from.

http://www.moonraker.eu/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/602f0fa2c1f0d1ba5e241f914e856ff9/S/L/SL-02_big.jpg

Cashback on Yaesu products

It doesn't surprise me but G1KQH has told me that Moonraker (and others?) is offering the FT817ND for just £459.95 after a Yaesu cashback deal. I paid £499 from MLS for cash a few months ago.

Based on the favourable change in exchange rate much lower prices should be expected soon. And, of course, the replacement for the FT817ND is nowhere to be seen.

BTW, I recommend you don't buy patch leads from Moonraker - the ones I bought were useless at both ends with intermittent joints. I guess they just buy these in, but it would be good if they actually checked some as well! All I am saying is Moonraker (and others?) should periodically do quality checks on products they sell. There really is no excuse in the 21st century for selling poor quality goods. I did complain to Moonraker who offered me money back or exchange. Exchange for the same quality?  No thanks.  Andrew G6ALB kindly replaced the coax connectors at both ends  - a decent solution. I guess buying a rig from them is low risk. Patch leads? Definitely dodgy unless you know the supplier checks stock for quality.

Moonraker saga - the end?

Today I wrote to Moonraker telling them of my other issues (other end of 20m Westflex patch cable intermittent and one element on the antenna loose) and they were very apologetic, offering me a full refund if I returned the goods. When I explained I was returning nothing as my colleague had soldered good connectors on and glued the antenna it was as if they no longer wanted to know: no more apologies, nothing.

Correspondence just stopped.

Moonraker will never benefit from further business from me unless they can demonstrate their quality control has been smartened up. I was totally disappointed by the goods received and the poor follow-up response.

Sorry, but in my limited experience this is a company that deserves to fail: so little is needed to sort out their shortcomings - get on and fix the issues! In my opinion they showed me a perfect example of how not to conduct a business!

In the end, all my issues have been sorted despite Moonraker rather than by Moonraker. Sorry, but you come over as a greedy care less outfit who need to sharpen up fast.

3 el/5el beam

VHF/UHF beam with V2000, 2m halo and HF Par antenna behind

The dual band 2m/70cm beam is erected and is working now the useless Moonraker crimped coax connectors at both ends of the low loss Westflex coax have been replaced by decent soldered connectors. Andrew G6ALB also restrung my Par 10/20/40m end fed back up so I am now operational as follows:

630m Earth-electrode 15m baseline

40m Par end-fed
20m Par end-fed
10m Par end-fed

The Par also matches on 60m and 30m via the auto-ATU.

6m V2000 vertical
2m 3el horizontal and halo
2m V2000 vertical
70cm 5 el horizontal
70cm V2000 vertical

This means I am decently equipped for the bands I am mainly interested in. The dual band yagi is small and cannot easily be seen from the front of the house. The most I run is 5W pep, although I use 2W mostly and just 5mW ERP on 472kHz. 2W is more than enough to be copied all around the planet on 40m, 20m and 10m.

Letter to Moonraker

Sent this morning, no reply today:

"Sirs,

I recently purchased a dual band 2m/70cm yagi, some mast brackets and patch coax cables with attached plugs. Recently I had a stroke and a local ham has kindly offered to do the erection for me because of my poor health.

Unfortunately the installation has had to be postponed because the 20m long Westflex patch lead is rubbish! The N connector end just fell apart in my hands as the crimping is so poor. I would return the lead and ask for a replacement but have little confidence the replacement will be any better. The current plan is for the local ham to replace the N connector with a proper plug, if he can.

Just want to tell you how disappointed I am. In days gone by, I'd have bought the cable and fitted my own connectors but buying the patch leads was meant to save time and effort being disabled. The patch leads were almost as much as the antenna! I was expecting better quality from a good supplier.

As an absolute minimum, please improve your quality control. Expect to hear from me again shortly.

In the meantime, if I have to return anything (for free replacement under Sale of Goods Act) how do I go about this please?

73s
Roger (Lapthorn) G3XBM"

If Moonraker was really interested in satisfied customers I would have expected a  reply by return. I think the company does business on Saturdays, but I shall wait until Monday before ringing them. I am honestly deeply disappointed in their patch leads and apparent indifference to their customers. I may be doing them a disservice, so must wait until next week.

Is it really too much to ask that patch leads are reliably made? After Andrew G6ALB fitted a proper N connector for the antenna end I have found the crimp joint at the shack end is intermittent. This patch lead really is a heap of rubbish. Even one of the Allen nuts on one of the 70cm elements is stripped.

Moonraker? Sorry I am NOT impressed one bit. I cannot see myself ever doing business with you ever again.

2m/70cm yagi erection

Andrew G6ALB is erecting my new VHF/UHF yagi for me as my health is still too poor. He hopes to return later today. Andrew is hoping to fit a decent N connector to the failed Moonraker patch lead. With luck, the whole installation may be done this weekend depending on Andrew's time and the weather.

I am so grateful for Andrew's help - amateur radio spirit at its best.

Moonraker 20m patch lead is rubbish

Having spent almost as much on a low loss antenna lead (20m long Westflex with connectors) as on my dual band 2m/70cm antenna, I was expecting quality. It was NOT. The N connector end just fell apart in my hand - so poor were these crimped joints, so I am unable to complete the antenna erection when G6ALB kindly comes around later to fix the wall brackets. I want this lead replaced but have zero confidence the replacement will be any better! In days gone by I would have bought the cable and fitted plugs myself but cannot because of my stroke. This was meant to have saved time and effort!

Moonraker  - you score 0/10 for quality control on patch leads!  Folks you have been warned!  So far, the 2m/70cm antenna itself looks fine.  Such disappointment and so unnecessary.