[Boatanchors] Dead speech meter

Thu, 11 Mar 2004 21:43:33 -0500

This is not applicable in this case anyhow, as Radio Shack dropped their
affiliation with Micronta and went to a different source to manufacture
replacement IC boards. Hence, the supplier was liable for improperly
manufacturing the boards to the wrong size, but only to RS, who should not have
been selling the parts in the first place! The long and short of it is as Steve
suggests, no enforcement. So you can be right and entitled, but come up empty
just the same. 	

However, I was not aware that only manufacturers selling to the federal
government were required to keep replacement parts on hand. Somehow, I don't
think this is correct. There is a legal obligation for the duration of the
product warranty and/or extended warranty.   	

Sounds like another case of the consumer loses - 	

----------
From: Steve Uhrig <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Subject: [Boatanchors] Dead speech meter
Date: Thursday, March 11, 2004 9:15 PM

On 11 Mar 2004 at 4:03, "Fred Neff" <[email protected]> wrote:

> I don't know how long ago your meter was built, but by law, there has
> to be a supply of spare parts kept aside for repairs, and it's
> probably for longer than you  think. 

This ONLY is true for manufacturers supplying the federal government.

I am one.

And it's not enforced. What are they going to do if the manufacturer 
doesn't have parts? Fine him? Most likely, the manufacturer has gone 
out of business.

ICOM has federal contracts. We were ICOM GSA dealers for 14 years, 
selling almost exclusively to governments and I can assure you ICOM 
didn't keep parts for equipment they sold to the federal government 
for 10 years. Sometimes not 10 months. Nothing says the parts have to 
be at reasonable prices either.

> Check it out. If the problem with the board you were sent was that it
> is too large, it may be easier to adapt what is  left of your meter and
> the new board to another case that will fit it. 

That may be true, but without our seeing it and having interface 
info, we can't comment. Duane feels the new board is not compatible 
and he's the one who owns it.

> If the spare part just plain doesn't work, see the above suggestion. 
> They have a legal responsibility. 

'They' have no responsibility. I sign the contracts with the 
government, and I know precisely what responsibility I have. If the 
government want 10 years' worth of logistics, I recommend they buy 10 
years' worth of supplies along with the initial product and put them 
into their supply system.

> I have a feeling that the Americans with Disabilities Act may give you
> some added leverage. 

Not really. I also am handicapped, and all ADA does is gives you some 
ammunition if YOU wish to spend YOUR time and money fighting it. Few 
of us can. Tonight my wife and I got back from a local hospital where 
we both go every week for treatment (we both are handicapped) and 
every one of the handicapped parking slots was filled with police 
cars or doctors. Since it's private property, no one other than the 
local security guard wannabee 007s have jurisdiction, and they're not 
going to put a ticket with no teeth on a police car or doctor's car.

If I was driving, which I don't anymore, I'd pull up and park on 
their fancy manicured lawn, and God help anyone who touched our van. 
And if I was alone, I'd key every police car and doctor's car parked 
in handicapped slots. I keep meaning to take a camera, but forget. 
Some day I may just wait for the drivers to come out and I'll teach 
them the error of their ways. I may be handicapped but I'm not by any 
means helpless.

ADA is a joke unless you're a member of some minority group with the 
ACLU and a blank check to fight your battles for you.

Unfortunately Duane and me and some others live in a world where we 
get shoved around with our handicaps. I've learned to live with it 
except when I'm incensed like now from privileged rectums parking 
wherever they please, and the devil with the guy who can't walk the 
extra few hundred feet across the parking lot.

And then these doctors and cops get in their cars in the handicapped 
spots and drive to their club to work out.

All these 'rights' are NOT to help people who are at some sort of 
disadvantage. They are done to give the places a warm wet feeling for 
implementing them. Any peripheral benefit to the poor disabled clown 
is inconsequential. 

Steve WA3SWS

And by God yes, I am pissed.

*******************************************************************
Steve Uhrig, SWS Security, Maryland (USA)
Mfrs of electronic surveillance equip
mailto:[email protected]  website http://www.swssec.com
tel +1+410-879-4035, fax +1+410-836-1190
"In God we trust, all others we monitor"
*******************************************************************

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