[Elecraft] K2 4768 arrives in VP8 land (eventually)

Tue Mar 1 15:54:21 EST 2005

I had a screwdriver antenna that I needed to ship from Victoria, BC to
California for a warranty repair. The manufacturer said to use FedEx,
UPS or DHL. FedEx isn't very close, and I don't like UPS (that's another
story), so I went to DHL. They would only let me send it by air, for a
very high cost. They told me I had to have an account to send it by
ground. Huh? That makes no sense. I asked if I could open an account -
they said no! Only businesses can open accounts, and they have to be
doing regular business with DHL *before* they can open the account. Then
he suggested I would be better off shipping it with someone else.

I asked him if it was company policy to make life difficult for
customers, then send them to the competition. He just shrugged.

Needless to say, I took my business elsewhere, and will do so in the
future.

On Tue, 2005-01-03 at 12:00 -0800, Kevin Rock wrote:
> My thesis advisor made the same mistake.  He sent a bound copy of my 
> thesis from Albuquerque, New Mexico to Buxton, Oregon via DHL.  First time 
> DHL lost the package.  So my professor gets another copy printed and 
> bound.  Then he sends it to me via DHL once again.  They cannot find my 
> house so they send it back to New Mexico.  Finally I got on the phone to 
> my advisor and convince him to use the United States Postal Service.  
> Wonder of wonders I received my bound thesis within two days.  I do not 
> believe I will ever use DHL to deliver packages either to me or for me.  
> Your story just points up their problems once again.
>     73,
>         Kevin.   KD5ONS
> 
> 
> 
> On Tue, 01 Mar 2005 11:47:36 -0300, Chris <chris at viking-house.com> wrote:
> 
> > Hello List,
> >
> > K2 Serial number 4768 has arrived in VP8 (Falkland Islands). Inventory 
> > completed and building to start shortly. I've got the K2 KPA, SSB, NB, 
> > DSP and KAT100 modules.
> >
> > I want to publicly thank Lisa Jones at Elecraft for her efforts in 
> > getting the kit to me. Getting anything through the mail system to the 
> > Falklands can be a problem and because I had ordered all the modules 
> > together the package was quite big and weighed in at 19Lbs. Elecraft 
> > usually ship smaller packages to the islands using standard 
> > international airmail, but in this case I decided to use DHL. This is 
> > where the story gets messy.
> >
> > 1. DHL advised Lisa that they can only send documents to the Falklands.
> > 2. I obtain a booking form from the DHL office in Stanley and request 
> > the pickup from this end (seems ok)
> > 3. Lisa confirms with DHL that is OK
> > 4. Package collected from DHL
> > 5. Package shown on tacking as far as Miami, then back to a depot in 
> > Cincinnati - then in disappears
> > 6. Lisa chases DHL from there, I chase from here.
> > 7. DHL unable to find the package, although they did find the label - 
> > keep an eye out for that serial number Elecraft!
> > 8. DHL declare the package officially lost and I have to start the 
> > insurance claim process, which will take a few weeks apparently.
> > This has taken about 10 - 12 days so far.
> > 9. Elecraft agree to ship a replacement package on the basis that I will 
> > forward the insurance money when it comes through. You won't find many 
> > companies offering that level of service!!!!!!!
> > 10. I book the pickup again - DHL have promised free delivery if/when 
> > they get the delivery through.
> > 11. Package collected (this is a Friday)
> > 12. Tracking shows package has reached Miami on Sunday - so far so good.
> > 13. Between Sunday and Tuesday the package travels between Miami and 
> > Cincinnati three times.
> > 14. Get on the phone to DHL, two-pronged attack, I call the DHL office 
> > here and call the DHL USA help desk. Apparently Cincinnati are sending 
> > the package correctly to Miami, from where is should route to Santiago 
> > Chile, but the Miami are sending it back because they don't know which 
> > DHL office in the Falklands to send it to - There is only one DHL office 
> > in the Falklands.
> > 15. Miami office is told to send it and it will find the correct office 
> > ;-)
> >
> > DHL deliveries to the Falklands come in on Saturdays only. To make this 
> > flight a package has to be in Santiago by midday on Thursday. Package is 
> > cleared into Santiago at 10:59 - whew! made it!
> >
> > Package arrived on Saturday - DHL don't do door to door here; you have 
> > to collect from their office on Monday, but they called me at 7pm on 
> > Saturday to tell me that I could collect it right away, if I wanted to! 
> > I was around there before they had finished putting the phone down!
> >
> > Original package was shipped on 3 March - I got it on 26 March, ordinary 
> > mail might have been better!
> >
> > Cheers
> > Chris VP8BKF
> >
> >
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> >
> >
> 
> 
> 
> 
-- 
73, Brian
VE7NGR