[Elecraft] Customer Support WAS: Elecraft black friday

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

Robert, KP4Y/W4 wrote:
... While I agree that Elecraft's customer service is outstanding, I have
never had any problems with the customer service from the "big
manufacturers"

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That is generally my experience too. Way back in the 1960's I wanted to
overhaul my aging National HRO-5TA1 receiver. It was over 20 years old -
manufactured in 1940 or 41. I needed a schematic. (Remember, this was 1960's
- the world wide web didn't exist for at least 20 years). So I wrote a
letter to National company asking if I could possibly buy the schematic
(yes, "wrote" - e-mail was still decades away). A few weeks passed and a
big, thick envelope appeared in my mailbox. Inside was a complete Owner's
manual for my HRO, with schematic, and a very nice note. It was from a woman
who worked for National. She apologized for the delay but, she explained, my
receiver was so old it was decades out of production, so she had spent
several of her lunch hours digging through the company archive files in a
warehouse to find this manual. She hoped it provided what I needed. It
certainly did, and more. Her note ended with "no charge, of course". 

I have always believed that we get up every morning wanting to have a good
day. For the majority of us it means doing an excellent job, sometimes going
an "extra mile" for someone we don't even know. I will never forget her
effort and kindness.  

In my 16 years of association with Elecraft as an independent contractor, I
have found that they also consistently follow that customer support goal.
Elecraft may not be unique, but they are absolutely worth supporting.

73, Ron AC7AC