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History of SG2000 ADSP Radio Problems
The SG2000 ADSP radio was purchased in November 1997
from SeaPower Engineering, the SGC Authorized dealer in San Diego. It was
bought after listening to Gordon West expound on its many features at his
weekend seminar to obtain an Amateur (Ham) license. One of the main
features was that the radio was "FCC Type Approved" to operate on the
marine SSB channels.
The radio was tested by the dealer before I picked it up
and he found it was defective. So he returned it for the first of its many
trips back to SGC. Since then, the radio has gone back to SGC three more
times because it intermittently loses audio output except for a 2-3 cps clicking
sound. It also has an unreadable and distorted signal on high power.
I complained to the factory about the repeated audio loss and Pierre Goral, the
President and the "G" in SGC, called me to tell me it was a lack of
power to the radio. I told him he was full of poppy-cock and that I had
measured more that adequate voltage at the input terminals to the radio.
He then said he would have to check with his techs and he would call back.
When he did, he said I had "an installation problem". I challenged that
too since I had performed all the tests his service tech had asked me to run,
after which the tech said to ship the head back to SGC. I also told him of
the tests that I had run with other hams. They all showed that the radio
was having the problem. Finally, Pierre said SGC could not help me anymore.
Since I was off to Mexico and needed a reliable radio, I decided to buy and install an ICOM 710 RT radio.
It has the same features and was installed in the same location as the SGC radio. The wires
were disconnected from the SGC radio and attached to the ICOM radio without any
modifications. The installation of the ICOM was done in exactly the same
way as the SGC radio. One was swapped out for the other.
The ICOM radio has worked perfectly for the past
year. Hams thousands of miles from my location have commented how clear
and strong my signals are. I inquired from other hams what their
experience was with the SGC 2000 ADSP and they told me they too had
problems. One told me that he had sent his back to SGC three times and
still had problems with intermittant operation, just like I have had.
Upon my return from Mexico, I returned the SGC radio to the dealer for a
refund. He checked the radio, found out it was not working properly, and
sent it back to SGC for the fourth time. SGC, however, decided they had a
dispute with the dealer and kept the radio. So I took SGC to Small Claims
Court in San Diego. On August 15 2000, the judge awarded me the refund of
my money.
SGC wanted to send me back the radio, but I pointed out to
the judge that SGC only had put on a sticker that the radio was FCC Type
Approved under Part 97 (for the ham bands). They had not put on a sticker
that the radio was FCC Type Approved to Parts 80 and 87 (for the marine bands)
as they claimed in their sales literature. I have repeatedly asked SGC to
provide me with information why they consider the radio FCC Type Approved for
the marine bands but they have not responded. Even if SGC returned a
working radio, I could not legally operate the radio on marine bands, one of the
main reasons I bought it.
WARNING If you
are using the SG2000 ADSP radio on the marine bands, be sure to check that it
has a sticker showing FCC Type Approved under Parts 80 and 87; otherwise, you
could be liable to stiff fines for illegal operation.
What a lousy experience with a lemon. The following chronology of
events gives additional details.
Chronology of Events
Nov 97
|
SG2000 ADSP Radio with Remote Head and SG
230 Antenna Tuner ordered from SeaPower Engineering, San Diego, CA, their
authorized dealer. |
Nov 97
|
Radio arrives at SeaPower and is checked out
by dealer. Radio does not work out of the box and
is returned to SGC. |
| Nov 97 |
New radio is received by SeaPower and they
report that it works. |
Dec 97
|
Radio is set up at home and does not
operate according to SGC instruction manual. Operation is discussed with
SeaPower and they suggest calling SGC. Called SGC and found that they had
supplied incorrect operating and installation manual. SGC sends correct
manual for the radio. |
Dec 97
|
Unable to operate radio in various modes as claimed
in advertising. Took radio to SeaPower to see if they can make radio
operate but they are unable to operate radio as claimed by SGC. I make
numerous calls and send email messages to SGC to find out how to operate
the radio. Finally obtain operating information not
provided in the SGC instruction manual for the radio. Radio,
however, does not meet FCC requirements for type certification as a marine
radio (as verified by contact with the FCC Gaithersburg MD certification
laboratory) because it lacks a dedicated operating mode for 2182 MHz
emergency frequency. |
| Dec 97 to Oct 98 |
Radio is kept in original box because trip to Mexico
was delayed and my Tech Plus ham license does not allow voice
transmission on ham bands in U.S. |
Nov 10,98
|
Installed radio on boat. Turned radio on and
found receiver to be defective. The output from the speaker switches from
a radio transmission (i.e. voice signal and background noise) to a 2-3 cps
clicking sound. |
Nov 11, 98
|
Called SGC and discussed problem with
Terry, who claimed to be the Service Manager. After trying to
trouble-shoot the problem on-line, Terry thought it might be "a
capacitor that had gone bad". He gave me RMA# 973971 to return the
entire unit to SGC.
(Note: This was the SECOND time
the unit went back to SGC with less than 5 hours operating time) |
| Dec 98 |
Unit is returned and installed on the boat.
Receive appears to operate normally. |
Jan 99
|
Obtained Mexican reciprocal ham license.
Tried to call other hams during net traffic but never able to establish
contact. |
Jan 20,99
|
Located another nearby boater who is
able to receive ham bands. He hears a very distorted and unintelligible
signal when SG 2000 ADSP broadcasts on high power. Signal at low power is
intelligible but distorted. |
Jan 21 to Feb 3 99
|
Established contacts with several hams
and performed various tests with them. They only
hear a spurious signal when the radio output power level is set at 150
watts and I sound a loud "AAAAAh" for 5 seconds while
holding down the mike button. During this test the battery voltage stayed
at 12.6 VDC as measured by a DVM, and the voltage at the input
terminals to the SG 2000 ADSP radio stayed at a constant 12.3 VDC
as measured by a DVM. When the same test was repeated at low power level,
they reported an intelligible signal but with distortion. Tests were
repeated with spoken words with the same result. Their conclusion was that
the radio had severe distortion problems at high power level.
(NOTE: SGC Radio Specifications are that unit will
operate down to 11.5 VDC ) |
Feb 4, 99
|
Called Terry at SGC to inform him the radio
still had problems and reported the results of the field tests. Terry then
asked that I connect a 150 watt light bulb to the SG 230 tuner in lieu of
the antenna wire and check that light stays on continuously during CW
emissions and flickers with VOICE emissions at all power levels. Repeated
this test for Terry; although, I had tried this test before. Light bulb
operates as required on all tests and at all power levels. Reported back
to Terry who then asked that I open the back of the remote head and check
for voltage on the regulator heat-sinked to the backside of case.
At completion of these tests, Terry instructed me to
disconnect cable from base unit to remote head and return remote head to
SGC for repair.
(NOTE. This is THIRD time the
remote head has been returned to SGC.)
|
Feb 23, 90
|
Control head is received back from SGC. Unit
is installed and radio is turned ON. Radio
operates for about 45 minutes before radio starts to again operate
intermittently and with a 2-3 cps clicking sound just like previously.
Radio is turned OFF and then turned ON several hours later. Radio
operates normally for the next hour. Operation of the radio is
sporadic for the next several days. Sometimes it works at low power and
sometimes there is only a 2-3 cps clicking sound from the speaker. Radio
still does not operate at high power when voltage is at 12.3 VDC. |
Feb 25, 99
|
Tried to call Terry about the problem, but he
is unavailable. Asked for the Marketing Manager and was given to Pam. Told
her of all the problems with the radio since it was purchased and told her
I wanted my money back if SGC could not fix problem. She said she would
have someone call who could help me. |
Feb 25, 99
|
Pierre Goral, President
of SGC, calls me late at night to discuss problem. He states that
problem is with an inadequate battery and poor cable connections. I told
him that was doubtful since the battery is a 220 amp-hour battery and the
radio is connected directly to it with short 2/0 cables. Furthermore, the
voltage was measured as continuously being 12.3 VDC at the radio input
terminals. He then says he has to check with his technicians and that he
will call me back. |
Feb 26, 99
|
Pierre Goral calls back
and says that the problem was caused by my improper reconnection of the
cable from the base unit to the remote head. The clearance of the back
cover to the circuit board is so small that the cable does not fit
properly. Goral claims that during installation I put pressure on the back
case and pushed the cable into the circuit board and cracked it. Told
Goral his statements were nonsense for the following reasons:
1) The failure to operate at high power and
the intermittent operation occurred before I ever took off the back
cover and disconnected the interconnect cable.
2) If the circuit board were cracked, then
the radio would not operate at all. The fact that it was operating
intermittently indicated there were other problems. Furthermore, I asked
how a cracked circuit board would allow the unit to operate at low power
but not at high power.
3)Finally, I told Goral that in attaching the
cable and closing the back cover I noticed it was a tight fit. As a result
I was very careful not to squeeze the back cover into position.
Goral responded that there was
nothing else that SGC could do to solve the problems with the radio. |
| Mar 3 to Mar 7, 99 |
The SG 2000 ADSP Radio continuous to operate
intermittently at low power and continuous to emit only spurious
noise at high power. |
Mar 8, 99
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Since I need a reliable radio for
communications in Mexico, I purchase an ICOM 710 with remote head. The 12
VDC input cable, the cable to the SG 230 antenna tuner, and the copper
ground strap are disconnected from the SG 2000 ADSP and attached to the
ICOM 710 WITHOUT ANY CHANGE IN WIRING AND LAYOUT. |
Mar to Sep, 99
|
Cruising in Mexico, the ICOM
710RT radio, installed exactly
in the same way and location
as the SGC 2000 ADSP, operates with no problems. Other hams
remark how strong my signals are. Also found out that other hams
with SGC 2000 ADSP have the same problems with their radios.
Another ham told me he also had sent his
radio back to SGC three (3) times and it still had problems with
intermittent operation.
|
| Sep 26, 99 |
Sent Letter to SeaPower with history of problems
demanding refund for SGC 2000 radio. |
Oct 18, 99
|
Visited SeaPower, G. Moore said to bring in
radio and SeaPower would check and then send to SGC for refund, if found
defective. |
| Oct 21, 99 |
Returned radio to
SeaPower and received Claim Check No. 3414. |
Dec 20, 99
|
Visited SeaPower. G. Moore out but discussed
problem with person in shop, and reiterated my demand for refund of
purchase price. |
| Dec 21, 99 |
Received letter from SGC that they will not
repair radio and that they have never been paid for the radio. |
| Dec 23, 99 |
Visited SeaPower. G. Moore not in but left
copy of SGC letter with person in shop. |
| Dec 28, 99 |
Visited SeaPower. G. Moore out, but person in
shop said he will call me. |
| Jan 11, 2000 |
Visited SeaPower. G. Moore not in but
discussed radio problems with two persons in the shop, one of them a
technician, and reiterated my demand for a refund. |
| Jan 13, 00 |
Visited SeaPower. G. Moore not in. Was
promised that he would definitely call me when he returned. |
| Feb-May,00 |
Cruising in Mexico using ICOM 710RT with no
radio problems. |
May 15, 00
|
Visited SeaPower. They had moved to a new
address but G. Moore not in. Left a second demand letter for refund of
radio. |
May 16, 00
|
Visited SeaPower. G. Moore was in and I
demanded refund for radio. He said he could not pay me because he had no
money. He also said he could not return radio because
it is at SGC and they will not send radio back
because he had a dispute with them. Told him I would go to small claims
court to get my money back. |
| Aug 15,00 |
Judge hears case in Small Claims Court
and awards judgement in my favor. SGC is to refund me the cost of
the radio plus court costs. Judge considers that even if radio
is fixed and returned, it can not be legally operated on marine bands
as originally intended at the time of purchase because it is not FCC
type approved.
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