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It took me a while to post this because I wanted to give Tim Fields W4HRK the opportunity to make things right.

On Friday, September 10, 2021, I met Tim Fields in Gate City, Virginia, to trade my mint Alpha 86 plus $3500 cash for his "mint" Alpha 77SX. He seemed like a very genuine fella when I met him and he told me the Alpha 77SX was in perfect working order and I would be VERY happy with it when I got back home. To my horror, when I got home, the unit was not in mint condition (mechanically) at all.

See the detailed invoice from Dick Byrd and all the repair work he did right after my purchase. I asked for W4HRK to at least help with a partial payment for the invoice and his reply was "it worked perfectly when it left my house". No matter what his reply may be to this complaint, it is just not very ethical in the way he treated me. He has not replied to any further attempts of communication. Dick Byrd will validate everything I have communicated here.

Invoice
October 10, 2021

Richard Byrd
3853 Willow Ridge Ct.
Douglasville, GA 30135
Checks payable to Richard Byrd
PayPal account: SERVICE@N4UQ.COM

Wes Wingo, N4KMG
3051 Nunally Springs Rd.
Good Hope, GA 30641
770-601-1452
wes.wingo@gmail.com
Repairs to Alpha 77 Serial number 2974:
Diagnosed client complaint of low output.
Restored transformer connector to factory standard.
Fabricated and installed a wattmeter PC board.
Tested on all hf HAM bands and provided documentation.
Replaced Step-start relays &Installed rear panel step-start fuses.
Cleaned up all the primary wiring.
Fixed linkage on the TUNE capacitor and crank assembly.
Replaced (inside) LOAD capacitor and calibrated load knob.
LED meter kit. $24.00
1 LOAD capacitor, Oren Elliott $169.00
Connector shells and pins $5.00
2 HEan 24-V Panasonic step-start relays $49.00
2 panel mount fuse holders $26.00
2 2.5A slow-blow fuses $4.00
2 BLN25A fuses $23.00
Wattmeter parts $25.00
Labor, 6 hours $600.00

Total $925.00

73 de N4KMG
Wes Wingo

Sorry to hear, Wes. I hope you get a positive resolution to this issue. The repair bill is somewhat long for the excuse that it worked when he delivered it to you. Obviously, there were several other underlying issues as to the low power output.

73 Kevin

K4BS

Thank you very much Kevin for the reply. I am not very hopeful that Time Fields W4HRK will make this right, even with the invoice from Dick Byrd sent over to him. It's just really sad.

73 de N4KMG

I have known Tim and traded with him for the last 20+ years and never had an issue,Has alway's been Honest Trader/Seller..This is the 1st time i have ever read anything to the contrary.Trying to stay neutral here but i don't think i would have waited so long to post my feedback on the trade but i understand.I have as well made trades that did not go my way and being a long time trader i have learned it does not always go as planned.Sometimes these things happen like when i trade someday's i am the bug other days i am the windshield.Maybe it had issues that were unknown to the seller if it was working properly for him,this is possible.Kinda like buying a used car.You never know..Good Luck 73's

Thank you Howard for your reply and I believe you when you say you never had a problem with Tim; however, there is no way he did not know anything was wrong with the Alpha 77SX that he sold me. Dick Byrd, N4UQ, the legend himself was disgusted when he saw all that was wrong with it and will vouch for me 100% that the amplifier was nowhere near the "mint" advertisement from W4HRK. That is why I provided the invoice in the original post here. It spoke loudly to me when he quit speaking to me or responding to emails the day after I met him. I waited so long to report this ONLY because I wanted to give Tim every chance to make this right, as a "Brother in Christ"

73 de N4KMG
Wes Wingo

Wait a Minute!!
It took this fella 13 months to "get around to it" to post this !
Come on man.
What part of "out the door" do you not understand?
This is 2022 (almost 2023) Social media has ruined another good man.
Tim Fields is a fine outstanding young man.
IF the amp truly did not meet your expectations,
you shoulda got in your car & taken it back to Ky right then.
Why wait 13 months.
Holy Cow.