Tread Lightly With BridgeCom Systems re: mic issues

[mmckenna]

Yeah, Amazon sells a lot of cheap Chinese knock off stuff. Gotta be careful with that.

I've got 500+ Kenwood radios at work, and many of them running legit Kenwood speaker mics purchased from an authorized Kenwood dealer.
We don't have a high level of failure with them. They do take a lot of abuse. I've never had one fail right out of the box, and if it did, my dealer would replace it no questions asked.
But those are $65 KMC-41's. They cost 3 times as much as some of these CCR radios.

That $65 is well spent since I don't have to worry if there's going to be an issue with the mic. I know my dealer will look after it if something is wrong. And it's not going to fall apart the first time someone stretches the cord too far.

I would not expect any of that from a $16 microphone.

But, if you want a $16 mic, maybe you should spin the wheel on Amazon and try another. Maybe you'll get lucky.

 

[Alain]

alcahuete,​

I was following up on the exact post that kayn1n32008 used [#38 see above] to refute me. So it has everything to do with HIS post. Amazon included the review in with the link that he provided. It is the same Kenwood KMC-45D he mentioned in his post. Look again at #39...

​

 

[kayn1n32008]

Had you seen this review? Here's the link on Amazon:

Amazon Sign-In

View attachment 156380

That seller is selling cheap ass Chinese knock off speaker mics.

Same cheap ass garbage you are complaining about.

 

[alcahuete]

alcahuete,​

I was following up on the exact post that kayn1n32008 used [#38 see above] to refute me. So it has everything to do with HIS post. Amazon included the review in with the link that he provided. It is the same Kenwood KMC-45D he mentioned in his post. Look again at #39...

​

Again, you were trying to show that a legitimate Kenwood mic had a 1 Star review. The review you posted was a cheap Chinese knockoff. Busted.

Perhaps after you go through 4 or 5 of these cheap chinese microphones, you'll realize that you could have just bought a real reputatable microphone for the same price as the 4 broken ones without a warranty.

 

[kayn1n32008]

alcahuete,​

I was following up on the exact post that kayn1n32008 used [#38 see above] to refute me. So it has everything to do with HIS post. Amazon included the review in with the link that he provided. It is the same Kenwood KMC-45D he mentioned in his post. Look again at #39...

​

Actually, the only link I posted was in post #35.

Amazon should have the same warning as ebay. Shop the seller, not the price. The amount of counterfeit garbage on ebay and Amazon is incredible.

Its best to go through the negative reviews, where you can catch sellers hawking counterfeit Chinese garbage.

I always buy antennas, batteries, and audio accessories locally, through legitimate dealers. Some of the counterfeit stuff looks pretty real.

 

[kayn1n32008]

Again, you were trying to show that a legitimate Kenwood mic had a 1 Star review. The review you posted was a cheap Chinese knockoff. Busted.

Perhaps after you go through 4 or 5 of these cheap chinese microphones, you'll realize that you could have just bought a real reputatable microphone for the same price as the 4 broken ones without a warranty.

If a legit, OEM one is $78-$80, it's like 5 cheap ass chinesium knock-offs he bought for $16.

 

[Falcon9h]

I have no dog in this fight but all I know is that Bridgecomm hits me with so much spam I blocked their domain in my email app.

 

[mmckenna]

I have no dog in this fight but all I know is that Bridgecomm hits me with so much spam I blocked their domain in my email app.

I made the mistake of talking to them at a trade show. They scanned my badge I had to block them also.
This was a professional two way radio conference/trade show. No idea why there were there. The emails they were sending me were for some sort of 'ham radio university' thing they did. Wrong marketing….

 

[WB5UOM]

They think they are in the LMR Business with 'commercial radios'
might be in a foot race with Hytera

 

[mmckenna]

They think they are in the LMR Business with 'commercial radios'

Yeah. Seems like a bunch of hams that felt like they could break into the LMR business. After all "how hard could it be?"

 

[N4KVE]

I have no dog in this fight but all I know is that Bridgecomm hits me with so much spam I blocked their domain in my email app.

Me too. I got tired of all the Bridgecomm University garbage.

 

[BridgeComSystems]

You paid $16 bucks for a garbage chinesium speaker mic, what did you expect exactly?

Throw it out, and buy an OEM Kenwood KMC-45.

I had [still have] a problem with two, brand new, just purchased microphones in December. My two mic's short out when you stretch the coiled cord longer than 6" to its original length. It's the strain-relief part of the plug, where it plugs into the side of the 878UV. I just received an email from one of the "tech guys" at BridgeCom Systems.

BridgeCom Systems will NOT warranty the microphones! I believe that this is important info AND should be so stipulate in their advertisements and on their website.

BridgeCom BCS-200 Water Resistant Speaker Mic
[I don't see any mention about non warrantied microphones here, do you?]

It's an O.K. mic. Glad I only paid $16 each for them. I could have been out $60. I know, it's an easy fix, but a customer should not have to repair the BridgeCom slip-shod quality control, even if the mic's do come from China.

What they should do is send me two, new microphones, and I would return the "defective" ones. This way, they could isolate the problem, rather than ignoring it and perpetuating the problem onto other unsuspecting ham radio ops.

I'm just wondering how many hams who bought these mic's have yet to discover the problem...

So, before you buy anything from BridgeCom Systems, be sure that the item is warrantied.

Vry 73 de Alain

Hi Alain, we warranty the microphones. If you have a support ticket number or an order number, I can look into this for you. I'd be happy to send you replacement(s). Thank you, Ron

 

[Alain]

A Final Reply To Conclude This Thread...

I am not going to correct the inaccurate interpretations that the flamer invented in their mind on this thread.

However, this was to be expected; I've seen their handiwork on other threads as well. It was never my intention to extract any solace or support from anyone here...and I wasn't disappointed. Constructive or allegiant replies I received on this matter could be counted on one finger...maybe two. My initial post here was solely to alert anyone reading it of a problem with a product to be made aware of.

I'm done; for me, this stops here, as does my RR membership of over 20 years. Convivial replies to posts are fading more quickly than I was prepared to admit, previously.

Over that 20 year span, I have seen the degradation of civil attitudes worsen, by some of RR "members", either new or established. Glib responses are par for the coarse, but they are becoming caustic, too caustic for me. I'm from the 1940's generation where most folks kept their mouths shut or responded in a civil manner.

What was a very nice surprise was that the owner of BridgeCom Systems saw this thread and has responded positively! He has seen the merit in my initial complaint, somewhat belatedly, but is in the process of correcting the error. For that, I commend him. He replied to me by saying, "...I've taken the necessary steps to review our policy and how/why you were told we wouldn't replace the mics.".

That's all I ever wanted. It is done. -30-