Ham Radio Outlet — Attraction in Doraville

This morning March 23, I came in the store slightly after 11. I was worried the store would be packed, but NO there were three associates (2 behind the computer and one at the transceiver desk) I was relieved by this. I just got my technician license, and was ready to buy my first transceiver, power supply, antenna cables plugs and all what was needed for my first Radio Shack, and hopefully could make my first call on Sunday and I had questions and needed some good advice.

The associate at the transceiver desk asked me if I had a question? Enthusiastically I said yes I have, I got my Technician License two weeks ago, I also told him I was from Nashville (so he knew I was not a "passing by person", but a person with a mission) I received a blank face.

Then I said I am looking for a VHF/UHF transceiver, he pointed at the one I was indeed also looking for on-line.

I said in the future I would like to explore CW too. Is it possible to connect a CW keyer for example in the future on this or must I buy then some thing else later?

He pointed uninterested to two transceivers, talking so fast about the features that for sure, a Green Technician licensee would not be able to follow.

Then I asked do you have some more info, then he suggested me to go on-line and go to the manufacturers web site.

YES when driving to the store I was not expecting to go online to look for info but was hoping to find an associate who could show and tell me about the radio, well that associate was not in THIS store.

Another associate came shortly from behind his computer, I explained that I used to be HAM 45 years ago in the EU and was picking up the hobby again, unfortunately also not really helpful info from that associate. Then he did not know how fast to go back to the computer.

At that moment for me, the purchase desire was over. I browsed the store for 10 minutes and 25 minutes after I came in the store I drove back home for another 4 hours.

The great reviews are puzzling to me, perhaps this is a new crew, or this crew only serves experienced HAM folks. HRO could have gotten a life time buyer with me.

Note; why 2 stars and not 1? I bought an MFJ419 a couple of weeks ago which was wrongly assembled, the battery could not fit in the case. After my email they called me up and same day they send a shipping label and soon I was refunded for the purchase.

As Sam Walton said: There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money...

Went to the HRO in Atlanta on January 24, 2025 while visiting family in the area. I knew what I wanted to buy after researching online and knowing they had it in stock. There was another brand of the item that I wanted to look at, but the clerk would not open the box to let me see it. There it was, just 3 feet away and for some reason I could not even get a look at it because it was in a sealed box. He only agreed to open the box of the one I purchased after I promised him I was going to buy it. He gave me some lame excuse that he had to have manager permission to open the box.

I then asked for assistance in looking at HF transceivers, as I have been away from the hobby for some years and really wanted to see the waterfall screen in action, and I will be in the market for one this spring. It took the clerk about 6 minutes to figure out there was no antenna connected. Even after we got the antenna connected, he was unable to locate any signals on any HF band except one SSB conversation on 40M. This was in the middle of the day in sunspot-high conditions. At home, with my old radio, I can get hundreds of CW, SSB, and other signals on most of the bands, so I don't understand what the issues are, whether they are the radio, the antennas, the store location, or the lack of knowledge of the clerk. I am guessing it was the latter.

He ended up tuning into the AM broadcast band and tuned into a local Atlanta station (pumping out 50KW no doubt) to show me some minimal functions of the radio... ie; he hit the AM, SSB, CW mode switch and played with a filter. THAT'S IT! He did not expain or actually tell me anything about the radio except the price.

I walked away knowing absolutely nothing about the radio. All in all, a poor shopping experience from an un-informed clerk, or maybe he just didn't care that I could have dropped two grand on a radio right there.

When I do buy a new HF radio within the next 2 months, I will take my business elsewhere. Very unimpresseed!

Update 24-Mar-2025 - Did not receive any calls related to my shopping experience. Of course, I did not get home from my trip until a week later. I have since purchased a Yaesu FT-710 AESS from...

I have been an HRO customer for a few years now. Sometimes online, occasionally in store. They have always been very good to me. Recently I had purchased a radio that the screen went out on, or was malfunctioning. The radio was outside of their "no questions asked" return policy and it was pretty much time to deal with the manufacturer.... I am compelled to finally leave a review because a feller name Koz really stepped up and went out of his way to get me right again. He didn't have to, I had no right to argue, but still Koz went out of his way and got me fixed up in less than 24hrs.

Anyway, whoever reads your reviews at HRO, tell Koz he gained a loyal customer for you. HRO will be the first to get my business from competitive retailers from here on. I really do appreciate the customer service. Thanks Koz, and thanks HRO...