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Eham would not even post my opinion on this product & the seller attitude. Sparing Phil embarrassment, I will not quote verse by verse reply to my inquiry.

I purchased a VFO stabilizer from Phil Chambly K4DPK. After purchase and reading Installation instructions & pictorials I had a few more questions. I asked if the two what I assume outboard capacitors, resistor & shielded cable was included. I noticed no dashed line around the components per engineering drawing standards. This does mean external to the circuit board. However, I found out the 220pF cap is on the circuit board. If external parts were not included, I asked NPO capacitors values & resistor tolerance. I also asked if the 10-14DC required a simple bridge rectifier and a 1000uF filter or an IC based three terminal regulator. Never got an answer on the DC supply.

Phil Chambly replied-
1) 'The VFO stabilizer was not built for EEs. I build them for todays ham radio operators whose needs are somewhat different'. (I am not a ham radio operator?).

2) The resistor tolerance is 5% on the stabilizer board, but there is no need for the user to require this information'. 'If the kit did not include the external parts he would have told me.

Here is Phil's ending reply to my questions.
3) 'It seems to me based upon the nature of your questions, you came to a purchase decision too early or for some other reason have concluded that buying the stabilizer may not be in your best interest. I agree entirely, and have issued you a refund of your PayPal payment'.

You know, something wrong with planning a project? I guess Phil thinks so). The product at Phil's site did not state the external parts were included. The X-Lock stabilizer does state external parts are included. However a ham that installed the X-Lock on a Swan did have to tweak one supplied X-Lock external part. I have the same radio so I assume I may be responsible for external parts and may have to experiment- no big deal. PLus, did want to know the power supply requirements- high AC ripple or low AC ripple?

So, if you are an EE you are not a modern today's ham radio operator? And Phil only sells to ham radio operators without an EE degree?

What an attitude! Looks like I am buying an X-Lock.

The Installation Guides which I supply with each of my products are simple and easy to follow. They show precisely where and how to make the required connections.

While an EE degree is certainly not needed to perform the install, a modest amount of common sense can be helpful. The gentleman did not seem to understand the instructions because, he said, they weren’t drawn to engineering standards. I have found that sketches and specific point-to-point connection IDs serve best in an installation such as this. It should have been obvious to a reader (as it always has, until this case) the parts in question were included. They were identified as "The Varactor Assembly", and they were shown already assembled.

If one enters a restaurant, sits down and immediately criticizes the menu and the surroundings, the cook might suggest he eat elsewhere. My perception was the gentleman would never be satisfied under any circumstances, so I avoided the problem for us both, by simply not selling him the device.

I would like to wish all my loyal friends and customers a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year, and I refer you all to the Reviews section of this site for a glimpse of feedback from my customers.

Phil C. Sr.
K4dpk 1955

Knowing Jim, you did the right thing!