HFU HF Underground
Technical Topics => Equipment => Topic started by: NJQA on April 26, 2024, 1416 UTC
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MFJ is closing their manufacturing lines. This also includes their other brands (Ameritron, Cushcraft, HyGain, etc.).
I’ve suspected this because their owner is over 80 and it seems like more and more of their products are out of stock.
People like to criticize MFJ and it is true that they often have quality control problems, but they have had an impact on the hobby and some of their products (like the 259 Antenna Analyzer) have become legendary.
https://mailchi.mp/62e24f2ccc99/a-heavy-sad-heart?
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Too bad, I have several of their products and never any problems.
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Even though some people nicknamed them Mississippi's Finest Junk, I've owned many of their products, and I don't think I've ever had issues with them.
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It isn't clear to me if Martin tried and failed to sell the company, or if that wasn't something he considered. The first thing I thought of was that this will accelerate the ARRL's decline, given what MFJ ad revenue meant to the print QST. I'm one of the many who didn't renew, in my case after 20+ years, when they went to the surcharge for print. I don't know what it means for ham radio in North America as a whole--it's possible that once the behemoth of peripherals is gone, we'll see a new blossoming of small-scale, more specialized providers as we had pre-MFJ. Or maybe someone will approach Martin to acquire one or more of the brands he bought up over the years, if not MFJ as a whole.
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MFJ, like Heathkit and even Ramsey, gear was like this, if you didn't like it, more than likely, you could modify it to become an even better product to suite your needs. They, will be missed.
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The problem is - that you cannot sell even low end HF equipment to people who's only investment in amateur radio is a walkie talkie.
When you killed the CW you killed the HF. All of the intelligence has left the bands and the cb radio has taken over!
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The problem is - that you cannot sell even low end HF equipment to people who's only investment in amateur radio is a walkie talkie.
When you killed the CW you killed the HF. All of the intelligence has left the bands and the cb radio has taken over!
(https://i.ibb.co/wwGrQy3/IMG-7712.jpg) (https://ibb.co/MGw51nW)
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Hey All,
MFJ offered a lot of cool toys at good prices, but hit and miss re QC. If you didn't mind the hassle of a a reship sometimes , eventually you would wind up with a working product at a decent price. My ant tuner had a bad solder joint I simply touched it up. It shouldn't have happened but I knew it was "buyer beware" before I went in.
I just have to laugh every time I hear this code "argument".
I used to copy some of the most FOUL mouthed operators and drunk jammers WAY back in the 60's, when there was a CODE requirement :o. There was a BIG clique of these attention hungry clowns on 3885 AM.
I have PERSONALLY heard it from 2 all the way down to 160.
There are ALWAYS going to be bad apples no matter where you go. A code requirement never was and never will be a "screening mechanism " to keep the idiots out ! :o! :o!.
FWIW, The best and most EXTREMELY knowledgeable hams (inc. Extras, ie folks employed in cutting edge /classified electronics ) I knew all started out on CB and then "graduated" up to amateur radio.
And yes, CB, for the most part, is a playground for RF simpletons. But like it or not , most hams started out there.So we have to (grudgingly) "give" CB at least that - it was an easy venue for the "first step".
Whatever.
NQC
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MFJ will be missed. They have/had good Introductory Ham Equipment for those on a budget.
(https://i.ibb.co/DCG7ymM/20WPM.jpg)
I just have to laugh every time I hear this code "argument".
I used to copy some of the most FOUL mouthed operators and drunk jammers WAY back in the 60's, when there was a CODE requirement :o. There was a BIG clique of these attention hungry clowns on 3885 AM.
I concur. 75 meters used to be a wasteland of drunken obscenity and arguing (worse than 7200 kc now) until the FCC got fed up and swung their big stick. I started with CB (~'70), was Novice Licensed in '76, and still a Tech when the FCC opened up 28300 - 28500 to Techs for SSB. Many old timers (including our local club president) were ranting about how No Code 10 meters was going to become just an extension of CB. THEN many became enamored with getting on 10m and enjoying the enthusiasm of us Tech's. If it wasn't for this I'd probably never upgraded to Extra. 8)
73 mike