On Aug 11, 4:34�pm, (Edmund H. Ramm) wrote:
In Michael Coslo writes:

Edmund H. Ramm wrote:
[...]
� �I still have to buy an MFJ product which will work out of the box.
What have you bought from MFJ?

� �IIRC 9?9 Versa Tuner (sri, don't remember the middle figure, but it
was the 300w version with switched inductor and built-in dummy load),
259B SWR Analyzer, 1112 DC rail, 4724 TRX/ANT switch with remote control.

� �I left my evaluation for the antenna coupler and the switch on
eham.net. I won't bore you with the gory details here, as they would
fill pages.

� �73, Eddi ._._.
--
� � � e-mail: dk3uz AT arrl DOT net �| �AMPRNET:
� � � If replying to a Usenet article, please use above e-mail address.
� � � � � � � �Linux/m68k, the best U**x ever to hit an Atari!

The 300 watt versa tuner utilized an inductor selector switch which
had too low voltage rating. I have recently repaired one for a friend
to replace the switch. This was a design flaw, and not a QC problem.

I have had an MFJ 259B for 10 years and have about worn it out. Had
to replace the coax connector, and the on-off switch, but it keeps on
truckin. It did not suffer from a QC problem.

As for the other products you mention, I have no experience. I have
bought a number of other products, and all I can say is you get what
you pay for.

Gary N4AST

Edmund H. Ramm wrote:
BTW, sending an e-mail to MFJ's support desk is like transmitting
into a dummy load.

I have an MFJ-9020 20m CW transceiver I bought around 1994 or 1995. I also have
a 40m one too. I noticed that the 40m was much better at receiving.

At one time I needed a manual for it, having lost the one I got with it when
I moved, and filled out an olnline "manual request form". They sent one to
me via airmail.

I was able to align it with the instructions in the manual, but was not able to
determine the problem using the voltage measurements, substituting IC's, etc.

I sent them a detailed question via their support form (not an email) and
received a helpful reply from the person who designed the rigs.

I know who it was because he referred to other rigs he had designed.

Considering that I bought the rig 13-14 years, I think that's good support.

In the end, if anyone ever reads this in an archive, I found that I got a
lot more gain out of it by upping the internal voltage regulator to 10.7-10.8
volts instead of 10. I'm not sure in a high signal environment you would need
it, here there are a lot less signals, and they are much weaker.

The cost of doing so is that the radio will now no longer work properly with
less than 12 volts DC input. With the regulator set to 10 volts it will work
down to about 11.2 volts.

I hate it when I find a post where someone says "I found the answer to" and
never says what the answer was. :-)

Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM