"Owen Duffy" wrote in message
...
"Peter" wrote in
. au:

...
I must admit I had assumed that the 269 analyzer display the sign of
the reactance, I will have to reread the ad.

Ah, you were looking for honesty in advertising!

The online guff on the MFJ259B says:
"Read Complex Impedance as series resistance and reactance (R+jX) or as
magnitude (Z) and phase (degrees)."

The MFJ259B definitely does *not* show phase angle or reactance as
negative for cases where X is actually negative.

The same words appear in the MFJ269 online page, so it may also be a
misrepresentation.

I see in the MFJ269 manual, the same pretence over the sign of phase and
reactance. It contains the words "Besides Z, an angle between zero and 90
degrees is shown. This angle represents the phase difference between
current and voltage at the terminals of the analyzer."

Of course, a phase angle between "zero and 90 degrees" does not represent
"phase difference between current and voltage at the terminals of the
analyzer" in the case of a capacitive impedance.

Honesty in advertising... think again.

Owen

What was I thinking! I was impressed with what was being claimed.

I will continue with my product research and you can expect me to float some
other manufactures device on this group soon for comments.

Peter VK6YSF

http://members.optushome.com.au/vk6ysf/vk6ysf/main.htm

"Peter" wrote in message
...

"Owen Duffy" wrote in message
...
"Peter" wrote in
. au:

...
I must admit I had assumed that the 269 analyzer display the sign of
the reactance, I will have to reread the ad.

Ah, you were looking for honesty in advertising!

The online guff on the MFJ259B says:
"Read Complex Impedance as series resistance and reactance (R+jX) or as
magnitude (Z) and phase (degrees)."

The MFJ259B definitely does *not* show phase angle or reactance as
negative for cases where X is actually negative.

The same words appear in the MFJ269 online page, so it may also be a
misrepresentation.

I see in the MFJ269 manual, the same pretence over the sign of phase and
reactance. It contains the words "Besides Z, an angle between zero and 90
degrees is shown. This angle represents the phase difference between
current and voltage at the terminals of the analyzer."

Of course, a phase angle between "zero and 90 degrees" does not represent
"phase difference between current and voltage at the terminals of the
analyzer" in the case of a capacitive impedance.

Honesty in advertising... think again.

Owen

What was I thinking! I was impressed with what was being claimed.

I will continue with my product research and you can expect me to float
some other manufactures device on this group soon for comments.

Peter VK6YSF

Again- look at the RigExpert A-200A. Batteries seem to last forever, it's
USB upgradable and it DOES resolve the sign of R +/-JX.

Dale W4OP

"Peter" wrote in message
. au...
Hi all

I'm looking at purchasing an MFJ269 antenna analyser and keen to hear
experience of others in this group regarding this or similar analysers.
Appears to be ideal if it is as good as MFJ claim.


Hi Peter,

I can highly recommend the Rigexpert AA-200A:
http://www.rigexpert.com/index?s=aa200

Unlike the MFJ unit, this is a full vector analyzer. You can also save plots
and then transfer them to your computer for archiving. The lates firmware
allows measurements at both 50 Ohms and 75 Ohms and I believe one can now
also move the reference plane to the end of the coax. Batteries last
forever, it's about 1/4th the weight, can display data in both graphical and
tabular format.
I've owned the MFJ, Autek, AEA and Timewave- the AA-200A blows them all
away. Oh yeah, the signal source is synthesized and can make a very nice
signal generator that is rock stable.

Dale W4OP

Dale Parfitt wrote:
"Peter" wrote in message
. au...
Hi all

I'm looking at purchasing an MFJ269 antenna analyser and keen to hear
experience of others in this group regarding this or similar analysers.
Appears to be ideal if it is as good as MFJ claim.


Hi Peter,

I can highly recommend the Rigexpert AA-200A:
http://www.rigexpert.com/index?s=aa200

Unlike the MFJ unit, this is a full vector analyzer. You can also save plots
and then transfer them to your computer for archiving. The lates firmware
allows measurements at both 50 Ohms and 75 Ohms and I believe one can now
also move the reference plane to the end of the coax. Batteries last
forever, it's about 1/4th the weight, can display data in both graphical and
tabular format.
I've owned the MFJ, Autek, AEA and Timewave- the AA-200A blows them all
away. Oh yeah, the signal source is synthesized and can make a very nice
signal generator that is rock stable.

Dale W4OP




Except that it looks like the RigExpert has an untuned detector, just
like the others. The schematic SUBVHF6.pdf shows a couple of RF
switches and a AD8307 log detector. The PLL synthesizers are up at 1+
GHz, so maybe there's a filter and mixer somewhere else. I couldn't
find a block diagram.

I'm looking at purchasing an MFJ269 antenna analyser and keen to hear
experience of others in this group regarding this or similar analysers.
Appears to be ideal if it is as good as MFJ claim.


Hi Peter,

I can highly recommend the Rigexpert AA-200A:
http://www.rigexpert.com/index?s=aa200

Unlike the MFJ unit, this is a full vector analyzer. You can also save
plots and then transfer them to your computer for archiving. The lates
firmware allows measurements at both 50 Ohms and 75 Ohms and I believe
one can now also move the reference plane to the end of the coax.
Batteries last forever, it's about 1/4th the weight, can display data in
both graphical and tabular format.
I've owned the MFJ, Autek, AEA and Timewave- the AA-200A blows them all
away. Oh yeah, the signal source is synthesized and can make a very nice
signal generator that is rock stable.

Dale W4OP


Except that it looks like the RigExpert has an untuned detector, just like
the others. The schematic SUBVHF6.pdf shows a couple of RF switches and a
AD8307 log detector. The PLL synthesizers are up at 1+ GHz, so maybe
there's a filter and mixer somewhere else. I couldn't find a block
diagram.

Hi Jim,
I'm way up in the NC mountains, so I cannot speak regarding the AA-200A
front end.
I know when I lived in West Palm FL, the MFJ was totally wiped out by a
nearby AM broadcast station.

73,
Dale W4OP

Dale Parfitt wrote:
I'm looking at purchasing an MFJ269 antenna analyser and keen to hear
experience of others in this group regarding this or similar analysers.
Appears to be ideal if it is as good as MFJ claim.


Hi Peter,

I can highly recommend the Rigexpert AA-200A:
http://www.rigexpert.com/index?s=aa200

Unlike the MFJ unit, this is a full vector analyzer. You can also save
plots and then transfer them to your computer for archiving. The lates
firmware allows measurements at both 50 Ohms and 75 Ohms and I believe
one can now also move the reference plane to the end of the coax.
Batteries last forever, it's about 1/4th the weight, can display data in
both graphical and tabular format.
I've owned the MFJ, Autek, AEA and Timewave- the AA-200A blows them all
away. Oh yeah, the signal source is synthesized and can make a very nice
signal generator that is rock stable.

Dale W4OP

Except that it looks like the RigExpert has an untuned detector, just like
the others. The schematic SUBVHF6.pdf shows a couple of RF switches and a
AD8307 log detector. The PLL synthesizers are up at 1+ GHz, so maybe
there's a filter and mixer somewhere else. I couldn't find a block
diagram.

Hi Jim,
I'm way up in the NC mountains, so I cannot speak regarding the AA-200A
front end.
I know when I lived in West Palm FL, the MFJ was totally wiped out by a
nearby AM broadcast station.

Yah, on the low bands I sometimes have problems with a local AM station.
It's probably endemic to most analyzers.

My thoughts on the MFJ line of analyzers is that within their
limitations, they are very good. I bought one and it just works fine for
me. The original one I bought had a problem at around 10-11 months. I
think that someone was messing with it in a high RF environment without
the dummy load on the RF connector. Somehow got a major dose of RF. Sent
it back to MFJ,and the replacement works just great. I don't loan it out
any more.

My biggest con is that it uses a lot of AA cells, no big deal. I'd buy
another one in a minute if needed.

My new loaner is an older MFJ SWR bridge - since that is what most
people are worried about anyhow.

- 73 de Mike N3LI -

Michael Coslo wrote:
My biggest con is that it uses a lot of AA cells, ...

I solved that problem with a Velcro'ed gel cell.
--
73, Cecil, IEEE, OOTC, http://www.w5dxp.com

On Sun, 16 Aug 2009 11:29:16 +0800, "Peter" wrote:

Hi all

I'm looking at purchasing an MFJ269 antenna analyser and keen to hear
experience of others in this group regarding this or similar analysers.
Appears to be ideal if it is as good as MFJ claim.

I can't provide any info on the MFJ269, but I wonder whether the
MFJ993B automatic antenna tuner might serve a similar purpose, with
two big advantages over the 269. One is that it relies on your
transmitter rather than on an internal RF source so it is less likely
to be overwhelmed by nearby broadcast transmitters; and the other is
that it is also a decent antenna tuner.

The 993B uses some of the same circuits found in the 259. Of course,
there are some things the 269 will do that the 993B won't help with.

73,

Chuck
NT3G

I have an earlier version, the MFJ249 and it works very well.

"Peter" wrote in message
. au...
Hi all

I'm looking at purchasing an MFJ269 antenna analyser and keen to hear
experience of others in this group regarding this or similar analysers.
Appears to be ideal if it is as good as MFJ claim.


--
Peter VK6YSF

http://members.optushome.com.au/vk6ysf/vk6ysf/main.htm

On Sun, 16 Aug 2009 11:29:16 +0800, "Peter" wrote:

Hi all

I'm looking at purchasing an MFJ269 antenna analyser and keen to hear
experience of others in this group regarding this or similar analysers.
Appears to be ideal if it is as good as MFJ claim.

My only complaint is the little switch on the face of the unit that is
depressed to enable measuring UHF SWR. It must be depressed ONLY if
the unit is already powered up. If it is depressed before you power
up, as I understand, some of the solid state parts may burn out when
you power up. The 259 model does not have this problem, as it only
measures up through the VHF range.

Operation is limited in the UHF range of about 415-470 MHz -- you can
only take SWR measurements.

Bob
k5qwg