On 2010-03-23, notbob wrote:
I'm studying hard and planning a shack. I hope to be on the air by
June. So, is MFJ stuff any good?

I've been looking at their catalog, an '09 hard copy and the '10,
..pdf. What's the Ameritron stuff? Is that their high-end line? I
see on their website they recently acquired Cushcraft Antennas. Is that
what Ameritron is, an acquisition?

nb

notbob wrote:
On 2010-03-23, notbob wrote:

I've been looking at their catalog, an '09 hard copy and the '10,
.pdf. What's the Ameritron stuff? Is that their high-end line? I
see on their website they recently acquired Cushcraft Antennas. Is that
what Ameritron is, an acquisition?

Amertron, was a company that made amplifers. It was bought by MFJ and moved
to their headquarters, though it may have it's own manfacturing facility.

MFJ has tried to keep the product lines intact, even if there is some overlap.
They also bought Vectronics, the Hygain antenna line, and now Cushraft.

For example, Ameritron made accessories for their amplifiers such as
QSK switches and tuners, all high power only. Think of it as rounding
out their product line.

If you look back at Cushcraft they have been shrinking their line of
amateur products since they were bought out, I think in the 1990's.
The company that bought them is doing well selling commerical antennas,
and not as well selling amateur antennas. Now the line will be in the hands
of someone who believes in ham radio and is trying to make a living from it.

To me, it's a shame because with such a large, active and rich ham community
as the US has, it can not support the few manufacturers it has.

Geoff.
--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
New word I coined 12/13/09, "Sub-Wikipedia" adj, describing knowledge or
understanding, as in he has a sub-wikipedia understanding of the situation.
i.e possessing less facts or information than can be found in the Wikipedia.