MFJ Buys Cushcraft Antennas
One of the long-time amateur radio antenna companies, Cushcraft, has just been acquired by MFJ - a very well-known empire of Amateur Radio gear.
Those of you that have been around a while know that MFJ has been buying up several companies - Ameritrion (a manufacturer of amplifiers), Vectronics (maker of tuners, kits, and other accessories, and was originally started by Paul Hrivnak N8PH, who now runs Palstar), Mirage (smaller VHF/UHF amplifiers), Hy-Gain (a maker of HF antennas, rotators, and towers) and they have one of the largest, most comprehensive product selections themselves against any other manufacturer anywhere.
I am not quite sure what to think of the switch-over from Laird to MFJ. Cushcraft was bought within the last year or two by Laird Technologies, and then now it is switching hands to MFJ. I don't know... They do have some good antennas. I have three Cushcraft antennas myself - an A270-10s, A50-5s, and a 13B2. They aren't the best antennas, but they are good.
MFJ does has several nicknames, based on a following of bad quality checks and service - Mighty Fine Junk is the one that you seem to hear a lot of. I have had some goofy things myself - loose screws, cases that aren't square (won't sit level on your desk), etc. However, I think that anyone that has been around for a while in Amateur Radio knows to expect certain things. I like to work on my own gear so finding a loose screw isn't a big deal. That isn't to say its OK, but I deal with it - it isn't the end of the world and I, to a certain extent, expect it.
Some things I would buy from MFJ and some things I wouldn't. Tuners, like my 971 I use for portable operating and "light" (I am not typically a light packer) trips, are pretty fool-proof. Having a loose screw or out of square case isn't a big deal. The roller inductor tuners don't seem to be as good, I have arc'ed a 989D with 100 watts at a friend's house and I looked at a 969 at a store and it had a stiff inductor. That can probably be realigned though. However, an auto tuner or another more complex piece of electronics gear might be asking for trouble. Maybe they have improved their quality, but the soldering on the MFJ gear I have isn't the best. I have a couple IPC and one Pace Worldwide certifications for High Reliability Soldering so I know what a good solder joint is.
I will say, though, one of the coolest pieces of MFJ gear is the antenna analyzer they have. I need to get one of those. They are just too convenient for working on antennas.
Anyway, we'll see what happens with the antennas as time progresses. Lets hope they all maintain their performance and quality!
Those of you that have been around a while know that MFJ has been buying up several companies - Ameritrion (a manufacturer of amplifiers), Vectronics (maker of tuners, kits, and other accessories, and was originally started by Paul Hrivnak N8PH, who now runs Palstar), Mirage (smaller VHF/UHF amplifiers), Hy-Gain (a maker of HF antennas, rotators, and towers) and they have one of the largest, most comprehensive product selections themselves against any other manufacturer anywhere.
I am not quite sure what to think of the switch-over from Laird to MFJ. Cushcraft was bought within the last year or two by Laird Technologies, and then now it is switching hands to MFJ. I don't know... They do have some good antennas. I have three Cushcraft antennas myself - an A270-10s, A50-5s, and a 13B2. They aren't the best antennas, but they are good.
MFJ does has several nicknames, based on a following of bad quality checks and service - Mighty Fine Junk is the one that you seem to hear a lot of. I have had some goofy things myself - loose screws, cases that aren't square (won't sit level on your desk), etc. However, I think that anyone that has been around for a while in Amateur Radio knows to expect certain things. I like to work on my own gear so finding a loose screw isn't a big deal. That isn't to say its OK, but I deal with it - it isn't the end of the world and I, to a certain extent, expect it.
Some things I would buy from MFJ and some things I wouldn't. Tuners, like my 971 I use for portable operating and "light" (I am not typically a light packer) trips, are pretty fool-proof. Having a loose screw or out of square case isn't a big deal. The roller inductor tuners don't seem to be as good, I have arc'ed a 989D with 100 watts at a friend's house and I looked at a 969 at a store and it had a stiff inductor. That can probably be realigned though. However, an auto tuner or another more complex piece of electronics gear might be asking for trouble. Maybe they have improved their quality, but the soldering on the MFJ gear I have isn't the best. I have a couple IPC and one Pace Worldwide certifications for High Reliability Soldering so I know what a good solder joint is.
I will say, though, one of the coolest pieces of MFJ gear is the antenna analyzer they have. I need to get one of those. They are just too convenient for working on antennas.
Anyway, we'll see what happens with the antennas as time progresses. Lets hope they all maintain their performance and quality!
posted by Steve at
3:18 PM
3 Comments:
This is just the opposite of what I would have wished for. I have long held that MFJ would improve it's sales and reputation by reducing the number of different items it sells and increasing the quality of those that remain. A modest increase in price would be acceptable by most.
For example, I would love to see a very good QRP antenna tuner with an accurate QRP cross-hair meter able to tune compromise antennas offered by MFJ.
I'd buy a couple!
I must say that I was a bit dismayed and disappointed when I read this news. When I was debating about buying an antenna recently, one of the considerations was a Cushcraft MA5B minibeam. I sometimes wish that I'd opted that route, especially after a particularly wet spring snowfall swept through NC and nearly demolished my hex beam. I've read some poor reviews of the HyGain antenna quality after being acquired by MFJ.
MFJ has an extremely large presence here on the hamfest circuit, they're at every large and small event within several hundred miles.
But I do think their spotty reputation for quality control is well-earned. Perhaps they've made improvements that I'm not aware of?
I will agree with you, I have a MFJ-259B antenna analyzer and I have been quite satisfied with it. However, I bought a 2 position antenna switch and a coax pass-through window plate, both of which deserve the badge of "junk".
73 Ed
Interesting comments, loose screws and similar assembly defects are exactly why our mfg base is being out sourced to foreign countries. I wonder how much longer MFJ will be made in the USA ?
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home