[Elecraft] OT: MFJ Quality Issues
I have purchased a couple of new MFJ tuners over the years and I found both of them to be of inferior construction. The last one was a more expensive model and it arrived with solder balls rolling around inside its case, a cold solder joint and the air variable cap rotor would come in contact with its stator plates because the rotor was affixed to its all-to pliable front panel and the stator was affixed to the bottom of the case. A guy could fix these issues himself by modifying the case and repairing the connections, but it's wrong to sell things like that and expect glowing reports from customers. The designs MFJ uses are electrically fine, it's just their materials and construction practices need improvement. It's my understanding that some of MFJ's products are assembled by prison inmates, God bless 'em. MFJ's manufacturing business plan must look good on paper but quality control is a real problem for the company, in my opinion. I am all for helping the down-trodden embark on new careers, and maybe buying MFJ stuff is a clear way to help those people, but from my experience you have to be prepared to continue to do without once you receive your order! I really wish they could find a way to improve their quality. Rick KC0OV __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] OT: MFJ Quality Issues
MFJ builds to the lowest common denominator, which is inverse to Elecraft. Each Elecraft is custom crafted, and as of yesterday, If there is a good concern, you can get the actual engineer on the horn - whatever it takes to make it right. I also purchased the 1026 Noise Canceller most recently, but they bend the cabinet sheet metal AFTER it's painted, then (MFJ's term) "adjust" the product with a green magic marker pen. Looks like crap, new out of the box. The same cost savings are applied elsewhere, I installed a small relay in the place of this little light bulb they have for RF circuit protection, and removed many decibels of attenuation. Where do all these cost savings go? Into QST, AES, etc magazine advertising, they have all the money in the world for that!!!! ;-) [Elecraft] OT: MFJ Quality Issues Erik N Basilier ebasilier at cox.net Fri Apr 3 14:04:03 EDT 2009 Previous message: [Elecraft] OT: MFJ Quality Issues Next message: [Elecraft] K2: KPA100 capacitor failures Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ] Here is my MFJ score: Over the years I have bought only 4 MFJ products brand new and fully assembled. Of those, only the first one had a problem. That was a tuner purchased over 20 years ago. It had a missing solder joint. My later purchases (noise bridge, RF current sniffer, noise canceler) have been fine. 73, Erik K7TV __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] OT: MFJ Quality Issues
Rick, I have had issue with MFJ in past years but not currently. I have quite a number of devices and find them to be of excellent construction. (They are not on par with the Quality of Elecraft:-)). Because any vendor can have past issues we need to allow them to improve their products; just like my wife is hoping for the best for me and gives me an opportunity to improve myself. (Good luck, Dear!) Bill -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Rick Shindley Sent: Friday, April 03, 2009 12:34 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] OT: MFJ Quality Issues I have purchased a couple of new MFJ tuners over the years and I found both of them to be of inferior construction. The last one was a more expensive model and it arrived with solder balls rolling around inside its case, a cold solder joint and the air variable cap rotor would come in contact with its stator plates because the rotor was affixed to its all-to pliable front panel and the stator was affixed to the bottom of the case. A guy could fix these issues himself by modifying the case and repairing the connections, but it's wrong to sell things like that and expect glowing reports from customers. The designs MFJ uses are electrically fine, it's just their materials and construction practices need improvement. It's my understanding that some of MFJ's products are assembled by prison inmates, God bless 'em. MFJ's manufacturing business plan must look good on paper but quality control is a real problem for the company, in my opinion. I am all for helping the down-trodden embark on new careers, and maybe buying MFJ stuff is a clear way to help those people, but from my experience you have to be prepared to continue to do without once you receive your order! I really wish they could find a way to improve their quality. Rick KC0OV __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] OT: MFJ Quality Issues
Here is my MFJ score: Over the years I have bought only 4 MFJ products brand new and fully assembled. Of those, only the first one had a problem. That was a tuner purchased over 20 years ago. It had a missing solder joint. My later purchases (noise bridge, RF current sniffer, noise canceler) have been fine. 73, Erik K7TV - Original Message - From: "Rick Shindley" To: Sent: Friday, April 03, 2009 10:33 AM Subject: [Elecraft] OT: MFJ Quality Issues >I have purchased a couple of new MFJ tuners over the years and I found both > of them to be of inferior construction. The last one was a more expensive > model and it arrived with solder balls rolling around inside its case, a __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] OT: MFJ Quality Issues
On 4/3/2009 11:00 AM, Bill Johnson wrote: > I have had issue with MFJ in past years but not currently. My issues with MFJ have not been in the area of construction nearly as much as in the area of customer service. I had a power supply that quit all of a sudden a year past the warranty period. I shipped it back there under a RMA of sorts and it just sat in their shop for several months. I would call them as to the status and they would be rather evasive and finally said "we'll get around to it real soon now". When "real soon now" came around they told me that it would cost more to repair it than to buy a new one. I was able to bargain with them for a more reasonable price for a replacement but it wasn't easy. Another time I ordered a switchbox to interface both a mic and a TNC to the K2. They dragged their heels on that one, claiming that they were waiting for a part from "somewhere", and when the switch box arrived months later it had intermittent problems at the rig connector until I was able to reinforce the cable end where the connector clamp (allegedly) held in in place. I've heard other hams refer to the company as "Mighty Fine Junk". I won't go that far (their low-pass filter and dummy load are in service here with no problems) but Elecraft they aren't. -- 73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane Elecraft K2/100 s/n 5402 __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] OT: MFJ Quality Issues
I've had issues lately with MFJ as well. Last year I ordered a Vectronics keyer kit. It works fine but, the cabinet was punched wrong. The holes didn't even match the kit. I called and was told they would send one. I waited two or three months and called again. This time I was told that they are waiting on aluminum. It's been almost a year now and I haven't received it. I also bought an antenna analyser a couple of years ago. It quit working after a month and I had to send it back for repair. It took about three months before I got it back and it wasn't even the one that I had sent them. Apparently I must have gotten someone else's. Over the last 25 years, I have had to send at least 90% of there stuff back for repair or repair it myself and I have bought quite a bit of equipment from them. I'm thinking how many times do I have to hit my head against the wall before I decide it hurts? I think I have decided now. It's too bad for them since we are in a depression and I don't see how they can really afford this kind of quality at this point. On Fri, 3 Apr 2009 12:33:44 -0500 "Rick Shindley" wrote: > I have purchased a couple of new MFJ tuners over the years and I found both > of them to be of inferior construction. The last one was a more expensive > model and it arrived with solder balls rolling around inside its case, a > cold solder joint and the air variable cap rotor would come in contact with > its stator plates because the rotor was affixed to its all-to pliable front > panel and the stator was affixed to the bottom of the case. A guy could fix > these issues himself by modifying the case and repairing the connections, > but it's wrong to sell things like that and expect glowing reports from > customers. > > The designs MFJ uses are electrically fine, it's just their materials and > construction practices need improvement. It's my understanding that some of > MFJ's products are assembled by prison inmates, God bless 'em. MFJ's > manufacturing business plan must look good on paper but quality control is a > real problem for the company, in my opinion. > > I am all for helping the down-trodden embark on new careers, and maybe > buying MFJ stuff is a clear way to help those people, but from my experience > you have to be prepared to continue to do without once you receive your > order! I really wish they could find a way to improve their quality. > > Rick > KC0OV > > __ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] OT: MFJ Quality Issues
Folks - This thread was ended last week. 73, Eric WA6HHQ Elecraft List Moderator Gary D Krause wrote: > I've had issues lately with MFJ as well. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] OT: MFJ Quality Issues [END of Thread]
Let's end this thread. In general, we prefer not to have long threads on the reliability of other manufacturer's products on the Elecraft list. 73, Eric WA6HHQ Elecraft List Moderator Erik N Basilier wrote: > Here is my MFJ score: __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] OT: MFJ Quality Issues [END of Thread]
Darn, I was just going to post about my generally good experience with MFJ. Yeah, their paint jobs are not the best and sometimes you have to go inside and tighten loose fasteners, but in general it's good value for the money. I have very good experience with their tuners, both auto and manual. Well, I guess I just did. I promise I won't post any more. Let's end this thread. In general, we prefer not to have long threads on the reliability of other manufacturer's products on the Elecraft list. 73, Eric WA6HHQ Elecraft List Moderator - AB2TC - Knut -- View this message in context: http://n2.nabble.com/OT%3A-MFJ-Quality-Issues-tp2581976p2583297.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
