|
Here is my somewhat off-topic question for today:
I have an R8 vertical, which does its bandswitching with a combination of stubs and traps. The other day I was transmitting CW on 40M with about 1200 watts and a normal SWR of less than 1.5:1. Suddenly the SWR went sky-high. Now the antenna doesn't work on 7 and 10 MHz, although it is fine on the higher bands. It looks to me like I blew the 30M trap. So: 1. Do you folks think this is a correct diagnosis? I will have to take the antenna down to be sure, and that won't be fun since it is on top of a 10-story building. 2. I have heard of this happening with the R8, although it is rated at 1500W CW according to the manual. But I always thought the people it happened to were operating at high SWRs. Maybe these are 1500 MFJ watts, which, as everyone knows, are smaller than regular watts. Has anyone had a similar experience? 3. Should I have bought a KPA500 which wouldn't stress the antenna as much? :-) -- 73, Vic, 4X6GP/K2VCO Rehovot, Israel http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/ ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] |
|
Hi,
No matter what happens, you will probably end up taking the antenna down... If nothing else to check to be sure it is fine... Grab an analyzer and connect it as close to the antenna base as possible, and see if it is resonant on all bands... Probably won't anymore. If you are lucky, it is some strange feedline thing, or a connector issue, but having the antenna work on some bands, while not on others reeks of blown trap. I fear your diagnosis is in fact correct... If you are going to "fix" it, and if it were me, I would get a trapless antenna of some sort... No traps blow. I currently use a GAP Challenger DX, (trapless), and have a band by band review of it at: http://nk7z.net/review-of-the-challenger-dx-antenna-by-gap-antenna/ The antenna takes power, and does not break, I have run 1000 Watts into it on RTTY for 15 minutes with no issues. I have had it up for at least 7 years, and I think 10 or more years. Never a problem beyond the three radials coming off once... It is a pretty good performer on 40, and 20. I finally got one of the mono gaps, and it does a good job. I do take it down every few years and check things, and change out anything that looks like it is going bad. -- Thanks and 73's, For equipment, and software setups and reviews see: www.nk7z.net for MixW support see; http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/mixw/info for Dopplergram information see: http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/dopplergram/info for MM-SSTV see: http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/MM-SSTV/info On Mon, 2014-12-15 at 12:17 +0200, Vic Rosenthal 4X6GP/K2VCO wrote: > Here is my somewhat off-topic question for today: > > I have an R8 vertical, which does its bandswitching with a combination > of stubs and traps. The other day I was transmitting CW on 40M with > about 1200 watts and a normal SWR of less than 1.5:1. Suddenly the SWR > went sky-high. Now the antenna doesn't work on 7 and 10 MHz, although it > is fine on the higher bands. It looks to me like I blew the 30M trap. So: > > 1. Do you folks think this is a correct diagnosis? I will have to take > the antenna down to be sure, and that won't be fun since it is on top of > a 10-story building. > > 2. I have heard of this happening with the R8, although it is rated at > 1500W CW according to the manual. But I always thought the people it > happened to were operating at high SWRs. Maybe these are 1500 MFJ watts, > which, as everyone knows, are smaller than regular watts. Has anyone had > a similar experience? > > 3. Should I have bought a KPA500 which wouldn't stress the antenna as > much? :-) ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] |
|
The good news is that I called MFJ, got a technician immediately, he
agreed that the 30M trap is the problem, and said he would send me a new one under warranty. Elecraft-style service (so far). The bad news is that despite the statement in the manual that it is rated at "1500W CW," he told me not to exceed 800-1000 watts. Not Elecraft-style design/documentation! So if you have an R8 or similar antenna, be warned. I wasn't tuning up or running RTTY -- I was calling CQ on 40M running about 1200W. Other bands are unchanged but 30 and 40M are gone. Thanks to everyone that responded. On 15 Dec 2014 15:07, David Cole wrote: > Hi, > > No matter what happens, you will probably end up taking the antenna > down... If nothing else to check to be sure it is fine... > > Grab an analyzer and connect it as close to the antenna base as > possible, and see if it is resonant on all bands... Probably won't > anymore. If you are lucky, it is some strange feedline thing, or a > connector issue, but having the antenna work on some bands, while not on > others reeks of blown trap. I fear your diagnosis is in fact > correct... > > If you are going to "fix" it, and if it were me, I would get a trapless > antenna of some sort... No traps blow. I currently use a GAP > Challenger DX, (trapless), and have a band by band review of it at: > http://nk7z.net/review-of-the-challenger-dx-antenna-by-gap-antenna/ > > The antenna takes power, and does not break, I have run 1000 Watts into > it on RTTY for 15 minutes with no issues. I have had it up for at least > 7 years, and I think 10 or more years. Never a problem beyond the three > radials coming off once... It is a pretty good performer on 40, and 20. > I finally got one of the mono gaps, and it does a good job. I do take > it down every few years and check things, and change out anything that > looks like it is going bad. -- 73, Vic, 4X6GP/K2VCO Rehovot, Israel http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/ ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] |
|
MFJ has a technician? Pretty amazing, Vic :-)
Phil W7OX On 12/15/14 9:28 AM, Vic Rosenthal 4X6GP/K2VCO wrote: > The good news is that I called MFJ, got a > technician immediately, he agreed that the 30M > trap is the problem, and said he would send me a > new one under warranty. Elecraft-style service > (so far). > > The bad news is that despite the statement in > the manual that it is rated at "1500W CW," he > told me not to exceed 800-1000 watts. Not > Elecraft-style design/documentation! > > So if you have an R8 or similar antenna, be > warned. I wasn't tuning up or running RTTY -- I > was calling CQ on 40M running about 1200W. > > Other bands are unchanged but 30 and 40M are gone. > > Thanks to everyone that responded. > > On 15 Dec 2014 15:07, David Cole wrote: >> Hi, >> >> No matter what happens, you will probably end >> up taking the antenna >> down... If nothing else to check to be sure it >> is fine... >> >> Grab an analyzer and connect it as close to the >> antenna base as >> possible, and see if it is resonant on all >> bands... Probably won't >> anymore. If you are lucky, it is some strange >> feedline thing, or a >> connector issue, but having the antenna work on >> some bands, while not on >> others reeks of blown trap. I fear your >> diagnosis is in fact >> correct... >> >> If you are going to "fix" it, and if it were >> me, I would get a trapless >> antenna of some sort... No traps blow. I >> currently use a GAP >> Challenger DX, (trapless), and have a band by >> band review of it at: >> http://nk7z.net/review-of-the-challenger-dx-antenna-by-gap-antenna/ >> >> >> The antenna takes power, and does not break, I >> have run 1000 Watts into >> it on RTTY for 15 minutes with no issues. I >> have had it up for at least >> 7 years, and I think 10 or more years. Never a >> problem beyond the three >> radials coming off once... It is a pretty good >> performer on 40, and 20. >> I finally got one of the mono gaps, and it does >> a good job. I do take >> it down every few years and check things, and >> change out anything that >> looks like it is going bad. > > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] |
|
In reply to this post by Vic Rosenthal
On Mon,12/15/2014 2:17 AM, Vic Rosenthal 4X6GP/K2VCO wrote:
> I have heard of this happening with the R8, although it is rated at > 1500W CW according to the manual. But I always thought the people it > happened to were operating at high SWRs. Maybe these are 1500 MFJ > watts, which, as everyone knows, are smaller than regular watts. Has > anyone had a similar experience? Hi Vic, It might be worth asking this question on the Tower Talk reflector. 73, Jim K9YC ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] |
|
In reply to this post by Vic Rosenthal
So how painful will it be to lower the antenna and
repair it, Vic? And what is the ETA for the trap to arrive at your QTH? Phil W7OX On 12/15/14 9:28 AM, Vic Rosenthal 4X6GP/K2VCO wrote: > The good news is that I called MFJ, got a > technician immediately, he agreed that the 30M > trap is the problem, and said he would send me a > new one under warranty. Elecraft-style service > (so far). > > The bad news is that despite the statement in > the manual that it is rated at "1500W CW," he > told me not to exceed 800-1000 watts. Not > Elecraft-style design/documentation! > > So if you have an R8 or similar antenna, be > warned. I wasn't tuning up or running RTTY -- I > was calling CQ on 40M running about 1200W. > > Other bands are unchanged but 30 and 40M are gone. > > Thanks to everyone that responded. > > On 15 Dec 2014 15:07, David Cole wrote: >> Hi, >> >> No matter what happens, you will probably end >> up taking the antenna >> down... If nothing else to check to be sure it >> is fine... >> >> Grab an analyzer and connect it as close to the >> antenna base as >> possible, and see if it is resonant on all >> bands... Probably won't >> anymore. If you are lucky, it is some strange >> feedline thing, or a >> connector issue, but having the antenna work on >> some bands, while not on >> others reeks of blown trap. I fear your >> diagnosis is in fact >> correct... >> >> If you are going to "fix" it, and if it were >> me, I would get a trapless >> antenna of some sort... No traps blow. I >> currently use a GAP >> Challenger DX, (trapless), and have a band by >> band review of it at: >> http://nk7z.net/review-of-the-challenger-dx-antenna-by-gap-antenna/ >> >> >> The antenna takes power, and does not break, I >> have run 1000 Watts into >> it on RTTY for 15 minutes with no issues. I >> have had it up for at least >> 7 years, and I think 10 or more years. Never a >> problem beyond the three >> radials coming off once... It is a pretty good >> performer on 40, and 20. >> I finally got one of the mono gaps, and it does >> a good job. I do take >> it down every few years and check things, and >> change out anything that >> looks like it is going bad. > > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] |
|
In reply to this post by Jim Brown-10
maybe the brilliant designer thought he could build the 30 meter trap
to the power level allowed on 30 meters ;) ????? oooops At 01:49 PM 12/15/2014, Jim Brown wrote: >On Mon,12/15/2014 2:17 AM, Vic Rosenthal 4X6GP/K2VCO wrote: >>I have heard of this happening with the R8, although it is rated at >>1500W CW according to the manual. But I always thought the people >>it happened to were operating at high SWRs. Maybe these are 1500 >>MFJ watts, which, as everyone knows, are smaller than regular >>watts. Has anyone had a similar experience? > >Hi Vic, > >It might be worth asking this question on the Tower Talk reflector. > >73, Jim K9YC >______________________________________________________________ >Elecraft mailing list >Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >Post: mailto:[hidden email] > >This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >Message delivered to [hidden email] ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] |
|
In reply to this post by Jim Brown-10
The manual on the MFJ website now specifies that the antenna can handle
1500 watts SSB without compression, 750 watts CW, and 500 watts RTTY. The manual that came with my antenna (purchased this March) simply said 1500 watts CW. It also had the pre-MFJ address for Cushcraft. When I was considering what antenna to buy last December I downloaded the manual. That one was also the old version. So apparently they only recently updated the manual. Too bad -- I would have made a different choice if I'd known. On 15 Dec 2014 20:49, Jim Brown wrote: > On Mon,12/15/2014 2:17 AM, Vic Rosenthal 4X6GP/K2VCO wrote: >> I have heard of this happening with the R8, although it is rated at >> 1500W CW according to the manual. But I always thought the people it >> happened to were operating at high SWRs. Maybe these are 1500 MFJ >> watts, which, as everyone knows, are smaller than regular watts. Has >> anyone had a similar experience? > > Hi Vic, > > It might be worth asking this question on the Tower Talk reflector. > > 73, Jim K9YC -- 73, Vic, 4X6GP/K2VCO Rehovot, Israel http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/ ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] |
|
In reply to this post by Vic Rosenthal
Hi Vic,
That is not surprising to me for reasons later discussed here... When something is rated at "1500 Watts, CW", that really means, 300 watts to 500 watts DC, or 100% duty cycle... I wish manufactures would rate things at 100% duty cycle. I am pretty sure Elecraft does. CW is taken to be about a 20% duty cycle, (for the most part), and as such you can hammer something much harder when running CW than say when you are running RTTY at 100% duty cycle... That is how the 300 watt figure came about, r=.20*1500, where r is the rating for power. I tend to de-rate everything 60% to 85% when I run RTTY, PSK, or any mode that is even close to 100% duty cycle, more on the 75% side of things. I would bet that 1000 watts RTTY for 10 minutes would blow another trap... I really dislike trap antennas for this reason, and these reasons-- a bug gets into a trap, and you have a fire, water gets into a trap, and you have a fire, a leaf falls on a trap, and you have a trap fire, etc. You get the picture... Pretty much everything ends in "trap fire". Next time try and get an antenna with no traps if possible. I realize you have the R8 now, and will keep it, but in the future, never forget the lesson the MFJ antenna just taught you! I learned my de-rating lesson in a similar way several decades ago, running RTTY, I have NEVER forgotten it. If you have an antenna in a hard to get to location, overbuild everything. I had been considering an R8 up to now-- but the little experiment you just performed, just convinced me to avoid that antenna. -- Thanks and 73's, For equipment, and software setups and reviews see: www.nk7z.net for MixW support see; http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/mixw/info for Dopplergram information see: http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/dopplergram/info for MM-SSTV see: http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/MM-SSTV/info On Mon, 2014-12-15 at 19:28 +0200, Vic Rosenthal 4X6GP/K2VCO wrote: > The good news is that I called MFJ, got a technician immediately, he > agreed that the 30M trap is the problem, and said he would send me a new > one under warranty. Elecraft-style service (so far). > > The bad news is that despite the statement in the manual that it is > rated at "1500W CW," he told me not to exceed 800-1000 watts. Not > Elecraft-style design/documentation! > > So if you have an R8 or similar antenna, be warned. I wasn't tuning up > or running RTTY -- I was calling CQ on 40M running about 1200W. > > Other bands are unchanged but 30 and 40M are gone. > > Thanks to everyone that responded. > > On 15 Dec 2014 15:07, David Cole wrote: > > Hi, > > > > No matter what happens, you will probably end up taking the antenna > > down... If nothing else to check to be sure it is fine... > > > > Grab an analyzer and connect it as close to the antenna base as > > possible, and see if it is resonant on all bands... Probably won't > > anymore. If you are lucky, it is some strange feedline thing, or a > > connector issue, but having the antenna work on some bands, while not on > > others reeks of blown trap. I fear your diagnosis is in fact > > correct... > > > > If you are going to "fix" it, and if it were me, I would get a trapless > > antenna of some sort... No traps blow. I currently use a GAP > > Challenger DX, (trapless), and have a band by band review of it at: > > http://nk7z.net/review-of-the-challenger-dx-antenna-by-gap-antenna/ > > > > The antenna takes power, and does not break, I have run 1000 Watts into > > it on RTTY for 15 minutes with no issues. I have had it up for at least > > 7 years, and I think 10 or more years. Never a problem beyond the three > > radials coming off once... It is a pretty good performer on 40, and 20. > > I finally got one of the mono gaps, and it does a good job. I do take > > it down every few years and check things, and change out anything that > > looks like it is going bad. > > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] |
|
In reply to this post by Vic Rosenthal
On Mon,12/15/2014 11:32 AM, Vic Rosenthal 4X6GP/K2VCO wrote:
> The manual on the MFJ website now specifies that the antenna can > handle 1500 watts SSB without compression, 750 watts CW, and 500 watts > RTTY. One might suspect that MFJ did some "cost engineering" on the original Cushcraft design. Wouldn't be the first time. 73, Jim K9YC ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] |
|
"cost engineering"
Jim you are a gentlemen... -- Thanks and 73's, For equipment, and software setups and reviews see: www.nk7z.net for MixW support see; http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/mixw/info for Dopplergram information see: http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/dopplergram/info for MM-SSTV see: http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/MM-SSTV/info On Mon, 2014-12-15 at 16:00 -0800, Jim Brown wrote: > On Mon,12/15/2014 11:32 AM, Vic Rosenthal 4X6GP/K2VCO wrote: > > The manual on the MFJ website now specifies that the antenna can > > handle 1500 watts SSB without compression, 750 watts CW, and 500 watts > > RTTY. > > One might suspect that MFJ did some "cost engineering" on the original > Cushcraft design. > > Wouldn't be the first time. > > 73, Jim K9YC > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[hidden email] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message delivered to [hidden email] ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] |
|
In reply to this post by Vic Rosenthal
I had a similar problem with a Cushcraft antenna. They also promised me
an immediate replacement. I waited, sent email, waited, sent email, called - left message, finally after about 2 months I received the replacement parts. So, hold off judgement on their service until you have parts in hand. I also had a new but defective 259C analyzer. Sent it in for "No Matter What" warranty. It took 65 days to get it back. I could go on. Many people have shared their MFJ experiences in the past. MFJ is always a good news/bad news company. Many interesting products, but consistently falling short on quality and service. I'm glad Cushcraft was bought rather than allowed to go under - just like Hy-Gain. But, I am always suspicious of any of their products. 73, Doug -- K0DXV On 12/15/2014 10:28 AM, Vic Rosenthal 4X6GP/K2VCO wrote: > The good news is that I called MFJ, got a technician immediately, he > agreed that the 30M trap is the problem, and said he would send me a > new one under warranty. Elecraft-style service (so far). > > The bad news is that despite the statement in the manual that it is > rated at "1500W CW," he told me not to exceed 800-1000 watts. Not > Elecraft-style design/documentation! > > So if you have an R8 or similar antenna, be warned. I wasn't tuning up > or running RTTY -- I was calling CQ on 40M running about 1200W. > > Other bands are unchanged but 30 and 40M are gone. > > Thanks to everyone that responded. > > On 15 Dec 2014 15:07, David Cole wrote: >> Hi, >> >> No matter what happens, you will probably end up taking the antenna >> down... If nothing else to check to be sure it is fine... >> >> Grab an analyzer and connect it as close to the antenna base as >> possible, and see if it is resonant on all bands... Probably won't >> anymore. If you are lucky, it is some strange feedline thing, or a >> connector issue, but having the antenna work on some bands, while not on >> others reeks of blown trap. I fear your diagnosis is in fact >> correct... >> >> If you are going to "fix" it, and if it were me, I would get a trapless >> antenna of some sort... No traps blow. I currently use a GAP >> Challenger DX, (trapless), and have a band by band review of it at: >> http://nk7z.net/review-of-the-challenger-dx-antenna-by-gap-antenna/ >> >> The antenna takes power, and does not break, I have run 1000 Watts into >> it on RTTY for 15 minutes with no issues. I have had it up for at least >> 7 years, and I think 10 or more years. Never a problem beyond the three >> radials coming off once... It is a pretty good performer on 40, and 20. >> I finally got one of the mono gaps, and it does a good job. I do take >> it down every few years and check things, and change out anything that >> looks like it is going bad. > > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] |
|
On Mon,12/15/2014 5:41 PM, Doug Person via Elecraft wrote:
> MFJ is always a good news/bad news company. IMO the only good news about the MFJ companies is the same as the most common bad news -- CHEAP. Cheap construction, poor or non-existent quality control, poor support. I consider them a very poor corporate citizen, because their low prices push better products from better companies out of the market. Little difference from what WalMart has done to "main street" businesses. 73, Jim K9YC ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] |
|
I see nothing wrong with MFJ. They serve the market reasonably well, if they did not they would soon be out of business. If MFJ was actually as bad as some of the posts you read, they would be out of business rather soon. But they keep humming along. Lets face it, hams are cheap. They like cheap stuff, even if it has a few warts. If MFJ raised their quality, and, of course, prices, accordingly (as they would have to), you know what would happen? Another company would soon spring up that looks a whole lot like the current incarnation of MFJ. Why? Well, because hams are cheap. They buy cheap stuff. Warts and all. I have had problems with some of the MFJ stuff I have bought. I have gotten reasonable service when I called or sent a message. Not super fast service, but commensurate with the price paid. What else is reasonable to expect? 73 de dave ab9ca/4 On 12/15/14 7:54 PM, Jim Brown wrote: > On Mon,12/15/2014 5:41 PM, Doug Person via Elecraft wrote: >> MFJ is always a good news/bad news company. > > IMO the only good news about the MFJ companies is the same as the most > common bad news -- CHEAP. Cheap construction, poor or non-existent > quality control, poor support. I consider them a very poor corporate > citizen, because their low prices push better products from better > companies out of the market. Little difference from what WalMart has > done to "main street" businesses. > > 73, Jim K9YC > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[hidden email] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message delivered to [hidden email] > Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] |
|
In reply to this post by Vic Rosenthal
Water intrusion?
73, Rick wa6nhc Tiny iPhone 5 keypad, typos are inevitable > On Dec 15, 2014, at 9:28 AM, Vic Rosenthal 4X6GP/K2VCO <[hidden email]> wrote: > > The good news is that I called MFJ, got a technician immediately, he agreed that the 30M trap is the problem, and said he would send me a new one under warranty. Elecraft-style service (so far). > > The bad news is that despite the statement in the manual that it is rated at "1500W CW," he told me not to exceed 800-1000 watts. Not Elecraft-style design/documentation! > > So if you have an R8 or similar antenna, be warned. I wasn't tuning up or running RTTY -- I was calling CQ on 40M running about 1200W. > > Other bands are unchanged but 30 and 40M are gone. > > Thanks to everyone that responded. > >> On 15 Dec 2014 15:07, David Cole wrote: >> Hi, >> >> No matter what happens, you will probably end up taking the antenna >> down... If nothing else to check to be sure it is fine... >> >> Grab an analyzer and connect it as close to the antenna base as >> possible, and see if it is resonant on all bands... Probably won't >> anymore. If you are lucky, it is some strange feedline thing, or a >> connector issue, but having the antenna work on some bands, while not on >> others reeks of blown trap. I fear your diagnosis is in fact >> correct... >> >> If you are going to "fix" it, and if it were me, I would get a trapless >> antenna of some sort... No traps blow. I currently use a GAP >> Challenger DX, (trapless), and have a band by band review of it at: >> http://nk7z.net/review-of-the-challenger-dx-antenna-by-gap-antenna/ >> >> The antenna takes power, and does not break, I have run 1000 Watts into >> it on RTTY for 15 minutes with no issues. I have had it up for at least >> 7 years, and I think 10 or more years. Never a problem beyond the three >> radials coming off once... It is a pretty good performer on 40, and 20. >> I finally got one of the mono gaps, and it does a good job. I do take >> it down every few years and check things, and change out anything that >> looks like it is going bad. > > > -- > 73, > Vic, 4X6GP/K2VCO > Rehovot, Israel > http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/ > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[hidden email] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message delivered to [hidden email] Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] |
|
In reply to this post by Jim Brown-10
A real world data point:
I recently ordered two MFJ 17 ft telescoping masts, which arrived today. Not exactly high tech. One of them was defective - a section that was jammed and would not come apart, along with an adjacent joint that felt way too loose. HRO had me ship it back to them, and I'm sure they will replace it with a good one. But I've wasted $7 bucks to mail it back, plus time going to and waiting at the post office. Fortunately I don't need it right away. But definitely a example of poor quality control. 73 - Jim K8MR -----Original Message----- From: Jim Brown <[hidden email]> To: elecraft <[hidden email]> Sent: Mon, Dec 15, 2014 8:59 pm Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Blown trap? On Mon,12/15/2014 5:41 PM, Doug Person via Elecraft wrote: > MFJ is always a good news/bad news company. IMO the only good news about the MFJ companies is the same as the most common bad news -- CHEAP. Cheap construction, poor or non-existent quality control, poor support. I consider them a very poor corporate citizen, because their low prices push better products from better companies out of the market. Little difference from what WalMart has done to "main street" businesses. 73, Jim K9YC ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] |
|
HI Jim:
Sorry to hear about the QC issue. You'd think that HRO would have looked at them to make sure that there were OK. Well, maybe they were in a sealed package. As I see it, HRO should at least reimburse you for your return postage... and then bill MFJ for that cost. 73 de Ray K2ULR KX3 #211 On Dec 15, 2014, at 11:22 PM, Jim Stahl via Elecraft wrote: > A real world data point: > > > I recently ordered two MFJ 17 ft telescoping masts, which arrived > today. Not exactly high tech. One of them was defective - a section > that was jammed and would not come apart, along with an adjacent > joint that felt way too loose. > > > HRO had me ship it back to them, and I'm sure they will replace it > with a good one. But I've wasted $7 bucks to mail it back, plus time > going to and waiting at the post office. > > > Fortunately I don't need it right away. But definitely a example of > poor quality control. > > > > > 73 - Jim K8MR > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [hidden email] |
| Free forum by Nabble | Edit this page |
