MiQP

[Todd Fonstad]

Greetings!

Just a short note to remind folks that the Michigan QSO Party is coming up
this Saturday for a 12-hour period from 1600z to 0400z. I'll be running the
K2/100 (#1130) mobile in several of the rare, western U.P. counties
...mostly on CW but with some SSB to pick up multipliers. I'll be on or
around these CW frequencies: 3.545, 7.045, and 14.045; and 3.850, 7.225, and
14.250 SSB.

Hear what this old warhorse (the rig, not me) can do and give me a call.

See the rools at http://www.miqp.org/

73
Todd
N9NE


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[Stephen W. Kercel]

There is an interesting piece in the May 2005 QST. It has product reviews
on four different antenna analyzers.

Two that were included are the MFJ-269 and the Autek VA-1. I have heard
endless horror stories from many hams about both, abysmal quality control,
virtually useless tech support and so on. None of these negatives are
mentioned in the QST product review.

There is also a new product favorably mentioned in the review, the Palstar
ZM-30. Since the MFJ and the Autek are apparently both junk, despite being
favorably reviewed in this article, I'm not sure whether I can trust the
product review on the Palstar.

Anybody have any experience with it? Is it any good?

73,

Steve Kercel
AA4AK


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[N8LP]

In addition to my professional bench gear, I have an MFJ, Autek and AEA
CIA Analyst. I use all but the Autek and AEA regularly and find they
each have a purpose. When I want a to do a quick check of resistance,
reactance, SWR or return loss on the bench I grab the AEA... especially
if I want a quick plot to go with it (using the included software and
serial connection). It is a bit too slow and definitely too heavy to
carry up the tower though.

The Autek is the one I always grab when going up the tower because it is
fast and small. It is also quite accurate. The tuning is a bit touchy as
mentioned in the article, but I find it a quite useful tool.

I don't hate the MFJ, I just like the others better. I have heard a lot
of horror stories about MFJ, but the few things I have work as advertised.

My units may just be good ones, while others may not be as good. For
better or worse, QST tends to rate the products by the performance of
the tested unit, not anecdotal evidence or feedback from the field.

Larry N8LP



Stephen W. Kercel wrote:

> There is an interesting piece in the May 2005 QST. It has product
> reviews on four different antenna analyzers.
>
> Two that were included are the MFJ-269 and the Autek VA-1. I have
> heard endless horror stories from many hams about both, abysmal
> quality control, virtually useless tech support and so on. None of
> these negatives are mentioned in the QST product review.
>
> There is also a new product favorably mentioned in the review, the
> Palstar ZM-30. Since the MFJ and the Autek are apparently both junk,
> despite being favorably reviewed in this article, I'm not sure whether
> I can trust the product review on the Palstar.
>
> Anybody have any experience with it? Is it any good?
>
> 73,
>
> Steve Kercel
> AA4AK
>
>
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[DW Harms]

Hi Steve,

I personally have no bad experiences with MFJ antenna analysers at all. On
the contrary! In our city-club Leiden we have a MFJ-259B that goes from
station to station and is highly appreciated by all of us. And believe me,
there are some around here (excluding me of course hihi...) that really know
what they are doing!

Wishing you all succesfull antenna measurements. Meanwhile I will play
around with my "new" KX1, which just arrived last wedenesday from N7BNT.
Maybe some remembered my plea for a deal with a FT817? Well this list made
two people happy again; Doug's son and me ;)

Best 73, Dick PA2DW

K2 # 3892
KX1 # 731



-----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
Van: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]]Namens Stephen W. Kercel
Verzonden: vrijdag 15 april 2005 6:31
Aan: [hidden email]
Onderwerp: [Elecraft] Antenna Analyzers


There is an interesting piece in the May 2005 QST. It has product reviews
on four different antenna analyzers.

Two that were included are the MFJ-269 and the Autek VA-1. I have heard
endless horror stories from many hams about both, abysmal quality control,
virtually useless tech support and so on. None of these negatives are
mentioned in the QST product review.

There is also a new product favorably mentioned in the review, the Palstar
ZM-30. Since the MFJ and the Autek are apparently both junk, despite being
favorably reviewed in this article, I'm not sure whether I can trust the
product review on the Palstar.

Anybody have any experience with it? Is it any good?

73,

Steve Kercel
AA4AK


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[Charles Greene]

Steve,

I take issue with your statement that both the MFJ-269 and the Autek VA1
are "apparently junk."  I have the Autek and the MFJ-259B, the model
without UHF, and both are quality although inexpensive instruments.  I have
used the VA1 for approximately 3 years and the MFJ for 2 years and I have
never had any problem with either.  I have found the MFJ to be good on
battery usage, as is the Autek.  I recommend both to an average ham who
doesn't need laboratory precision and has the need for the occasional use
of an antenna analyzer.  In fact the readings obtained by the ARRL Lab show
amazing accuracy for such relatively inexpensive units.  If you don't need
the sign of the complex impedance, the less expensive Autek RF1 is fine.  I
had one of those too, but I needed the functions of the more expensive VA1.

I have no knowledge o the Palstar.

This is not a flame, but an attempt to set the record straight.

At 12:31 AM 4/15/2005, Stephen W. Kercel wrote:

>There is an interesting piece in the May 2005 QST. It has product reviews
>on four different antenna analyzers.
>
>Two that were included are the MFJ-269 and the Autek VA-1. I have heard
>endless horror stories from many hams about both, abysmal quality control,
>virtually useless tech support and so on. None of these negatives are
>mentioned in the QST product review.
>
>There is also a new product favorably mentioned in the review, the Palstar
>ZM-30. Since the MFJ and the Autek are apparently both junk, despite being
>favorably reviewed in this article, I'm not sure whether I can trust the
>product review on the Palstar.
>
>Anybody have any experience with it? Is it any good?
>
>73,
>
>Steve Kercel
>AA4AK
>
>
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73,  Chas,  W1CG

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[Stephen W. Kercel]

Charles:

Thanks for your message. I did not take it as a flame.

However, speaking of fire, before I lay out hundreds of dollars for such a
widget, I'd like to make a prudent effort not to get burned.

The record with both MFJ and Autek appears to be a mixed bag. I've heard
both good stories and bad. However, as some of the other posts to this
thread indicate, even among Elecrafters, not everybody seems to have had as
good luck as you have had with these two manufacturers.

73,

Steve


At 08:09 AM 4/15/2005 -0400, you wrote:

>Steve,
>
>I take issue with your statement that both the MFJ-269 and the Autek VA1
>are "apparently junk."  I have the Autek and the MFJ-259B, the model
>without UHF, and both are quality although inexpensive instruments.  I
>have used the VA1 for approximately 3 years and the MFJ for 2 years and I
>have never had any problem with either.  I have found the MFJ to be good
>on battery usage, as is the Autek.  I recommend both to an average ham who
>doesn't need laboratory precision and has the need for the occasional use
>of an antenna analyzer.  In fact the readings obtained by the ARRL Lab
>show amazing accuracy for such relatively inexpensive units.  If you don't
>need the sign of the complex impedance, the less expensive Autek RF1 is
>fine.  I had one of those too, but I needed the functions of the more
>expensive VA1.
>
>I have no knowledge o the Palstar.
>
>This is not a flame, but an attempt to set the record straight.
>
>At 12:31 AM 4/15/2005, Stephen W. Kercel wrote:
>>There is an interesting piece in the May 2005 QST. It has product reviews
>>on four different antenna analyzers.
>>
>>Two that were included are the MFJ-269 and the Autek VA-1. I have heard
>>endless horror stories from many hams about both, abysmal quality
>>control, virtually useless tech support and so on. None of these
>>negatives are mentioned in the QST product review.
>>
>>There is also a new product favorably mentioned in the review, the
>>Palstar ZM-30. Since the MFJ and the Autek are apparently both junk,
>>despite being favorably reviewed in this article, I'm not sure whether I
>>can trust the product review on the Palstar.
>>
>>Anybody have any experience with it? Is it any good?
>>
>>73,
>>
>>Steve Kercel
>>AA4AK
>>
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>Elecraft mailing list
>>Post to: [hidden email]
>>You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
>>Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
>>http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>>
>>Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
>>Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
>
>73,  Chas,  W1CG

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[Stephen W. Kercel]

Hi Joe:

I do not own a MFJ-269. I lusted after one for a while, but there are so
many bad stories posted on so many different ham Web sites that I decided
not to buy one. Now, I'll admit that you do hear the occasional good story
about MFJ, but the reported experiences (even on this thread) constitute a
mixed bag.

Having come to the conclusion that if I did buy a 269 I might get lucky and
I might not, I decided to do without the MFJ-269. Instead I bought a
MFJ-207 on eBay. It was cheap, and had it not lived up to the task, I would
not have lost much. It turns out that I got a good specimen. I only use it
to adjust my antenna tuner without the need to put a transmitted signal on
the air. The 207 is up to that task.

The possible availability of a genuinely reliable and not too expensive
device for measuring R+JX impedances at HF has rekindled my interest in a
fancier instrument.

In the case of the MFJ-269 versus the Palstar I note the following points.
The list price of the Palstar is ten dollars cheaper than the MFJ. Reported
experience with the MFJ is unmistakably a mixed bag; some hams love it and
some  hate it. The reports on the Palstar constitute a much smaller sample,
but those reports thus far are uniformly positive. The fact that the
Palstar is a reboxed AA-908 seems to be a decided positive; I've never
heard a bad story about the 908.

Thanks and 73,

Steve
AA4AK

>Howdy Steve:
>
>Not sure if you own an MFJ analyzer...I have owned the model 269 for
>several years now without problem.  It is an excellent tool for antenna
>measurements.
>
>I am fully aware that MFJ quality leaves something to be desired (Mighty
>Fine Junk:-) but the 269 has been a reliable performer for me....so I
>wouldn't discard it out of hand......perhaps you can pick up a used one to
>play with and see if it meets your standards....they usually re-sell
>quickly so you wouldn't lose much.
>
>                                            73, Joe W2KJ
>

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[Stephen W. Kercel]

Weymouth:

Actually, the Kuranishi is included in the review, and quite favorably rated.

Steve


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[Vic K2VCO]

Stephen W. Kercel wrote:

> There is an interesting piece in the May 2005 QST. It has product
> reviews on four different antenna analyzers.
>
> Two that were included are the MFJ-269 and the Autek VA-1. I have heard
> endless horror stories from many hams about both, abysmal quality
> control, virtually useless tech support and so on. None of these
> negatives are mentioned in the QST product review.

You hear the horror stories, not the ones in which people successfully use these
products.  I have an MFJ-259B and an Autek VA-1.  They have their weaknesses,
but compared to the higher-quality AEA unit, for example, they are very
inexpensive.  This is a tradeoff many hams are willing to make, given the fact
that they don't earn their livings using these tools every day.  I know that
they have enabled me to do all kinds of jobs that would have been much more
difficult without them.

Maybe I've been lucky.  I do want to say that I've also heard 'horror stories'
and some (OK, not all) have been from people who don't have a clue how the tool
works and what its limitations are, while others are the guys who have a
permanent 'attitude' (just read some of the postings on eHam.net if you want to
see what I mean).

--
73,
Vic, K2VCO
Fresno CA
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco

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[EricJ-2]

 I also have the Autek VA-1. For the average ham who enjoys building his own
antennas or adjusts and maintains his commercially available antennas, the
VA-1 is accurate and has enough features to get the job done. The signed
reactance really saves a lot of time.

DO NOT LISTEN to the VA-1 signal on a receiver. It will scare you away. It
is very raspy and it drifts...but it isn't intended to be a preceision
signal source. It does the job it was intended for, and does it very well.

Like Steve, I write only to set the record straight with one more example. I
can't speak for the MFJ, nor have I read the QST article.

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Charles Greene
Sent: Friday, April 15, 2005 5:09 AM
To: Stephen W. Kercel; [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Antenna Analyzers

Steve,

I take issue with your statement that both the MFJ-269 and the Autek VA1 are
"apparently junk."  I have the Autek and the MFJ-259B, the model without
UHF, and both are quality although inexpensive instruments.  
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[Stephen W. Kercel]

Vic:

Your point is well taken.

73,

Steve
AA4AK


"while others are the guys who have a permanent 'attitude' (just read some
of the postings on eHam.net if you want to see what I mean)"



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[Stuart Rohre]

My clubs, (two) have had 3 MFJ's.   The only reason we had 3, was we
replaced a 259 with the 259 B for added features, and gave the still working
one away as a door prize.  I have the Autek RF 1, and then later got the MFJ
269 to gain 440 band.  All have worked well.  There was an intermittent
display problem in earlier RF 1's that was a connector pin length issue.  I
did the suggested mod myself, and no longer have any intermittent.

The MFJ's have a lot of computing and active devices so do use batteries
pretty hard.  I think the same of the Autek, but then found that its on off
switch was easily tripped on in transporting the analyzer in its box.
Thus, I added an adhesive ring around the push button to make it harder to
hit accidentally and since no more run down battery.  Just glue an o ring of
enough thickness to protect the button from bumping into padding of the box.

Also, all the club analyzers, and my two agree in readings very closely.
And compare well to a Bird SWR/Power meter we checked.

-Stuart K5KVH



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[Stuart Rohre]

Ten Tec has a great "T kit" for adjusting Antenna Tuners with out a signal
on the air, save the built in noise bridge.  And it costs a LOT less than an
Antenna Analyzer from the commercial sources.  The kit is one board, handful
of components and maybe one hour or less assembly.  You listen for a null in
noise bridge signal as you tune your antnena tuner connected to your
receiver.  Works great.
-Stuart
K5KVH



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[Stuart Rohre]

Many pieces of equipment never get a comment from hams when they work as
advertised, or have so many advanced features that most hams never learn to
use them.

Thus, it is likely you hear the war stories of the problem equipment; rather
than of the successes.

In addition to my own MFJ 269, which has been perfect; our clubs locally
have had 3 good 259's, and at work we bought about 3 259B's for various
projects.  All worked and even are useable with "eye ball averaging"  in the
locally high RF field during days from an AM station one mile down the road,
(25 kW).  You can buy an add on series trap kit to bypass RF such as this
from the MFJ's if it is a problem in your application.

The MFJ's have quietly found a place in the tool boxes of many Broadcast
operations, and I would bet they might be made in the numbers that only VOMs
held before.  With so many out in the field, you are likely to get the
occasional failure.  The quality control seems to have improved on the MFJ
products as evidenced by visual inspection of the insides of the analyzers I
have had around, and also those at work.
-Stuart
K5KVH



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[Don Brown-4]

Hi

I was not going to jump in on this but it seems everyone has an opinion so
here are my experiences. I have a MFJ-259B, a Autek VA1 and a Autek RF5. The
first 259B I got did not work (no RF out) I sent it back and the replacement
has been fine for about 3 years. I use it fairly often and I like the analog
meters as well as the digital readout. It is a little hard on batteries but
I installed a set of NiMH rechargeable batteries and it has solved the
problem. Just remember to recharge them with the included AC power supply.
There is an internal switch that will allow them to charge from the AC
adapter. I have the 259B in the soft protective case so it is not easy to
remove the batteries. I just keep them installed inside and charge them in
the instrument.

When I got the VA1 and RF5 the VA1 had an intermittent problem and frankly I
also ran into a non responsive customer service department. I finally
decided to fix it myself and it turned out a large number of solder joints
inside were never soldered or soldered poorly. After going over the boards
and repairing the soldering it has worked properly. I did not have any
problems with the RF-5. Electronically the design is good but I was a little
disappointed with the mechanical design and the front panel could be done a
bit better. For what its worth they do the job and are small, light and run
quite a while on a 9 volt battery.

I find if I am working on a HF antenna I will usually grab the 259B as it is
easier to use and read than the VA1. For VHF the RF-5 is my choice. It has a
function that will automatically find the lowest SWR or lowest impedance
with the press of a button. If the VA1 had this I may change my opinion
about it and prefer it over the 259B

Don Brown
KD5NDB
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[DW Harms]

Hi all,

Does anyone of you have experience charging Ni-Mh cells in the KX1? I have
2400 mA/h cells installed and if I am right, a 33 Ohm resistor accross D3,
would charge these cells in app. 10 hours.
Any comment/info is welcome.

Best 73, Dick PA2DW

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[Chuck Gehring]

"Does anyone of you have experience charging Ni-Mh cells in the KX1? I have 2400 mA/h cells installed and if I am right, a 33 Ohm resistor accross D3,> would charge these cells in app. 10 hours."


I saw Paul W0RW's post awhile ago about his Ni-CAd battery mod.  I don't know or understand very much about the actual theory behind rechargable batteries.  It is my understanding that Ni-Mh maintain a higher voltage for a longer period without the memory of Ni-CAD.

It would seem that having Ni-Mh would be a more practical option for power as compared to the standard Ni-CAD option.

73, KI4DGH
Chuck G.

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