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write your own review of the MFJ-1275/1275M Sound Card to Rig Interface.
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K8LEN
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Rating: 2/5
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Oct 5, 2009 12:20
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not working
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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I have one, and it refuses to work, I have the 1275m.
I read that ROC software as in CQ this month supports it, BUT one needs blp software to use it. I did find BLP in multicom on the free download. I am wondering if this would help it to kick in gear since the ROC configures it for you.
Has anyone used this on VHF packet the 1275.
Another question does the mfj have to have drivers for the unit???in software.
POB/K8LEN
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N9MXQ
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Rating: 4/5
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Sep 15, 2009 09:57
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Not bad for the price..
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Bought one used at at hamfest last weekend... Brought it home and a couple days later had it hooked up to my ancient Alinco DR-570.. It's now happily N9MXQ-L on Echolink..
Took me all of about 5 minutes to configure the jumpers..
Audio out needed some tweaking, but otherwise an easy setup...
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KJ4ECJ
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Rating: 2/5
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Apr 12, 2009 20:43
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Would Not Recommend
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I paid $117 for the unit (higher than others) in Aug 2008 and it laid in a drawer for 6 months til I found time to hook it up one day in Feb 2009. Got it working that day for the most part. My opinion > The instructions are OK (showing for many radios what mic jumpers to set and how the attentuation jumper may need to be pulled), but I could never get the VOX function to work. Instead I have to hit the TRANSMIT key on my IC730 and also the XMIT on the program I'm using to send the PSK stream (not as advertised). The unit includes several more cabling connections than interfaces of similar cost (unlike the Signalink) and my PC happened not to use a serial port so the included cable was of no use. Instead of buying an interface I spent another $30 for a cable into the USB port. Overall, this unit is workable, but I would not recommend it (price-wise or cabling wise) to hams looking for the simplest set up. I've now ordered the Tigertronics Signalink (with ready-made cable for my 8-pin MIC jack) and know there are just a few cables I'll have to deal with. In addition, it would be nice if the MFJ1275 had a separate sound card (as Signalink does), because now I've started to use a MagicJack which alters some of the PC sound card settings and unless they're set back, PSK will not function.
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ZS6BNE
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Rating: 4/5
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Apr 25, 2008 05:51
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Installation results
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I have built many sound card interfaces in the past and thought it may be interesting to use a commercially built interface. The MFJ was cheaper than the RigBlaster so I decided to go for the cheapar option. I had to import , none available locally in South Africa which made it pretty expensive.
I had mentioned to the retailer that I was using a Heil headset with adapter cable for the Icom 706mkiig and was pleasantly surprised to receive an interface with mic connections matching that of the 706! What did look strange though was the microphone cable looked like a standard piece of UTP network cable and it was pretty long too! What about shielding I thought? Maybe the twisted pairs made up for that?
I might add , the audio and speaker cables were pretty long and a DB9 modem cable was also supplied (Scarce nowadays).
It was easy to set up with the guidelines for the Icom 706mkiig , I'd pity someone though if he had to work out the links for an "Unsupported" radio but not impossible.
I use mine with the M-Audio Delta 66 sound card with break out box and it works fine. I had to do some volume adjustments using the internal potentiometers and of course on the PC too.
All works fine except when I use my G5RV and AH4 antenna tuner. The 300 ohm feedline is just outside the shack. On more than 50% power I get RF feedback , earthing does not help but when I put my hand on the MFJ's cabinet all is OK?
I wonder if anyone else has experienced the same and have you found a cure for it?
Otherwise , the audio quality is good.
Best 73'
Eddie ZS6BNE
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KG9Z
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 24, 2008 05:59
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No problems!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I purchase this MFJ-1275 unit for a Ham Store off of eBay. It came with all the cables needed (including the RS-232), a wall wart PS and a CD of software. This was a new, sealed in plastic, unit.
After reading through the manual on setting the internal jumpers, hooking up the cables, I was ready to get on PKS31. Even though my rig wasn't listed (FT-847), I went with the Yaesu "standard" set up for an 8-pin mic. Everything worked. I was copying signals on 20 and 40M with no problems.
Next, I tried to make a contact. Mostly pilot error and some very nice help from the very nice PSK group, I had made my first QSO! The next morning I made my 1st DX QSO. This was just too cool. I use DigPan ver 2.0
I haven't tried this unit with much power so I don't know how it handles with RFI and all but normal condx with PSK, you don't need much RF.
I know MFJ has its Quality issues, but I didn't have any of that with this unit. As for the cost....certainly would want any of my radio equipment cheaper but $100 was fine.
The only issue I have with the interface, and nothing with its performance is I would like a way to turn off the external spkr without having to unplug it. The by-pass switch or volume control effects your audio rcve.
73 Scotty KG9Z/8
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K9WJL
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Rating: 3/5
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Mar 1, 2008 19:36
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Ok, But give it a good look inside first.
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Not knowing any better, I bought one of these units NIB from a dealer I see often at the hamfests in the area. I happily spent the $90 or $100 in anticipation of learning to use the digital modes.
Got it home, and I set the Jumpers, (btw this was my first HR project) and ran the necessary cables back & forth to the unit. I then looked at my computer for the serial port.
Guess what. No port. But there was a nice advertisement on the inside of the manual for a USB serial adapter.
Well after spending all that money for this unit which really dosent look like its worth the money to start with I was a little PO'd that there was no heads up to the fact that I'd need another $28 adapter for the unit.
Anyhow, it went in the junk drawer.
The other day, I retired my old laptop from work which had a pcmcia serial adapter, and I decided to set it up with the laptop.
I had discovered earlier that HRD has PSK software in it and then it dawned on me that I could use the Icom CI-V interface to do the PTT and away I went.
After fiddling around with the setting on the sound card I have actually made some contacts with the thing, and all was good. Until today.
I moved to a new home in the rack and after the move was done, and the cables strung, I had no output from the mic, but the PTT worked. I opened it up and found the shield on the mic cable had broken off the PC board because the Tie Wrap "strain relief" wasn't tight to the circuit board. It didn't take long to fix, but it is a simple thing to pull a tie wrap tight.
After the repair, all is well.
It does seem to be a nice little unit, and it does work well. I'd have given it a 5 if the box indicated that the thing needs a real serial adapter and the wrap had been pulled tight.
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VA6MJT
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 17, 2007 18:39
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Excellent Interface
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have had two MFJ-1275's for over 4 years. Once dedicated to my Icom 756ProII and one to the Yaesu FT-847 for camping.
I run MixW, MMSSTV as the main applications and have bever had a problem. I also have a TimeWave PK-232 fully updated and I prefer the newer versions ie... MFJ-1275. I have thousands of contacts made on each of these devices and have never had any problems. Hopefully they are moving towards USB connections because serial connections are becoming part of the past. If you are in the market for a digital interface, these are worth the $$$. They work with all of the software I have used flawlessly. I recommend this decive for digital modes. Borrowed a RigBlaster and did not notice any difference. I taped inside the pinouts required for each radio under the cover so there is no playing around when portable! They work great! Hope to see your print! Mike VA6MJT www.qrz.ca
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W4CX
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 1, 2006 10:10
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No problem
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Had mine for over two years now. Easy setup, easy plug-in. My only concern is that I'd like to have more range on the audio receive side. But it's a keeper. I'm going to buy another for my Ten Tec 4-pin rig.
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VA7CRH
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Rating: 4/5
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Apr 11, 2005 07:32
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Does the job
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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After reading the other reviews, it seems I took a chance on this unit. In the other reviews, some of the other units needed internal repair or modification requiring a level of expertise of the owner.
It's a level I don't have. All I want is to get on PSK31 and not monkey with the support equipment. I want to talk with other hams, not tinker alone in the shack with the equipment. (When I said this to our local ham retailer he quipped, "What kind of a ham are you?" But I digress.)
It's not so much the unit, it's the setting up. It's the fiddling with the sound card settings. But at least i did not have some of the other quality-control issues as mentioned in other reviews.
ISSUES BELONGING TO THE UNIT. The MFJ-1275 is straightforward enough, even for a five-thumbs ham like me. It took me a minute to realize that MFJ wanted me to put the jumpers in, to match the 1275 to my IC718's microphone 8-pin configuration. With fear and trembling the lid came off and the pins went in as directed.
Then three days of fiddling with the audio-output controls in the computer yield no results.
THE FIX! It's not in the trouble shooting section of the manual. After consulting with a local ham, who found I actually was getting out with a PSK31 signal, he said, "But your signal is very low. Try turning up your volume."
Turning up the volume did no good.
AUDIO TERMINATION JUMPERS! It seems that behind the MAN/VOX switch inside the unit are two more jumpers. These enable the unit to simulate a "speaker load", and the manual clearly says, "Remember installing these jumpers will reduce sound card level while transmitting."
Well, it does more than "reduce" the level. Acc. to the local experienced ham, it almost kills it all together. Please note - THE JUMPERS WERE ALL READY INSTALLED. To a non-technically minded clutz like myself, this made them 'seem' important. (I know that's not much of a criticism, but who knew they could or should be removed, when every other jumper needed installation?)
So after a couple of days of fiddling these jumpers came out and now I'm PSK31'ing (if that's a verb) with Russia. (The experienced ham also said to my surprise, "You should be transmitting on LSB." I was away to the races.)
One appreciates the need to keep these units as flexible as possible and jumpers seem to be the techincal compromise, and even a non-technically minded ham like myself eventually worked the problem. But, the manual could have been more explicit about the audio termination jumpers - or left them for the user to install (or not) like the others. Okay, okay, call this a nit-pcik if you want, but I'd have been on PSK a few days earlier if I'd been smarter or the manual had addressed the issue better.
Anyway, the unit does the job. I want a "plug and forget" sound car interface and I've got one for the most part. I cannot comment on how this compares to other units or brands.
But as mentioned, the only thing I want is to participate in PSK31 and I'm doing that. RTTY is next. So, the unit does the job. What more can you say except to nitpick?
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W6LBV
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Rating: 4/5
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Mar 14, 2005 14:51
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QC problems lurk!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have owned this product for about two years, and it has operated successfully during this time. However, it demonstrates clearly the central weakness of many MFJ products: the circuit design is adequate for the intended purpose, but the implementation is not.
Some months ago a problem developed in the station which seemed somehow to involve the 1275: the station microphone picked up a large amount of hum and hash when connected through the 1275 (even with the 1275 completed unpowered) to the HF radio (Kenwood 850SAT) causing the VOX to operate continuously. The station did not have a problem when the 1275 was bypassed and the mike was directly connected to the Kenwood.
Having a few hours spare last week, I went after the problem. The microphone cable ohmed clean, and then I went into the 1275. It was only a matter of minutes before I spotted the failure.
To secure the (permanently-wired) 1275-to-radio microphone/push-to-talk cable, within the 1275 MFJ had used an ordinary plastic cable tie (through the PC board and around the individual conductors as they split out from the cable) as a strain relief point. That’s hardly the best kind of strain relief mechanism, but still it should work.
However, during factory assembly of the unit the worker had failed to pull the cable tie tight, and so there was no strain relief at all! Normal use of the interface had resulted in strain on the individual conductors within the bundle, each of which is soldered to a specific hole in the PC board. The weak point turned out to be the shield in the cable bundle, which sheared from its solder pad on the board. In my station configuration the shield is used for “mike ground,” and hence the problem. The repair was rapid, and all works properly again.
If only the MFJ assembler had taken an extra five seconds to pull the tie tight, this problem probably could have been entirely avoided. For the purchase price paid, that is not too much to expect. Where is the MFJ quality control? Perhaps even better, for another $0.25 a proper strain relief bushing could have been installed on the metal chassis lip.
“It’s not the design. It’s the implementation, stupid!”
Finally, there has been much discussion about the “jumpers setting” issue with the 1275. The 1275 design is intended to accommodate mike audio and push-to-talk circuits for almost any kind of radio, and the design is good. However, during set-up it will require one to take a few minutes and “stop-think-analyze” about what he is doing. MFJ does provide sufficient information to allow one to solve an individual configuration problem, as well as some published solutions for popular radios. Well, you are an FCC-licensee and you do have obligations and responsibilities to meet that are inherent with your privileged use of the spectrum. This is just another one of them, so learn to deal with it.
The MFJ 1275 will work well enough for its intended purpose, but purchasers will need to be “heads up” about inspecting the product and correcting any QC-failure problems noted. Still, I would like to see the era arrive when this is no longer necessary for many MFJ products.
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