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write your own review of the MFJ-259.
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W0NTS
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Rating: 4/5
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Nov 15, 2011 07:14
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Could be better, W0NTS
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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It does what it is designed to do. My unit is an early one, The battery holders are junk! They break when the batteries are inserted. I have obtained replacements from MFJ. They broke the first time I inserted batteries. I have been unable to obtain similar style battery holders. Yesterday I purchased battery holders for AAA cells from Radio Shack. I will now use them in my 259. In addition to the battery holder problem, MFJ could have provided a better way to access the batteries than taking the 259 apart. The frequency set control is very "twitchy". A vernier or something similar could have solved that. My 259 has been back to MFJ once for repair. It seemed to take forever to get it back, but the repair was effective.
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AI0S
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 29, 2011 17:35
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Nice tool
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Quality is not great but OK. Some sloppy solder connections but otherwise it's fine. Nice, inexpensive, useful and easy to want to have around at all times test equipment. I've now got a switch position which connects this analyzer to my antennas so I can get things tweaked before going on the air. Don't leave it connected to one antenna and transmit on another close by because you might blow the input bridge diodes. Also, someone commented on not great battery life and that is because this thing has to have an oscillator powerful enough to give meaningful results which drains batteries. But - that's the physics of this design....
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KB5KWO
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 27, 2011 06:34
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Saves Time
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I picked mine up at a garage sale .. and wont tell you what I paid for it :} - This tool saves lots of trimmin' time on wires and shows one where to spin the knobs on an antenna tuner quickly.. - My HF Vertical antenna now sings perfect resonance as does my mobile VHF. - Also, some antennas resonate on other unknown bands which the analyzer will shed light on as well . I think I will soon read the manual and see what else this thing does..
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KC8Y
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 7, 2010 15:34
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neat device
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I've had the mfj-259 for about 17-years...Back then, when you purchased the item, you got the AC-Adapter with the unit...
I use mine to help me tune my antennas with my antenna tuner to give me the lowest/best SWR at the frequency I'm operating at...Surely this unit deserves a much higher rating than 5...
Have never had any problems using it, BUT don't know about what the NEW units are like...
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AI4WM
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Rating: 4/5
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Aug 2, 2009 08:10
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Handy tool
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Overall if you can pick one up used at a good price as I have it, or it's newer version MFJ-259B, is a handy device to have in your shack. I have had mine for about 2 years. All of these are expensive for the quality of components used in them, but they work. I would probably rated mine a 5 if it had better quality meters. These meters are indicators that will get you in the ballpark, but not accurate enough to give an accurate resistance and the unit will not give direct reactance readings as a GR bridge, but at quite a bit less cost than the GR. I'd rather use the GR, but the 259 is much handier.
I've found that these are quite dependable, but limited to measuring SWR with any kind of relable result. I have used the 259B and 269 and find the accuracy not much different between any of them when the same measurement is compared with my GR RF bridge.
The results I have found from attempting to check traps and resonant circuits ... I'll stay with my GR and HP products even if I must drag cables and or portable power to where I need to usthem.
Cost-wise the 259B or 269 are not worth the price when purchased new. If MFJ or their competition would at least use good Simpson or other USA made meters with good graduations and accuracy they would be worth what they sell for new.
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N0FPE
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Rating: 4/5
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Sep 27, 2008 21:10
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259/269
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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works great.. handy ONE thing..be very careful abt using the thing around active transmitters. even if you dont have it hooked up a nearby transmitter can blow out the 0 ohm resister and it is $69 for MFJ to replace it. I found out the hard way when testing my mobile antennas and my APRS radio beaconed. Damn!!!
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N8ERM
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 27, 2008 19:09
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Wonderful test gear
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have had mine for 6 years. It works great. Tune your tuner with it, tune your antenna. Then read the manual to see what it really can do.
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AD4C2006
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 22, 2008 21:25
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Its a MUST
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have owned mine for seven years now and it has never failed,I have tuned all my antennas with it,never has used with batteries,only with a wall transformer,every ham should have one of these at the shack to save time and not to bother neighboors tunning antennas with high power.When mine brake some day IF it does,with my eyes closed I will buy one more again.
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G7TPL
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 12, 2008 06:33
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excellent!!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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would not be without mine.
modified it to take 10 NIMH batteries (same 12v as 8xAA),never looked back.
absolutely invaluable to anyone playing with antenna's.
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KE4GRP
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 22, 2007 12:40
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Works Great
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Time owned: months
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I have owned mine for about 10 years. I always have hams asking me to use it to tune new antennas. There are some antennas where if it were not for the MFJ 259, it would be almost impossible to tune. The only problem I have had is going through batteries so quick.
Well worth the price and a real necessity around the shack.
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