|
New to Ham Radio?
My Profile
Community
Articles
Forums
News
Reviews
Friends Remembered
Speak Out
Strays
Survey Question
Operating
Contesting
DX Cluster Spots
Propagation
Resources
Calendar
Classifieds
Ham Exams
Ham Links
List Archives
News Articles
Product Reviews
QSL Managers
Site Info
eHam Help (FAQ)
Support the site
The eHam Team
Advertising Info
Vision Statement
About eHam.net
|
|
You can
write your own review of the MFJ-434/434B.
|
K4CMD
|
Rating: 4/5
|
Jul 13, 2006 07:18
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
BEWARE OF JUMPER SETTINGS! Otherwise nice product
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
Well, good ol' MFJ loses a potential "5" from a reviewer because of a stupid mistake. I bought one of these things a month ago to use with my FT-897 on Field Day. I set it up according to the instructions, and I was happy I would not have to go inside the box to change its nine jumpers -- it comes pre-set from the factory for the FT-857 and FT-897.
Oh yeah?
I couldn't get the thing to transmit the messages I'd recorded at all. Nor could I get the keyer to record anything using the MD-100 mike I'd plugged into the front of it. Then it dawned on me that MFJ does not have the reputation of being the sharpest knife in the drawer, and I opened the box.
Sho'nuff!
MFJ had pre-set the keyer for the FT-847, NOT the 857/897 -- a big difference, as it turns out that I had to change EVERY jumper to set it up for my rig and MFJ's claimed "default" setting.
Nice job, MFJ. I'm glad your erroneous information didn't result in a damaged rig!
Otherwise, now that I have set the keyer as it should have left the factory, it works rather well. Audio reports are good, and it is easy to use. The only complaint I have from an operational standpoint is that the volume from the internal speaker -- which is the only way to hear what you're transmitting unless you have a TX monitor in your radio -- is pretty low, even with the unit's volume control turned all the way up.
Let me say one other thing about MFJ and quality. In the instructions, they advise strongly to make sure you keep the 9V battery tab's contacts covered with the supplied slip-on plastic cover if you're not using a 9V battery. If you don't, those tabs -- which are at the end of a long pigtail -- could inadvertently land on something inside and cause a short. Well, when I received the keyer, I heard something rattling around inside (which I have learned is not surprising with MFJ products).
As with other brand-new MFJ products I've owned, I opened the cabinet to "fix" MFJ's mess-up. Fortunately I did not find a loose or damaged component, but the cover for the 9V battery tab! Turns out MFJ supplied a cover that is way too big for the tab, and it just slips right off, leaving the 9V pigtail free to dance around inside the cabinet, contacting everything on the 1-board keyer. AND it leaves the cover rattling around inside too.
As usual, I had to jerry-rig a fix to MFJ's less-than-elegant craftsmanship, using electrical tape to cover the tabs and to tape the pigtail to the side of the cabinet.
So ... this product gets a 4. As with most MFJ products I've purchased, it does a good job once you've gone inside and fixed MFJ's mistakes and oversights. But this time I was lucky too ... those misplaced jumpers could've put 5V where it shouldn't have gone. Other purchasers may not be as lucky, so do yourself a favor and VERIFY THE JUMPERS before you plug in your mike!
|
|
AF4KK
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Apr 22, 2006 06:07
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Works very, very well!
|
Time owned: 3 to 6 months
|
Thank you, MFJ for finally putting a modular mic plug on the 434! Now I can easilly interface it with my Icom IC-7000. Although the 7000 has 4 voice memories, the MFJ-434 allows me to now have "eight" and it does it job very well! Good job, MFJ!
|
|
W3UTD
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Apr 3, 2006 11:03
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Excellent
|
Time owned: 6 to 12 months
|
Easy to setup and easy to use. No-one can seem to tell the difference between my voice and the voice keyer.
Seems to be built well (unusual for MFJ) and works everytime I use it.
|
|
DL4EAX
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Nov 11, 2005 03:00
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
A great help for contesting and pile ups
|
Time owned: 3 to 6 months
|
I hooked up the MFJ-434 to my FT-847 and MD-100A8X (modified with an electret microphone).
Needed to adjust the output level (as described in the manual).
Works fine for me in contests and pile ups.
There is barely no differnce between my audio direct from the microphone and the audio from the MFJ-434.
The five memories give enough flexibility to store different texts for different situations.
|
|
W4ABX
|
Rating: 4/5
|
May 10, 2005 08:58
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
One short coming
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
The only problem I have run into with my keyer, is the repeat feature. The timer is not stable, as it will repeat at random intervals the higher I go with the setting (x10+) the more random it becomes. I would like to see it repeat at a reliable once every 10 minutes, with a check for busy status before sending.
"What do you want for nothing, a rubber biscuit?"
Yean, I know, buy a repeater controller with voice ID. OK, OK.
I would almost believe that an all knowing amateur could conjure up a fix for this! Or I could open my ARRL guide book, and find the answer my self.
|
|
PD2DB
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Apr 4, 2004 16:09
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Can't live without it!
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
|
Have the 434 since one year. Because i use a special element in mine headset i need 8 volt. The 434 gives only adjustable voltage up to 5V. So i made a straight connection. Very simpel to use and no interference. Great audio. 5+
|
|
VR2XMC
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Apr 12, 2003 19:27
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Good product but poor QC
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
It is an update of my previous review. The unit is still working very well. It is a nice addition to my shack. I concur with other reviewers about QC of MFJ. I had painful experience with them before.
Purely in terms of performance, I give this unit a five. However, if QC is taken into account, I give it a 2. Bearing in mind, my first unit is not working. The current unit is a second one. 73 Johnny Siu VR2XMC
|
|
K3IXD
|
Rating: 2/5
|
Apr 7, 2003 15:19
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
MFJ-434
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
|
MFJ needs to institute a quality control program on their assemble line. When received, my first MFJ 434 voice keyer had the eight, remote keying, male pins bent and touching each other. The radio store replaced it. The second MFJ 434 failed several times before it was correctly repaired. Initially not all the memories worked, then in another contest the LEDs failed. And in a later contest, it completely failed. Once the "434" was finally fixed, it is a nice keyer; but anyone purchasing one should do it year before it is really needed. Exercise it before the warranty expires. I have used it with my ICOM IC-746 at home, with my Yaseu FT736r at W3SO in VHF contests, and with a Kenwood TS-850 at W8ZA in HF contests. At both W3SO and W8ZA, many MJF voice keyers are used and the initial failure rate is high!
|
|
T93M
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Mar 23, 2003 15:19
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Works fine
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
I have used the unit in two contests , CQWW '01 nad CQWPX '02 (T93M/HI9) when I won first place in the world.
Both times unit performed great. I modified the back side adding 8 Pin conector for remote triggering via LPT port on my laptop. I use CT contesting software which easily can be set to triger memories from MFJ unit.
I guess I was lucky with QC of my unit.
|
|
If you have any questions, problems, or suggestions about Reviews,
please email your Reviews Manager.
|
|
|
|
|
