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write your own review of the MFJ 296 PRO.
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VK3SIR
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 8, 2010 07:16
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VK3VCG
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Excellent, well made product. It arrived today (purchased from MFJ Directly) only after 8 days ! Initial extensive testing show the unit to be spot on with its readings :-)
The unit has been tested against various antennas and figures obtained with a MFJ-259B and a VK5JST Kit Analyser.
This unit was chosen over the MFJ-269 as it not only supports most of the Available Australian 70 cm HAM band but also supports the Australian UHF "Chook Band" (at 477 MHz). The 269 supports 415 - 470 MHZ, whereas the Pro version supports 430 - 520 MHz. For $US30 more its a bargain!
Just a few things to note: It will not give resistance and reactance in UHF mode - Just SWR.
Overall, It appears after extensive testing to be a well made quality product. Its just unfortunate that there are two tainted reviews on this list.
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KB9MXR
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 27, 2009 13:56
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give it a 10
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have had this pro for about 2 years and use it alot it has never let me down I would buy it again if needed
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AD7KC
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Rating: 0/5
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Jul 22, 2007 13:26
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Junk!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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[Up-Date 07/22/97]
The problem (from the first time I tried to use it), I had, with my MFJ-269pro was when it was turned on, it showed the batteries to be ‘low’, as in zero….most of the time. Other times, after turning it on, the display remained ‘blank’, after 5 or 10 minutes it would either start working or indicate the batteries are to ‘low’. I was using new, store bought, batteries….not rechargeable.
I had been using rechargeable NiMH batteries, with the same results. In short, the thing only worked when it was in the mood. I purchased it in February of this year. This was the first time I tried to use it…..for field day (it figures right?).
So…I called MFJ. I talk to a tech (Jason). After listening to my story, he told me it was most likely a crystal failing. As you might surmise, I had a few words to say about the quality (lack of) their components.
Jason told me to send it in and call him back, when I thought it had gotten there He would 'pull it' and get right on it. I did just that. When I called, he said he had found the paper work and would do it, get it done and have sent out the following Monday.
So I didn't think any more about it. The following week passed, and no analyzer. I waited until the next week - Wednesday to be exact - and called Jason again. I got another Tech at MFJ. Told him who I was and what I was looking for. Got put on hold (this happens a lot at MFJ) he returned and let me know that the analyzer was there, and nothing had been done to it.
I asked to speak to a manager or owner. He put a 'supervisor', Bob Ellis, on (after another 5 minute hold). I told the sup the whole story, then asked him 2 things.
1. Why was I lied too
2. What's up with my analyzer?
Bob didn't have an answer to either question. Jason hadn't been in all week, so far.
Bob said he would call back when he found out what the deal was. He did, I wasn't there, left a message on my machine. Said he would call back the following day. Which he did not do. Owing to the time diff, I called him.
Bob told me he was going to send me a new one (269 pro) off the shelf. But, when he turned that one on, the screen "blinked", like my original one did. He didn't like that. So he was going to get a hold of their software engineer - who is in Florida. He said he would call me back in an hour, and he was very apologetic.
That was yesterday (07/12/07), still hadn't heard from him. You better believe I was on the phone, calling MFJ, on Monday. When I called , Bob told me he couldn’t get a hold of their ‘software engineer’. So he did want to call me if he did have anything to tell me. Ok, fair enough.
All last week I was calling, trying to get to the bottom of all this. I go the impression that Bob is a production supervisor, and dealing with things like this isn’t his primary responsibility. Still, he did the best he could. But it appeared that Bob was bouncing from ‘production’ to ‘PR’ and back again.
I did try to get a hold of the person that was suppose to handle these things, Mr. Stubb(?). But….he was always doing something else. Things like giving tours and loading his pickup truck for some hamfest. I think Bob was doing his job too.
The short story is, the MFJ 296 Pro is a hunk of junk (PoS). According to Bob Ellis the MFJ 296 Pro has been ‘pulled’ until the problem has been resolved. This could take a while, since (as far as I know) MFJ hasn’t been able to find their software engineer yet.
From what I can gather, the 296 Pro was put on the market prematurely. The is a ‘software problem’ that is causing several ‘issues’. Bob didn’t know if it was fixable, from the stand point of just uploading a new program – or if new components are needed.
Either way, MFJ treats their customers like dirt under their feet. Something that has to be scraped off their shoes. That said, Bob Ellis did his best.
Bob is sending me the MFJ 269 (not the pro) as a replacement. Bob was the only one (I could find) at MFJ that talked straight. Although I have yet to receive my replacement.
Thing is, the price difference between the 269 and the 269 Pro is $40 (w/shipping). Then there is the $35 it cost me to ship (3 day air – thanks to Jason) the pro to MFJ.
I’m out $75! MFJ’s attitude is I can go back on the people I bought it from and get the $40. I don’t agree with this. Universal Radio sold it, in good faith that the product worked. In this case MFJ released it with a flaw. Now MFJ knows about it. I figure it is the responsibility of MFJ to make it right. Not the businesses that sells their product.
Sadly, for a lot of Ham Radio things, MFJ is the only game in town. I would stay away from anything MFJ makes that requires software.
From now on, I will look for other manufactures products before MFJ’s. I now consider MFJ – the last resort, when there are no other options!
I see 2 issues. Their half-assed approach to marketing their products AND the way they treat their customers.
AD7KC – clear!
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N2CLB
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 19, 2007 07:46
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WOW
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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i got this as my 1st antenna analyzer i have used mfj 259 and mfj 269 and this is by far the best of the 3
de n2clb
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