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You can
write your own review of the MFJ-8621 Packet Radio.
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W4CHL
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Rating: 4/5
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Mar 31, 2003 09:40
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Good for APRS or emergency net relay
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Good for emergency net relay, fixed frequency work. As stated above, setup crystals and forget.
Agree with prior reviews, they work great, but for list price more versatility can be had. Usually available used online or at swapfests for circa $50-$65 these days and for that price a good buy IMO.
Cheers & 73s de Mark W4CHL
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W8SCA
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Rating: 3/5
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Jun 21, 2002 16:55
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OK, with some reservations
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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Pros:
* Stunningly simple - turn it on and go.
* Lack of controls means not much interest in stealing it.
* Good for unattended stations - curious people can't mess it up.
* Solid construction. I've run one as an APRS weather station for about a year, plus mobile trackers. Don't back over it and you'll be fine.
Cons:
* 5 watts out, no more, no less. Lower limit of useful power for APRS applications.
* Receive sensitivity not very good.
* Unsquelched output - make sure your TNC can work with it.
* Totally unflexible - frequency change? New crystals!
* Fairly expensive in today's market (2002) if you buy new. You could get a used HT for less, and have frequency agility and a squelch for the same power output. Or, you could get a low-end mobile like an FT-1500 and get frequency agility, better sensitivity and way more power in about the same size unit in the same price range.
I'm not sorry I bought them (I own 4), but I probably won't buy any more of them.
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