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Reviews For: MFJ-259B

Category: Antenna Analyzers

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Review Summary For : MFJ-259B
Reviews: 238MSRP: 259.95
Description:
HF/VHF Antenna Analyser
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.mfjenterprises.com/products.php?prodid=MFJ-259B
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
152384.2
K4IQT Rating: 2010-06-03
Swiss Army Knife For RF Time Owned: more than 12 months.
After using my MFJ-259B for the last three years to work with various HF antennas, I'm quite happy with it. EZNEC and this inexpensive antenna analyzer make antenna optimization much more effective than the old calculate + cut and try + SWR check + repeat until acceptable. It's also a handy signal generator, frequency counter, and RLC tool when you don't need great precision or don't have time to go to the bench. Never had anything go wrong with it or any of my other MFJ stuff, so far.
N8UW Rating: 2010-06-02
Struggles through Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Mine had an intermittent problem, it was a cold solder joint on the input connector. I also don't like having to take 47 screws loose to change batteries. It is likely someone has made a 160M dipole too long to find the dip, this thing only goes down to 1.784 MHz. All that being said, it does get the job done for me, cheaper than the competition.
KJ4RWH Rating: 2010-05-29
Versatile & Sufficient for the price Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I did alot of comparison catalog shopping and thought the 259B offered the most "bang for the buck". It was easy to discover key information on coax and antenna with self powered portability I considered necessary. Accuracy seems to mirror single function instruments. Build quality reminds me of Eico equipment from years ago. I still have some of theirs that work so I imagine MFJ's can last if not abused. Anyway, I've loaded it with 2500mAh ni-mh cells and it's charged so lets go optimize some antennas!
W6UHQ Rating: 2010-05-19
Yet another DOA 259B Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
To be fair, I rated it AWFUL because it was DOA, but I have used other 259Bs that worked perfectly. The potential for this to be an excellent tool is very high, yet MFJs DOA record is dismal, and I wonder why it has NOT gone the way of the Yugo.

The heart breaker for me is that I bought this unit more than a year ago, and life happened, (ham radio dropped to zero priority) and I didnt unbox it until 1 month ago.

Im hopeful MFJ will honor their warrantee anyway, ha...

MFJ, get it together guys!

KC6ZUT Rating: 2010-04-21
Work well, but... Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Mine works well. I like its features but I wish it could work on 220MHz.
JH3EAO Rating: 2010-04-19
Poor Quality Control Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have been enjoyed MFJ 902&945E tuners since ten years.
My 259B is imported directly from MFJ Inc./MS in Sep. 2009.
It worked fine at the begining but went to sleep after a few months.
The customer service recommended to replace some SMD parts but in vain.
Finally I found that the 4MHz clock oscillater of PIC didn't work due to low activity of the X'tal.
It has started to work again by a good X'tal.
Prices of MFJ products are resonable, but the quality control and customer service are not great.
N4GJ Rating: 2010-04-13
EXCELLENT PIECE Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
TWO HOURS AFTER ARRIVAL, I HAD CHECKED 5 ANTENNAS
FROM INV VEE TO BEAM AND ALL IN BETWEEN AND FOUND IT
TO BE AN EXCELLENT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT. WOULDN'T BE WITHOUT IT UNLESS IT OR I DIED.

Wink N4GJ
OZ1GCT Rating: 2010-04-06
Still working Time Owned: more than 12 months.
It's now 5 years since I bought my MFJ-259B, and it have tested many antennas. On the roof - in the field - summer or winter conditions - no problems whatsoever.

----------------------
Earlier 5-star review posted by OZ1GCT on 2006-03-04

I think it's a fantastic piece of equipment.The only think I regret is, that I didn't bought it many years ago.It's able to measure a lot of different things, so if everythings fails for you - READ THE MANUAL.
K5UNY Rating: 2010-04-05
Working Great after 10+ years Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought my 259B new at the Dayton Hamvention in 1999, paid $189 for it at the time. I use the 259B everyweek, sometimes multiple times a week, for the past 10 years. NO issues, NO problems,it works as it should and functions as well today as it did 10+ years ago. Mine goes on the roof of the house, in the backyard and out in the field for Portable QRP operations; In a nutshell it gets Heavy use.
I love it and wouldn't be without it.
PD0LUR Rating: 2010-04-05
Another DOA Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I know the reputation from MFJ since I have been confronted with some oddities over yhe years. A while ago a friend of me bought a MFJ-269 amd he got "Spare Parts" drifting around in the cabinet upon delivery. Thank God we found out when we wanted to insert the 10 NiCad cells. His device worked well after we retrieved the free drifting washers and nuts from the cabinet.
On March 13th 2010 I tried my luck and bought a brand new MFJ-259B on a HAM market in the Netherlands from an official dealer.
I payed cash EURO 289 (current US price is around EURO 200 right now I believe) and could not test the unit there on the market.
Tried it out when I had time on the Monday following.
Inserted ten NI-MH 2500mA brand new loaded AA cells, connected a 50 Ohm dummyload to the SO-239 connecter and set the charger jumper in the correct position and switched it on. Display stated the manufacturer and software version. Battery tension was 13,2Volts and then the display stated Z>650 while the Ohm meter indicated an infinite value. This couldn't be right with a dummyload connected. Nothing changed when I switched to another band a changed the frequency with the tune knob. IE unit must be defect upon arrival. I have e-mailed the dealer and I have to send him the defect unit which I did. The dealer promissed to exchange it with a brand new one. It is now almost one month later and I still have not received the new analyser. Upon inquiry with the dealer it is stated that he is waiting for a new shipment from the wholesaler wich is delayed. Anyway, next time I will be more carefull when buying equipment from MFJ. It seems that there are more problems with their equipment when reading the various reviews on the forums.
Be warned for MFJ since their quality controls seem not to be of a high standard.
Why else would MFJ give a one year "No questions asked warranty"?