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Reviews For: MFJ 890 DX Beacon Monitor

Category: Ham Shack Clocks

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Review Summary For : MFJ 890 DX Beacon Monitor
Reviews: 10MSRP: 99.95
Description:
NCDXF Beacon Monitor indicator
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.mfjenterprises.com/products.php?prodid=MFJ-890
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00102.4
W5TXR Rating: 2018-04-28
Confused Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Im thinking about buying one...
Im confused on how this operates? Does this have a HF receiver in it?
I understand how the beacon project works, Im assuming that if the beacon monitor hears the specific beacon it lights up at that location, Correct?
WWVB doesn't work well in many parts of the US, GPS Should be used. It makes more sense.
Does the beacon monitor connect to your HF transceiver and it decodes the CW and lights up?

WA6RSV Rating: 2017-11-01
A colossal waste of money Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Never synchronized, sent it back to MFJ to get it fixed had to prod them to do anything weeks after, When I finally got it back , no dice. I have other devices that sync with WWV so it's not my location. Don't waste your money, I will use mine as Psychedelic lights for Disco parties..party on!
AB4D Rating: 2014-04-26
3 Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
A friend gave me one of these. It would not sync up in my basement shack even though I placed it near a window (walkout basement). On the main floor it synced up fine. It's a novelty item. Quality is typical MFJ (silk screen pattern is crooked, cheap materials). I suppose it works as advertised, but as others pointed out, you can get the same thing on your computer at much less expense Not something I would purchase,but others might find it useful if you can get it to sync.

73
K8AAM Rating: 2011-09-05
Just OK, at best Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Bought one about 4 months ago, it synched once, never did after that. Failed nearly all the self-tests/diagnostics included in the manual. Finally called MFJ, customer service was great: sent me out a replacement w/o asking for billing information, received a new unit before I had a chance to send my original back (they paid for return shipping). The new unit synched once (on internal 9V battery), then stopped doing so for about a month, quit with MFJ transformer. Interestingly, had a complete power outage at the house, the unit went back on battery power, and (guess what?) synched again. I'll be darned if I can explain it. I don't know how long the good fortune will last, but if I had known about this experience long ago I would have not bought the MFJ 890 in the first place.
James Schings Rating: 2010-09-01
Not to bad. Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
If you have a PC, you can get the same thing on your screen with free available programs. But the MFJ DX monitor is a cute gadget for the shack. Downside... Power input jack is on the front (?). It has a 9V battery for power back-up, but without power it will die in a couple days, since there is no way to shut it off completely. It's a cute gadget and works as described. But, one of the last things ou really NEED.
AF4KK Rating: 2009-02-09
Mine works just fine! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is a cool, little gadget. I bought mine soon after MFJ put them out and it's worked very well since. It's a neat gizmo that can help guage propagation behavior. Very creative!!
NNN0YFA Rating: 2008-07-03
I NEVER HAVE RECIEVED AN ANSWER Time Owned: more than 12 months.
ALL IT DOES IS GO NUMERICALL REVERCED ORDER AND LEDS LITE UP IT DOES NOTHING ELSE EVEN WITH THE GREEN LED SYNCED ON STEADY GLOW IT DOES NOT MONITOR ANYTHING
W6LOL Rating: 2008-03-28
Good idea, but poor product... Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I bought one of these, and it worked reasonably well for about a year. I did find it useful. Then it just quit. I called MFJ, and they told me the replacement parts would cost about the same as a new replacement. There was no offer of warranty consideration. So I said goodbye to this piece of Mighty Fine J... (you know the rest).
N7BNT Rating: 2002-09-26
Disappointing, for sure. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I think this product is a neat idea, so I bought one at the local HRO.

It never sync'd to WWV after being left on for a couple days. I have an "atomic clock" which sync's just fine, so I don't think it's my location...

I called MFJ and got an RMA to return it to them. I was told it would be replaced because it was brand new.

SIX WEEKS LATER I had not heard from them, so I called again, and was told that my new replacement unit was enroute.

A couple days later, it arrived. The enclosed paperwork indicated it had been "repaired" (despite being told it would be replaced in two different telephone calls).

And it still will not sync with WWV.

Am I disappointed? Very. Poor product and poor and misleading service.
KE6PID Rating: 2002-08-21
Neat Gizmo for your shack Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The MFJ-890 beacon monitor is a very interesting clock indeed. The way it works is to show you what beacon is on at what time. It contains a WWVB receiver (60 Khz) that keeps it in sync to the actual time. To use it simply turn the selector switch to the beacon frequency you are interested in (20,17,15,12 and 10 meters) and tune your receiver to the same frequency and listen to your receiver to see what beacons can be heard.

In use it seems to work well. It locks up most of the time to WWVB, if it can’t hear the WWVB signal you can manually sync it by pressing a button while watching an accurate clock or listening to WWV.