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Reviews For: MFJ-297

Category: Microphones for ham radio

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Review Summary For : MFJ-297
Reviews: 18MSRP: $70
Description:
Desk mike
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.mfjenterprises.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00183.2
W9MT Rating: 2021-08-04
From what I'm reading here, I must have gotten a good one... Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My MFJ-297 was purchased 18 years ago and always worked fine with either the Kenwood or Icom 8 pin round mike connector cables. I added an Icom OPC-589 adapter cable (modular RJ-45 plug to the radio's mike socket) and it also worked fine with an IC-706 series radio.

The frequency up/down and other buttons always worked fine with any of the above configurations, and I always got good audio reports on HF/SSB voice.

Did I just get a "good one"? Maybe...

I have had QC problems (loose hardware and bad solder joints) with other MFJ products I still have or have owned. But this mike has always done the job and 9V batteries last forever in it as long as you remember to power it down when you shut down the station.

My only complaint is that MFJ doesn't supply a wind and spit screen (foam cover) for the mike when you buy it. I have found, however, that Amazon's windscreen for a Shure ES-81 "pencil" cardioid mike (for less than six dollars) has enough stretch to fit nicely over the mike element head of the '297 and works/looks well.

I consider this mike a solid "thumb's up".
KD2DRM Rating: 2016-10-28
garbage Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
A friend gave me one that was never used. After 3 days of light usage with my Kenwood V71, the PTT switch became intermittent and then gave out. I went to a local electronics store and bought one for $4 but found the legs were not long enough to fit through the board. I found allelectronics.com and ordered 2 of them for less than a buck each. Had to add to my order just to make it worth my while to pay the $5 basic shipping. This switch the legs reached but the post had to be shortened. Unfortunately in the desoldering process of removing the old one, I melted the circuit trace from the board. I am throwing it in the garbage. This was my first experience with an MFJ product and I was told that it stood for Might Funky Junk. I will never buy MFJ products. I will buy an OEM Kenwood desk mic

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Earlier 1-star review posted by KD2DRM on 2016-07-05

A friend gave me a brand new MFJ-297 mic still in box. After 3 days of very light usage, the ptt switch became intermittent. Picked up a replacement aftermarket switch at local electronics shop but the legs are too short to reach through the circuit board. Now I have to hunt down the OEM part.
WJ0TM Rating: 2015-09-07
Not for som Yaesu's Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Bought mine a couple of years ago to use with my ICOM IC-718. It worked very well with that radio. I purchased a Yaesu FT-950 and wanted to use the MFJ-297 on that radio so I ordered the cable and hooked it us . . . none of my function keys on the radio worked! I couldn't change bands, activate any filters or anything. Contacted MFJ and was told that the MFJ-297 had issues with some Yaesu radios.
ND4MR Rating: 2015-01-02
works fine Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I wanted a desk mike for my TS-480, and the dedicated Kenwood microphone, the MC-60, seemed pretty pricey, so I decided to give the MFJ-297 a try. Well, so far I am completely satisfied with the mike. It took me a few minutes to get the mike gain settings between the rig and the mike correctly adjusted, but on-the-air reports say that I have excellent audio. My single wish would be about the power switch -- I've never had to turn a microphone "on" and "off" before.
KC4YT Rating: 2014-05-29
Good Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Works ok for me. I'm using with Icom 756 II & notice some of others that have problems were using Yaesu radios. Don't know if that is an issue in itself.
I have this MFJ mike, MFJ balun, MFJ 259 ant. analyzer and MFJ headphones, & some other stuff. Never had a problem with any of it. All has worked very well to this point.
As info,
KC4YT
N2UOG Rating: 2012-09-29
Very Disappointed Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Very Disappointed with this microphone and MFJ and I'll tell you why. I have a Yeasu FT-2900 2 meter mobile radio that I use as a base station and I was searching around for a desktop microphone that I could use to replace the stock hand held original one. I focused in on the MFJ 297 and after reading some good reviews here I decided to purchased one. Being this was for a mobile radio and not a regular base station I called up both MFJ & HRO and asked if they knew of any issues that would prevent the 297 from working with my 2 meter Yaesu 2900 mobile radio and they both said that it would work fine just as long as I ordered the correct connecting cable for my Yaesu modular system which was the MFJ-5397MY. I ordered it from HRO and waited for it to arrive and HRO shipped it fast, I was excited when it arrived opened the box carefully, read the manual inserted the batteries as directed and went to hook it up only to find that the modular cable would not fit into my Yaesu FT-2900 modular slot even though I had the correct cable. After calling HRO and explaining what happened (They thoutht I purchased the wrong cable) but after learning that I didn't they contacted MFJ and MFJ told them that it wouldn't work on Yaesu mobile radios. If that is that case then why didn't they state that within their catalog information and that doesn't even explain why they didn't tell me that it wouldn't work with my radio when I asked them in the first place. When I compared the original Yaesu microphone modular connector to the MFJ modular connector the MFJ-5397MY was larger. So, although I really liked this microphone I never actually was able to use it and I'm very disapointed. I am listing my experience with this so nobody else has to go through it but I also wonder, Am I the only one that has found this to be a problem. If any other hams have also had this problem I'd sure like to hear from you and your thought's Thanks and 73 N2UOG@AOL.COM
KJ4VVU Rating: 2012-02-10
Works great with Alinco DR 635 Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Rich sounding reports and less background noise than the stock hand microphone. A friend loaned me the mic to try and it's a keeper.
WA7BND Rating: 2010-01-29
Mine works good. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have used my FMJ-297 for several years on a Yaesu FT-897D and works fine and I get good audio reports. A little unhandy to switch from FM to SSB (switch is on the bottom of mic stand). Mic is also adjustable for gain through a screwdriver slot on bottom of stand. That should address those who said something about high or low gain reports. This mic is designed to work with almost all radios, just get the correct cord for your radio.
VE2KV Rating: 2009-11-30
Realy satisfied Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Get nothing but good reports and it works as it should... am I lucky ???
KC9MEN Rating: 2009-09-19
Fine with good cable Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This works well as long as you have a good cord. Very hot audio on SSB good on AM/FM. Bad experience is usually because of the cable. Many are either incorrectly wired or made with bad materials. Quality does pay!