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Reviews For: MFJ-1621 portable antenna

Category: Antennas: HF Portable (not mobile)

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Review Summary For : MFJ-1621 portable antenna
Reviews: 16MSRP: 89.95
Description:
A complete portable multi-band antenna system
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.mfjenterprises.com/products.php?prodid=MFJ-1621
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00163.6
MM0NDX Rating: 2007-06-03
It's better than you think. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Every year the XYL and I go on holiday/vacation to the Highlands of Scotland. A little cottage near Glencoe. I take the MFJ 1621 with me.

Now, to look at the MFJ 1621, it appears cumbersome, raw and altogether like a desktop receiving aerial. Indeed, it does receive well; very well.

A telescopic whip, tuning dial/box, hi-caps and 25m of cheap coax cable is all that makes this thing work.

I’ve found it works best on 7Mhz, which considering its size is quite remarkable. I also found 17m quite enjoyable too. Notable contacts on any band are Iceland, USA (East Coast), all of Europe and as far as Asiatic Russia. All with the aerial atop a bed and less than 3ft away from the rig firing out 100w..SWR is never high.

Of course, it’s easy to dismiss this aerial, but until you pick one up yourself, persevere with it and generally tune about the bands, you might just discover it’s better than reported

http://hamspirit.wordpress.com/

*Footnote to the reviews manager - by mistake i've added this comment regarding the MFJ 1621 to the MFJ1622 thread also..apologies.
WB2AZE Rating: 2005-01-23
forget about it Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought one of these units a few years ago, when I had just gotten married and was living with my wife in her deed restricted townhouse...After following the instructions to the letter, I decided to try CW. Using my Tentec 555 scout with less than 50 watts output, I keyed up to check the SWR..... Now that's a funny smell I thought... OUCH !!!! my finger slipped off the key a little bit and my skin started to burn.
Sent it back for a full refund...used to cash to buy Hamsticks for mobile use.
G4GXL Rating: 2003-09-09
Poor value Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This aerial was given to me as a gift when I was recovering in hospital from a car accident. There was no alternative at the time and it was the only way that I could work HF.

Under normal circumstances I would never have bought it. It's way overpriced for a simple whip and matching unit and could easily be homebrewed for $10 from surplus parts. There is no weather protection at all and it should only be used indoors or in fine weather.

I have worked from G to USA on 5 watts on 40m with it, so yes, it works OK but it's no miracle aerial. Save your money and make something similar or spend a bit more and get an MP-1.
N9AP Rating: 2002-11-10
Useable and portable Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Stop! don't pull down the beam or the elegant dipole up so high it can barely be seen. However,this antenna will radiate and allow signals to reach a receiver.I have used it with 50 watts and 2-4 watts and have been able to establish comms.up to and including DX. Two things: do not modify the feedline length and do not allow feedline to be coiled up or cross itself.It can be laid out "serpentine"for close ops w/a xmtr.Usually,it is enough to adjust it for max noise in the receiver.I have found that adjusting it for max deflection on enclosed meter is also effective.I like it and enjoy complimenting worked stations on their receiving skill.I also have a B@W AP-10 but band switching is really cumbersome.
N2RIU Rating: 2000-05-23
Pain in the neck to tune Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I also have this santenna, and I can't share the enthusiasm expressed.

My biggest problemw ith it - if you put this "box" away from the rig, you can't tune it (because the "box" is 25 ft from where you are). And if it's right by the rig (so you can transmit for tuning only as little as necessary) - you're basking in RF, and then you have to move it to where it belongs (on the balcony in my case).

It is very portable, granted. it is light-weight, compact, all those things. But it needs to be retuned for each band, and most likely - depending on the frequency you may need to retune it within the band too.

Working with this antenna, I fully understand why people would pay big bucks for SGC SmarTuner and such.

To summarize - it works (as well as you can expect with a meager 54" whip :-), but it is SOOOO inconvenient that I'm preparing to buy something (anything!) different.
FORMER_WA_4RX_ROB Rating: 1999-12-19
Neat little unit! Works well. Time Owned: unknown months.
I've used my MFJ 1621 portable antenna now for a few years and have found it to work very well. The mechanics behind it is simple enough-- a cabinet enclosure with built in adjustable antenna tuner, one telescoping whip (54") and coax.

The entire unit is also extremely lightweight and it comes with 50' of RG 8 coax. Just place the "box" at a considerable distance from your station, tune up and adjust.

Admittingly, it is somewhat of a bear to initially check your SWR and run back to the antenna to turn the knob for a better output/SWR but once that is worked out it's no problem to use. Just make sure to have a good ground or run less than 100 watts-- the RF bite can be intense!

Also, I've found the built in output needles in the antenna to be worthless but I really don't rely on them anyway.. just checking the rig SWR is all you need.

Great for apartments, campsites or portable operation. I've worked many stations and lots of DX on both SSB and CW with this antenna.

I like it a lot!