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Reviews For: MFJ-1703

Category: Antenna Switching, Phasing, Controllers

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Review Summary For : MFJ-1703
Reviews: 3MSRP: 19.95
Description:
Antenna/Transceiver RF Safety Switch
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.mfjenterprises.com/products.php?prodid=MFJ-1703
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0033.3
WB4IVF Rating: 2013-08-23
Works fine! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've used this switch with my ICOM 7410 and old Heathkit HW-16 for a month now with no problems. It works as advertised and is a great bargain for the price. Very reassuring to know my rigs are always connected to either the antenna or the dummy load.
WB1AAL Rating: 2013-02-13
Follow Up On My Previous Review Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This is an update on my previous review of the MFJ-1703 based on what I learned about the switch recently.

I was in a QSO on 20-meters when the XYL came into the shack. "I can hear you over the TV sound." she reported. Sure enough, my transmitted SSB audio on 20-meters was bleeding into the Denon AV receiver that provides the TV audio in our home theater. I tried different frequencies on 20-meters, but it didn't matter where I went on the band, I still had RF feed through into the Denon with either of my two HF 100-watt rigs.

I tried to cure the problem by placing ferrite cores on every input and on the power line going to the Denon receiver. That didn't help. Then I connected the 20-meter dipole directly to both HF transcievers bypassing the MFJ-1703 RF switch. The problem immediately went away.

My next step was to emulate the MFJ-1703 with a pair of Daiwa CS-201 RF switches placed back-to-back. The Denon had no problem with this configuration, what-so-ever. That's when I noticed that the Daiwa switch is completely shielded. It is metal all the way around. The MFJ switch, on the other hand, while it is made entirely of metal, has a poorly fitting top case. There are quite a number of places that are not properly shielded where RF can leak out of the switch.

To be fair, I don't know for sure that this is what is wrong with the switch (it can't be much else as the switch only has a slide switch and four SO-239 connectors!) However, removing the MFJ RF switch definitely has cured the RFI issue.

Perhaps this another example of poor quality control or design on MFJ's part. The MFJ-1703 is now out of the RF line and will remain so indefinitely.
OE3SGU Rating: 2007-06-14
very convenient Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I am running mostly qrp and have several radios but only one antenna to chose from. The switch offers me the easy change of radios without the worry of having the non used rig connected to nothing. I use one aearial and a dummy load, so the unused rig is always switched to the dummy load. As for the power ratings I experienced no problems when using it with 100 watts, but check the solder job first.