MFJ Is Shutting Down. You Will Be Missed, 73!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 24 เม.ย. 2024
- Sad news today. MFJ has announced that much of its manufacturering product lines will be shut down May 17th.
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And a huge, MASSIVE, thank you to the one and only Richard Stubbs. I wish him the best of luck in any new ventures!
Richard has been great to work with!!
Going the way of Heathkit, Collins, Signal One, Henry, Dentron, Swan, Sideband Engineers, Drake, Standard....sigh... too many to count over the last 50 or so years...
As a broke ham I love MFJ. I hope someone can fill the void but I highly doubt it.
In large part, Chinese manufacturers have already filled much of that void. It's probably a large part of why MFJ is closing up shop.
@@socallars3748 while I don't like the fact of that, I am sure you are correct. For example, Tri-band HTs for $40 seems a little tough to compete with.
People in the comments saying "Good riddance, it was crap" gotta realize it was mid tier. What is going to happen is you are going to lose the middle ground of "Works well enough for what I need it for" and be stuck with utter garbage that DOESN'T do what you need on the cheap end, or lab grade equipment that costs 4 months pay to do a simple job but is spec'd for the space program. MOST people just needed the mid tier stuff. And almost all of that is gone. This happening in most electronics. You have trash quality and you have over built sacrifice a child to buy it quality. Nothing in between and that flat out sucks.
It's like having only Baofeng and ICOM now. MFJ was Alinco.
Yeah, I hear ya.
Junk
Well put!
@@Machria23 did it to yourself
As a resident of MS and a ham operator I really hate to hear this. I have a number of MFJ products that have performed very well and I was proud to have all Martin's companies in my state. This will have a negative effect on the state economy and the Starkville area specifically. Maybe somebody will buy the production companies. I wish Martin and all his employees the best.
I hope someone or investors can buy the place. Even the employees that work there. I would rather buy stuff made in Mississippi and not China. Going to have to get another tuner before they run out.
Also from MS. My MFJ -815 B, I bought in CA. 30+ years ago still functioning flawlessly. 73/88 MFJ
When I received my monthly QST magazine, I always opened it to the MFJ ad section first and looked for the new products, re-read about the existing things I wanted, and revised my "want" list. The many MFJ things I had in my shack were not top of the line, but they all worked and I never had one fail.
I never came across the QC problems others complained about. I loved the industrial look and feel of their products always, and they always 'just worked.'
The same is true for me, everything worked as it should and I also like the industrial design. I'm sorry to see them go.
Never had a problem with mfj
I've had to do a bit of fiddling here and there. But I've had to do that to Yaesu and Icom stuff. too. I've still got a Hy-Gain 10M antenna from 40 years ago that is still up and working. Maybe ought to buy any foreseeably needed spares!
the saddest part is the lack of business continuity planning by the owner. why no plan to keep the company going after the founder decides he wants to retire? has he tried to sell the company? ESOP? wish he had given it more thought other than just liquidate and shut down.
Wow, that's sad to hear but completely understandable. I've had nothing but good experiences with MFJ equipment. The Mighty Mini PSU powers my shack, I love the digital watt/SWR meter (HF and VHF) and couldn't sleep at night without my grounded 4 port antenna switch. All key components in my shack. 73 Martin you'll be missed!
I've used MFJ products for decades, and have NEVER had a problem with anything they've made. I did have a ladybug turn my antenna tuner into a "bug zapper" once by walking across the plates of the inductor when the key was down, but you can't really fault MFJ for that one. I hate to see it. This company has given us good products at a good value and that's going to be sorely missed in this hobby.
Sad times. I have never had a problem with any of my mfj products.
Liar.
Well, I certainly can't make that claim! Probably half the MFJ products I've purchased had to be opened right after purchase and issues corrected. Still, I've only plenty of it with mostly satisfactory results. I currently use one of their power distribution strips (I did peek inside, it was solidly built!) in my shack, as well as a digital VHF/UHF meter that I quite like. There is certainly a place for their products at their price point in the ham world, their departure will leave a void.
@@Wilhuff_T how am I a liar. You don't know my experience.
I've had nothing but great experience with MFJ. Sorry to hear this news.
Sad. Thanks for everything MFJ!
Without the MFJ-1026 in use, listening on the HF bands would be all but impossible at my QTH ,due to the high level of electrical noise. Thanks to MFJ for this great product, they literally saved my Ham radio!
I have two MFJ tuners and a power supply. A ham for 3 years now, I appreciate the good work and wish them all the best.
Well, I guess we will all have to start building our own stuff again! I will miss them.
At 80, each new day is an unknown gift. You deserve to spend it with family if you desire!
Shocking that no one wants to buy the company and very sad contemplating all of the MFJ employees who will now need to find employment elsewhere.
I was thinking the same thing.
@@Fantazier1 It's almost inconceivable to me that Martin couldn't sell for more than liquidation value, but apparently that's the current state of America. It wouldn't be a rational decision otherwise. It just breaks my heart for everyone concerned - Martin, his employees, the ham community and the country as a whole. Had a well established company like MFJ come on the market in the 1950s or 1960s, there would have been a bidding war. Now it's sold off for parts. Heartbreaking is the only word I can find for it. Thanks to Martin and 73.
This is honestly sad, I feel bad for Richard and the other people at MFJ...
But hey, even through both criticism and affirmation, they kept going, which I admire.
All the people at MFJ are great. I do love Richard. He is awesome!
What a legacy he built. Sad day.
MFJ always worked for me.
Pick up the things you need now.
Bracing myself for 200 "MFJ is closing" videos over the next 2 weeks.
I think there are a few already up.
I already saw 3 others in my suggested videos feed. Sad news!
And . . .? It is, they will be, and that's the way this social media deal works.
@@Oldpaint0216 Thank you, Captain Obvious.
I was never too deep into radio but owned the MFJ shortwave radio, the 2-meter receiver and a few other antenna tuners, etc.... To me they represent the nostalgia of seeing my uncle's radios in the 1970s and that was why I bought them. Mid tier but filled a need for many thrifty, working class people through out the 1970s. I will miss them.
I have a 30-year-old MFJ TNC that was rock-solid and always reliable that I'll continue to use. Best of luck!
Also from MS. My MFJ -815 B, I bought in CA. 30+ years ago still functioning flawlessly. 73/88 MFJ
I've just started returning to Ham hobby after a 30 year absence and this hits me hard. I just got one of their handy-dandy vehicle antenna mounts just the other day, had no idea they were having trouble. BTW, this antenna mount is one where you remove your HT antenna from your HT and put it on this clip and then roll up your window on it. Supposed to be a lot better than just trying to xmit your HT from inside your car. And it no doubt is a bit better. Only caveat is you shouldn't constantly remove and replace your rubber duckies from HTs as the SMA (or BNC) connectors wear out over time and stop making good connections. I'll be using this mount with my cheaper Yeasu and Icom radio s as I don't want to dismount and remount my ducky from my $800.00 new Kenwood very often!! I have not tried out my new MFJ mount yet but expecting I'm going to like it. A good solution for folks that have no intention of rigging up a mobile inside their vehicle.
Suggestion Josh maybe make a list of must haves before they’re gone. I’m just getting into HF as a new Ham and the stuff is affordable as you said so it would be kind of nice to have a list maybe
I just think that would make a good video and be very useful to us newer hams and older hams alike to maybe fill the Hamm shack with some affordable quality stuff
Good idea!
Antenna analyzers!!
I basically learned how to solder and build kits because of MFJ and their Vectronics series. I hope Martin enjoys a long happy retirement, and thanks for getting the word out Josh. 73!
Wow, I used to work in Starkville, MS. I grew up an hour from there. I now live in Huntsville, AL, so your video hit close to home. Unfortunately, I never knew about MFJ until just now. I've probably seen their products in GigaParts, but had no idea they were made in Starkville. It's sad to find out about a "local" company only when they're going out of business.
Wow, this is big.
Wow! Truly the end on an era. I to have many MFJ boxes around the shack and they have all served me well and will continue to do so. 73 MFJ! 👍🏽❤
This is a shocker but not un expected. I have been using MFJ stuff since the late 1970's early 1980's threw today. I remember heath kit shutting down . MFJ has been for sale since November. many companies their. maybe some will start up again under new name or ownership. this happened with Maco antenna's . I have lots of MFJ stuff as many hams do. both sad and happy at the same time over this. the 52 years is really something . not many company's can state that. this is going to leave a big void in the amateur radio market. always love amateur own businesses . when one leaves or big family this is a sad day for us HAMs around the world. but we are so happy for the great 52 years ! 73's
Thanks MFJ for showing the way! I learned a lot opening your boxes and self servicing the parts beginning with the first audio filter MFJ-1 in the 70's. I do hope you sell the company and that the new proprietor will continue your tradition of keeping a notebook of good ideas and translating that into 'things' the ham wants. 73
MFJ has 4 to 5 full pages in QST Magazine.. The league will miss a lot of revenue!!
I hate to hear that. My uncle worked at MFJ in Starkville for a long time.
MFJ did help me to learn a lot about fixing electronics.
Good old mighty fine junk.
Same. Troubleshooting cold solder joints and loose screws rattling around. As much as I appreciate the relatively cheap gear they offered, it was often an exercise in cleaning up the loose ends before operation.
Thanks Josh! And thanks to the MFJ team! I have had a MFJ power supply since I got my first HF rig seven years ago and have had no issues with it. Just picked up a power/swr meter and it works great too. Sad to see the company go. Best of luck in your new adventures!
Wow! So bummed. I've only been a Ham for a few years but I have several MFJ items in my shack. They will be missed for sure. :(
Sorry to see MFJ go; they have been a part of the Amateur Radio scene for a very long time.
😞 I've always owned and will always will own MFJ stuff. I love them! I hope that soon other companies might take on the various aspects of the MFJ family of companies and continues to offer a lot of these products. Ham radio needs products like these for people who don't have big bucks and might also not be able to build their own stuff. 73 Martin and MFJ de Virginia NV5F
I don't know why there some people who make bad names out of mfj. I mean, if they don't like mfj's products, and I hope they just shut their flaps if they've got nothing good to say. I've have the 847 swr/power meter and the 269 antenna analyzer and both work great. Accuracy is not that far off to more expensive brands and it is very functional for my needs. All the best to you Martin and your family and thank you so much for your contribution to the HAM community.
I just ordered the two MFJ products that have been sitting on my DX Engineering wish list--just in case they're about to go away. Thanks for letting us know!
I received my licenses in the early 90s when you still had to do 5WPM CW for your novice license and then received my General in 2014. To be honest, I really did very little in the ham community over these years until this now. Your channel really lit a fire under my ass and I am really excited to get more involved in armature radio. I recently joined my local amateur radio club and finally installed the mobile radio in my truck I purchased 5 years ago. (Tne radio not the truck 🙂) Just recently joined the Long Island CW club to finally really learn CW. Anyway... thanks once again. I just subscribed to your channel to support your efforts. 73s KE4NPR
WoW this is sad! A good chunk of my HF stuff, SWR meters, tuners, switches, lightning arresters, and antennas are all MFJ. Back when I first started MFJ was often the only affordable solution to get the things we need. I find it sad the go to for the tech nerd will be gone. Yeah some of the others came a little better tuned right out the box, but us nerds quickly figured out minor mods to make them better than the big expensive names for less than half the price, and the new stuff doesn't seem to follow that same trend, so we now need someone to fill that spot.
Happy Trails Martin!
I received the same email and was saddened to see it but completely understand. I hope to retire soon too. I have many MFJ products.
If they weren't so expensive and didn't have to compete with a Chinese cheaper market it probably wouldn't be so bad
I hope Hygain, Cushcraft, and Ameritron gets picked up by someone. Don't Ameritron own the amp world? Looks like someone would jump on that.
This whole country is going out of business!
I've been a ham, since 2001, and every tuner I've owned, has been an MFJ.
I can remember saving up for an MFJ antenna analyzer and it helped me understand antennas, in a way that no amount of textbooks or early 2000s web pages could.
Losing MFJ, is like losing an Elmer, for me.
Thank you, Mr. Jue and all the fine folks at MFJ, for your years of service to the hobby.
That is a shame. I enjoyed going to the MFJ anniversary open house and cook out several years back. All those peoples' jobs and all that equipment going out of production.
Now I will have to pay four thousand dollars or more for an amplifier!
Loosing Ameritron is easily the worst part of this.
@@chublez I'm thinking Ameritron amps will be sold out by next week. Those who have them will be asking major prices
Expect China to step in and get some amps US certified... Beko may decide to get back into the HF/6 meter market too but they are not cheap LOL
@@MaryBrownForFreedom Noooooooooo thank you.
MFJ gear got the job done and worked rather better than you might have expected for the money. A lot of it was built like a brick outhouse but that meant it was fixable if you had any problems or failures. Quality control was a bit hit and miss sometimes, but that made modifications and smartening it up a lot easier. The old manual ATUs are truly capable of tuning a bit of wet string.
My first power supply is a MFJ. Got it as an open box, and was so stoked when I finally got it in the shack.
Sad to hear, but hopefully we will keep them around in the secondary market.
73s all!
Well done Josh. I've had nothing but good luck with my MFJ products. Leaves a huge void in the mid tier priced amateur radio accessories market. Hoping someone can fill this gap and/or maybe purchase MFJ. Wishing Martin and all the employees nothing but the best.
Damn bet your Ameritron amps now if you want one.
Going to miss the glow of the glass tubes.
God bless the man!
This will have lots of impact on the ham radio comunity . Maybe the reason the print copy of QST is now an extra charge ? I remember one field day when we made contact after contact with a 40 mtr Cub. Might hook it up tonite and make a contact or two. Sad news.
Well.....just look-back at all of the GREAT companies and products that have passed-on. For whatever their reasons, it's part of the evolution.
Yes it is and I will still purchase when I can
If nothing else, I have always felt MFJ was always very innovative, and offered many items you simply would not find anywhere else !
Funny, but I believe I actually spoke to Matin on the phone, back early to mid 80's !
Best wishes for a long, well deserved retirement !
GODSPEED !
'73 !
👍😉
I have purchased many many MFJ products over the years and have generally been very pleased with quality and performance. I hope someone will buy them out and continue production.
I remember the antenna tunner was one of the most saught after items. I have an antenna tunner from them.
I’ve owned my Ameritron ALS 600 for over 20 years with continual great service and zero issues.
I’ll miss MFJ and a huge loss for amateur radio.
Best regards going forward!
I have seen dozens of similar announcements since mid pandemic and have yet to see any company actually closed down. I hope this is the case here.
As a (soon-to-be) new ham I recently got one of their mobile 2-band antennas (200 watt max output) with a mag mount and it seems to perform well and to be solidly constructed. My power supply is also one of theirs. No problems so far. So sad news for those of us who bought expensive transcievers and now need most of hte other stuff on the cheap, not to mention of course their workforce.
I honestly love all of my MFJ gear. They make a lot of the more science type of products to play around with.
As someone who just got on hf THIS WEEK and just spent the last couple hours turning knobs on my MFJ-941E “Versa Tuner II”, this is sad news. They filled a role in the hobby and the owner provided many jobs and made more than a few of his products here in the USA. Another bunch of US companies gone…. It’s ok, im sure china will continue to sell us everything we need including all of our Medicine when we are at war with them in the future….. This country just continues to crumble.
Also received the message. Very, very sad.
I'm surprised (even shocked) that someone was not interested in buying the company and running it as an ongoing concern. Surely it is worth something, unless it has been a money pit for many years. I will miss it. I own several MFJ products.
Bummer man I have an MFJ 939 tuner and I love it because of the wide range it can tune and the ease of use with my Kenwood TS 2000 plus if I wanted to change radios brands all I would have to do is just go out and get a new cable I doubt if L. D. G. has a tuner like that
MFJ is going to be missed, especially their line of antenna tuners, specifically the manual units.
I agree...mech tuners forever!!
I have a few MFJ and related items here. Most of them are perfectly fine and good value for money.
I have the MFJ regenerative shortwave receiver and the noise bridge which I need to fix. It will not null into a 50 ohm purely resistive dummy load.
They made all kinds of stuff Low end and decent stuff My hf-vhf antenna analyzer was way ahead of its time and i still use it … my roller tuner busted a belt but is still a great tuner It will tune a fence Thx martin for the fine work
Predicatble development. MFJ primarily thrived on the fact that many Americans prefer to pay for a "Made in the USA" label than for quality. I am sure we all know plenty of MFJ quality (or lack thereof) stories. Don't get me wrong, it's sad. But was nonetheless alogical consequence of their business decisions.
Having time to enjoy family and life is very important. Sad to see MFJ go, but that's how life goes.
I'm brand new to the hobby, and I've been doing a lot of homework on equipment. I started the hobby of overlanding about a year ago only to learn that many trails were being shut down. (I mentioned this only because it seems that whenever I try something new, something changes in that realm or industry that's not desirable.)
Undoubtedly, prices for used MFJ equipment will start skyrocketing which will will make it a little more difficult for budget-minded folks like me to get really active in amateur radio.
Perhaps the Chinese market will help ease the costs, but I'm a little bit weary of the quality.
Now, when Henry Ford retired, they kept making Ford automobiles. Too bad MFJ didn't take a similar approach.
That being said, I do wish all the owners and employees of MFJ the best!
Hmm, QST advertising revenue will take a with the reduction in products. Regardless of QA issues MFJ has made so many, many products available to us for so long there will never be another like it. Enjoy your retirement Martin! 73 - Dino KLØS
I am worried about this as well. MFJ has a lot of QST ads
It's a sign of today's market for amateur radio gear. Grateful for the many years Mr. Stubbs put in.
Just like radio shack who is next i dont understand why. I don't think you can blame covid still. Why not sell off parts of the company or retire and pass the company on to a ceo. it will have a big effect on suppliers and dealers but i feel sorry for the loyal staff the most
Yeah... MFJ produced some stuff that was occasionally "sub-par" (usually due to quality control issues), but lets face it: The AL-811, and 811H is probably the most-sold amplifier in history... I'd bet they sold more of those amp's than any other brand/model, ever produced or sold.
This will be a huge loss for amateur radio in general, as MFJ does (did) produce some neat and one-of-a-kind items. Perhaps some other company will buy-uo the antenna side of his business. Those products should be kept in production.
Best of luck to Martin, in his well-earned retirement!
MFJ was one of our nice sponsors fro the SWL contest 2023 with 2 nice gifts. I hope someone will continue the brand MFJ. I USA they are 800000 amateur radio plus SWL and also in the world Ham radio and shortwave listening is still popular. 73 de Frank SWL F14368
Hate to hear this. I have always loved MFJ, and have been buying their products since I got my first license in the early 90s.
No matter how you view it it's bad for the hobby. Hopefully someone decides to take it on and continue its success.
Well, that's sad news! 😔 But I can understand their reason. Hope that they'll continue somehow. 73 Martin!
What a shame, MFJ will be sadly missed even down under. I wish him all the best for the future and thank him for all the products he brought to market.
What did they make at Starksville MFJ plant? Looking on google, that is a very small building, so is that a repair center?
I have been waiting for a backordered item for 2 months now with MFJ, I just sent them an email asking for a refund. Thanks for the info.
I was sad to get that email. Not top of the line stuff, but good and affordable. Always worked for me.
I hope they'll release a lot of their tech specs. It'd be nice to have ongoing support via DIY, or the ability to put together an MFJ "clone".
Mighty-Fine-Junk, we used to joke. 😂
With MFJ, you had to pick and choose.
Have a number of items, and only a few disappointments.
They did fill a price-point; some say they drove other good companies out of business.
Anyway, quite a legacy given the time. 73… 😊
Are they not making money?
I was given an MFJ 16010 aerial tuner as not working. It worked for two years for me.
I went to Wales with radio and on my return it didn't work. On opening it up nothing looked wrong until I poked around and found a loose wire.
It looked as though it had never been soldered and only just touching. I soldered it and it now works fine.
I heard so many times people saying their quality control was not the best.
G4GHB.
Shocking news for all radio fans. DX Engineering stands alone now I guess. Universal Radio gone too.
The big loss here is not just MFJ. Ameritron, Cushcraft, Hy-gain, etc etc.
Known as Mighty Fine Junk. Just what I love. cheap and does the job. they will be missed
Sad that so many products are going to no longer be available
This is so sad. I have a LOT of MFJ stuff like the Noise Canceling SIgnal Enhancer , Dual Radio Microphone Switch, Ameritron AL-80B, Dummy Loads, Antenna Tuners and more.
I'm sad to hear about the closing, of which I just heard on our local net tonight. As a very new ham my wattmeter is an MFJ and I love it and am very satisfied. Their price point and the quality are perfect. 73 KD9ZMK.
NOOOO WHAT THE ? 😢
Woah..this is pretty big news. You'd be pressed to find a HAM who hasn't purchased a MFJ item. 73 to a legendary company
73's Martin, you and MFJ will be missed I have several of your products, tuners, amplifier, dummy load and meters🎙KD9OAM🎧
Sad day for sure.
So many companies are shuttering... Or merging...
It’s the economy, Stupid!” - James Carville, Democratic Strategist, 1992