More Fine Junk...

[N1LAF]

MFJ Purchases Cushcraft Amateur Radio Antennas Product Line

MFJ Enterprises, Inc., Starkville, Mississippi has purchased Cushcraft Amateur Radio Antennas Product Line from Laird Technologies, St. Louis, Missouri effective July 31, 2009.

Cushcraft Amateur Radio Antenna products will continue to be manufactured in Manchester, New Hampshire.

"We are excited to have the Cushcraft Amateur Radio Antennas product line alongside our other five companies," said Martin F. Jue, President and founder of MFJ Enterprises, Inc. "This product line increases our ability to offer our customers a wide range of antenna options at different prices. Customers will be able to choose from Cushcraft Amateur Radio Antennas, Hy-gain and MFJ antennas through one source." MFJ purchased Hy-gain in 2000.

Cushcraft Amateur Radio Antennas will bring over fifty new products to MFJ's impressive amateur radio product line. Cushcraft Amateur Radio Antenna products have long been a popular source for a wide range of HF/VHF/UHF vertical, beam and yagi antennas for the amateur radio community. "We will add more new products to this antenna line and will continue the Cushcraft Amateur Radio Antennas name long into the future. Cushcraft Amateur Radio Antenna product customers will appreciate continued and expected top-quality manufacturing of this product in New Hampshire and the MFJ commitment to superb after-the-sale service and tech support in Mississippi," said Jue.

This announcement comes right during MFJ catalog time. The new MFJ 2010 Catalog will be a whopping 120 pages and will include the entire Cushcraft Amateur Radio Antennas product line. A special customer support line is set up in Starkville, Mississippi by dialing 662-323-5803. This line will handle any Cushcraft Amateur Radio Antenna product technical support, part requests, and customer services.

MFJ Enterprises, Inc. also owns Ameritron, Hy-gain, Mirage and Vectronics.

http://www.mfjenterprises.com/cushcraft/

[KU0DM]

That would explain why my order for element-to-boom clamps for an A3S haven't come...after 3 weeks...

:doh: :disagree:

[WX7P]

Interesting. Thanks for that, Paul.

I've got an A4 with a 40 meter add on kit that is going up at the new qth as soon as I find all the parts. I'm bound to be missing some dodad.

[N1LAF]

I have the Cushcraft A627013S partially constructed, but not yet put up until I have the tower ready.

It will mount above the Mosley CL-33 tri-bander

Going to be a neat antenna...

[N1LAF]

Dave, did you check out the solar minimum post?

[WX7P]

Dave, did you check out the solar minimum post?

Yes, I did.

My wife has been reminding me of our propagation situation for about 2 months now. I think she thinks all of my qsl cards from the late '80's early 90's are all fake... Right. That was the OTHER WX7P( I was the original holder of that callsign).

[N1LAF]

Well, one of my goals in life is to get an NX6D QSL card...

[kb2vxa]

Once upon a time Cushcraft was the Amateur division of Cushman, everything from antennas to test gear was top notch. With the notoriously slipshod MFJ quality (out of) control my faith in the name has been shattered.

[WA4TM]

Interesting. Thanks for that, Paul.

I've got an A4 with a 40 meter add on kit that is going up at the new qth as soon as I find all the parts. I'm bound to be missing some dodad.

If your luck is anything like mine, that dodad will be the one EVERYTHING else hooks to!!! :think

[N8YX]

Once upon a time Cushcraft was the Amateur division of Cushman, everything from antennas to test gear was top notch. With the notoriously slipshod MFJ quality (out of) control my faith in the name has been shattered.
Looks like I'll be putting up a TA54-XL6, then...

http://www.mosley-electronics.com/image%20files/amateur%20page/TA53-63G4WXZ.jpg

Was looking at one of Cushcraft's 10-30MHz LPAs but not now.

[ki4itv]

At least MFJ takes the time to focus on our small market. They offer a lot of stuff the "average ham" couldn't really get anywhere else, and continue to buy up companies that were destined for the annals of history.

You really have to experience the labor pool in Mississippi to appreciate what the company is up against.
Been there, done that.

[W1GUH]

What 'itv said, and then some...

Funny thing is, as much flak as they've taken, especially with their propensity to sell "semi-kits", everything I've ever bought from them has worked just fine!

And BTW, did the buy Autronics 'way back when?

I had their 482 Grandmaster Memory Keyer back in the early 80's, and this spring I picked up an old Autronics Research memory keyer at a hamfest ($20). The controls are exactly the same, and has the same "feel" to use. The big difference is the Autronics has the power supply built in.

[N7YA]

Dave, did you check out the solar minimum post?

Yes, I did.

My wife has been reminding me of our propagation situation for about 2 months now. I think she thinks all of my qsl cards from the late '80's early 90's are all fake... Right. That was the OTHER WX7P( I was the original holder of that callsign).


Holy crap, i knew the guy who is currently WX7P, Wilse Morgan. Havent seen him in about 25 years. He used to be KL7CQ in Anchorage back in the 80's. I worked my first DX station, Jim VK9NS, from Wilses place on the mountain side in 1983...small world.

By the way, ive owned several QRP xcvrs from MFJ and had a lot of fun with them. They always powered up and i made a lot of great contacts with them. I currently have the same 949E tuner ive been using straight for the last 10 years. I read some absolutely vitriolic hate blogs about the company, i just dont see what these people are seeing. Sure, the stuff is cheap, its not the fanciest gear ever made, but its affordable and has worked just fine for me over the years.

So there. :neener:

[KJ3N]

I read some absolutely vitriolic hate blogs about the company(MFJ), i just dont see what these people are seeing. Sure, the stuff is cheap, its not the fanciest gear ever made, but its affordable and has worked just fine for me over the years.

So there. :neener:

First of all, hams are the most hyper-critical people I've ever seen. They expect it to be perfect and cost next to nothing. Nice fantasy. :roll: If you want it done "perfect" and "look nice", I'd suggest you look at PalStar. You'll pay 50-75% more than an equivalent MFJ tuner, but it will be "right".

Secondly, MFJ does have (and always had) quality control issues. It's what they're known for. When you buy an MFJ tuner, you should take the cover off and inspect the hardware for tightness and make sure all the solder joints are correct.

As far as the Cushcraft line is concerned, they will still be made in NH, so nothing will change, at least for a while. Another point I'd like to make is that there's nobody who makes some of the items that MFJ makes. If they weren't in the business, you'd have to fend for yourself on quite a number of items.

As I see it, you had a choice. Either Cushcraft went away altogether, or MFJ continues the line and provides the ham community with a valuable resource. I'd rather see the latter.

[N8YX]

Either Cushcraft went away altogether, or MFJ continues the line and provides the ham community with a valuable resource. I'd rather see the latter.
Option 3:

The Cushcraft operation will be told to look at cost-cutting measures within, oh, 6 months of the acquisition.

Now...we can reduce costs in a number of ways:

1) Work smarter; streamline manufacturing processes
2) Negotiate better deals on raw materials through suppliers
3) Institute incentive programs which reward error-free work and penalize sub-par performance;
4) Cut corners by marginalizing a 'good' design and thereby making it 'adequate', saving raw-materials cost in the process
5) Curtail human-resource overhead by scaling back support and quality-control operations
6) Ditto the above where R&D operations are concerned; continue to market the same product lines without introducing anything new to the market

Three of the above examples are the correct approach to take with a manufacturing business; three are not. Take a guess which of them will be incorporated shortly by Cushcraft.

[KJ3N]

So, basically, you want the Cushcraft line to go away. Whatever...

[kf0rt]

I've not seen many Ameritron complaints. Maybe Cushcraft will work out the same?

[N8YX]

So, basically, you want the Cushcraft line to go away. Whatever...
Ah, no.

What I would like to see is Mr. Jue keep his fingers OUT of the line, but we both know that's not going to happen.

[N8YX]

I've not seen many Ameritron complaints. Maybe Cushcraft will work out the same?
You've been hanging around the wrong boards. I've seen a fair number of gripes on QRZ regarding their products, especially where loose hardware and improper soldering are concerned.

[ki4itv]

So, basically, you want the Cushcraft line to go away. Whatever...
Ah, no.

What I would like to see is Mr. Jue keep his fingers OUT of the line, but we both know that's not going to happen.

Martin paid the money.
Your best bet would be that he doesn't move production to his adopted hometown.
Look on the bright side, most of the antennas you buy have to be assembled at home anyway.
Sounds like a match made in heaven. :rofl:

[N7YA]

Ive heard a lot of grumblings on the air about Ameritron, not to mention reading gripes online. Im sure there are folks who have had their Ameritron amp for years and it works just fine, but the overall consensus is to steer away from it.

I think what weve learned from it all is what was mentioned....buy the MFJ/Ameritron/etc stuff at a great price, then get under the hood and make sure its ok before running power across it. What it seems to boil down to is you will be the final inspector on the line before it goes into use. Most folks just want it to work the first time, without question, when they pay for it...cant blame someone for wanting that.

[N8YX]

I think what we've learned from it all is what was mentioned....buy the MFJ/Ameritron/etc stuff at a great price, then get under the hood and make sure its ok before running power across it. What it seems to boil down to is you will be the final inspector on the line before it goes into use. Most folks just want it to work the first time, without question, when they pay for it...cant blame someone for wanting that.
That approach works for some people, myself included...but then again I've actually homebrewed a lot of gear, including amps.

Let's take the average neophyte who wants an amp and isn't quite willing to pony up the shekels for an Alpha, THL or PW-1. What do they usually gravitate to? You guessed it...an Ameritron. Same neophyte probably isn't going to possess the skills necessary to safely and effectively troubleshoot a defective tube-type RF power amplifier.

(I know. I've read 'Q&A' posts hither and nither from newcomers seeking help with their new amplifiers.)

Shipping a defective or nonfunctional piece of electronics equipment and expecting the end-user to perform needed repairs, QA checks and whatnot is as irresponsible as an automobile dealer selling you a new car that is partially assembled - with the expectations that you, the consumer will successfully complete its construction. What's that - you want a warranty too? Sorry...you've had your hands into it... :roll:

And so it goes with antennas. I've designed and built them in configurations as complex as anything Cushcraft manufactures but if I buy something "ready to assemble", I shouldn't have to chase down missing parts...perform finish machining on trap housings or element mounting clamps...and so forth.

If I may digress here: I've heard the owner of DX Engineering/Summit Racing (Sergey) called a number of things over the years...but "dumb" and "un-savvy" aren't among them. While DX doesn't offer their own "brand" of commercial antennas, they stock almost everything required to roll your own. Smart money says they're watching both the market and the competition, and if Cushcraft drops the ball, expect DX to introduce a competing product line.

ETA:

From another site, concerning (of all things) an antenna of questionable design:


"When a person buys something to use, they expect it to work properly WITHOUT having to be reworked to get rid of the bugs."

Evidently, I'm not the only one who feels this way.

[N8YX]

From the same site:


"I bought a Hy Gain AV620 from Mississippi's Finest Junk" and half of the tuning stubs were threaded with the incorrect die.
Then, I had to wait 4 weeks to get replacements. Hy Gain "IS NO MORE" "
Telling, indeed.