MFJ 1729 mag mount dual band mobile

[k0cmh]

MFJ 1729 mobile mag mount antenna, 2 meter/70 cm, $35.00 plus shipping.

Got it a few weeks ago and so far, very good.

Performs MUCH better than my old quarter wave 2 meter mag mount. #I don't really have anything to physically measure performance with, so can't qualify the claims for 2.6 db gain on 2 meters and 6.3 db gain on 70 cm. #However, there are two very "dead" spots on my commute to and from work where I had to kick the rig up to 50 watts to be heard in a local repeater, but now can hit that repeater full quiting on 10 watts. #Also can copy some repeater at much further range than before.

Things I like: #

- Thick vinyl pad on base, no scratched paint.
- Strong magnet
- Very flexable whip, won't break if bent over
- Whip doesn't bend over much at all at highway speeds
- Nice black finish
- Performs MUCH better than my old quarter wave 2 meter mag mount.
- Seems to do great on 70 cm.
- Nice black finish, looks good on the car
- Came with a SO239/BN adapter.

Things I don't like:

- Really thin RG58 coax
- Not "top of the line" PL259 plug
- 15 feet of coax, wish there was one or two more feet.
- Paid $18.00 for shipping (only included one other small item in the order)

Doesn't perform as well as some of the top-of-the-line 5/8 wave units, but much much cheaper, and much better than a quarter wave.

[wu3u]

Hello All,

I had an MFJ #2 meter/440 mhz mag-mount antenna on my truck for two years.

In all fairness, I took the antenna off the roof of the cab and laid it on the bed rail behind the cab to make the vehicle less noticeable nearly every day.....but eventually the braid came loose from a tie point up inside the antenna's plastic base housing.

This could be a simple repair were it not for the fact that MFJ GLUES the plastic base to the round piece of metal that the braid attaches to - you can't get it off without basically destroying it.

I may be able to salvage it by affixing the braid to some other part of the round piece of metal though....

All in all, two years of service for the price is pretty good.

Tim
N8LXR