MFJ closing down manufacturing facilities effective May 17th 2024

I have mixed thoughts on this. It’s a slap in the face to the amateur community that he refused DX Engineering’s offer. A lot of what they sold we could probably live without but the antenna market will suffer dearly. I love my Hustler 6BTV and my Hygain 3 element 6meter yagi. I don’t know where I would turn for an effective decent priced HF antenna.

 

Well, MFJ is more valuable than say Harbeth.

 

Looks like Martin gave all the complainers a final F Jue lol !!

 

I suggest that folks should download all the manuals and schematics before the website is gone.

 

KD2BRM said:

Now that's rich, Ernie!

 

It might be a good fit for the new Heathkit to buy MFJ, and offer some selected units as kits. Lots of the MFJ catalog could be resurrected in kit form. Antennas are already 'kits'. Maybe amplifiers could come back as kits, or semi-kits. That would certainly boost the existing Heathkit ham portfolio. Just needs a plan....and money...

 

Hmm...What's solder? hihi.

 

A great loss to the amateur radio community. All of the MFJ products I have work well and are affordable.

 

The market does not justify this. There is insufficient interest in RF electronics. Due to decades of the ARRLs misguided efforts to bring any and everybody into Ham radio, we now have 100,000+ hams whose only interest is to buy a $50 Baofang. They think the hobby is about chatting with their friend across the lake. That has destroyed the market for ham gear. We should have been reaching out to people who are, or will become, fascinated by the magic of radio.

 

Agreed.
Makes NO sense to me.

 

I found out on Wednesday. I was a part-time former employee.
My information came from 3 reliable sources.
DX Engineering made an offer for an undisclosed amount of money.
Martin’s requirement for the sale were the business stay in Starkville.
I’m a big believer in you don’t rule from the grave.
DX Engineering has deep pockets!
I am just speculating, but I suspect that DX engineering would have moved the operation to the state of Ohio, to get a better quality of employees
Employees were notified on Wednesday, within an hour a liquidator was in communication with MFJ AND they received a phone call from the ARRL.
I don’t have a dog in the fight, so I don’t care one way or another.

you do the math.

 

Agree. MFJ was a wonderful company making great products like the Ameritron ALS-600 that I've had for 25 years and never had an issue. Sad news for amateur radio.

 

If you saw the employees you might think twice.
Minimum wage non-technical workers

 

it is rumored that Dx Engineering offered to buy, but offer was refused.