[TowerTalk] MFJ226 / SARK110

[ve4xt at mymts.net]

Hi Pete,

The Steppir site is a bit confusing, but if you click on the "order yours now" and not the pic and not '...or click here' you do get to a typical Steppir order page.

IIRC, $389.

73, 
kelly
ve4xt


Sent from my iPad

> On Jul 8, 2015, at 9:16 AM, Pete Smith N4ZR <n4zr at contesting.com> wrote:
> 
> It's a little frustrating.  Salivating over it, I tried to find out the price for the SARK-110, but alas, the seedstudio store's url doesn't work and the US distributor, SteppIR, doesn't give any price or how-to-buy information.
> 
> 73, Pete N4ZR
> Download the new N1MM Logger+ at
> <http://N1MM.hamdocs.com>. Check
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> 
>> On 7/8/2015 9:22 AM, Roger Parsons via TowerTalk wrote:
>> I have a SARK110. It is beautiful!
>> 
>> It has a cast aluminium body, rather like a high end cellphone. The RF connector is an MMX which is pretty small - they do supply a short extension lead with a BNC on the end, but I agree that this is probably its weakest point. (My friend John, G3PQA, has had one for a year or so and he uses a longer very flexible extension lead with a BNC on the end. That way he doesn't have to unplug the MMX. The SARK can self calibrate to take out the effect of a long test lead.) All of the controls are quite small and the menus are nested, so there is definitely a learning curve, but I have pretty much come to grips with that now.
>> 
>> It seems to be very accurate - I had some hardline which I assumed had a VF of 0.83, but the SARK said it was 0.89. I eventually found the cable specs on the net and sure enough the SARK was correct.
>> 
>> 
>> The display is full colour and pretty. There are some pretty neat features like being able to scan four definable frequency bands simultaneously - rather nice for adjusting a multiband antenna - although I confess that I haven't tried that yet.
>> 
>> It is a totally stand alone unit, but can interface to a PC via USB - there some extra functions then available.
>> 
>> 
>> I haven't looked closely at the MFJ226, but if its construction is anything like my old MFJ259, that and the SARK are chalk and cheese.
>> 
>> The unit is designed in Spain, but is manufactured by SEEED Studios in China. I bought mine direct from China as there is/was? no distributor in Canada, and that was also a bit cheaper.
>> 
>> I have no connection whatever with the manufacturer or designer except as a very happy customer.
>> 
>> 73 Roger
>> VE3ZI
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