[TowerTalk] HyGain Antenna Quality control issues: Let's Put MFJ in Perspective

[Jim Brown]

On 4/2/2018 10:47 AM, Drew Vonada-Smith wrote:
> I am an electronics engineer, involved for many years in electronics, including manufacturing at several small companies. I understand that we are not all wealthy, and there is a place for product's like MFJ's.  But that is not the issue.

More correctly, there is a place for decent products and low cost. There 
is NO place for the sort of junk that comes out of MFJ and the companies 
that the owner has taken over. And I refuse to accept that Mr. Jue has 
"rescued" those companies. Rather all he has done is continue the 
"brands" but turned them into junk. G0KSC has made great strides in the 
design of antennas, and I'd considered buying one -- UNTIL Mr. Jue took 
over manufacturing them.

When I was younger, I had little to spend on radio, whether as a 
student, or raising a family, helping them with college, or saving for 
retirement. I economized NOT by buying junk, but by buying quality used 
gear, by prowling the aisles at ham flea markets, and by using antennas 
that I could build.

On 4/2/2018 10:21 AM, David Gilbert wrote:
> That's actually a crock.
 >>SNIP
> Poor manufacturing quality occurs through ignorance or indifference, 
> period.   What you don't understand is that how the manufacturing 
> floor looks is key to how the product works. Disputing that simply 
> shows ignorance.
>
> MFJ designs their products to meet a particular price point and that's 
> fine.  But there is simply no valid excuse for the quality level of 
> the stuff they build.  I've bought roughly a dozen items from MFJ over 
> the 50+ years I've been a ham and at least ten of them had quality 
> defects.  Not design limitations ... quality defects. 

Exactly right on all counts, Dave.

73, Jim K9YC