Cushcraft was long on the way down before MFJ took them. When Les Cushman
turned the helm over to his moron son and then a series of incompetent CEO's
and then several buyouts, products were overpriced, engineering non
existent, arrogant support and full retail + on repair parts.
I'll have to give credit to MFJ for now including a wide range of Ameritron
components in their catalog making service and homebrew easier at reasonable
prices.
Carl
KM1H
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Brown" <jim@audiosystemsgroup.com>
To: <amps@contesting.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2012 3:51 AM
Subject: Re: [Amps] MFJ products
On 9/10/2012 5:46 PM, Roger (K8RI) wrote:
Both Cushcraft and Hy-Gain would likely be gone if not for them.
They ARE gone. Like RCA, GE, Altec Lansing, only the NAME is still around,
purchased by someone with enough money to buy the the name or what's left
of the company from the bankruptcy (or before the bankruptcy).. Mighty
Fine Junk bought the business, and thus the legal RIGHT to use the name,
but the companies that BUILT those names are LONG GONE.
What makes a company worthwhile is quality product and quality support.
You can't BUY that, you have to BUILD it.
I too have looked inside MFJ amps with the Ameritron name on them, and
tried to patch them together long enough to run a contest from a DX
station. I agree that they are crap.
BTW -- WE are responsible for the bankruptcy of GOOD companies when we
decide that their quality products, built with Americans making a living
wave, are TOO EXPENSIVE, and we buy cheap junk from MFJ or China. I don't
know about the rest of you, but I buy quality products from good
companies, even it if costs a bit (or a lot) more. Am I a patriot? Maybe.
But really I'm acting in my own best interests by buying stuff that I'll
still be using 20 years from now (if I'm still alive).
FWIW, I'm getting great use from the three Ten Tec Titans I bought used
between 2004 and 2006. These US designed (around 1978) and built amps
aren't fancy, but their build quality is decent, they publish the
schematic, they're easy to work on, most parts are easy to find, and I'm
running them at contesting duty cycles with very good reliability. Two
are in active use, one is a spare. (Hey -- I'm a serious contester. :) )
And they are 30 years old! I seriously doubt that an owner of MFJ amps
can tell a similar story with amps that are much newer.
73, Jim K9YC
_______________________________________________
Amps mailing list
Amps@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/amps
-----
No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5260 - Release Date: 09/10/12
_______________________________________________
Amps mailing list
Amps@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/amps
|