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mfj-1700c
- Thread starter SARGE
- Start date
I looked at a picture of the MFJ 1700C just like you did, and I think it is probably full of losses and I would imagine if you did the legal limit to one antenna you would probably be broadcasting on all the other antennas hooked up as well. Maybe not as strong, but broadcasting non-the-less.
I have no idea how well this thing isolates the other radios, but I would be worried about that as well running any kind of power.
I recently bought a current meter from MFJ and the thing is set up only to read current on an 15 second intermittent bases. I wonder how one could ever depend on the results or that kind or response. I know they did it for safety reasons, but nothing in the catalogue said a thing about the real time current flowing being a calculated and interperlated number. I do not like MFJ products. To me they all look and feel cheap and this meter with maybe $10 in parts is way over priced at about $100.
I have no idea how well this thing isolates the other radios, but I would be worried about that as well running any kind of power.
I recently bought a current meter from MFJ and the thing is set up only to read current on an 15 second intermittent bases. I wonder how one could ever depend on the results or that kind or response. I know they did it for safety reasons, but nothing in the catalogue said a thing about the real time current flowing being a calculated and interperlated number. I do not like MFJ products. To me they all look and feel cheap and this meter with maybe $10 in parts is way over priced at about $100.
The thing about a switchbox that changes both antennas and radios is that there is a possibility of one radio getting back into another radio connected to the switch. That can lead to desinsitizing and other problems. It works, but there's always that possibility of a problem.
I have no idea if this particular switch grounds the unused antennas, but that's probably likely, and a good thing in general. I sort of doubt if there's enough loss in it to make any practical difference, but that's another one of 'those' possibilities. If the antennas on the switch are for the same general range of frequencies there will always be some losses, which really has nothing to do with the switch particularly. You'll have the same losses anyway, if the two simular antennas are within 'reasonable' distance of each other. And in general (meaning there are always exceptions) those losses don't amount to much.
All of which is sort of beside the point. The point being, if you have need of such a switching arrangement, then use it. If not, then while it may be a 'nice' thing to have, I'd rather have the money to spend on something else.
- 'Doc
PS - MFJ isn't exactly the 'best' quality stuff around. But, it doesn't cost as much as the 'quality' stuff does either.
I have no idea if this particular switch grounds the unused antennas, but that's probably likely, and a good thing in general. I sort of doubt if there's enough loss in it to make any practical difference, but that's another one of 'those' possibilities. If the antennas on the switch are for the same general range of frequencies there will always be some losses, which really has nothing to do with the switch particularly. You'll have the same losses anyway, if the two simular antennas are within 'reasonable' distance of each other. And in general (meaning there are always exceptions) those losses don't amount to much.
All of which is sort of beside the point. The point being, if you have need of such a switching arrangement, then use it. If not, then while it may be a 'nice' thing to have, I'd rather have the money to spend on something else.
- 'Doc
PS - MFJ isn't exactly the 'best' quality stuff around. But, it doesn't cost as much as the 'quality' stuff does either.
I have the MFJ-1700B which this model replaced.It is the same switch but layed out a bit differantly.It is an OK switch for HF only,do not expect to use it on 6m and up.As with ANY antenna switch it should not be switched when transmitting.In my switch there is virtually no chance of one radio being connected to the input of another because of the spacing of the contacts even if something were to go wrong.As I said it is an OK switch for basic HF switching but you could accomplish basically the same thing with a pair of Diawa switches with the two common ports connected together.It may cost slightly more than the MFJ switch but it will be vastly superior and usable to UHF as well.