MFJ Enterprises is Closing

[marcspaz]

I'm heartbroken. We're losing some affordable, quality products soon.

 

https://youtu.be/1r-RxIvw5zY?si=6sdAppWmYd1rrqP7

[kidphc]

Thought it was a rumor on reddit.

They have been trying to sell. I really thought dxenginnering was going to pick them up.

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[marcspaz]

@kidphc I really hope he sells to someone. It won't be the same, im sure... but it would be nice if someone is willing to carry on the legacy. 

[kidphc]

The biggest problem is they bought so many companies. If they go under we lose all lot of companies.

Like ameritron.

Albeit many of them would be gone if MFJ hadn't bought them in the first place.

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[JoCoBrian]

Martin Jue is 80 years old...and wants to spend what he has left of his life, enjoying his family.  

I'd prefer to see some outfit, like Vibroplex, buy the company and keep it going somehow.  I was amazed they still did manufacturing in Mississippi....figured it was all outsourced. 

Best of luck to them....in 30 + years I have spent thousands with MFJ. 

[SteveShannon]

1 hour ago, JoCoBrian said:

Martin Jue is 80 years old...and wants to spend what he has left of his life, enjoying his family.  

I'd prefer to see some outfit, like Vibroplex, buy the company and keep it going somehow.  I was amazed they still did manufacturing in Mississippi....figured it was all outsourced. 

Best of luck to them....in 30 + years I have spent thousands with MFJ. 

The other rumor was that DX Engineering might be interested. 

[marcspaz]

59 minutes ago, Sshannon said:

The other rumor was that DX Engineering might be interested. 

 

That would seriously be awesome.

[SteveShannon]

8 hours ago, marcspaz said:

 

That would seriously be awesome.

They would seem to be a reasonable suitor, but if such interest were ever expressed MFJ’s announcement would seem to imply that it is unlikely. 

[kidphc]

They would seem to be a reasonable suitor, but if such interest were ever expressed MFJ’s announcement would seem to imply that it is unlikely. 

Agreed. It's been on the market for what a year? Maybe there were no offers that came close to what they wanted.

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[WRQC527]

Maybe MFJ can be "parted out" to save the brands. All those different companies under one umbrella must be hard to manage as a whole and still stay profitable.

[SvenMarbles]

I need to get that MFJ 1886 loop before they go away!

[WRQC527]

16 hours ago, Sshannon said:

The other rumor was that DX Engineering might be interested.

From all the information I've read over the last few minutes, it appears that whatever offer DX Engineering made was rejected. Who knows, maybe they or someone else might finally work something out, but for now whatever is left of MFJ after next month will be a shell of its former self. It's going to be a bunch of MFJ-branded imports.

[WRKC935]

The big issue I see with it is that hams are an unhappy bunch when something changes in their orbit.

So the issue becomes when some other company buys it and only takes on part of what the company was.  If they do Ameritron and Cushcraft but leave MFJ and others to fall, the backlash will be huge. 

And the truth is that this couldn't have come at a worse time overall. Ham radio as a hobby is waning right now.  GMRS is on the upswing and I see that trend continuing.  There are NEW manufactures for GMRS radios. Companies that never bothered with GMRS before are getting into the mix because the see profit in it. 

When was the last time, outside or the CCR's that a new player came the table making ham radios or even accessories that wasn't a small mom and pop place?

The ham community is to blame here for the lack of any significant interest in someone buying the business.  If there was a profit to be made, some investor would be all over it.  But that's not been the case.  And I would have to question the statements about affordable gear.  Look at the MFJ 259 antenna analyzer, then look at the import nano VNA.  How many VNA's can you buy for the price of one 259 or 269.  And most of the rest of the MFJ products have counterparts available on Amazon for much less than MFJ's product that performs the same task.  Sure there are a few items that will be missed, at least until the rights expire and they start being made under some hard to pronounce named Chinese banner.  And the stuff will end up being sold on Amazon and Temu for a third of what MFJ wanted for it. 

I am not blaming MFJ here.  They supported the ham community way past it being profitable.  But as I said before, the ham community didn't support them the same way.

 

[Lscott]

On 4/27/2024 at 12:41 AM, WRKC935 said:

The ham community is to blame here for the lack of any significant interest in someone buying the business.  If there was a profit to be made, some investor would be all over it.

MFJ had too many "moving parts" they pulled under one umbrella. There is likely investor interest out there, but only for some of the subsidiaries, like Mirage, Ameritron etc.

Now that the announcement is made that manufacturing will cease on 5/17, I believe, I wonder how the prices will look on new and used gear that will soon be out of production. With the Hamvention coming up in a few weeks that's going to be interesting to see.

[WRKC935]

On 4/29/2024 at 2:08 PM, Lscott said:

MFJ had too many "moving parts" they pulled under one umbrella. There is likely investor interest out there, but only for some of the subsidiaries, like Mirage, Ameritron etc.

Now that the announcement is made that manufacturing will cease on 5/17, I believe, I wonder how the prices will look on new and used gear that will soon be out of production. With the Hamvention coming up in a few weeks that's going to be interesting to see.

I don't know what their stock on hand looks like.  I would venture a guess that some vendors will buy up certain items and deplete their stock quickly.  But those items would be the stuff that has a history of selling.   If MFJ shows up to Hamvention this year, that of course will also run those numbers down quickly as well. 

And while they are claiming that they will be repairing equipment within the warranty period, I don't know what that period is.  Also, he's said that he will remain open until he has sold everything off.  Again, there are items that are good sellers and no doubt items that might sell one or two a year.  I doubt that he will hold out until it's all gone before throwing in the towel.  And lets be honest here.  The guy is 80 yrs old and MFJ is run as a sole proprietorship.  If something happens to him, my guess would be that it will come to a quick end at that point.  Any family he has obviously isn't interested in selling ham gear or we wouldn't be having this conversation.  I would expect his probate to have an auction to liquidate the assets of the business in that case after some time and again, that would be the end of it.   We are back to the fact no one wants to see the business continue to operate, the owner included. 

[nokones]

I believe there will be other HAM radio equipment suppliers in the same boat in the very near future. The HAM radio hobby could be in jeopardy of not gaining new hobbyist if they don't make some serious changes in the near future acquiring new people. This will cause suppliers and equipment providers to focus in other areas of interests and follow the path of where people are spending their money, such as GMRS.

The HAM hobby should have started yesteryear with those changes but they are too set in their ways and not willing to make the necessary changes to recruit new hobbyist. The times are changing and the way it was is not working today.

Until the Hobby eliminates the meaningless test for the technician license, or make a new entry level license class for an Operator restricted to the 2 Meter, 33 & 70 CMs bands, the recruitment of new hobbyist will not be enough to grow and support the hobby again and it's very likely the HAM hobby, suppliers, and equipment providers will no longer exist.

It's the HAMs choice, make the changes or let the hobby die. 

It would be best for the HAM hobby to make the changes for the good of the hobby and let the sad HAMs continue to be sad.

[OffRoaderX]

3 minutes ago, nokones said:

The HAM radio hobby could be in jeopardy of not gaining new hobbyist if they don't make some serious changes in the near future acquiring new people

I have been told that they are a loving and welcome bunch, right before I was called "too stupid to pass the test" for asking a question about resonance on a 2M antenna.

[nokones]

17 minutes ago, OffRoaderX said:

I have been told that they are a loving and welcome bunch, right before I was called "too stupid to pass the test" for asking a question about resonance on a 2M antenna.

I hear they may have some unusual habits.

Also, I've been told I was too stupid to pass the test. Well, they are right, I am too stupid to pass the test.  I owned that because I admitted I flunked the test twice. I just cannot not remember the correct answers to the electrical math and ohms questions on the test. I guess that would make me a bad operator if I had a license and didn't know my ohms. As for being stupid, the only ohms that I am aware that I need to know in this hobby is 50 ohms for acquiring the proper cable, connectors, and antenna, and speaker. Of course, that is all I know for being stupid.

[SteveShannon]

16 minutes ago, OffRoaderX said:

I have been told that they are a loving and welcome bunch, right before I was called "too stupid to pass the test" for asking a question about resonance on a 2M antenna.

What was your question again?  

[Lscott]

Just checked the indoor vendor list for the Hamvention. All the booths are sold. MFJ is NOT listed as an indoor vendor. I guess they will just sell out any remaining stock on the internet. Anybody hoping to buy something from them at the show can forget it.

[SteveShannon]

2 hours ago, Lscott said:

Just checked the indoor vendor list for the Hamvention. All the booths are sold. MFJ is NOT listed as an indoor vendor. I guess they will just sell out any remaining stock on the internet. Anybody hoping to buy something from them at the show can forget it.

Or buy from one of their dealers. 

[Davichko5650]

On 5/4/2024 at 8:42 AM, nokones said:

 

It's the HAMs choice, make the changes or let the hobby die. 

It would be best for the HAM hobby to make the changes for the good of the hobby and let the sad HAMs continue to be sad.

There's been talk from the ARRL on down about changes to the Tech. license, allowing them more than a couple spots on CW below 10 and the 10m band allocations they now have, easier entry into the hobby, etc., and man, you can see the SH's queuing up to unleash the venomous comments. Go to any hamfest and look at the attendees and tell my that hobby is growing and still in good stead.  The Preppers are getting that Tech. license and sitting on it, that's certainly not growing the hobby.  Granted, there are exceptions, I know several younger men and women in the hobby, but we geriatrics far outnumber them!

[WRQC527]

On 5/4/2024 at 6:48 AM, OffRoaderX said:

I was called "too stupid to pass the test"

I remember asking you the question to this answer over a year ago, probably in the comments section of a video. I believe I specifically asked "Who hurt you?" Now I know. 

[PA141]

On 5/7/2024 at 10:00 AM, Lscott said:

Just checked the indoor vendor list for the Hamvention. All the booths are sold. MFJ is NOT listed as an indoor vendor.

I was anticipating a fire sale at Xenia, but they are definitely not on the vendor list, nor are Ameritron, Cushcraft etc. 

Surprisingly the Collins Collectors Association appears to now have the majority of their large booth area.  Looks like the event organizers were scrambling to fill a big void at the last minute.  MFJ had their full booth at Hamcation in February.

The loss of MFJ will also have a big hit on advertising dollars to publishers.

[Lscott]

I'm curious to see how the prices look on used equipment like Mirage amplifiers in the flea market.