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Reviews For: MFJ-828 Digital/analog SWR/wattmeter, freq. counter

Category: SWR & Wattmeters & Dummy Loads

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Review Summary For : MFJ-828 Digital/analog SWR/wattmeter, freq. counter
Reviews: 11MSRP: 229.95
Description:
The MFJ-828 digital SWR/Wattmeter/Frequency Counter measures up to 1500 watts. It has three high resolution ranges with accuracy in each range from 1.8 to 54 MHz. True peak or average forward and reflected watts, SWR and frequency can be simultaneously displayed.
Product is in production
More Info: http://mfjenterprises.com/Product.php?productid=MFJ-828
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00113.2
WY7CHY Rating: 2019-07-13
Quite decent meter Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I've been with radios for over 50 years. Not just as a hobby, but for a living. Sometimes MFJ does have quality issues, but the companies I've bought from; like HRO; never have a problem with returning items. So I bought this meter. I wanted a decent digital because I use an auto-tuner connected to my IC-756 proII and wanted a quick means of seeing if the antenna tuner was tuning properly. The MFJ-828 has worked flawlessly for about a year. To check accuracy, I put in line my Bird 43 and my older Mirage. All 3 meters in series. All 3 reading the same power out and reverse. That's on most all bands. At least the 80/40/20/15 that I use. So maybe I got lucky, but the 828 is very good. Accurate on power fwd and reverse. Accurate on SWR. The PEP is about as accurate as my bird has been. The analog on the 828 isn't of use to me because I keep the bird in line to adjust my amplifiers in peak mode. The delay PEP on the 828 is fine for reading the PEP power, but not for tuning. All in all however, I'm quite pleased with it.
AB3ME Rating: 2018-12-25
Not Pleased at all! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Purchased meter from HRO and received it a few days later. Out of the box, meter would read 10-15 watts higher than my Palstar HF Auto. Connected My Bird 43 watt-meter in accordance with the downloaded instructions to calibrate it. Went thru the calibration process, however was not able to set the Ref power per the procedure to 20 watts..in fact, turning the pot made no difference. Put the meter back together and tried it, still reading off on any band other than 40M, and now the indicated frequency only displays correctly when transmitting, returns to whatever when you un-key. For $230 this is a joke and will hopefully be able to return to HRO as I have only had it less than 4 days (was a Christmas present to myself). Will purchase a LP100A and get rid of this piece of junk.
KB5RU Rating: 2017-10-09
Junk Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Bought this thing 3 weeks ago. This week end smoke started coming out of it and the power wire started burning. I was not on a radio but I was lucky that I was in my shop and smelt it. Burned my hand getting the power plug out. Discovered that the RCA connector on the back that stops the amp from working if the SWR is above the set-point had fallen out. I don't use it but it is a good indication of their lack of QC. I won't make the mistake of buying any MFJ products in the future.
VA3AQB Rating: 2016-04-08
Not accurate Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I had this for a while, I found is accurate on 40m only and less than 1KW as this is the recommended calibration freq.
When you go higher on HF accuracy gets worst.
Meter reads higher on upper bands, If you go any higher than 1KW meter is very poor. I tested a amp at 2KW and the MFJ meter only read 1300watts compared to my amp meter and Palstar tuner read 2KW.
I do like the amp cut off if SWR is high feature.
I will sell to a CB'er and buy a LP100A.
N4SRN Rating: 2015-03-31
As Expected Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Connected between my LDG Z-11ProII atu and FT-897D Transceiver, and it work brilliantly right out of the box. I'll report back after 3mo+ use.
KF5BQJ Rating: 2015-02-12
It Works Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Ok, I took a chance on MFJ once again. I bought this mainly for the audio SWR alert. I'm forever forgetting to change bands on the amp or switching antennas. This product should correct my stupity. I am disappointed that MFJ did not send an owners manual. They sent a note in the box that my owners manual is on line.
Other than that, the meter seams to function as it should right out of the box.
N5VU Rating: 2011-08-19
Works as advertised! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Arrived in good shape. All parts and connections in place. Worked great right out of the box! The auto-ranging analog meter is a pretty cool item. Of course the auto-ranging digital meter is good also. The menu is easy to figure out even if you didn't have the instructions.
The frequency counter is accurate. Keep in mind that the frequency counter works just like any other frequency counter, it needs a solid carrier to measure. It will not measure SSB. DUH!
The digital display will keep the last transmission peak power information displayed. The analog meter will keep the reading displayed long enough for you to actually read the meter before it goes back to zero.
I suppose the best part about this meter is it comes with both analog and digital readouts. The analog accuracy appears to match my other meters as well. I compared it to my AL-82 meter and it matched. This was into a dummy load as well as throgh my ATR-30 and Palstar BT1500 tuner. Keep in mind that a mismatched antenna will give you some inaccurate meter readings.
73 & Great DX de N5VU
KG0WX Rating: 2011-06-07
Works perfectly Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I'm not sure what happened to the earlier reviewers
but my 828 seems to works perfectly right out of the
box. Must be an intermittent QC issue at the factory
which may have been addressed as mine was ordered
from Hamcity and they held my reservation until
some more came in so I guess mine is "fresh".

I'll repost the review in a few months as an update.
N4NDX Rating: 2011-05-14
N4NDX Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I have the MFJ-828 for a little over 4 month now and I can`t say nothing bad about it. I have mine connected in line with a Swan WM-2000A so I`m able to double check readings, and so far is doing a great job. I like to detail my logs and this will give me all the info I need and is also very simple to use.
KJ6GED Rating: 2011-04-09
Absolute Garbage Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I cannot believe that anyone would even consider MFJ products. Brand new out of box, Peak reading was 200watts over what bird meter was seeing. SWR on my 10m vertical is flat with bird and swr meter on my ic-775. MFJ says swr of 1.7 and reflection 15w and 100 going out. UNBELIEVABLE. I sent it right back. Take my advice MFJ is junk. I will never buy an mfj product again. This company is so bad that they should be put out of business.