mfjenterprises.com

Choose by how high you need the antenna feed point and whether you already own a mast. MFJ lists three options on its site: the MFJ-1919EXAL at $199.95 for an 18-foot setup, the MFJ-1918EX at $129.95 for a 10-foot setup, and the MFJ-1918 at $84.95 for the tripod alone without a mast. All three are described as portable tripods that fit in a trunk or back seat and are aimed at QRP, POTA, Field Day, and travel operating.

The three configurations at a glance

The height figures are the heights MFJ advertises for each package, so treat them as the practical starting point for planning radials, guying, and feedline length rather than as a guarantee for every antenna you might mount.

How to decide

Start with the antenna, not the tripod

The tripod is only the base. The real question is what the antenna needs:

• A small vertical, whip, or lightweight wire support that works fine at roughly 10 feet: the MFJ-1918EX covers it at the lowest package price.
• A taller vertical or a center support for a wire antenna where extra height meaningfully changes the radiation pattern or keeps the element clear of people and ground clutter: the MFJ-1919EXAL buys you 8 more feet for $70 more than the 10-foot package.
• You already own a mast that fits the tripod: buy the MFJ-1918 and save the cost of a mast you don't need.

Consider the practical cost of height

An 18-foot setup is not just a taller version of a 10-foot one. Before choosing the taller package, plan for:

• Guying or anchoring. A taller mast with an antenna on top has more leverage against the tripod, so plan on securing it, especially in wind or on open field-day sites.
• Transport length. MFJ says the tripods fit in a trunk or back seat, but confirm the collapsed mast length against your vehicle before committing to the 18-foot model.
• Setup time and reach. Raising and lowering an 18-foot mast takes more care than a 10-foot one, which matters if you are setting up alone or moving between POTA activations.

If you operate mostly in calm conditions, on short activations, or with a light antenna, the 10-foot package is the simpler choice. If height is the point — for example, getting a vertical's feed point and radials clear of ground losses — the 18-foot package is the one to budget for.

Check what else you need

The tripod packages do not include the antenna, feedline, or guying hardware. MFJ's site also lists accessories that often travel with a portable setup, such as the MFJ-9219 QRP tuner/SWR meter/dummy load at $119.95 (20-watt handling, 3/4 pound) and the MFJ-557 code practice oscillator at $69.95. These are separate purchases, so factor them into the total if your station needs them.

A quick decision path

1. Do you already have a compatible mast? If yes, the MFJ-1918 at $84.95 is the direct answer.
2. If not, how high does your antenna need to be? Around 10 feet points to the MFJ-1918EX; around 18 feet points to the MFJ-1919EXAL.
3. Can you transport, raise, and secure the taller mast? If not, take the 10-foot package even if you wanted more height.
4. Confirm current price and availability before ordering. The prices above are those listed on MFJ's site at the time of this information; check the product pages for the latest figures and stock status.

Common sticking points

• Assuming the tripod alone gets you on the air. The MFJ-1918 is a base only; without a mast it does nothing for your antenna.
• Buying height you can't manage. The 18-foot package is the right call only if you can guy it and raise it safely.
• Forgetting the rest of the station. Budget for feedline, guying, and any tuner or meter you need alongside the tripod.

For questions about a specific order or repair, MFJ's site directs customers to email [email protected], and it asks that products sent for repair have an RMA requested by email first.

To get repair service from MFJ Enterprises, email [email protected] to request an RMA (Return Materials Authorization) before shipping anything. Packages that arrive without an RMA are returned to the sender. The same email address is the recommended contact route if you can't reach the company by phone; the site also offers a support ticket form and a contact page.

Requesting Repair Service: Step by Step

1. Email [email protected] and ask for an RMA for the product you need repaired. Include the model and a description of the fault so the team can route the request.
2. Wait for the RMA to be issued. Do not ship the item yet — the site states plainly that packages delivered to MFJ without an RMA will be returned to sender.
3. Ship the product only after you have the RMA, following whatever return instructions come with it.
4. Keep the RMA reference with your shipment so the repair can be matched to your request.

The critical gate is step 2. Skipping the RMA doesn't just slow the repair down — the package never enters the repair queue at all.

Contacting MFJ Support

The site also notes that orders are still being taken and shipped, so a slow phone response doesn't mean the business is closed — email is the fallback the company itself points to.

Practical Tips

• Put "RMA request" in the subject line and include your order or model details in the first email; it reduces back-and-forth before an authorization is issued.
• Don't combine an RMA request with a shipped package. The RMA has to exist first; the return-to-sender rule is stated without exceptions on the page.
• Use the support ticket for non-repair issues (orders, product questions) and keep the repair email thread separate so the RMA isn't buried in an unrelated conversation.

What This Page Doesn't Cover

The published material doesn't state repair turnaround times, warranty terms, shipping addresses for returns, or whether repair costs apply. Those details would come with the RMA itself, so treat the RMA email as the point where you'll learn them.

MFJ product manuals are available through the Product Manuals link in the site's main navigation, and the free book offer is tied to the email list signup: the site states that joining the list gets you a free copy of the MFJ-3302 book, "73 dipole & Long Wire Antennas." Both are site-wide resources rather than links buried inside a single product page, so you can reach them from the homepage navigation without knowing a specific model number.

Finding Product Manuals

The navigation lists Product Manuals alongside Catalog, New Products, Clearance, Newsletters, and Contact and Support. The practical workflow:

1. Open the site and use the main navigation to select Product Manuals.
2. Identify your model number first (for example, MFJ-9219, MFJ-557, or MFJ-1918EX) — manuals are organized by product, so the model number is the input you need.
3. Match the manual to the exact model and variant. MFJ sells closely related versions at different prices — the tripod line alone includes the MFJ-1919EXAL ($199.95), MFJ-1918EX ($129.95), and MFJ-1918 without mast ($84.95) — so confirm the suffix before downloading.

Expected result: a document covering the specific product rather than a general catalog entry. If a manual does not appear for your model, the Contact and Support page is the fallback; the site also offers a Create A Support Ticket option.

The Free Email-List Book

The offer is stated directly on the site: join the email list and receive your free MFJ-3302 book, "73 dipole & Long Wire Antennas." The signup is described as a link on the page ("Here is the link to Sign Up for Our Email List"), and the book is presented as the incentive for joining.

What to expect and what to check:

• What you get: the MFJ-3302 title on 73-ohm dipoles and long-wire antennas — useful background if you are setting up the portable or wire antennas the tripods and tuners are sold for.
• Condition: the book is tied to the email signup, not to a product purchase, based on the page wording.
• Delivery details: the page does not specify whether the book arrives by email or with an order, so treat the signup confirmation as the place to look for fulfillment instructions.

Other Documentation and Reference Pages

Beyond manuals, the navigation exposes several pages that answer common pre-purchase questions:

The site also carries a note that orders are still being taken and shipped, and directs customers who cannot reach the company by phone to email [email protected]. That same address is the required first step for repairs: request an RMA (Return Materials Authorization) before sending anything, because packages arriving without an RMA are returned to the sender.

Practical Tips

• Start from the model number, not the product name. MFJ's lineup includes many near-identical variants (the tripods above are one example), and manuals follow the model.
• Check the manual before buying accessories. For example, the MFJ-264 SWR/wattmeter is rated for 1.5 kW with a 100-watt/10-minute and 1.5 kW/10-second duty pattern — the manual is where such limits are documented in full.
• Use the email list as a low-effort way to get both the book and announcements about new products and clearance, which the site presents as separate pages you would otherwise have to check manually.

The two resources are independent: the manuals page serves existing owners, while the email signup serves anyone interested in the antenna book and company updates. Neither requires a product purchase based on the page content, though the site does not state whether an account or login is needed to download manuals.

MFJ Enterprises Inc. is a Starkville, Mississippi–based amateur radio company that sells its own MFJ-branded station accessories alongside products from a group of acquired brands: Ameritron (amplifiers), Hy-Gain and Cushcraft (antennas), Vectronics, Mirage, and Xiegu. If you are shopping for a tuner, analyzer, meter, key, amplifier, or antenna, the brand name on the product tells you which part of this family it comes from — and the company's own site organizes its catalog by exactly those brand names.

The brand family at a glance

The site lists its companies as MFJ, Ameritron, Hy-Gain, Cushcraft, Mirage, Vectronics, and MDS-HAM, with Xiegu also named in the company's own description. Each brand covers a different part of the station:

MFJ-branded accessories

The MFJ line is the broadest and covers the small items that fill out a station. Examples with listed prices from the site:

• MFJ-870 3 kW HF SWR/Wattmeter — measures forward/reflected peak and average power and SWR from 1.6–60 MHz, with selectable 30 W / 300 W / 3 kW scales, $119.95.
• MFJ-264 — 1.5 kW SWR/wattmeter covering DC–650 MHz, $129.95.
• MFJ-9219 QRP tuner, SWR/power meter, and dummy load — 3/4 lb, handles 20 W, $119.95, aimed at backpacking and portable operation.
• MFJ-557 code practice oscillator — built-in speaker, variable volume and side tone, adjustable key spacing and tension, 9 V battery or 12 VDC, $69.95.
• Heavy-duty tripods — MFJ-1919EXAL at $199.95 (antenna 18 feet up), MFJ-1918EX at $129.95 (10 feet up), and MFJ-1918 at $84.95 (tripod without mast), marketed for QRP, POTA, Field Day, and travel.

The site also points to related meters (MFJ-891, MFJ-847, MFJ-849), keys (MFJ-550 straight key, MFJ-564 iambic paddle), and a power supply collection.

Ameritron amplifiers

Ameritron is the high-power amplifier brand. Listed examples include the ALS-706-SEC at 600 watts for $2,239.96, the ALS-706A without power supply for $1,950, and the AL-1200NT (no tubes supplied) for $2,849.96. These are the products to look at if your interest is legal-limit or near-limit HF amplification rather than accessories.

Hy-Gain and Cushcraft antennas

Hy-Gain and Cushcraft are the antenna brands in the family. The site's antenna material includes loop and long-wire designs, and the email signup offer is a free MFJ-3302 book, "73 Dipole & Long Wire Antennas." If you are choosing an antenna, compare within these two brands first, then check whether the matching tuner or tripod comes from MFJ.

Vectronics, Mirage, Xiegu, and MDS-HAM

These complete the roster. Vectronics and Mirage appear as separate catalog companies; Xiegu is named in the company's description; MDS-HAM appears in the site navigation. The site does not detail their individual product ranges on this page, so treat them as additional lines to browse in the catalog rather than as categories with published specs here.

How to use this when buying

1. Start with the function, not the brand. Decide whether you need an amplifier (Ameritron), an antenna (Hy-Gain/Cushcraft), or a station accessory (MFJ).
2. Check the published spec against your station. For meters, confirm frequency coverage and power handling (e.g., 1.6–60 MHz and 3 kW for the MFJ-870); for amplifiers, confirm whether tubes or a power supply are included, since the site explicitly notes when they are not.
3. Buy through the linked product pages. The site directs buyers to "click here to buy" pages for individual items; use those rather than assuming a price applies to a variant.
4. For service, request an RMA first. The company states that repair shipments need a Return Materials Authorization requested by email at [email protected], and packages arriving without one are returned to sender.

One practical caveat from the site itself: it notes it is still taking and shipping orders but that phone response can be slow, recommending email to [email protected] instead.

MFJ Enterprises Inc. is a ham/amateur radio equipment company and online store. Its site sells gear under its own MFJ brand and related brands including Ameritron, Hy-Gain, Cushcraft, Vectronics, Mirage and Xiegu. It is relevant if you are shopping for amateur radio accessories such as antennas, tuners, analyzers, amplifiers or portable tripods, or if you need product manuals and support for equipment you already own.

What the site offers

The catalog is organized around radio equipment and accessories. Product categories visible on the site include:

• Amplifiers — Ameritron high-power amps, such as the ALS-706-SEC (600 watts) and AL-1200NT
• Antennas and antenna support — Hy-Gain and Cushcraft brands, plus MFJ heavy-duty tripods for portable operation
• Tuners, SWR/wattmeters and analyzers — for example the MFJ-870 3KW HF SWR/Wattmeter and the MFJ-9219 QRP tuner/SWR meter/dummy load
• Keys and code practice gear — such as the MFJ-557 code practice oscillator
• Power supplies — listed as a separate collection

The tripod line illustrates the portable-use focus: the MFJ-1919EXAL ($199.95) puts an antenna 18 feet up, the MFJ-1918EX ($129.95) reaches 10 feet, and the MFJ-1918 ($84.95) is the tripod without a mast. The site positions these for QRP, POTA, Field Day and travel.

Brands under the MFJ umbrella

The site groups several well-known amateur radio brands in one storefront:

If you are comparing gear across these brands, the single storefront is convenient, but check each product page for specifications rather than assuming shared standards across brands.

Support, manuals and ordering

Beyond shopping, the site provides:

• Product manuals — useful for checking setup details before or after purchase
• Catalogs — MFJ and general catalogs for browsing the full line
• Support tickets and contact — a ticket system plus email at [email protected]
• Repair returns — an RMA (Return Materials Authorization) must be requested by email before sending anything for repair; packages without an RMA are returned to sender
• Email list — signup offers a free MFJ-3302 book, "73 Dipole & Long Wire Antennas"

The site notes it is still taking and shipping orders, and suggests email if phone contact is difficult.

When this site is the right stop

Use mfjenterprises.com if you want MFJ-family gear from one source, need a manual for existing equipment, or are setting up a portable antenna system and want a matched tripod and mast. If you need a specific amplifier, tuner or antenna, start from the category or brand listing and confirm price and specs on the product page, since listed prices and stock can change.