Starkville man ends reign as king of ham radio parts: ‘It was rough trying to say goodbye’ (Mississippi)

In 1972, Martin Jue was a young entrepreneur who decided to use his electrical engineering expertise to start a new business, MFJ Enterprises, in Starkville, his adopted hometown.

The cottage industry he cultivated grew into a global enterprise that catered to ham radio enthusiasts, which will be missed now that he has shut down manufacturing operations and is gradually unloading the remaining merchandise.

Mark Castracane, who grew up in Connecticut but now lives in Hattiesburg, said the first equipment he bought from MFJ was an antenna tuner.

“They sold ham radio station essentials like radios, antennas, amplifiers and test equipment, but they also sold a huge variety of accessories and small parts: the glue that helps you put a station together,” Castracane said. “I purchase my first MFJ product in the late ’70s, while I was in high school. I’ve bought dozens of MFJ products ever since. There are currently five MFJ products being used as my part of my current station.”

Read more – Clarion-Ledger: https://bit.ly/4huE2kQ