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write your own review of the MFJ-989D 3kW Roller Inductor Antenna Tuner.
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W5SLU
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Rating: 2/5
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Apr 28, 2012 21:20
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uPDATE TO MY REVIEW
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I am updating my review because today I strung up a doublet fed with 450 ohm ladder line and no matter what, I could not tune the antenna. I first assumed my antenna and feedline were at fault and tried several remedies to no avail.
I took the top off the tuner and discovered one winding of the toroid primary was broken! I resoldered the connection and the balanced portion started working.
Another hit for QC.
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AA1PR
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Rating: 4/5
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Apr 25, 2012 19:30
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Typical MFJ issues
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I love this tuner it performs like it should however I have had to send it back twice as the meter stopped working, once under warranty & then again only a few weeks later off warranty. other then the meter problems this tuner can & does handle it with ease
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W3AMF
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 13, 2012 19:10
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It Works Well and is Fairly Priced
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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Perhaps I have not had mine long enough to experience the problems some guys are complaining about. Mine loads an A-Delta DX-A, an 8-band, gnd mtd DX Engineering vertical, and a Mosley TA-33Jr with ease. It gives me 12 and 18 meter coverage on my old tribander. For some reason, it will not load the DX-A on 1.900 - 2.000 Mhz. It runs cool with 500 W CW and 600 W PEP output. I made a detailed tuning chart (Excel) for the 3 antennas on all bands. The settings work, the tuning is repeatable, and I can change bands QUICKLY. I load it at 25 W output, then go to 100W. I, then, know that it will be ready for my Amp Supply LA-1000A if I choose to use it. The manual is excellent.
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K7TXO
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Rating: 4/5
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Jan 6, 2012 22:54
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Made my day w/DX contacts
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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When I received the new MFJ-989D, I was put off a bit that it is light in weight and the cover paint job seems not as good as anything else. But after hooking it up and actually using it; this tuner works outstanding on my vertical, dipoles and hex beam with my rigs at low or high power or with linear too. I give it a 4 because I think the cabinet paint could be better and the inductors mechanical gearing could operate smoother. Otherwise based on a short time of experience, it works good enough for me to otherwise rate a "5". I do hope it provides me this kind of operational service for years to come.
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KE8G
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 7, 2011 03:34
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Very good tuner
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I've had this tuner now for almost a year and it works great. If you take your time and start with low power; 10 - 20 watts, then there is no problem tuning it. I've been able to run about 600 watts using it and no problems.
I love the cross needle SWR/watt feature, it gives a lot of information at glance. The only thing I might say that I wish was different would be a bigger meter!
I would recommend this tuner to anyone who is in the market for a high-power tuner.
73 de Jim - KE8G
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K0HWY
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Rating: 2/5
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Jul 6, 2011 18:03
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Not recommended
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Perhaps it's just my bad luck, if you believe in luck. I don't. This is the second and last MFJ-989D I've tried in the past two months. There's quite a price step between this tuner and some of the comparable units offered by other manufacturers. But I would recommend spending the extra $200 and save yourself the frustration and grief I've been through. There are some decent MFJ products on the market but this isn't one of them.
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K6LO
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Rating: 4/5
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Jul 6, 2011 12:15
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Money left over for spray paint...
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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It literally has some rough edges, but at street prices just over $300 I think this unit is a good value. You get a decent antenna switch, a modest dummy load, and a pretty good SWR/PEP watt meter along with the matching network guts.
It has been over a decade since I purchased an MFJ product, but upon arrival of my 989D from DX Engineering, my muscle memory immediately kicked-in, and my arm unconsciously grabbed a screwdriver and began unfastening the top cover allowing me to perform the inside assembly check. All good and tight. Roller and caps? The caps and roller are smooth turning, and the roller has a good contact arrangement. The caps have smooth plates and nice wipers.
Nothing about the insides of the 989D says it would be happy matching a super low Z load, nor should one really want to. So don't. With that in mind, the manual looks like it was written by a realist, not a marketing person, and offers some good advice to keep bad things from happening.
So I got mostly what I was expecting, an all in one tuner that can safely handle sensible matching problems at my station and does not get warm when I turn on my Alpha. So why the 4 rating?
Now I know it's an MFJ, and I was not expecting a Ferrari finish, but I really think the top cover was fabricated with a Sawz-All, the edges filed, and then hit with touch-up paint. And it also only "kinda" fits. I think MFJ can do better, and still keep prices down. I am going to ask them for a better cover, and hope they have one. If not, for the price, I don't mind buying a can of spray paint.
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KENLETSON
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 30, 2011 14:48
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Nice Tunner
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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This is one nice tunner for the Buck$! Love the Peak Power Meter. I checkced it out when installing battery and you can tell it is a quality product. I have been using over 6 months, No arcing ect. Guy that said screw was stripped most lickly did it while putting it on. (Such a minor thing) They are using sheet metal screws for the cover which makes sence. I reccomend this to any Ham! Built in dummy load is also a nice feature.
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KE5VNX
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 30, 2010 14:02
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Better Much Better
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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Not a bad tuner. No quality issues. I contacted MFJ once about the manual that didn't come with it from DX Engineering and I received it in three days. Looks good in the shack. I use it on a G5RV and a home brewed antenna. It Has a short counter from 0 to 89, this makes it nice and fast to tune.
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W4II
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 1, 2010 12:08
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Excellent Value
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I find this tuner to be an excellent value; $319 from DX Engineering. In fairness, I did not like the appearance of several solder joints and re-worked them. BUT, the tuner performs quite well, mated with my Acom 1000. The "MFJ home-brew" variable caps and air-roller inductor are plenty stout to handle the legal limit.
I use the tuner with both resonant and non-resonant antennas. No issues at all.
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