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write your own review of the JOHNSON MATCHBOX "LITE" 300 WATT.
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K4JPN
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 1, 2011 18:11
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Great Tuner
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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It far exceeds the TEE type tuner used with a balun. I had a homebrew TEE type tuner for years till I picked up the Matchbox Jr. Never go back to the TEE type tuner. I use mine on all the WARC bands with dipoles fed with ladder line. Steve K4JPN
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WB2JNA
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Rating: 4/5
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Nov 1, 2011 13:50
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IT'S A KEEPER
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I bought two Matchbox tuners, one with and one without a case, for $100. Sold one, kept the other. The only problem is once you buy one, you'll probably never sell it. I've found it matches most of what I throw at it to under a 2:1 SWR, most often 1:1. The secret is to have a noise bridge or antenna bridge/analyzer that allows you to try various settings of the coil and variable caps. On some bands you really have to experiment, including the WARC bands, which mine does cover. It's not a plug and play accessory, but it's built like a tank and really does the job. Also, get the manual if possible. It has valuable info on how to use it with a coax fed antenna (it works with those too) or a long or random wire antenna. You may have to experiment, but it's worth it.
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VO1FZ
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 28, 2010 10:31
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Quick and flat tunes everytime
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I had a Palstar BT1500A that did everything I wanted it to, but cost a pretty penny. Just after I bought it, a friend posted an old Johnson Matchbox for sale. It was painted glossy black, but it worked. At $35, I jumped on it for my 80 meter loop (ladder line fed). I also have a doublet that I used the Palstar on.
While the BT1500A did everything, there was a fair amount of dial spinning for every band change. After a while, I found myself using the Matchbox more often, but I had to alter the feedline to 81' to avoid nasty impedances. To make a long story short, I sold the Palstar and only use the Matchbox now. I'm able to match all the non-warc bands as well as 17 and 12. I just played with the bandswitch to find suitable matches - no problem.
I can generally tune up in about 10 seconds or less. Just switch to the appropriate band, twist the capacitors for maximum receive signal, and fine tune. Generally, tweaking the receive signal brings me to within 2.0:1 right away and I'll use that setting in a hurry.
Mine does not have a meter, so I depend on my ft-990's swr meter, but that works well for me.
I've also had MFJ949's and variants and the Matchbox is in a different league altogether. If, like me, you have been sold on balanced line, grab one of these. Balanced wire needs a balanced tuner, and these qualify and they are cheap. It is sensitive to feed-line length, but a bit of extra ladder line is far cheaper than a Palstar or its equivalent.
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K5MVP
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 4, 2009 21:14
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To call it LITE is wrong
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have been using my 275 watt Johnson Matchbox for 40 plus years. This tuner is well built... not like tuners of today which indeed need the title of LITE. My Johnson Matchbox has been handling 1 KW output without a wimper. You must remember that back in the fifties when AM was in it's prime and you were running plate modulation your peak power output was 4 times your carrier output. Thus the 275 watt Matchbox can handle over 1 KW output PEP. However, it is so well built it easily handles 1 KW output of carrier on tuneup without arcing. It's been doing this now for over 40 years without one failure!
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AI4WM
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 30, 2009 18:32
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Great Antenna Coupler
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Got mine from a friend a few years ago when I was looking to replace the 944 I had in my portable kit. I arced the 944 with 100 or less watts several times so I was determined to get a good coupler, or antenna tuning unit for those who like to call them that.
The Matchbox needed some cleaning and minor repairs (someone removed the meter and an insulator). I have several watt meters and exact Johnson replacement insulators so that was minor.
These things were made in the days of real radios and equipment rather than most of the cheap over priced items of today. These were built to handle several hundred watts a.m. No doubt they will handle 250w or more with out flashing as many of the modern ones.
The good points are solid construction that will easily handle 100 or more watts. very flat across most of the bands, will easily match a wire or balanced line without a balun and an SO-239 (or N) can easily be added for a coax.
The disadvantages are no WARC bands without a mod, no dual needle metering without a mod, requires an external directional coupler or VSWR meter, and there is no bypass position for directly connecting to an antenna.
I have had no trouble matching any frequency on my dipole, G5RV, wire, or Vertical. If you don't want to use the WARC bands I recommend one of these big boxes over the little black ones any day. Compared to my Zetagi (also reviewed) this one is much heftier, but the Zetagi will cover the WARC bands and has metering.
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K9EUI
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Rating: 4/5
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Dec 9, 2007 09:35
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Great balanced tuner
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I never had any problems loading any doublet with my Matchbox. It took the output from my Johnson Desk KW just fine (tuning up on low -power first of course).
Eventually, so I could use it on other newer bands (and 160 meters), I rebuilt it into another box, using the Johnson caps but instead of the original coil I use the plate tank plug-in coils from a BC-610.
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KA4DPO
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 18, 2007 19:07
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If you can find one buy it, if you buy it keep it.
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I've had my matchbox since 1965, it was given to me as a present by one of my elmers. I have had more than half a dozen antenna tuners over the years and still have a couple of high power units so I have a lot of experience with antenna tuners. After using the Johnson Matchbox for 41 years I can honestly say that I have never found a better tuner for balanced feed lines than this one. The only balanced tuners I have ever used that had lower loss that the matchbox were home brewed link coupled tuners the were very high Q and band specific. The only other tuner that might come close to it is the old Harvey Wells X match but I wouldn't swear to it. If you want to use balanced feeders and don't plan on running more that 400 watts PEP then this tuner is still the best you can get.
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W3DBB
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Rating: 4/5
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Jan 28, 2007 20:05
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I like 'em
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I must; I own three of them. One is 'collector quality' and I've owned it for 25 years. I use it in conjunction with a Heathkit DX-35 transmitter and a Collins R-388 receiver. Superb. Antenna is a 130' doublet up 50'. I feed it in the center with the 'crappy brown stuff', i.e. 450 Ohm window line (14 ga. stranded conductor 'heavy duty' version). The 12 Watt Heathkit transmitter gets out like a 100 Watt rig with this tuner. The built in antenna changeover relay is the bees knees.
The other two Matchboxes were freebees. They both had the stupid 'line flattener' modification done. I undone it! In one, the antenna changeover relay was missing (boo-hoo) and in the other it had been bypassed. That mudification was also removed.
What do I like about the Johnson Matchbox? NO BALUN AND NO ROLLER INDUCTOR. Also, healthy-sized components for a '275 Watt' tuner.
One of the reviewers remarked about the lack of matching capability compared to some of the newer tuners. He is correct and the ARRL lab corroborated his statement when they compared recent tuners to the venerable Matchbox. A tuner like the Matchbox forces the station builder to pay attention to length of the balanced feedline.
I have a Palstar AT1500C, which I feel is an excellent, modern-day antenna tuner. But in many ways I prefer the old E.F. Johnson tuners. The AT1500C has a 4:1 balun on the output. For my purposes, heating of the balun and the resulting power losses are always a concern. Although the small Matchbox is rated for *only* 275 Watts, they mean 275 Watts of plate-modulated, full carrier, double sideband AM. The small Matchbox will handle a kiloWatt of slopbucket!
If you find one for less than $100 grab it, you'll like it!
73
Doug
KA3TGV
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W1BKZ
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 28, 2007 17:34
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Only the best there is.....
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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OK, so I'm prejudiced. E.F.Johnson stuff, in general, is very well designed and implemented. No cheap parts here. Sure, there are better tuners out there, but the prices are upwards of $600 or more. I payed $75 for my Matchbox (used), and spent the better part of an hour cleaning it up!! What a pleasure to match my Zepp on all bands except 160. No strain, no pain, just fine results!! And, it goes well with my Viking II.
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KW4N
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Rating: 2/5
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Oct 28, 2006 06:48
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Limited Range
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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This tuner will NOT tune balanced line on all bands on a multiband antenna because it lacks the range. Doublet feedpoint impedance varies from very low to very high; this tuner can't handle it. Many operators get around this by varying the length of their feed line for each band by cutting in the appropriate length with knife switches. Typically, the various lengths are mounted and switched inside the shack. Now, do you really want various lengths of open wire line stretched around your shack? Bet your wife doesn't!
The only truly balanced tuner that I'm aware of that can handle the wide impedance range is the Palstar 1500BL for about $700. A good tuner is a lifelong investement, so buy the best. If you can't afford it now, wait until you can.
73's Dave
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