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Reviews For: MFJ-993BRT TUNER, AUTO, REMOTE, 300W, 1.8-30 MHZ

Category: Antenna Tuners/Matching Networks

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Review Summary For : MFJ-993BRT TUNER, AUTO, REMOTE, 300W, 1.8-30 MHZ
Reviews: 16MSRP: 299.95
Description:
Description: Remote IntelliTuner is mounted in a durable hard plastic case that measures 9 1/4" x 3" x 14 1/4". Covers 1.8 to 30 MHz, uses heavy duty 16 Amp / 1000 Volt relays in a highly efficient L-network. It also includes the MFJ-4117 BiasTee Power Injector to send DC/RF down your coax. Handles 600 Watts SSB/CWpower level and matches 6-1600 Ohm antennas.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.mfjenterprises.com/Product.php?productid=MFJ-993BRT
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00163.4
NT4MM Rating: 2015-04-05
Reliable and consistent Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I've had this tuner outside for a while taking 200W from my FT-2000D and matching to a 43' vertical. The setup I've been using was 75' of 9913 to the tuner, then a short piece of coax to a 1:1 inline isolation balun, to the 4:1 unun at the antenna base of the 43' vertical with 1500' of radials. This replaced an auto-tuner I had in the shack. I got considerably improved signal reports and results from my usual groups on 80 and 40m, and was generaly able to hear better once I switched to the remote tuner. This model has been completely reliable, and I've even been able to tune 160m on the 43' vertical with it, and make a few contacts, though that antenna isn't efficient at all on that band (a conversation for another review).

Additionally, we're getting ready to move QTHs here, and after we took all the main antennas down, just as a temporary setup until I disconnect the radios this week and pack them, I went ahead and threw a 75' random wire with an 81' counterpoise on - connected the wire to the wire antenna socket, and the counterpoise to the ground lug. The tuner handled it great, and I actually had a much better 160m system than before, and the station was better for contacts out to about 2000 or so miles (but I don't hear Europe as well, but anyway...). Point is, the tuner did its job very well without missing a beat, whether being used with a 43' vertical, or a random wire and counterpoise.
W9PMZ Rating: 2015-02-10
Very nice solution Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I replaced a LDG RT100 with the MFJ-993BRT.
I have the MFJ-993BRT mounted on my chimney with 50' of wire.
The MFJ-993BRT does indeed tune much faster and keeps the tuning solution in memory with retuning upon returning to that frequency almost instantaneous.
It tunes 80M-10M very nicely and I can check into a 75M net in the evening with a reasonable transmitted signal.
The DC injector box is nice, but you have to turn it on and off at the box. Would be nice if this were a remote process (on/off).
The tuner is bypassed when the unit is turned off. It would be nice if the tuning solution remained intact with the unit turned off.
N7BOO Rating: 2015-01-06
Excellent Performer Time Owned: more than 12 months.
First, I want to make it clear that I have no affiliation with MFJ or their products. Having said that, I wanted to comment on the MFJ remote auto tuners like the MFJ-993BRT 300 watt model.

I’ve owned various models of the SGC Auto Tuners for 17 – 18 years, I’ve never had one fail and they have all performed admirably. I have also owned MFJ remote auto tuners like the MFJ-993BRT and they have performed admirably without a single failure.

I've had these tuners mounted on towers and rooftops in all extremes of weather conditions. I've lived in Wisconsin and Arizona where they have been subjected to extreme humidity, extreme subzero cold, snow, ice, and extreme heat in excess of 130 degrees on rooftops and towers, never once have any of them failed.

I'm sure that there will always be a few that exhibit problems, but so does any other mass produced product.

I've been a ham for 35 years and I've found that most failures are generally associated with cockpit errors like poor connections and failure to follow installation and operational instructions. Some tend to immediately blame the manufacturer and slam the product as "junk", when in fact, they failed to follow proper installation and operational instructions, tampered with the product, exceeding the power limits of the device, and were not knowledgeable / capable with electronics in the first place.

All I can add is, both the MFJ and SGC remote auto tuners have served me well and I have never experienced a single failure with any of them.
Product is in production.
N2DE Rating: 2014-08-04
Great Device Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I use this tuner to couple to a 700ft long wire that is fed off-center with ladder line. It provides a 1:1.3 or better match on all bands and follows bands changes instantaneously. My transceiver "sees" a perfect antenna on every band, although that wire is far from resonance, and I can run a "clean" coax into the house when the ladder line is certainly radiating quite a bit. The tuner just sits out there in the garden, doing the job quietly and efficiently - I am happy with it.
KG4RUL Rating: 2012-10-03
Works Great After You Finish Assembly Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
As I wrote before, the nut holding the radio, SO239 was loose on arrival. Fixed that and put it into service tuning my 41' flagpole. Works great on every band except 160M, which I had little hope for anyway. Of course, I only run 100W into a 300W rated tuner. HI HI

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Earlier 2-star review posted by KG4RUL on 2012-05-19

My tuner arrived with a rattle inside. Upon removing the cover(ten screws), I discovered the nut holding the radio SO239 was loose. Adequately re-tightening (that assumes that it was tight in the first place) the nut was a exercise in frustration! Yet another MFJ "kit" product. A follow up review will be forthcoming when I get up the nerve to actually install and try it.
DG5SAY Rating: 2012-06-13
it works, but don´t know how long Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Ich habe den Tuner nun etwa zwei Monate. Vorweg muss ich sagen, er tut genau das was er tun sollte. Er kann meinen etwa 27 m langen Draht von 160 m bis 10 m einigermassen anpassen, das max. SWR beträgt normalerweise 1:1,5.

Als ich den Tuner erhalten habe, ist mir aufgefallen dass 1. (bei meinem Exemplar) kein Befestigungsmaterial zur Mastmontage enthalten war, und 2. auch bei meinem Gerät eine Schraube locker war. Da es sich dabei um eine der Deckelschrauben handelte, habe ich die Gelegenheit ergriffen, mal einen Blick ins Innere zu tätigen.

So wie es innen aussieht, hat MFJ nur die Leiterplatten aus dem normalen MFJ-993 genommen und in ein, etwas instabiles dünnes Plastikgehäuse, gebaut. Das Display vom normalen Tuner ist nicht bestückt, und die Frontplattenplatine mit den Tasten ist so montiert, dass sie nicht mehr betätigt werden können. Dazu erhält man eine (englische) Bedienungsanleitung, die sich auf die Bedienung des Shack-Gerätes mit Display und Tasten bezieht! Fakt ist, dass sich beim MFJ-993BRT z.B. das "Target SWR" nicht ohne vollständige Zerlegung des Geräts einstellen lässt.
Gelegentlich habe ich auch das Problem, dass der Tuner nicht damit beginnt eine Abstimmung zu starten, obwohl das SWR über 1:2 liegt. Dann hilft nur die Sendefrequenz so weit so verändern, dass das SWR noch weiter steigt, irgendwann beginnt er dann endlich mit einem Abstimmvorgang.

Ich bin gespannt, wie lange das Gerät noch seinen Dienst tut. Er ist bei mir im Freien am Mastrohr von der 2m/70cm-Antenne befestigt, vollständig der Witterung ausgesetzt. Das labrige Plastikgehäuse ist nur (nach meiner Meinung) unzureichend abgedichtet.

Auch könnten die internen Masseverbindungen noch weiter verbessert werden. So sind z.B. die Massen der PL-Buchsen nur über jeweils ein dünnes Stück Silberdraht vom Gehäuse zur Platine geführt. Selbst zur Masseschraube des extenen Masseanschlusses ist nur ein dünnes, mehrere cm langes, Drähtchen verlegt! Und warum zur den Schrauben der beiden Befestigungsflansche keine Masse verlegt wurde, entzieht sich ebenfalls meiner Kenntnis.

Zusammenfassung:

Positiv:
- Funktioniert
- Kostet nur die Hälfte wie ein SGC-Tuner
- Fernspeisung

Negativ:
- lieblos in ein dünnes Plastikgehäuse eingebauter MFJ-993
- keine Betätigung der (noch) vorhanden Tasten möglich
- unzureichende Masseverdrahtung
- Abdichtung gegenüber Witterung fraglich (werden die nächsten Monate zeigen)