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Reviews For: MFJ-945-E

Category: Antenna Tuners/Matching Networks

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Review Summary For : MFJ-945-E
Reviews: 66MSRP: 109.95
Description:
160 through 6 M 300 watt metered compact mobile antenna tuner
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.mfjenterprises.com/products.php?prodid=MFJ-945E
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00663.3
SMAUG Rating: 2014-12-05
Arcs internally at less than 100 W Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Bought this used from a fellow ham. (thanks for that) On the second day of ownership, while tuning my Kenwood TS-440S on a long wire antenna with 9:1 UNUN, I heard a weird sizzling sound and the cross needles started jumping all over the place.

I thought at first maybe dirty switch contacts, so I shut er down and cycled the inductor tap switch back and forth a few times. That didn't fix the problem.

This is without an amp, at maybe about 90 W; less than 1/3 of the tuner's rating.

I've asked the seller if I can return it for a refund. (bought it on swap.qth.com) If he says no, I'll have to leave him a negative post and pop it open to try to figure out where the arcing is happening. If it is to the case, it should be an easy fix with some electrical tape or an insulating sheet applied to the right spot. If proper spacing wasn't maintained and it is between wiring/connections of different circuits, that's easy too. If it's internal to the components, that's bad news. I'll read the rest of these reviews now for a clue.

The screws on the chassis look mint, so I don't think any monkeys have been inside it. (yet!) Therefore, I can only surmise that it is bad design by MFJ.

If I can't fix it, I'll probably pick up a nice LDG auto-tuner of some kind, when my checkbook recovers from this $100 mistake.

I really wanted to like this tuner. The inductor switch feels very solid; stops in position as it should. The cross needle meter is good, though hard to read at an angle. (as any analog meter is) The built-in dummy load was an attractive feature too.
W4KVW Rating: 2014-01-02
OK but not GREAT! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Worked great on my G5RV on every band except 60 & 160 meters.It should not have worked on 160 meters because the G5RV is much to short.I did however think it would tune the G5RV on 60 meters but it would not get it below 2.5.1 or so.It also worked great on my Antron 99 for 10,12,& 15 meters.I purchased it used & it was well worth what I paid for it though the light was also out when I received it.

Clayton
W4KVW
KA4KOE Rating: 2013-11-12
Not a 300w tuner Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Tuning an antenna on 40m with 100w and hear that familiar sizzling sound inside....ARCING. Definitely NOT a 300w tuner.
KG4RUL Rating: 2013-06-08
No problems at all! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have regularly used this tuner at 100w to tune everything from the no-radial verticals from Comet and Diamond to a cobbled together loop to a G5RV to and inverted V, etc. with no problems whatsoever.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by KG4RUL on 2013-01-14

Have had my 945-E for over 9 years. I know enough to not feed ANY MFJ tuner at it's rated power. This is equipment built to a price point and if you acknowledge that, it will give you many years of service. At 100W, I can tune anything short of a wet string.
KA7PUO Rating: 2013-06-08
no more MFJ Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
bought one new and tried it on 3 different antennas... Vertical, dipole and end fed herz.. this tuner did nothing. It did not even increase the noise level as per the instruction manual. Turning the inductance and antenna knobs had no results at all. The tuner DOES NOT WORK !!! I went through the manual 3 times all with the same result .. NADA !!!However the bypass button worked just fine (AT LEAST SOMETHING WORKED !!)
No more MFJ for me EVER !!

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Earlier 0-star review posted by KA7PUO on 2013-06-08

bought a new 945e on june 5, 2013. got it delivered, opened it and it looked good. tried it out on several different antennas with my Yaesu FT847.. Dipole, Vertical and end fed herz, None of them tuned as I went through the instruction manual. I did not even get a change when tuning for increase in noise level as described in the manual. no change from any setting with the inductor or antenna tuning controls. I am thoroughly disgusted with this piece of worthless trash.. NO More MFJ !!!!
K4HYJ Rating: 2013-02-10
In the go box Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I have been using this tuner with a portable HF rig in a go box for field day and ARES exercises. I use it with a couple of cut dipoles for 20 meters and 80 meters. I have recently been using it with a screwdriver portable in the field. It tunes fine and the meter seems accurate enough. On 100 watts out, it compares with my bird 43 - same with 25 watts.

I like the fact it has a bypass switch and a lighted dial that can be turned on or off.
K5YY Rating: 2013-01-14
Horrible product Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Was given one, no arcing hisory, looked OK inside before I used it. Checked caps and components. OK at 100w transceiver power but trying at just 1/2 stated power rating is a BIG mistake. This should be labeled 300 PEP and only about 100 CW keydown. Suggest you spend a tad more and get a good USED Drake MN7 300 watt rated tuner or an MN2000/2700 with a true KW rating, just in case you ever want to run a 200 watt transceiver or a KW amp. You will do a LOT more damage to your rig than the extra cost of a decent, good used tuner. STAND CLEAR at all cost!
IT9JCB Rating: 2013-01-13
Dangerous !!! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
This is my second review.
Just to say you that this piece of metal destroyed the final transistors of my beloved solide state 300W amplifier.
I was simply tuning my 80m vertical for high SWR, may be using just a bit more than 300W, the variable capacitors arced and I got my transistors blowed.
Stay away from It....It very dangerous !

NW9T Rating: 2012-10-01
Long Run Report Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've had the MFJ-945E for a few years and have used it quite a bit with a variety of antennas. MOST of the time it works as expected. There were a few home brewed antennas it failed on, that I was able to tune using my old Dentron Jr.

Construction is cheap, and this is not a rugged piece of equipment. This tuner has never been dropped or abused and has simply sat on my shelf for all the time except for twice about two years ago. Last night I was getting some weird watts out readings and noticed the meter had fallen inside the case. Opening it this morning it appears the plastic back of the meter has dried out and broke at it's mounting point as well as several other points. Nobody else has access to the shack so I know it wasn't an accident I can blame on anyone. They sure don't make equipment as robust as they did in the 70s and before.
KE4SWC Rating: 2012-09-12
Works good! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Bought it on consignment from HRO for a good price. I had just purchased a used ft857d and needed a small rugged tuner for backpacking - this seemed to fit the bill. It has been on a few expeditions already and has tuned a flimsy dipole literally slung up in some trees just fine. The meter works good - while tuning at 20watts it reads just a tad over 20.

Using it at 100 watts has been fine - I've had to tweak a setting a time or two because of the wind moving my antenna a little too much. No problems at all at full power - tunes 6 meters quite well also.

I've already dropped it while unpacking on the trail. Besides a little dent and some paint damage - it continues to work fine!