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Reviews For: MFJ-971

Category: Antenna Tuners/Matching Networks

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Review Summary For : MFJ-971
Reviews: 55MSRP: 99.95
Description:
1.8 - 30 MHz 200 watt portable antenna tuner
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.mfjenterprises.com/products.php?prodid=MFJ-971
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00553.8
N2UGB Rating: 2008-07-05
Very nice QRP! Tuner Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Set up with my FT-817ND and OHR-500. So, it is used as advertised...a QRP antenna tuner. Matches all the compromise antennas I am forced to use, including my Buddistick.

I have found the QRP power indication to be reasonably accurate. My OHR QRP wattmeter and the MFJ are pretty close, though the OHR is used when great precision required.

A a QRP op, I prefer having one less coax "patch" which is the case when using the 971.

I give it a 4, not because of performance, which is FB, but because of the small display that can be difficult to read for the tri-focal crown...of which I am a member.

I wouldn't bang it around.

A bypass switch would have been helpful, but I knew it wasn't there when I bought it, so I can't fault MFJ for that.

I like it and use it exclusively. On my operating position right now.

I have two of 'em.
IW1DFU Rating: 2007-06-29
so and so... Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've had one for more than one year and here you'll find some comments about it:
1) probably it's really good for QRP operation but if you try to use with something like 100W you'll sure have some problem: I've burned the inductance switch in few minutes... replaced with something better, it has worked fine but with some spikes on the capacitor (sometimes...)because they has really poor spaced.

2) it hasn't got the bypass switch... And you'll need it!

73 de Fabio, IW1DFU.
OE3SGU Rating: 2007-06-28
Good portable tuner Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Recently bought one and it works just fine. Tried it with power levels up to 100 W and there are no problems with it. It fits nicely to my MFJ-9020 QRP rig. The only downside is that there is no bypass-switch.
W5VK Rating: 2007-03-26
Acceptable Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I wanted a small flexible tuner for my IC 706G "jump bag" and the 971 meets my needs. I bought this new at Dayton and I've used it for 6 years without problems. MFJ tuners do have their share of QC problems but I found (after "frying" a few) that if you tune them at low power and then apply power, they will usually operate within specifications.
AB7JK Rating: 2007-02-05
bad capacitors Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
These units work ok unless you get one used like me with some capacitor plates touching. They are more difficult to adjust than you think. If anyone sees Mr. Jue laughing all the way to the bank they should shoot him in the butt just for the fun of it.
KG6BRG Rating: 2006-08-08
useless for QRP Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
As a tuner, it's just fine, but even in the 6 watt sensitivity and switched to the 6 watt range, the forward power is very inaccurate. I was looking for a tuner that would work with my FT-817ND. The tuner is in the "return mode" as I write this review. How this can be sold as a QRP tuner is beyond me. The following is a response to my inquiry from MFJ tech. dept.:

"the 971 meter can only register accurate at six watts. any power below that
will be inaccurate due to the six watt limitation to the tuner. it can be
recalibrated but anything below six watts is still going to be inaccurate.
thanks for your business."

Seems to me, a 6 watt scale should be able to measure .5 watts to a max of 6 watts.

scott


W2RDD Rating: 2006-07-06
So far, so good Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've only had it a very short time but must say that, to date, I am very pleased with it. Tunes my far from resonant Buddistick much better than my MFJ 941E, better even than my recently deceased old Nye Viking tuner. Now, I run no more than 20 watts to it from an Argonaut and an SG-2020. Frankly, as it is sold as, essentially, a QRP tuner, I keep the output at a conservative 20 watt level and use the 941E with my boatanchor. This is a great tuner for travel and fits nicely in my Pelican case along with the SG-2020. MFJ cannot be faulted for this product.
KE5GFJ Rating: 2006-04-27
Great little tuner Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
One of my "Elmers" gave me this little tuner. It came from the estate of a silent key. I first tried it with a 75 foot end-fed copper wire up in the mountains at 8500 ft elevation. This little tuner would tune the wire for almost any band! 40 and 20 meters tuned out perfectly. The lower bands needed a longer wire but I was still able to make some good QSOs even on 75/80 meters. I brought it home and connected it to an 85 foot length of guy wire (end fed) and insulated the guy wire on both ends. Works great with 100 watts. The small size is very handy for travel or if you have limited space in the shack.
2E1EMK Rating: 2005-12-18
works ok Time Owned: more than 12 months.
i have owned one of these for approx.2yrs now bought it used.I have tried it on wires,dipoles,doublets and different aerials on the car have never had a problem with it falling apart as other MFJ reviewers report have always been able to get a match.
It has been used mainly with an ft817 and an alinco dx70 upto 50w no problem so cant comment on how much power it will take,its pretty and it works!
2E1RDX Rating: 2005-11-20
Superb Time Owned: N.A.
I have been using this little tuner to tune a Full size G5RV with Balanced feeder straight into the tuner and it tunes it from 10m to 80m no problem I also use it to take the swr down on my Beam when operating PSK 31 and it does both jobs without any fuss the only down side is that it has no through setting otherwise works great
Ian