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Reviews For: MFJ-969

Category: Antenna Tuners/Matching Networks

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Review Summary For : MFJ-969
Reviews: 115MSRP: 199.95
Description:
Covers 160M to 6M, 300W
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.mfjenterprises.com/products.php?prodid=MFJ-969
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
001153.5
VE2XQQ Rating: 2004-12-06
BIG antennas need BIG tuners Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I took it out of the box new, shook it and no loose parts. Hooked of the cables and did it my way.... READ the FLIPPEN MANUAL!!!

Now I follow the presets by the book to get me into the ball park and tune up with no effort at all.

I did not buy the big multi kw model as I run 100w max in a residential area. The tuner, being new, the controls are tight but not overly. This item will load my 80m fullwave horizontal loop on 160m where the MFJ-901 tuner failed (took that one back pronto). The box is bigger, yes, but the inductor is much larger thus all my loads are effortless. On 160 the range of R varies from 3-218 ohms (as per mfj-259b) and the 969 takes it all in stride.

The case for the tuner is bigger than my ICOM 718 rig, but then my loop is bigger than lot. YES BIG IS BEAUTIFUL!!

Bottom line; you need big coils to load up on 160 and smaller is not really better.

Frank
VE3XYD Rating: 2004-07-21
Not the best but Good! Time Owned: N.A.
I use this tuner mobile belive it or not. It works very well. I tunes almost any band without any problems. The only think I notcied is, the main roller dial its a little hard to move. Other then that, I would recommend this tuner to anyone.
VE9KAR Rating: 2004-07-21
Good Tuner Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Tuner works well on most antennas, I had one problem, while tuning my TS-530sp into the dummy load, I BLEW a capacitor, scared the h*** out of me, Was only putting 100w into it, I now have a real dummy load, so not a real prob, and some day I'll get around to replacing that cap, Good tuner other than this prob.
KI4AFO Rating: 2004-06-26
Works great for me Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Well let me put my two cents in here. I have had my 969 for over a year. As a new ham operating an FT-920 I was prone to make mistakes and try to do things that no God fearing ham should The tuner has held up wonderfully. I did check it out when I first got it and made sure that nothing was amiss sicne with MFJ QC is a bit of a problem. The tuner has saved me from myself many times and hs kept on soldiering. I have been able to widen my 80M window through the use of this tuner sicne the GAP Titan that I have does not lend itself to a very large 80M window.

I find it rather interesting the the reviewer 2 reviews ago said he had the 969 "for two years running a Yaesu 920 on AirForce MARS Freq. at around 50 to 100 watts but after 2 months the unit started to smoke". Which one is it 2 years or 2 months.

Mine has helfd up wonderfully under coax, balanced line and plain old wire.
M0HDX Rating: 2004-06-26
NEVER AGAIN Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
my mfj969 arced out and smoked on me with 100 watts...same happened to a friends mfj 3kw tuner when he took it out the box from new it rattled like a old bag of spanners (loose parts inside) WHERE THE QUALITY CONTROL AT MFJ ??? i am avoiding mighty fine junk from now on...by the way he sent the mfj 3kw tuner back for a full refund. we both learnt the hard way so dont make the same mistake.

jim.
N2WNF Rating: 2004-06-26
Don't Waist your time on Junk! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I'm not big on long talk So I will be very brief
had this unit for 2 years running a Yaesu 920 on AirForce MARS Freq. at around 50 to 100 watts after 2 months the unit strted to smoke then sparks flew out the sides so it now resides in the trash.

73 de Tony
PE1SDC Rating: 2004-02-17
My Experience with MFJ 969 rller Inductor Antennatuner Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
A great antenna tuner!On all bands a SWR from 1:1
And all bands,i mean 10-20-40-8-AND...160 meterband.
I working with a Fritzel inverted V antenna,
type FTP 3.Once there was no skip,while i was
working with a station in Italy,and the receive
in Italy from my station was 30 db over 9,
on 80 meters,while my Fritzel antenna was
constructed for max 40 meter band.
THANKS TO MFJ 969 Antennatuner!
My station is stationed in the south from the
Netherlands,while i was working with 100 watt's PEP on LSB,with this Italien station.
The recieve from other European ham stations is very strong.
And to make complete,my transmitter is a
Yeasu FT 847.
Long live the MFJ 969 (Roller Inductor)
antennatuner,never i had a so good antennatuner!
KG4WBH Rating: 2004-02-10
Fine unit for the greenbacks Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought this unit with my first multiband HF transceiver and it is still in operation today. It tuners very well in my opinion, since it will tune my 40 meter inverted vee to any band except 160 meters with a 1:1 SWR. On 160 it tunes to about 2.5:1 SWR so I use the G5RV on that band and it tunes it fine there. I like the fact that it has the dummy load built in and room for 3 different antennas without extra switches. I did change the inductor knob a little by adding a spinner knob to it. You can see it by going to my website at http://www.qsl.net/kg4wbh/ Other than that one thing, I love the tuner just the way it is.

73 - KG4WBH
VE7REN Rating: 2004-02-01
works for me Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
bought mine used and does everything it should,although roller inductor is a bit tight.well built.you get what you pay for with these tuners,and wouldnt hesitate to buy another.
PA3HEO Rating: 2004-01-10
Works well, stiff roller inductor spinner knob Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I´m having this tuner for about a month and a half. Seems to work ok but not smoothly. I´m running a G5RV of two times 21 meters (about 138 feet long). I bought this antenna for working on 160 meters a year ago now but never had an apropriate tuner. The MFJ-969 can tune this antenna for 160 meter but not via the open wire connector. Then you can only run 40 Watts or so before the tuner starts arcing. You have to use a 1:4 balun between the open wire and the SO-239 connector on the back of the tuner.The you can run 100 Watts with this tuneron 160 meters! Eighty to ten meters works fine with the open wire connectors!