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Reviews For: MFJ-16010 200W Random Wire Tuner

Category: Antenna Tuners/Matching Networks

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Review Summary For : MFJ-16010 200W Random Wire Tuner
Reviews: 32MSRP: 49.95
Description:
1.8-30MHz variable L-network random wire antenna tuner
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.mfjenterprises.com/products.php?prodid=MFJ-16010
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00324.4
ON4VP Rating: 2004-08-01
handles power well, matches a lot of random wires Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I took this little box to many places. Normally I take my 30 ft fiber pole with me for portable ops on holidays, attach a piece of wire (27ft) and run it into the 16010. I use a small jumper cable to connect the 16010 to the rig (FT897).

This combination works great, I've been matching 80 up to 10 meters in a few clicks and turns. I always tune with 10 watt and when dipped, I power up to 100wt ot 35 wt for digi modes.

So far all times the little box supprised my with the way I got easy results. This setup is not a contest setup, but I worked some nice dx and for holiday purposes it serves me well.

The only thing I noticed from time to time is the RF feedback into my mic (cord) occasionally in one band or so due to the close setup and the antenna wire running only a feew feet from the rig. The antenna starts at the 16010 so it radiates pretty strong nect to your gear.

I made the ground connection (described by others) but this didn't help me, using a grnd wire to match against. It could but I never noticed any improvement there.

Anyway, I rated it 4 because all things are made for improvement, I'm satisfied with it performance, it does match a lot of random sized end fed wires, most of the time without any radial ground system, so ideal for travel or portable setup. It handles the 100watt very well and is very small to fit anywehere in a bag togheter with a pieve of wire.

Recommended
W6TH Rating: 2004-03-03
A winner for me. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have used the MFJ-16010 with a 90 foot length of wire 9 feet above the ground and was very happy how it performed for me. With this 90 foot wire the tuner tuned all bands from 160 through 10 meters.I worked quite a few dx contacts on the 12/10 meter bands. Also had no problem making contacts on other bands with the same 90 foot antenna at 9 feet above ground. I also used this tuner to tune my 1/4 wave 20 meter vertical antenna to 15 meters and making this antenna 3/8 wavelength. It was placed at the base of the antenna and gave me gain and a low angle of fire for dx with just 100 watts of power output. A great "L" matching network and will do wonders for a Slinky antenna mounted vertical for field day. I have used this tuner as a toy and had much fun playing with oddball wires and seems to be a winner and not to leave home without it. No it is not for sale.

.:
K3ANG Rating: 2004-02-27
Worked great for me. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This little tuner works and works well. I still have the one I bought back in the late 1970's. The xcvr was a Tempo One (@250 watts) and had no trouble at all with the '16010. Worked all bands. 'Cept 20 would not load easily for me. That had more to do with the length of the random wire I was using. But no problem on the other bands. The wire ran from the shack to a pole near the back fence, @ 90 feet long up @ 25 feet. Not very high at all. But I worked the world with that config. Got my first 75 meter DX with it. HK0FBF on San Andreas Island. I still have the card. The bandwidth on 75 was *very* narrow giving the length of the wire, but the '16010 let me load it no problem. Get one. You will not be sorry.
M5TAW Rating: 2003-10-13
Does great job Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I also use mine with my FT 817. I have 1/2 wave wire lengths made up for all bands 80 - 10m. As the name suggests (random wire tuner), I probably did not need to be so precise with the antenna lengths, but it certainly works fine. I use it for backpacking & holidays in conjunction with a 9 metre fishing rod. I hang the antenna in a way suitable for operation type, i.e horizontal at low level for local NVIS work on 40/80m. Or vertical for DX on the higher bands. Plenty of DX worked with just 5 watts. Good cost effective multiband tuner.
WB4WTN Rating: 2003-10-11
Doin' a good job so far. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Someone at MFJ must read these reviews. I bought mine at the Shelby Hamfest and the connectors are mounted with screws and not pop rivets. I strung about 60 feet or so of wire out the window and up to a pine tree, fired up the FT-817 and was able to get good match per the SWL reading on the 817. Running the full 5 watts, I checked into the Maritime Mobile Service Net on 14.300 and received a 59 from alt net control in Wisconsin. I'm in Georgia, near Atlanta.

73,
Bill WB4WTN
M1RAL Rating: 2003-09-06
Great companion for an FT-817 Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.

I use this tuner as a companion for my FT-817, in conjunction with the 817's built-in SWR meter. It's small, lightweight, well built and easy to use and set-up. I had heard about MFJs reputation for build quality and upon receipt I immediately took the case off and inspected the inside. No problems, all OK.

The FT-817 and MFJ-16010 work well together. My furthest DX to date was from northern England into Missouri at a distance of 4085 miles, using just 5W SSB. While many other variables contributed to the signal getting across this distance, it did help having a relaible station that could launch the signal in the first place. This combo certainly did this and continues to do it well.

73,

Rick M1RAL
K3YD Rating: 2003-06-16
OK After rebuild Time Owned: more than 12 months.
After I purchased this tuner I made a number of repairs/improvements.
1. Drilled out pop-rivets which attached the UHF connectors to the chassis, and replaced with stainless screws, nuts and lockwashers
2. Added a ground connector,
3. Repaired several bad solder joints,
4. Ultimately replaced all wire to connectors as well as the coil. (stock wire was #24 & #26).
After all this, the tuner worked pretty well. I used it with an HW-8 and a T-T Argosy so never subjected it to more than 50 watts.
Replaced it with a more complex circuit to get better BCB rejection than the L-coupler offered.
N1KHB Rating: 2003-05-24
Good but with a couple of reservations Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I too have owned a couple of these guys. The first saw service as the coupler in the trunk at the base of my 8' stainless whip for mobile HFing. I snuck a short length of HV test lead wire from the coupler through the trunk gasket and then to the whip. It would tune 10-80 no problem. It's by far the cheapest way to enter multi-band mobiling. Worked great. I am in the process of using another for a random wire at home. Looks promising.
My reservation(s) are that the UHF connectors didn't look as though they were reliably grounded at the factory. They came through pop riveted to the painted case which I thought was asking for trouble. So I removed them and replaced the rivets with screws in all four connector holes and lockwashers to bite through the paint and into the case. Also, since the antenna side will most suredly will be connected with a banana plug, I thought that it only made sense to add another banana jack on the rear to accept a ground or counterpoise connection. Why MFJ didn't think of those two mods is beyond me. Otherwise, I like 'em. MFJ stuff is not the greatest on earth, but they do have some things that nobody else makes and usually for a reasonable price.

Joe N1KHB
WR2W Rating: 2003-05-22
OK Simple Tuner Time Owned: more than 12 months.
An OK tuner for portabe operation or in limited space set-ups. From past experiences with MFJ I opened it before use, and found only one bad solder joint....Not much to this tuner for MFJ mess up but I still had to do a quick fix soldering job on a new product. As I stated in my review of the MFJ 901B these are the Last product of Any kind I will buy from MFJ......
WD40 Rating: 2003-02-27
Great little tuner! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have two of these little gems. One at the base of my vertical and the other in the shack. They both work great and for the price are unmatched! I did change the knobs, replaced them with larger Radio Shack knobs which are easier to grip for arthritis laden fingers. Find em just about anywhere, they make great stocking stuffers for your ham buddies at Christmas time!