| K3EY |
Rating:      |
2005-01-29 | |
| Lets Get Real |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| I had to write after reading the previous review and his comment of “a ham radio nightmare”, which made me laugh and at the same time prompted this review. I had one of these tuners for years and just recently sold it off to a ham overseas on eBay because I haven’t used an amp in a few years now. The front panel sticker story is indeed true and in fact I have one from MJF that I never bothered replacing and if anyone reading this needs it, it’s yours for the postage. I am a picky guy especially being a machinist for most of my life plus a licensed aircraft mechanic. I look at the way things are made and assembled. The MFJ is functional and it does work at a price that sells them. It you want one that has been 100% quality controlled and checked with the bright little red sticker you can always find them selling for what a HF radio costs which hundreds more for a box to tune your unmatched antenna system. Hams are a funny bunch, they want $800 dollar tuners at $200 prices, it’s the same old same old, you get what you pay for. I am not disagreeing with the previous reviewer, but then again if he bought it new and then sold it for a big loss then he owned it for over one year, the time MFJ will repair it and make it right, which is exactly what I did when I bought it new, so how can he blame them for letting a year slip by? Mine had a crooked shaft and never did have that smooth touch the $800 dollars models offer, hmm wonder why. Anyway it worked and did its job after that one repair MFJ did on it for many years until I recently sold it. I had to shim one foot on it because it rocked upon turning the knobs, but so what, it worked and I didn’t pay what a good HF radio cost. You get what you pay for and reading these reviews one would think the world owes hams million dollar equipment for pennies. MFJ has all kinds of abbreviations to make up it’s name, none meant to shine a good light on the company, but it’s funny with all the junk they are producing according to all the unrealistic hams with their unrealistic reviews, that company is not only surviving but a very big success. Maybe I will start making junk paddles since I am a machinist and become the next MFJ multi millionaire. |
|
| W8DP |
Rating:  |
2005-01-29 | |
| Never again |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
| In the fall of 2003 I bought this tuner at what I thought was a reasonable price from one of my favorite dealers. It arrived and I was shocked when I took it out of the box to find that the stick-on front panel was crooked and pulling off. (tacky is an understatement) It looked like something from a ham radio nightmare. There were no protective rubber feet to keep it from making scrtaches on everything it touched. The dealer promptly took care of the problem with MFJ and in a few more days I had another new tuner. It looked somewhat better but the roller had to be turned with one hand while holding the tuner case with the other because it was so hard to tune that it flopped around on the table. The shafts rubbed the case and it just looked tacky and cheap. After working several hours to align the tuning shafts and putting rubber feet on it to make it presentable I took to the first hamfest I could and took a huge monetary loss. MFJ made money, someone got a repaired tuner at a price more in line with its true service value. Before one can do quality control there must first be quality to control. Never again, never again. |
|
| WB6Q |
Rating:  |
2004-12-12 | |
| Mighty Fine Junk |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| Mine is sitting in a box in the garage never to be used again except perhaps on field day on low power. Set screw would loosen from the shaft when tuneing, anything approaching 1500 watts PEP would cause the tuner to arc and flash. When looking inside the first time I was shocked how cheaply it was made. Shame on me should have known better. |
|
| KB4QLZ |
Rating:  |
2004-11-04 | |
| Minus 5 is more like it.. |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
First of all the MFJ 989C "Legal Limit Antenna Tuner" is not a "Legal Limit Antenna Tuner", as advertised. Mine smoked at approx 700 Watts PEP.
After mine "smoked" (I purchased it on March 9th, 2002 at the Charlotte, NC Hamfest) on April 14th, 2002, I contacted MFJ about getting this tuner replaced. Followed their instructions, sent them a check for $7.00 with the tuner. Waited 3 weeks and called to see when my tuner was going to be replaced. I was told that the service form that I was sent indicated that turn around time was 4 weeks. I asked the lady, "what service form"? I told her that I have not received any forms from them. She had no further comments about this "mystery form", but said it would take 4 weeks.
After 4 weeks I called again, and spoke to Bob. He said that the Dayton Hamfest had put them behind. I ask him to ship me a new tuner. He said he would see what he could do. Which by the way, was nothing.
On May 20th, 2002 I received the "mystery form" in the mail stating that my tuner was received on May15th, 2002, and it would be 4 weeks before I should expect the tuner. I called MFJ again and spoke to Jason this time. I questioned the date on the form, because I had proof of delivery on April 18th, 2002, signed by someone named T.Foxx. Jason tells me that the tuner had probably sit in the Shipping Dept until May15th. I told him that's not my problem, and I wanted a new tuner shipped out. He said that "Bob" was the one who could authorize that, and "Bob" of course wasn't there. I explained to Jason that I had already spoke to "Bob" about this. All Jason could do was tell me that "he had me covered". I explained to Jason that MFJ had now had this tuner "in repair" longer than I have had it in my shack!
Called back on May 27th, 2002 to inquire about my tuner for the 4th time. Of course Jason or Bob were not there, and had to speak to some else. Told this person that I tired of screwing around, and I wanted a new tuner, and I wanted it now. She said that she would call me right back. After a few hours, this person did call and tell me that she had shipped me a new tuner. I ask her if this tuner had been tested, she said it had.
May 30th, 2002. UPS delivers a new 989C Antenna Tuner. Bring it home, un-box it. Chassis will not sit square on a flat surface. Chassis "rocks" about a 1/8 inch. Spun the roller inductor knob around, feels like there is sand in the inductor. The digit counter doesn't work. Some quality control...
May 30th, 2002 E-Mailed "Customer Service" at MFJ, telling them they need to ship me another tuner, and I'll send this one back when the other one arrives. Which of course they won't. Waited 3 weeks for a response (which I never received) from Mighty Fine Junk. Finally I opened the chassis, repaired all of the problems, and tweaked the chassis so it would sit on a flat surface properly. Sold it the next week at a 50% loss.
Never again.................
Save a few more dollars and buy something else.
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Earlier 0-star review posted by KB4QLZ on 2003-05-15
Read post below, and you'll understand this reply.
I had one of these tuners. I also understand how they work. This one does not work as advertised (power level). Also in QST a few months back there was a review of this tuner. Read it.
1. Chassis not square. Would not sit on a flat surface without "rocking" back and forth.
2. Many screws loose. Hardware rolling around inside of the chassis.
3. Counter was not installed properly.
4. 3000 Watt Tuner (1500 Watts Input)? NOT IN MY LIFETIME! More like a 500 Watt tuner.
5. Warranty? Sure they have a warranty. What's the point? My 989C spent more time at UPS and MFJ than it did here at my shack!
Want to read more about this piece of junk???? Check my website. www.kb4qlz.com
Mark Harrison
KB4QLZ - Hickory, NC
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Earlier 0-star review posted by KB4QLZ on 2002-04-14
I have learned a valuable lesson.
----------------------
Earlier 0-star review posted by KB4QLZ on 2002-04-14
Purchased the MFJ 929C (NEW) at the Charlotte NC Hamfest back in March.
Problem #1. Would not sit on a flat surface. Chassis. Removed cover to square up chassis. Discovered Problem #2 and #3.
Problem #2. Small pieces of solder laying everywhere in bottom of chassis. 5 to be exact. Removed the mess. Quality Control???????
Problem #3. Wire going from one of the inductors to the antenna switch is touching a ground. Quality Control???????
Put top back on chassis. Squared up chassis to site flat.
Problem #4. Roller Inductor feels like crap when trying to rotate. Removed cover again. The digit counter gear is not in-line with the roller inductor gear. Removed counter, aligned gears. Now feels fine. Put cover back on for the second time. Quality Control???????
Keep in mind I haven't even used this thing yet. I've spent close to 1 hour repairing it!
OK time to try it out. Hooked everything up, tuned my 125 ft dipole from 10 to 80, with 20 watts. No problem. Increased to 100 watts, seems to work just fine. Fired up the AL-1500. Tuned for about 400 Watts Output into a dummy load. Switched to the antenna tuner. Worked pretty well, had to mess around with the settings a little. Worked a few stations on 75, needed to increase power a little. Increased to 700 Watts Output. Smoked it! Roller Inductor burnt up, Power Meter is toast, Antenna switch is also toast. I doubled checked my drive power to the AL-1500. It was 25 Watts. They’re no way that I applied too much power to the 989C.
Going to find out if their 1 year warranty is worth anything. Sending it back for replacement, then I'm selling it to someone who has a small amp. I feel sure that if one keeps the power level below about 600 watts out, it'll work fine. But, it sure can't handle 1.5KW like MFJ says. It's acutally a 600 PEP Tuner. This is the last MFJ product that I'll ever purchase. The only other MFJ product that I own is a clock. It's a piece of crap also.
Mark - KB4QLZ
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|
| VE7AZC |
Rating:    |
2004-08-17 | |
| Still ticking ... |
Time Owned: N.A. |
This is not my first review of the 989C. I've had mine for five years as well, and after I modified, tightened, adjusted and lubricated the innards of the thing, it performs pretty good. I load it with full legal regularly, but my antennas are fairly close to resonant. I used to use an external balun (outside) and feed an inverted L for 75 and 160m. It worked just fine.
I'm sure that it's not as good as some of the other better made brands, but it was inexpensive and it does what I paid it to do.
Regards,
VE7 AZC |
|
| KB9YGD |
Rating:     |
2004-08-16 | |
| Good Tuner |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| I Dont Know Why Some Of You Ham`s Think This Is A Bad Tuner.I Have Owned mine Since It Was New About 5 Year`s.Its Not A Nye Or Palstar & Doesnt Cost Near As Much Either!I Have Used Mine At over A KW On ssb For 5 Year`s Several hour`s A Night On 75 Meter`s With NO Problems At All & On AM With A Resting Carrier Of 130 Watts And About 550 Maby 600 PEP And I Get Windy And Never A Problem.All This Is Into Wire Dipoles With Baluns And rg-213 Feedline & An Extensive Ground System.Without A Good Ground System Things Will Happen like Burning out The Bulbs In The Meter Sensing Board And/Or The Whole Board & RF On You`re Audio,Etc.You Cant Expect This Tuner To Load A Screen Door On 160 Though.all In All MFJ Make`s Good Affordable Amatuer Radio Equipment That A Ham Can Work On And Learn From.73,Norm(THE REAL HAM) |
|
| W4CDF |
Rating:      |
2004-07-27 | |
| Works As It Should |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
Have been useing one for a year now with a G5RV and it doe's what it should. I use it with a
Ameritron 811H and various radios. No loose parts
or problems |
|
| KG4ZEB |
Rating:     |
2004-05-25 | |
| Been a Great Deal |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
I've had this unit about a year now with no real problems. I've used it mostly on 20, 40 & some 80 to tune a G5RV with an Ameritron 572 amp. I bought the tuner from a company that was offering the tuner $299 which was $59 below list. They were also running a 15% percent discount week for MFJ products, so all in all I paid a hundred less than the list price. No signs of burning or overheating, no loose parts, or bad solder joints or loose knobs. The unit has worked well on these band with no problems. The case however, will not lay flat. This has been a standard problem, but no big deal.
Immediately upon reading the manual the company offers a disclaimer, or maybe more accurately describes the power handling capabilities of this tuner. Combinations of Low frequency and High impedances would greatly reduce the effectiveness of this tuner. The unit is advertised as an all band tuner but doesn't work very efficiently for these conditions. If it wasn't for the added hype, I would have to give the 989C a 5.
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|
| KA1MVM |
Rating:    |
2004-03-25 | |
| Fair Unit |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
| Have had mine for a little over 6 months and still works pretty good. No flame or smoke as others have mentioned. Only problem(s) so far is that the antenna selection switch coupler loosens up. Have to go in and tighten up the coupling screws now and then. |
|
| N9QZD |
Rating:   |
2004-03-14 | |
| Not so good |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
| I had one for about 6 months or so. I didn't think much of it. Cheaply made. It did work 'OK' but it was cheap. Get what you pay for I guess. |
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