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Reviews For: MFJ-993

Category: Antenna Tuners/Matching Networks

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Review Summary For : MFJ-993
Reviews: 123MSRP: 259.95
Description:
MFJs exclusive IntelliTuner™, Adaptive Search™ and InstantRecall™ algorithms give you ultra fast automatic tuning with over 2000 non-volatile revolving memories. You get a highly efficient L-network, wide 6-1600 ohm matching at full 300 Watts SSB/150 Watts CW, 1.8-30 MHz coverage, Cross-Needle and digital meters, aural SWR meter, backlit LCD display, remote control port, radio interface, heavy-duty 16 amp/1000 volt relays and more.

It learns while you're having fun
As you’re ragchewing, contesting or DXing, your MFJ-993 is learning! When you transmit, the MFJ-993 automatically tunes for minimum SWR and remembers your frequency and tuner settings. The next time you operate on that frequency and antenna, these tuner settings are instantly restored and you’re ready to operate in milliseconds!

Each of two antennas can learn and remember over a thousand frequencies and tuner settings. They are safely stored in non- volatile revolving memory.

Highly Intelligent ultra fast tuning
MFJs InstantRecall™ first checks its memory to see if you have operated this frequency before. If so, tuning is instantaneous and you re ready to operate. If not, MFJ's IntelliTuner™ algorithm - - based on MFJ's famous SWR Analyzer technology - - kicks in. It measures the complex impedance of your antenna. Next, it calculates the components it needs and instantly snaps them in. Then, it fine tunes to minimize SWR -- you’re ready to operate. It’s all done in a fraction of a second.

When the impedance is within its measurement range, the MFJ-993 is the fastest automatic antenna tuner in the world.

If it can’t accurately determine impedance, MFJ’s AdaptiveSearch™ algorithm goes into action. Frequency is measured and relevant components values are determined. Only those values are searched for ultra-fast tuning.

For even faster searches, you can set the target SWR to 2 (settable 1.0-2.0). You can manually tune when you can’t transmit (for listening out of ham bands).

Cross Needle and Digital SWR/Watt Meters
Lighted Cross-Needle and digital meters lets you accurately read SWR, forward and reflected power at a glance. An aural SWR meter lets you hear the tuned SWR when you can’t see or read the meters. Turn on a highly visible, instant response SWR LCD bargraph when you need it.

Backlit LCD Display
An easy-to-read backlit LCD displays SWR, forward/reflected power, frequency, antenna 1/2, L/C tuner values, on/off indicators and other information.

Remote Control Port
Plug in the MFJ-990RC remote control and put your tuner at your antenna or elsewhere and control it remotely. The MFJ-993 supports radio tuner interfaces such as the ICOM 706 series. Interface cables are available.

The MFJ-993 is a compact 10Wx2¾ Hx9D inches. Use 12 –15 VDC/1 amp or 110 VAC with MFJ-1316.

Tune any Antenna
You can tune any antenna — dipoles, verticals, beams, phased arrays, inverted vees, quads, random wires, mobile antennas, compact limited space antennas – practically any antenna. A 4:1 true current balun lets you tune any balanced antenna - - horizontal loops, vertical loops, multi-band doublets, quads, folded dipoles, Zepps.


Product is in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
001234.4
KB4BJM Rating: 2006-12-04
Works Great and fast! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I use mine between a Icom-718 and a Gap Titan. Fb all the way. My first MFJ brag toy!
AA1TC Rating: 2006-12-04
Best 300 Watts below Tuner Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This Tuner is fast and accurate. The LCD display shows Fwd and Ref power and SWR and Frequency. The Analog meters show FWD and Reflected power. This unit is a lot more than just a tuner. I had the FP 30 for my FT-897 but it was cheaper to buy the MFJ-993B than to buy the SWR & Power meters and Frequency Analyzer. This tuner is a great asset to the shack.
N4KC Rating: 2006-10-29
Most versatile auto-tuner on the market Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I bought this tuner for the express purpose of tuning a skywire loop on 160 and 75. The antenna is fed with 450-ohm window line so I needed a balanced antenna capability, but I also wanted the versatility of having a memory tuner for other bands and antennas. I was wary of relying on a balun inside the tuner on the feedline input side, but I also wanted a matching unit that I could use for quick, automatic tuning (I worry about my precious transistor finals!) on other bands with the loop and other antennas I anticipate experimenting with...balanced feedline and coax. There's nothing else on the market that does it all as the 993B does. Other automatic tuners suggest outboard baluns and a length of coax to the tuner. It is also true that one does not read the reviews here on eHam without seeing the comments about quality control at MFJ.

I'm pleased to report the 993B handles the loop beautifully. It's a bit touchy on the low end of 160 and on 10 meters but I suspect I could play with the feedline and fix that. I'm hesitant to do that because it works so well everywhere else...across all 9 HF ham bands! Besides, the way I had to run the feedline into the shack alongside coax cables may have more to do with that than the tuner does. I see no evidence of the internal balun getting hot from excessive loss and I get amazing signal reports with my 100 watts. I have no RF-in-the-shack problems. My TS-2000 seems happy. And everything on the tuner seems to be well made and solid. Yes, I peeked inside and it looks professionally constructed.

I bought the (rather pricey) interface cable for my Kenwood and it works perfectly. (Note that you do not need a 12V power source if you use this cable. The tuner gets its power from the rig.) Once I've tuned up on a frequency, I only hit the "AT" button on the rig the next time I'm there and, with one click, I'm at 1.5:1 or better. It's fun to touch that button and hear a dead-sounding band suddenly come to life! No L and C controls to crank on or a spreadsheet taped to the wall to try to get the match in the ballpark. The memory seems relatively broad so I don't have to re-tune unless I go a considerable distance in either direction. There are thousands of auto-tune memory positions available so I doubt I'll run out. I'm anal retentive so I keep the AM power level set at 10 watts so I can quickly click over, hit the PTT on the mic, and confirm that the SWR is where it is supposed to be, not only on the tuner cross-needle meter and digital readout but on the rig's SWR meter as well.

I have not tried the manual tuning capability, nor do I use the audio features. The frequency counter readout seems reasonably accurate and the power output appears close to what the rig says. The only points I would knock off so far are for the rather confusing manual and the really complicated menu system. Otherwise, this tuner is well worth the price and is a good, versatile antenna tuning "system" that has a place in most any ham shack with more than an antenna or two.

Don N4KC
www.donkeith.com

W2DWL Rating: 2006-08-30
A Great Little Tuner Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
When I first received the tuner I hooked it up with the interface cabel for my 756 PRO and went to tune up on 20 meters, well the sound sounded like; if you were driving down the highway at 70 mph and then just tossed the transmisson into reverse. Well it only did that once on every band, but after that it tunes every wire balanced or unbalanced antenna and yagi I put to it with NO problems. This is a great little tuner, well worth the money.
NT4XT Rating: 2006-08-27
FB, still awesome.. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
It's been over 26 months. The lightbulb on the cross-needle d'arsonval burned out within 2 weeks-or maybe there is not one. Never really cared evidently.
Other than that- it has continued to perform flawlessly since I posted over 2 years ago as W3DCG, even after countless "OUCH- PLEASE QRP" messages from accidentally changing bands without reducing power when my windowline was wet.
But normally, even at full 100W when that happens, it just issues a definitive CLICK, and it's tuned, provided the impedance hasn't changed due to wx conditions or some short in the feedline or antenna. LOL! At this point, the best investment in the hobby I have made thus far.
AI4QS Rating: 2006-08-26
Excellent product Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Yes, I know what most hams say about most MFJ products and the acronym they use.
However, my experience has been different. I have recently purchased a dc distribution strip, SWR analyzer, dummy load, and the 993B autotuner. No problems with any of them. They perform as expected and were reasonably priced.

This tuner really works great. I have used it with a 66' longwire about 10' off the ground to work around the US and since my remote autotuner from another company arrived doa, to directly feed a ZeroFive multiband vertical with coax. Yes, I know it's a terrible match, but the 993B tunes it to under 1.5:1 and last night it worked Poland on 40m and the Ukraine on 17m with 20 watts.

I don't find the tuner to be too noisey and it tunes very quickly. Overall a very good and capable product. I can't imagine why one would ever use a manual tuner for low to medium power with a product like this available.
WA2JJH Rating: 2006-08-16
MFJ makes good Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have had many manual MFJ tuners. Same complaints as others.

However this MFJ 993 is a diffetrent animal.
It has a wide tuning range.
It handles 150W PEP well. It will tell you to lower input power.

I like the universal RF sense tuning mode.
Place tuner any where between rig and antenna. Apply 50W or so, and it tunes right up.

The relays do make a machine gun sound while a tuning solution is found.

I was able to tune my 15M vertical on 160M.

The case and construction IS NOT MFJS usual junk.

The 993 is the real deal! It does deserve its high rating from other E-hammers.
K4AMN Rating: 2006-07-21
Pleasantly Surprised Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Tuner works as advertised - throw away the manual though. Seriously, the manual is 30 pages long and mostly devoted to bells & whistles and diagnostic procedures.

It should have 1 page devoted to hook-up, 1 or 2 pages formatted as a quick user's guide, and the rest should be designated as an appendix.

I hooked the machine up, set it on auto, and it worked great - had a lot of fun band-hopping and listening to the relays click in L's and C's. Still don't understand most of the esoterica in the manual, but apparently don't need to.
W3BNY Rating: 2006-06-06
Works very well Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have the original 993 (non-B variant).

It has never failed to get a match on any of my antennas (137' dipole and 43' vertical) from 160 up thru 10m including the MARS frequencies. Give it 10w and either 1. Listen to it chatter and clunk until it make a match or 2. Watch it just drop the components back from memory in about a second.

I have had no problems with it what so ever and really do like the unit and its performance
PA5COR Rating: 2006-05-03
VERY gOOD Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I and an fellow ham both got this tuner, MFJ 993-B and both quite happy about the performance.
In my case it replaced the FC-20 from Yaesu, used with the FT 847, and FT 100.
Both transcievers with Collins added filters.

The FC-20 performed within its limits perfectly, but no output for balanced feedline, nor the very wide range the MFJ 993B will tune.

Beeing on holliday i always experiment with wire antenna's etc, so this is why i took the step to this auto tuner.

It also gives you the C or L that the tuner uses to tune, nice addition in knowing what happens with the antenna system.

Performs as advertised, learns as you go through the paces on H.F.

73,

Cor