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Reviews For: MFJ-994

Category: Antenna Tuners/Matching Networks

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Review Summary For : MFJ-994
Reviews: 32MSRP: Price: $359.95
Description:
The MFJ-994 600 Watt IntelliTuner automatic antenna tuner
Product is in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00323.3
VK6BN Rating: 2011-01-10
Show Stopping Glitch Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
My 993B is great, entirely satisfied with it but sometimes I need to run more power so I bought the 994B. The glitch is that sometimes the 994B starts to retune when I am using the amp (IC2KL). The amp protection kicks in as a result. An annoying show stopper for me. I thought maybe something was changing on the antenna but not so. I also checked that the amp wasnt being overdriven. 17m is a particularly bad band for this glitch but it happens on other bands too. The problem occurs with or without the IC746Pro - 994B interface cable. I am so fed up with this problem I have gone back to my 30 year old AT500 tuner. Disappointed with the 994B after my totally good experience with the 993B.
AA6TJ Rating: 2010-06-14
Disappointed Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased the MFJ-994 and the MFJ 5124 interface. I found that the tune button on my radio indicated an untunable antenna with the MFJ-994. I had been using a LDG AT200PRO, which had no problem with any of my antennas. Finally I reinstalled the AT200PRO and my radio tuned up with no SWR greater than 1.2 on any HF band. The cover on the case of the MFJ-994 was sharp, and the 5124 shipped without screws to hold it together. I am sending the MFJ products back, and I am purchasing a LDG AT1000PRO.
KH6AQ Rating: 2010-04-29
Does the job Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This tuner works per the manual. It makes band changes with the ALS-600 amp fast and easy.

It finds a lower VSWR when tuned at 20 watts than when tuned at QRP levels. As the manual states, it will stop tuning once the SWR is 1.5:1 or less. If you want a lower SWR hit the TUNE button a second or third time. And the bouncing meter communications is clever.
KI6OSH Rating: 2010-04-25
Great so far... Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've had this tuner now for 18 months and no problems whatsoever. Thought I had a problem when it wouldn't hold a tune but I was overdriving my amp, my fault. Tunes every frequency I've tried and fairly fast, also. Protection circuit sure worked when I was using too much power from my exciter......great tuner for the money.
VK4FR Rating: 2010-04-01
Give it a miss Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Very frustrated sitting here listening to DX and unable to bring my tuner online.....

Right from the start It wouldn't auto tune. Thought it may have been me not setting it up right, but occasionally it does auto tune....go figure.

I'm running an ALS 500 and 706MKIIG. The on/off switch is intermittent to say the least.

I guess I should have been wary when a large majority of reviews suggest being wary of MFJ but I always like to test something myself...... A

As an aside I bought a MFJ4726 6 port switch which dropped a connector after a week.

I'm a 'new age' ham that buys something expecting it to work....maybe the 'old fashioned' build it yourself has something going for it after all!!
AI4HO Rating: 2009-12-20
Not quite sure yet Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This review is just my first impression of this auto antenna tuner by MFJ. Let me preface my review by first stating that I have never bought a piece of equipment from MFJ that never ever met or exceeded my expectations. Having said that, I'm still not quite sure about this antenna tuner, I bought this tuner a month ago to go with my Kenwood TS-570D/G, and my Ameritron ALS-600 which I also bought 1 month ago. I bought both pieces at the same time figuring I could pretty much be assured of using my 570, the amp and be able to use almost any antenna I wish.

Now then, the amp works flawlessly, the tuner works, maybe not quite up to my expectations, but it does work. Then again, it may be my fault, maybe I am pressing for too long a time, something I'm not sure what. My experience with auto tuners is what comes on my TS-570 and my IC-756 Pro III. I push the button in for a second or 2 and you her the relays go to work. Well on my 994B, I did purchase the Kenwood interface for the tuner so all I need to do is to push the tune button on my 570 and every thing is supposed to work the same right? Yes and no, I push the button and if the antenna is too far out of whack I hear the relays click and clack a couple of times, but it will not bring my 102' G5RV type antenna into resonance on any band. Nor would it touch my GAP vertical, however with all due respect, I found that I may have a bad PL-259 at the antenna. So my GAP vertical can be taken out of the equation, so that just leaves my 102' wire antenna.

As was said in the beginning this is just my first impression, and will do another review after 6 months then hopefully again after a year. I am mostly sure that it is I and not the tuner that is at fault, and given time I'm sure that this piece of gear from MFJ will come to be an integral part of my Lazy Boy HF station. Hope to catch you all on the air.


73 de Mark
W3LZK
K3GK Rating: 2009-11-25
There if you need it Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This is a good little box. I have no trouble on the low bands.
I've learned not to turn it on if the SWR is near 1:1 on the high bands, because on 10 I have a very low SWR and it seems to get confused when I put the amp. That could just be a little RF. Most amps and tuners just don't have much shielding, and a load of fault protection to compensate. Does that sound like anyone you know?
K9YEQ Rating: 2009-01-29
Does an excellent job Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I use the tuner after my ALS-600s and it does the job. I have it remotely situated outside, inside an outdoor plastic patio box with 12 Dc and coax runs to it through my 70' conduit from the shack. The temps are sub zero but it works!!! I haven't seen it since I waded out through the snow late last fall, removed the MFJ-993b which it replaced. (I needed it to increase the power handling.) All I can say is WOW. I have never had a tuner which has done as well. Is it perfect? No! I have to select different antennas to get it to recognize I want a better SWR on the one I know works best, but I am not going out there in this frigid weather, bring it back in, and reduce the SWR acceptable range... at least not until well into spring. No complaints here.

I have tried other tuner makes on lower power and gave up. I tried this MFJ because of the excellent experience with the 993b and have not been dissapointed. For 600 watts, this works!
G0BYH Rating: 2008-01-18
Great tuner Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
For the past few years I have been using a SGC230 tuner, but I now needed a tuner which would allow me to run the full UK limit of 400w PEP.
Whilst the SGC has been an excellent tuner I could not really justify the cost of going to the SGC 235 which in the UK is very expensive.
After a lot of time spent looking at reports and reviews I deceided to try the MFJ994 with the remote control option.

The tuner itself is sited in a wooden shed at the bottom of the garden next to which is the mast which supports my HF antennas.
The antenna which is connected to the tuner is an Inverted L which is about 25mtrs in length,
this is connected to the wire output of the tuner and a ground radial and counterpoise system connected to the ground connection. The remote control unit is sited about 15mtrs away in the shack. The 994 tunes without problem on all bands, and if at some frequencies you do not get the VSWR you are expecting the manual tune option allows you to modify the value.
I have been using the tuner now for some weeks on SSB, RTTY and PSK, at power levels ranging from 20 to 400watts without any problems.
W4INF Rating: 2007-10-28
Not as expected.. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Most of my MFJ products are great, the tuner does do a fine job however there were some glitches that caused me to be rid of it.

When running small QRO abt 300w, I could get the ant tuned (10w) and then go to transmit, I heard a "klick" in the tuner as a relay switched and my SWR would go out of whack... No matter what I tried, could not solve the problem.

Sold it for a big loss and bought a screwdriver which I now run QRO 600w on and NO tuning problems.

W4INF