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Reviews For: MFJ-949B Deluxe Versa Tuner II

Category: Antenna Tuners/Matching Networks

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Review Summary For : MFJ-949B Deluxe Versa Tuner II
Reviews: 9MSRP: 139.95
Description:
MFJ-949B Deluxe Versa Tuner II is a 300-watt self contained tuner with Foward and Reflected Power and SWR functions, built-in Dummy Load, 4:1 balun, 3 antenna selector (2-coax and 1 Balanced Wire) and standard MFJ black & eggshell white styling in a compact cabinet. Originally sold in the early 1980's.
Product is in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0094.6
N4MFA Rating: 2020-11-29
The most antenna tuner for your money. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have several antenna tuners and usually use this one, my favorite. If you are buying a used tuner you will get the most for your money with this tuner. The built-in dummy load is worth a good part of your purchase price and you can connect two different coax fed antennas and switch between them. If you can find one advertised as non-working or "not tested" for a low, low price so much the better. Replace the diodes on the SWR circuit board and it will probably make it work again. Or use it as-is with an external SWR meter.
KD6KWZ Rating: 2018-08-17
Matchs over a wide range Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Yes, I just purchased a used one, so, this is not a long term review. But, I've been able to match a 5 foot Wilson Firestick antenna (Thank you, Condo rules) from 80 meters to 10 meters. Yes, I don't know if it has high loss when it matches, but, it work. I also have seen where 2 different inductor settings can be matched for the same frequency. I've not tried a long wire on it yet.

The single needle meter on it is kind of small.

The dummy 50 ohm load is a nice touch for rig adjustment & tuning.

This unit is not for lots of power, but, it works at 200W PEP so far, from my IC-730.

Pros:

* Seems like it will match a lot of different antennas.
*Dummy load work fine for adjustments, no having to attach a load.

Cons:

*Kind of thin metal used on the case.
*The knobs slip! A little grinding of flats on the shafts would help this. But, nowhere near as bad as the AEA tuner I have.
*Small sized meter, a larger dual needle set up to watch forward and reflected power would be nice.
*No light on the meter.
*Takes time to find the sweet SWR spot.
N7EKU Rating: 2014-06-01
Factory defect but otherwise very nice. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Hi,

I picked up a mint unit off eBay and it was obvious why it was so new -- the inductor switch had an extra contact on the back so it was shorting the coil whenever the switch was not on the highest "L" inductance setting. Either the contact was supposed to be removed during assembly or their supplier gave them the wrong switch. I don't know how the unit could have made it past QC. Must have been a "Monday" one ;-) Anyway the unit was pretty unuseable this way having only two (min and max) inductance settings. It was an easy fix to just bend the contacts out of the way...

Otherwise it is a nice unit:

*T-match configuration good for wide tuning range
*high quality case
*built-in beefy-sized dummy load
*three switchable inputs (2 coax, 1 wire)
*coax inputs are bypass-able
*300W and 30W power meter + SWR
*2" meter bigger than most rig meters

Low points:

*T match configuration can give many match settings for the same load -- some resulting in high losses even if SWR reads low
*low power switches would not hold up long if accidentally switched too many times under power
*1:4 balun fairly small in cross section (140 equivalent size), enclosed in a plastic cup, and looks like PVC wire, so it may get pretty hot depending on the load and power input

General specs:

*T configuration
*Two 208 pF capacitors with 1.5 kV spacing
*30 uH air wound coil (16AWG, 25T x 2.5"H x 3"DIA)
*50 ohm load resistor (5"L x 0.75"DIA)
*4:1 ferrite BalUn (F140 equivalent size)

73,

Mark.



K2DER Rating: 2009-07-01
Brilliant Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought one of these yesterday.I did not find any problems and used it without any problems. It is just a nice little tuner.
W5WAA Rating: 2009-06-20
Best value out there Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Been having this tuner a long time. Has always tuned every antenna I have ever used it on. The only thing I didn't like when I first got it was that it didn't have a light for the meter, but I cured that problem with a wall wart, switch and bulb. Don't know why anyone would need anything else for up to 300 watts (which I frequently run through it).
N7IOH Rating: 2007-04-12
Very good for the money Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought one of these new when I was first licensed over 20 years ago. I did the usually visual checks to see that everything under the cover was right. I did not find any problems and used it without any problems. It is nothing special just a nice little tuner that will tune pretty much anything within reason. I liked the tuner so much I bought two more of them used for portable use and as a loaner. I still have all three of them and they are doing well. I also have the Palstar AT4K and the MFJ-993B tuners. I will most likely be getting rid of one or two of them now as I don't need this many tuners. But a great tuner for the money and if you are not using too much power. I also had some luck using them on 6 meters.
Al, n7ioh
KW5KW Rating: 2007-04-12
It works ... well Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I purchased one of these at a hamfest in TX some 12 years ago or so.

It has worked flawlessly, but however, I'm getting tired of throwing a carrier for what seams like minutes trying to manually tune up for each band change, and even for simple in-band frequency changes.

I'll keep this for use as a two-antenna switch along with it's meter functions and the long wire 4:1 built-in balun, but I'm purchasing a new LDG-100 Pro to handle my day-to-day tuning with my Yaesu FT-857d.

Great Tuner, it's a keeper, and I'm-a-gonna keep mine just in case!

kw5kw
W2RDD Rating: 2006-09-04
Still Great after all these years Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I purchased this guy don't know how many years ago. During serious travel shortly after it's purchase, I consigned it in my parents basement. Recently rediscovered. Well, it is still clean, didn't rust or corrode and makes my Buddistick antenna look good. I have three tuners and this is the best. Was spoied by the cross-needle meters but didn't take long to get used to calibrating it again. MFJ kindly sent me a photo-copy of the original manual.
KA6SGT Rating: 2004-02-25
Reliable and Self Contained! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've used an MFJ-949B for many years with just about every type of transmitter and antenna combination. Initially with an old Heathkit Xmtr/Rcvr pair into a 1/4 wave vertical, then a Johnson Viking Valiant into a G5RV, and lots of other radios and antennas. Tune it according to instructions and you can't go wrong. Very reliable and sturdy.