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Reviews For: MFJ-989D 3kW Roller Inductor Antenna Tuner

Category: Antenna Tuners/Matching Networks

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Review Summary For : MFJ-989D 3kW Roller Inductor Antenna Tuner
Reviews: 75MSRP: 359.95
Description:
Updated version of the MFJ-989C Roller Inductor Antenna Tuner.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.mfjenterprises.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00753.4
K4FX Rating: 2009-12-08
Not too bad Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I had some issues with this tuner when I first got it new several years ago. The metering board had to be replaced. I had to replace the meter as well. Had a couple of diodes to fail after all that.... But in the last couple of years the tuner has worked pretty darn good. It even tunes an OCF dipole on 6 meters and I find all the band settings to be very repeatable. One positive note is that this tuner will handle 1KW like it's nothing. I run an SB220 and at most it puts out about 1200-1300 watts and the tuner doesn't even get warm at that level so I have no doubt it will handle legal limit. I must say that it's tuned everything I have asked it to, and has never arced. It would be nice if the dummy load handled more than 300w, but considering most tuners don't even have a dummy load, I guess I can't complain about that. Even at 300w it's nice to have a dummy load self-contained. The bypass/direct 2 position antenna switch is handy, I have an external switch on one position with my wires and my tribander on the other position. With a resonant antenna like the tri-bander, it's nice to be able to bypass the tuner. The wattmeter/swr meter seems to be fairly accurate, and it's nice not having to put a wattmeter inline, one less set of of jumpers. Once the bugs were sorted out of the electronics, the tuner is no too bad at all. At the used prices it's a decent bargain.
N6EB Rating: 2009-09-11
Outstanding Tuner Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I am using this tuner on a homebuilt G5RV mounted aprox. 20 feet off the ground. My previous tuner was a 962C with a tapped inductor which was a harder to tune because of the tapped inductor. I ordered the 989D from AES LV and in my opinion its a 5 out of 5. I use it with my ft-950 and AL-80A and its quick and easy to load. The roller inductor is easy to turn and I load my G5RV on all bands 80-10 with no reflected power. I have used MFJ products for years and I think they have a great product for the money, besides they manufacture a lot of equipment that nobody else does. I have been licensed for 52 years and have used a lot of different equipment over the years and have found good and bad with all manufactures. I have never had the misfortune with MFJ that some of you seem to have.
K0BT Rating: 2009-06-19
Adequate Tuner, Poor Quality Assurance Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
As many have already stated, MFJ has serious Quality Control problems. If you realize this going in, you can deal with their products.

My 989D came new with a warped gear on the roller inductor counter and a broken handle on the inductor crank. A quick call to MFJ and they promised to send the parts. Another call a week later and, oops, they forgot. They promised again to send the parts. A couple weeks later, I had it fixed. Two months later, the two 1N34A diodes and the LM324N in the meter circuit died for no apparent reason. One day it worked and the next it didn't. I was again able to fix it using parts I had on hand, but since it has a 12 month "no matter what" warranty, and since MFJ doesn't mind if you try to fix it yourself, even the worst case scenario would have only cost me one way shipping plus $7 to get it repaired.

I still rate it as an adequate tuner because it does what it is supposed to do and because MFJ doesn't void the warranty if I just fix simple problems myself.

The best advice I can offer is to realize up front that you should open up any MFJ product and rework all of the incredibly bad solder joints. This may save you hours of frustration. While you are at it, adjust the roller inductor and the counter for smooth operation. Binding on the gears can often be solved just by loosening and re-tightening the screw that holds the counter assembly. I have yet to figure out why MFJ doesn't spend an extra 5 minutes per item on QA but most problems are easily solved. Think of purchasing an MFJ item as buying a semi-kit.
K6LLO Rating: 2009-04-25
Fairly solid Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Have had for 4 years. Can tune vertical to 1.1 on all bands except 160. As many have stated, it does not tolerate tuning at high power with high swr- will easily blow meter diodes and arc- as I found out on one occasion. As long as one tunes appropriately and you use an antenna generally intended for the band you are tuning, this tuner will perform quite well. I have been using an ICOM 746 with Heath SB-221 with 1.1KW output key down without problems when tuned. Was purchased used- needed the usual going through to tighten and clean. Will not operate a kitchen sink.
K4JRS Rating: 2008-12-29
Decent Value for the money Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased this tuner to allow me to work CW on the lower part of 80 meters with more power than just a barefoot radio. The tuner works just fine and I also tried it on 160. It handled legal limit with no problem. I tune with the rig only and then put on the amp. The meter works relatively well and does allow you to tune the matching device. I power mine from an extrenal power bus and this works well.
N9MS Rating: 2008-04-03
Nice tuner - meter circuit has problems. Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I've been using this antenna tuner on 160 for a few months. The tuner works great BUT the meter circuitry does not. I have replaced one of the 1N34 diodes several times. I called MFJ and they suggested a higher voltage diode but that did not help. Instead of using the nice cross-needle meter, I'm using an old Radio Shack SWR Bridge. MFJ did say I could send it back, but I decided not to go to the trouble as that would have put me off the air for several weeks. Something is causing the diode to short out -- either over voltage or over current.
KB4YHO Rating: 2008-01-09
No issues at all Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have a 989D and it works great and appears to have been assembled well. I've removed the cover to see the construction quality and there were none of the previous posts problems. All solder joints were done well and no loose parts or binding of the roller inductor. The meter on both high and low power levels is very close to what my Bird(peak kit) reads, in both rms and peak. I have even run my 2500 Commander at legal limit through it without so much of a wimper. Yes even on 160m with my sky-loop it loads up fine. I don't understand some of the negative comments as my experience with this product has been excellent. I also have a ATR-30 that has the same level of build quality and ease of use, but handles more RF power. For the money you cannot beat these tuners
N5VIU Rating: 2007-10-20
Sent back to Dealer Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
As I had read the reviews on e-ham, I thought for the price that I would give it a try. Well much to my suprise I found out that the people here writing there reports were very accurate. I took it out of the box and the first thing I did was try all the knobs and there functions. they were very stiff and felt like they were grinding. The inductor moved about a 1/4" side to side. I put it back in the box and returned it to the dealer. I went back about a week later and ask him about the tuner. He informed me that he called MFJ and they said a part in the inductor was missing. Now that is what I call quality control. No thank you MFJ I'll get the ten tec like I first thought.
KC2QBK Rating: 2007-06-27
Puzzled...... Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Just purchased a MFJ-989D.

Just sold a 300 Watt MFJ product that was a real
gem!

The MFJ-989D has a few problems:
- Dual needle SWR meter dead
- Mechanical counter on inductor kept jamming
- Tuner did not appear to work at all

Sent the item back by UPS.
Just not feeling good about this at all.
This is not a knock of MFJ but the single product i purchased and then returned.
Ed KC2QBK






PA7M Rating: 2007-02-23
Great Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Not any problems working fine fore me. Use direkt 12v whit adapter from MFJ easy tunning on all bands whit open dipool 2x 15,50 and open wire 300 Ohm.