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Reviews For: MFJ-986

Category: Antenna Tuners/Matching Networks

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Review Summary For : MFJ-986
Reviews: 79MSRP: 330
Description:
Covers 1.8-30 MHz
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.mfjenterprises.com/products.php?prodid=MFJ-986
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00793.6
KB9FMV Rating: 2005-11-17
MIGHTY FINE JUNK Time Owned: more than 12 months.
All I can say is I have one ! Had to replace the inductor and for $62 plus shipping and after spending the money for the tuner used at $165.00 I should have boought a GOOD OLE HEATH SA 2040 OR 2060! What a pile of junk from MFJ !
N4RAP Rating: 2005-08-05
GREAT Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought mine, brand new in 1997. I have had no unusual difficulties at all. The tuner works great and has been used in verticals, mobile antennas, a G5RV, a Carolina Windom 10-80, and a Carolina Windom 10-160. My current amplifiers that I use are a Yaesu FL 2100B, a Yaesu FL7000, a Heathkit SB200, an Ameritron AL 80A and a Henry 2KL. The Henry has two 3-500Z's and on 80 meters and 40 meters it puts out enough power that it broke my RF Applications 5000 Watt meter, twice!!! No problems from the tuner.

N4RAP
Paris, Texas
G8CVF Rating: 2005-07-28
Oh dear !! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Bought mine about 12 months ago (can I have my money back please?)

Was quite pleased for a few months and then oh dear problems, the SWR kept jumping about on 80m and impossible to guarantee stability.

Turned out be, on opening the VERY cheap nasty ali PROJECT box ugh! to be the terrible inferior quality roller coaster, well that's the name they give to it bears NO RESEMBLANCE AT ALL to the military roller inductors I used 30 years ago.

I am now off the air on high power (400 watts only) until I can change it for something of quality but this may be a problem.

Would I buy another, no thanks!

Anybody have a PROPER roller coaster or any ideas where I may purchase a QUALITY inductor that will fit in my VERY EXPENSIVE (in the UK) MFJ project box ??

Pete
G8CVF@Yahoo.co.uk
K6CKD Rating: 2005-05-11
Going back for repair Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I tried two different dipoles. Being very conservitive with the power. After getting the VSWR down to zero, I applied power. The settings would change, it would oscillate. After a few tries, it blew the ferrite on the RF input. All I can say is that I bought a 2 KW tunner that crapped out when it saw 500 watts. Hopefully MFJ can fix this thing. It did run ok for about three weeks.
K0KES Rating: 2005-05-02
Good Tuner For The Money Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I got my tuner new in 1995 and have used it daily ever since. Usually run barefoot 100watts but used to use it with my SB200 at 600wattsout no problem. I use it with a 40meter loop fed with ladder line on all bands and it will load it 1/1 every where. It is the older model but its been good to me for all these years with no maintance at all. I would buy again its worked so well. Joe K0KES
K7NNG Rating: 2004-11-29
Poor Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I spent money on three (3) of them, hoping that I would get a good one...at least one time...never again.
KI4FTA Rating: 2004-10-12
Very Poor Quality Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I'm a new ham. Purchased 986 new at Shelby last month. Never used it. Counter will not reset to 000. It must be defective to only reset to 011.Front panel is pasted to the front of the 986 and is bubbled out across the top. The rubber feet on the bottom are not square and the 986 will not sit on the table without wobbleing.

I payed good money for this equipment and have been very dissapointed with the quality.

I really wonder if it will function at all.

Anyone interested in this new 986 ? I'm taking best offer.
N4ARI Rating: 2004-04-29
Great general purpose tuner Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've had my MFJ986 for 14 years now. It never gave me any trouble except when it arc'ed on 160 when trying to tune a "short 160" dipole. I run no more than 1KW to the antenna. Very pleased with it. Never had any loose parts or maintenance issues.
KI0HS Rating: 2004-03-11
Poor Quality Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is my first input to the product reviews. I felt compelled to write about my 986 due to the poor quality of this product. I can personally confirm many of the problems noted by the Hams in previous reviews. I bought my tuner new about 18 months ago. Here's my list. When I first brought it home, I had to remove the cover to locate and take out the loose nut rattling around inside. Never could see where it came from. Frame was warped. I had to add extra felt pads to one foot so it wouldn't rock. Bulb burned out. Roller inductor is rough and uneven as it is turned. The coupler on the antenna switch shaft continuously comes loose, requiring me to remove 12 screws to get the cover off...to tighten. I do this about once per week. The SWR meter is inaccurate and is sometimes intermittent (just hit the top really hard and it works ok for a while)
The good news? I run the full legal limit and it has never arched.
Would I buy another one? No. I think I'm being kind with this 2 rating.
Based on some of these problems, its difficult for me to imagine that a company feels they can be successful selling a product like this to the Ham community. MFJ...if you read this, I would be happy to take a call from you and a new 986...but only after proper inspection.
KA1LDD Rating: 2004-02-12
Works, but poor quality Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had this tuner for about 12 years. I bought it new. The capacitor knob is out-of-round or bent. The inductor tends to "jump" as you tune (feels like it is making contact on and off). Overall it just feels cheap. It will tune down just about anything to 1.1:1 but just seems like it is poorly assembled with low cost parts.