Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: MFJ-949E

Category: Antenna Tuners/Matching Networks

eMail Subscription

Registered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted.
Review Summary For : MFJ-949E
Reviews: 132MSRP: 149.95
Description:
300 watt 1.8-30MHz antenna tuner
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.mfjenterprises.com/products.php?prodid=MFJ-949E
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
001323.8
KI4YAG Rating: 2007-10-22
OK for the money Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
The lowest (K) position on the inductor switch vaporized the first week of use. Not impressed seeing as it was "designed for the high voltage and current present in tuners". Luckily the bad inductor is the lowest setting and I hardly ever used it. Otherwise, the tuner does what it supposed to do, but is very sensitive at low SWR settings. You can change it by touching a knob. If I had to do over again I would possibly look at other manufacturers or a higher rated version.
KB0PTV Rating: 2007-09-08
Great Tuner for the $ Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I bought the MFJ 949E brand new from AES back in March, 2007. Since then I have had no problems with this tuner. I use it to tune a G5RV, my radio is an FT-840 that puts out 100 watts. The tuner tunes well 80 through 10 meters. I even tuned 160 meters on my G5RV, which is only 102' design. The only gripe I have with this tuner is often when your hand is touching the tuner dial on the tuner, it affects the swr reading slightly. I consider this minor and is the reason I gave it a 4 out of 5. Bottom line is that I think it's a great tuner for the money.
N2RRR Rating: 2007-06-25
Have seen better Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Bought mine used on ebay. It worked alright sometimes except on 75/80 meters. When I was tuning up I heard an arc. Opened the unit up and found the variable cap on the Tune side was arcing, with only 75 watts! Yikes, as time passed, a month or so, it started to arc on all the other bands. Time for a replacement. Got a LDG AT-200pro. I now use the only good thing left in the unit, the built in dummy load to tune my radio up. Don't waste your money on this one.
NE4EB Rating: 2007-06-06
Wouldn't Use it as a Paperweight Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Several months ago I took delivery of this unit hoping to save some money. I should have taken heed at all of the negative reviews posted about MFJ equipment in general. The first thing I noticed was when I took the unit out of the box, one of the pointers was missing on the meter. Not bent, not stuck, just not there. The unit went back and I got a speedy replacement. This unit was hooked up and rotating the controls produced no change in SWR on any frequency. After opening up the unit, I discovered that three of the coil wire were shorted together as if someone had stepped on it before assembly and then installed it. Also, one solder connection had come loose, and a hard wire to a capacitor was not even soldered to the part. The end wasn't even stripped, it was just hanging there. After fixing all of the problems I hooked it up and tried to tune it on 40 meters using 100 watts. A few seconds after applying RF, I heard a loud "POP" and smoke came out of the unit. I am sending the carcass back for a refund.
ERIC Rating: 2007-06-02
SO23...8 1/2? Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought this model before I read anything about it here. I brought it home and tried to attach some pl259 connectors between the transmitter and the tuner. The connectors would not tighten up properly. Turns out the SO239 connectors have undersize threads?!?! What the heck is that about? Well first thing Monday its going back. I think there may be a Palstar AT1500CV in my future.
KC2PUF Rating: 2007-04-25
Works Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Nothing great, priced right. Buy a good auto. Would not run over limits in manual. Little rough on manufacturing, but look at price.
K5FH Rating: 2007-04-22
Good design poorly executed Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I had a 949D for many years and it worked great, no problems. I acquired a 949E about two years ago and had problems from the beginning. An examination of the inside of the tuner revealed cold solder joints and, in one instance, NO solder joint. A couple of the switch contacts were wired backwards, too. An easy fix but that's not the point; the user shouldn't HAVE to fix the thing right out of the box. Once fixed, it did what it is supposed to do and did it well. As is typical of many MFJ products, the basic design is usually OK but manufacturing quality control is hit-or-miss.
KI4CRA Rating: 2007-04-22
Good antenna tuner Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have only had my 949E for about 3 months now, bought it at the Orlando Hamfest, this year, second hand. Brought it home intending to hook it to my GAP Titan DX verticle. Well, time and circumstances arose and did not get to hook it up at all. About 3 weeks ago a friend was in need of a tuner, said I had one that I wasn't using at the time, he picked it up and off he went. A few days later he called and said the tuner did not work. got it back about 10 days ago, opend it up and found the problem, a 33pf capcitor had been fried, when I mean fried it was gone! Checked it all out, there was a 150 ohm resistor that was brown, but was still usable. Had another friend with me and went to the local rat shack for parts. Couldn't find a 33pf capcitor, wound up getting a 100 pack with various sizes. Still couldn't find a 33, so we wound up putting 2 68's in series and putting that and a NEW 150 ohm resistor in, my friend soldered and resoldered as when I work around smaal parts and pieces I tend to shake, can still do most soldering task but not the tiny stuff.

Any way, got every thing back in place, now is the time to see if it works, hooked up my FT-817ND (yea I know overkill) put my 20 meter inverted VEE to it and tuned 40,17,15,12, and 10 meters with it. I NOW have it with my 897D in the front room (I call my front room station, my lazy Z boy HF station.) This tuner works very well with pretty much ANY antenna I put on it. I could even tune my 6 meter quad on all bands but 160. So, I guess I can give the 949E a 4.5 rating. 73 all hope to hear you on the bands.


Mark AI4HO
VK5FDMR Rating: 2007-03-13
Good performer Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Hi everyone,

I have to say that I am very happy with my MFJ-949E. It works without fault and seems to be constructed of a high standard. It tunes what ever I throw at it. It suits my needs.

Best 73 de Dave VK5FDMR
W1BKZ Rating: 2007-01-28
Gets the job done-poorly Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Another shining example of MFJ "superior design" and, of course, their quality control. As long as you don't hit the tuner with more than 50 watts RMS, it doesn't arc, spark, or smoke too much. The balun overheats, the coil and switching are marginal, the capacitors are a joke, and the PC board where the badly adjusted power/swr circuitry is located is substandard, to say the least. The dummy load in my unit has a 1.3::1 SWR on 75 meters. Need I say more??
I picked up a Matchbox on EBAY for $75, and it does a fine job. Too bad E.F.J. diversified.