Every one of your videos just get better and better. So concise and flowing. Well spoken and totally understandable even for the beginner. Thank you for sharing your knowledge to the ham community.
I also picked up my MFJ-941E at a hamfest. Seller had both the D and E model. I got the "latest" E model, not realizing D meant built in Dummy load and E meant External dummy load (extra connector on back)
I have a 941E and I use the dummy load position as a third antenna port for my FT-757GX. The dummy load was usually used on the older tube radios to tune up the final section before putting the rig on the air. I do this with my Kenwood TS-520 and an MFJ-949D tuner. It's not nice to tune up on the air. 73, John, N1WOM
This is by far the best intro video to introduce me to operation of the manual Tuner.. very concise and very clear! I have a Mat 30 for my FT950 and just taken delivery of an SE HFX80 vertical antenna with end fed balun.. this antenna needs the manual tuner for certain bands 80, 17,12 & 6M bands that i cannot get with the Mat 30. I have a long wire connected to my 950 that picks up 80m but at a push, and with a very weak signal. thank you for the heads up on a manual tuner it really helped me a lot! 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Great new ideas for using a manual tuner, Michael, especially using your antenna analyzer in place of your transceiver for tuning-up, thank you for sharing.
Been running an 11m vertical on 10/12/15/17/20. Tuner not only reduces potential harm to the finals, but also makes the receive strength greater on a given band. I initially tune it on Receive, then on Transmit for greater accuracy. This CB vertical (starting at 20" above lawn and without radials), is so much better than my attic fan dipole (6/10/15/20/40/80)!
looking at the comments I will be repeating some of them agreeing that this is the best video so far on the subject that I have watched, well done I will be watching many more.
So glad I saw this video. I've been looking at different tuner options and was completely confused by manual tuners. You explained it so well in this video, I now will definitely go with a manual tuner. Also thanks for covering the MFJ-949E. I really like the idea of having an antenna tuner, power / SWR meter, dummy load, and antenna switch all in one unit. I can save a fair amount of bench space and money with that piece of kit.
I started out with that exact model tuner in 1993 and still own one like it today. It was the perfect companion to my Kenwood TS-520S as it required a dummy load to tune transmitter output power as well as match the antenna. Having a dummy load, tuner and SWR/Power meter in the same unit is really nice. I have since owned many of the LDG auto-tuners and currently use an LDG AT-100ProII with my Yaesu FTDX10. But as you pointed out, it is much more fun turning the dials and tweaking for low SWR than listening to a noisy auto-tuner. For that very reason my younger brother still uses his MFJ-949E today and has no desire for an auto-tuner. Good video Michael!
I think I erased my last attempt to post a comment somehow. Excellent video, both educational and easy to understand. Your my HF online Elmer thank you for your posts. My LDG auto tuner went wonkybot on me. Fortunately I had an MFJ auto tuner that I acquired a while back, and it’s working nicely. Your videos are very helpful ve and you are the online Elmer for many!
I bought the same tuner a couple months ago used at a ham fest. I love it! A much wider range of tuning over my auto tuners. I do make a cheat sheet to get the tuning quicker. ( I do need to replace a diode foot the reflected power side) I rely on my radio swr meter to get me there.
Cool video! I was fortunate enough to borrow a fellow club member's MFJ analyzer, figure out where my delta loop was resonant, and write down all the settings for best SWR. It makes for super quick tuning with minimal interference to other ops. Usually 3 to 5 seconds!
I understand why its inadvisable to switch the inductor on transmit. My AMU (Cap Co SPC-300) has a roller coaster as the inductor. I assume it's safe to tweak that while transmitting? There is something quite satisfying to manually adjust all three dials to the lowest SWR.
I have that tuner. It works great. Like you pointed out the internal and automatic tuners will adjust till the SWR is ok. You can tweek the manual tuner better. Thanks for a current video on tuners.
What is the correct procedure when😊 using a transceiver with plate tune and loading controls,how do you preset these controls before adjusting the tuner?
I have a auto driven on my ken wood five ninety. but on the 7300 hundre. that is why I wonder if I would need a tuner on it. it does have a build in radio tuner.
If your radio has a SWR screen or SWR meter, you can also look at that while tuning. The Icom-7300 has a bar graph which moves up and down as you adjust the tuner (capacitance) dials. This makes tuning trivial.
As usual, 10 minutes packed with great instruction Michael. For portable operation the cross-needle meter on these tuners is extra helpful, as a constant visual monitor of both the transmit power output and antenna VSWR. I definitely need to get one of these to use with my FT-891. Do you know of any upcoming Hamfests?😀
I hear word that the South Milwaukee Hamfest will happen on July 10. This is a big tailgate fest, I've always found something good, and they serve beer.
Thanks Michael. That was explained enough so even I can use a manual tuner, which I will need when I am on solar power. Auto tuners was my out before, Just listen to the noise and it would be done.
I am deciding between MFJ MFJ-934...MFJ MFJ-948...MFJ MFJ-941E. Im starting with a 110ft plus doublet. Would like to know if there ar any great differences between them. Any particular one heaver duty? Thank you .
Have the settings on my MFJ 969 setup so I can use my MACO 5000 for both CB and 10 meter work, CB on bypass and 10 meter on the settings, 1:1 for Ham band. The superior main inductance roller on my big tuner really helps when you obsess enough to get that particular part of the band down to no reflection and that 1:1. How much that lower SWR helps is another matter entirely.... But they are essential little (or big) tools. An antenna that won't burn up your rig is better than no antenna at all. And you can at least TRY to make anything run with a manual tuner.
When I use the dummy load on my tuner. I have 100 watts out. But when I endeavor to match either of my two dipoles, while I can get the SWR below 1.5 in all cases, I cannot get full power. That doesn't make sense to me; is it nevertheless the way matches work?
Heres a calibration question. I have two older SWR meters, a Radio Shack & a Vanco and my President George FCC has a built in SWR meter. By using the external meters I end up with diffrent SWR readings & then compared to the internal SWR meter on the radio the SWR is much lower than indicated on the external meters. So the Radio Shack meter shows me a 1.1 on 1 and a 1.5 on 40, the Vanco shows 1.3 & 1.7 and the George FCC shows a 1.0 on 1 and a 1.4 on 40. The question is do SWR meters require calibration? As retired military I had gages and meters that required annual or bi annual bench calibration to ensure proper reading at all times, I have never come across anything indicating that civilian SWR meters requireing calibration every so often. If they do not, how do I tune the anenna properly if I cant be sure that I am getting a proper reading from the meter if each meter gives me a diffrent reading?
Yes, SWR meters may require calibration and an old meter may certainly be out of spec. I can't speak for the Radio Shack or Vanco meters, but I do know that most MFJ meters had a tuning potentiometer inside the case and calibration steps in the instructions.
Wow! I have the rig expert and by double clicking the play button it loops the swr measurements. I think I might stop using the ldg z100 and switch over to the my 1979 era mfj as it seems to match better and can handle higher power.
You should mention that a tuner obsorbs some of your transmitter power to obtain that good match. The more mismatch antenna the more power is taken. It also effects your receive on those weak signals. I have my dipole cut and turned to the daily frequency used most. But I still us a match box for other frequencies. Thank you for your video on antenna tuners. I like the one you have. DE N2MIR
You have a misunderstanding of what a tuner does, it doesn't absorb any of the reflected power as it joins the forward power and reflected back to antenna at the tuner, there maybe some insertion loss depending on quality of tuner components but this isn't measurable so no need to mention it
Great video once again, thank you for posting. I saw a similar video in manual tuning but the other operator was tuning in AM away from any traffic on low AM power, tuned up then went back to SSB. I was using an LDG Auto Tuner. It worked great but it started acting funny a couple weeks ago. So I dug out the manual tuner I had acquired and WALA it works pretty good . I will try to tune up in data as well as AM radio n low power and see how that works. Great post, thanks for keeping it simple for us that aren’t so tech savvy lol. Still hoping to catch you in HF soon, God bless and keep on posting. KI5DAY Alll Day Long!
Love your call as it applies to Oregon State statute 811.100: Violation of the Basic Rule 😂 We still have VBR. I’m sure someone else has already let you know about this.
Just like the rest of your library..fabulous info.. will apply to new & 1st manual roller tuner.. query near ~ 00:08:50 ..I use same analyzer so will the MFJ tuner not simultaneously needle up while tuning on the stick analyzer as seen or are they (needles) not being driven for lack of carrier ? Ta!
Question. You said if you have an antenna analyzer, you can use that in place of your transmitter. Would that work if you're using a NanoVNA or TinySA, or just something like a RigExpert or MFJ?
A NanoVNA will work. One advantage of the MFJ and Rigexpert models is that they have a continuous SWR scan mode so you can make the adjustments in real time. With the NanoVNA you will scan, adjust, scan, and repeat.
Michael, I wish I’d seen this YEARS AGO! Thank you! Gonna still save up for a Yaesu tuner for my FT DX10. As always, time is well spent watching your content. KQ4IXD
I have a newer one of that same model. I have the MFJ949E model. I got it because it is a power/SWR meter, tuner, dumy load, 4:1 balan and antenna switch in one box. For a good price. What more would you want in there? 73 W4DES
Great video very good explanation, Question: I have a MFJ 962E and regarding the inductance as per the manual instructions there is no mention of not transmitting while turning the inductance knob anti-clock for the lowest setting and afterwards to follow with both the Transmitter and antenna knobs? Is it applicable for your type of ATU or what? Many thanks
The key difference is that the MFJ-962E is a roller inductor tuner. The inductance values smoothly change as you turn the knob. Other tuners, like the MFJ-949E use a variable tapped inductor. As you turn the knob, inductance points abruptly change, causing spikes that can damage your transceiver if you are transmitting while turning the knob. For this reason you should not transmit while adjusting inductance on a variable tapped tuner.
I have an older antenna tunner. I have never used it the knob that turned the coils was loose and would not let the goils turn. I have fairly new radios. I have just been afraid to use that tunner on one of the newer radio like the 7300 icom
If the knobs are loose, there may be a set screw in them that needs tightening. If the tuner is functional, I'd have no fear using it on a newer rig like the Icom IC-7300. You should turn the transceiver down to low power for the tuning process and the 7300 has SWR protection circuitry so you don't overload the final transistors.
KN4ZLH, I am a new amateur operator. I have had my general license for a little over a year. I purchased a Kenwood 180S, a very old unit. I have a manual tuner that is made for that radio. I have not used it much. Mostly because it was frustrating to dial in when changing bands. Thanks for the video. I am about to make my 40 meter delta loop into an 80 meter loop. I plan to try to get on the HF radio more this summer. I stay on VHF most of the time. We have several good local clubs in the area.
Hi David I have a Mura CBT25 , I have power I have listened to your instructions after making sure I keyed my mic it shows a bad swr. I then making sure I am not bothering anyone I key the mic & start turning the tuning knobs nothing happens, slow doesn't mater what I do nothing changes?? What do I need to do?? thank you David
I agree Mike, MANUEL TUNING IS BEST, not because I like to fiddle with dials, because in my case I have different radios and can switch them out, some with auto tune some without, for me it's easier, also I have only been a ham for a couple of years and have blown up a radio, some guys have to learn the hard way, thanks for the videos, KN6GZP Dave.
In essence this is a glorified swr meter that you adjust to get low swr right? I have the tuner and was trying to figure out basic swr check but I'm new and learning. What is the peak/avg button for? I hooked mine up to a cb and of course power scale only registered 4 watts but was able to tune other needle flat. I noticed you had turned your power down to 5 watts but the left needle was still near top of travel. Help out a newbie. Thanks. Great video.
Thanks very helpful.Just picked up a 949-c at a trunk sale. I have one question if I might.I’m assuming you need a short piece of co-ax to go from the transceiver to the tuner and then connect the tunner to the antenna co-ax? Thanks for the help.
Correct. You will run a short cable (usually 12 - 18 inches) from the transceiver to the tuner and then your feed line of whatever length from the tuner to the antenna.
hi there, I have that tuner and for some reason the reflected power meter no longer rests on zero, while at rest? Is there an adjustment to zero it out? Thanks!
I did a little bit of searching using the term "MFJ 941d calibration" and came across this instruction sheet referencing a couple of trim pots behind the meter: www.worldwidedx.com/attachments/mfj-941d-pdf.14194/
I am pulling my hair out trying to get this question answered. I pre tune the tuner using an antenna analyzer. I get the SWR to 1:0 by first turning the inductance then using the input & output dials. Great. Then I transmit and looking at the analog meter the SWR and Forward needles cross on the 1:1 line. Great! But... The forward needle sits at 50 watts. When I TX it maybe moves up to 60 watts but never to 100 watts. I am using a G5RV antenna. I am using a Kenwood 590s with internal tuner of the transceiver turned off. My tuner is a Palstar AT2K. In theory, shouldn't the forward needle go up to 100 watts instead of hovering around 50? The meter on the transceiver reports it is putting out 100 watts. I tested the transceiver using a dummy load and it is putting out 100 watts. Thoughts on why the forward needle hovers around 50 and not 100 watts. Thanks. 73 & God Bless
It depends on what mode you are operating on. If it is a constant carrier mode, like CW, AM, or FT8, then the needle should rise to the output power level. If you are running SSB, then the needle will fluctuate as the output power depends on the audio input. Second thing to check is if your tuner/meter is set to Peak or Average power. If it is at Peak, the needle will move and show the peak outputs of the transmission. If it is at average, it will hover at a lower level (Sideband transmissions are typically 30-60% less than constant carrier).
@@KB9VBRAntennas Thank you sir! I called Palstar the other day and spoke with the owner Paul Hrivnak who suggested similar to what you wrote. He also suggested adjusting my compression function. He had me do a few tests using a power meter and a dummy load using different carriers. In the end, all is working a-okay. Last, he told me that the Kenwood 590s tends to be a bit more touchy (sensitive) when TXing on SSB. In the end of the great conversation, we decided that yes, my 590s was putting out the proper wattage. Thank you Michael for your response. 73 & God Bless!
I do have a question! I bought an MFJ-949E at an estate sale and just hooked it up today as my IC-7300 and the EFHW I have will not tune on the 15m band. The MFJ WILL pull it in...but I notice that the Transmitter dial is in what WOULD be about the '11' or '11 1/2' position. Would this imply that a previous owner may have taken the knob off and repositioned it improperly? I am wondering..... if I open it up and set the capacitor to "full mesh" and then set the knob on '10' ... would that be a reasonable thing to do? Thanks and 73. I appreciate all of your videos and learn so much from them. Bob - KG5JAI/AE.
Mutli-band antennas can be difficult to tune on 15m but it is an odd multiple of the 40m band (that's a simplistic explanation). The knob on your tuner could have slipped slightly or it may not have been properly aligned. My manual tuner does the same thing. The numbers on the dial are arbitrary and are for your reference so you can go back to that tune spot again. Feel free to make an adjustment if it helps you.
The MFJ 945C has a button so you can toggle the meter between forward and reflected power. Set it to reflected power, do your tuning until it the meter goes down all the way. Then change it to forward and you should see your power output at full deflection.
my question if you have a built antenna tuner will the it enter fear with the manul. and also it you are running an amp which side should the antenna tuner be?
You should always turn off the internal tuner if you are using an external tuning unit. Otherwise the two will fight each other. If you are using an amplifier, the tuner goes after the amp and before the antenna. (Make sure your tuner is rated for the power level of your amplifier).
Hello, I am new to the hobby. Do I use a tuner in the mobile (car) the same way to tune a HF radio, 10M and or other multi band HF radios with a magnet mount antenna or hamsticks etc ? Thanks, Jim KD2WPA
Be sure to turn off the internal antenna tuner in the radio (if your radio has an internal tuner). It isn't particularly harmful, but daisy-chaining tuners introduces loss and inefficiency; you might get a super low SWR but not really transmitting much. You would use an external tuner, even if your radio has one, because radio tuners tend to have limited range whereas external tuners can usually tune into a 10:1 SWR.
It's an Edsal workbench with a formica top and the electronics riser. My wife's employer used to do service work and I purchased it surplus when they cleared out that department. It looks like you could piece the components together via Amazon or Global Industrial.
Hi Michael, As always very educational and helpful! Do you have a video on the use of remote tuners placed at the load point of the antenna? I've only been subscribed for 4-6 months and may have missed it. I did look through your lengthy list but didn't see anything on that topic. Thanks! 73, John - KK7JBZ
It depends on the type of antenna you are using. Usually for receive only you don’t need a tuner at all. But if you are using a random length of wire as your antenna, you can try adjusting the inductance for ‘maximum noise.’
@@KB9VBRAntennas I'm going to use a Sony AN-1 active antenna I just won on eBay. That's why I want to know if a tuner will offer any benefit. I really doubt it, but I'm brand new at this hobby, and I mean brand spanking new, and I don't want to waste money on gear I don't need. My Elite 750 is my first SW radio ever, and it hasn't even arrived yet. I'm hoping that the 750 and the AN-1 will be all that I need for quite some time.
@@heinzkitzvelvet You don’t need a tuner with an active antenna. Active antennas have the ability to adjust the capacitance. so in a way they have a built in tuner.
@@KB9VBRAntennas OUTSTANDING! Thank you, sir. I really appreciate the knowledge. I've read, 73's, is the proper response. Forgive me if I've cocked that up. I'm still learning. LOL! 👍
FIRST the MJF939E is set to DUMMY LOAD I chose RTTY and 28k MHz as the Freq. The Wattage was set to 30 watts vice the 300 watt position. In the 300 watt position the needles on the on the Tuner parted like the red sea and pegged in both directions OFF SCALE. When the mic was keyed. On the tuner scale 100w Forward 3 watts Reflected SWR 1.4 Inductor “C” Match scale of “Zero” Antenna scale at 1 ON THE 30 WATT SELECTION SECOND the MJF939E is set to COAX (Off Dummy LOAD) Freq 28k MHz on RTTY mode TUNER set on the 30 watts setting (Not covered in your video on the use of the MJF939) Why was that? Tuner MATCH at “ZERO” 0 Inductor @ “B” ANT Match @ 0 “zero” SWR 2.4 Reflected 17 watts Forward 92 Watts Scenario (TWO) Still on RTTY Mode FREQ is 28.325 MHz MJF939 set at 30 watts Trans Match 10+ off scale Inductor “K” Ant Match 0.5 or less FWD watts at 110 Reflected at 6 watts SWR 1.4 Keying the MIC automatically defaults the FREQ from 28.325 MHz to 28.000 MHz Switching over the 939 from 30 to 300 watts Making no changes to the 939 but just switching the button from 30 to 300 watts and keying the MIC again still on (Dummy Load) no response from the 939 Switching off the Dummy Load to the COAX mode and quickly keying the MIC “NO RESPONSE FROM THE 939” NO NEEDLE MOVEMENT IN ANY DIRECTION. CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT’S GOING ONE HERE? Ken
Unless you're using an antenna analyzer, you will have to transmit RF while tuning. But to avoid excessive interference and potential transmitter damage you should: * Use low power (just a few watts). * Keep the transmit time as brief as possible. * IF your tuner has an inductor switch (like the one Michael demonstrated) do NOT transmit while changing the inductor switch setting. The momentary open circuit while switching the inductor could be detrimental to both tuner and transmitter.
Thanks, Michael!! Love this! This is perfect. Thanks for your help. Quick question. I just bought a MFJ 971 at a hamfest. I hooked it up to my ICOM 746 and my 20 meter ham stick but I couldn't get any readings. I checked the jumper and the coax for continuity and they are fine. The inside does look like it's fried. Any ideas? Thanks and 73.
Unfortunately that may be the issue. There's not a whole lot that can go wrong with manual tuners, but if you run too much power and have too great of a mismatch, arcing can occur across the air inductor.
By changing the reactance you change the impedance as impedance is dependent on reactance and resistance. In an inductive circuit, adding capacitive reactance will neutralize the inductive reactance hopefully leading to a purely resistive circuit which we usually hope is 50 ohms
Thanks for the great video, I do have a question. I am running an Icom 706 MkII, MFJ-949B, and Ladderline to a Dipole. When I tune the SWR Meter on the Icom and Tuner do not match. I can often get a near 1:1 match on the tuner, but the Icom shows 2:1 or higher. I have been going witthe SWR Meter on the radio, and have not blown my finals yet. Which should I trust the SWR meter on my radio, tuner, or is there something not working properly in the Tuner or Radio. Thanks for all your great content. KE4QDM
Good afternoon Sir. Great video and information. I will certainly budget for a manual tuner for my shack. Until your video, I had no idea how to use one. That does bring up a question to me. I recently purchased a Yaesu FT-891 in hopes of starting some POTA, it sure looks like fun. I these manual tuner you discussed reasonably portable or is they're a more portable option. Thanks again, Vern W8VHS. 73
The MFJ-949 is a little big for portable use. The make a very small portable tuner, but it doesn't have a meter. I have the MFJ-945 travel tuner which is compact enough to take out into the field and has an SWR meter. You can see it in this POTA video: th-cam.com/video/sxrd9fvkipM/w-d-xo.html
Really strange.... You describe the D version, yet the E version is "inverse"! "A" is the most inductance and "0" is the most capacitance. I find it interesting that MFJ would make such a major operation change? In their mind it must be an improvement?
I may have missed it but one very important thing to remember is RF burns depending on the design of the tuner. The MFJ mentioned has “hot” shafts that the knobs are attached to. So what, you say...well how are the knobs fastened to the shaft ? Metal set screws which are tightened to the “hot”shaft. If you grip the knob where the set screw is and your fleshy fingers sink into the set screw hole.....guess what....*#%!&@ . Yes you will get burnt. Personal experience. Be careful.
Thanks for the caution. I didn't specifically mention this, but all the more reason why you should tune on low power first. MFJ does say in the instructions to not touch the back plane; especially if you are using ladder line or a random wire.
Isn't the definition of resonance when the capacitive and inductive reactances have been adjusted to zero,? So with the tuner doing just that the system has been tuned to resonance
In essence you are tuning the antenna system to resonance, but the antenna itself still isn't resonant and you aren't changing the physical characteristics of the antenna. You are only providing a suitable impedance match so the transmitter will output at full power.
@@KB9VBRAntennas with the tuner in line after the tuner has tuned the system to resonance as part of that system the antenna has electrically been tuned to resonance, take the tuner out of line its back to the state it was before
With MFJ closing its doors, my recommendation is to buy a manual tuner now. Even if you don't think you need it, they have advantages that an auto tuner can't provide.
@@KB9VBRAntennas I agree, I’ll probably get one in a couple of weeks. I think it’s going to be useful, like having an analogue multimeter. I’m still learning things and I don’t need a “magic box” right now. I saw a cute one on ebay but it had BNC connectors and was 5 watts. I thought that was too limited for my needs.
Every one of your videos just get better and better. So concise and flowing. Well spoken and totally understandable even for the beginner. Thank you for sharing your knowledge to the ham community.
I was gifted this exact tuner. Thank you for the great class on how to use it!
I just bought one in ebay. Old skool.
I also picked up my MFJ-941E at a hamfest. Seller had both the D and E model. I got the "latest" E model, not realizing D meant built in Dummy load and E meant External dummy load (extra connector on back)
That's interesting. I knew the E model has a dummy load setting on the selector, but I didn't realize it's external.
I have a 941E and I use the dummy load position as a third antenna port for my FT-757GX.
The dummy load was usually used on the older tube radios to tune up the final section before putting the rig on the air. I do this with my Kenwood TS-520 and an MFJ-949D tuner. It's not nice to tune up on the air.
73,
John, N1WOM
I have watched all of the manual antenna tuning videos on TH-cam and this one is the best hands down. Thank you very much!
This is by far the best intro video to introduce me to operation of the manual Tuner.. very concise and very clear! I have a Mat 30 for my FT950 and just taken delivery of an SE HFX80 vertical antenna with end fed balun.. this antenna needs the manual tuner for certain bands 80, 17,12 & 6M bands that i cannot get with the Mat 30. I have a long wire connected to my 950 that picks up 80m but at a push, and with a very weak signal. thank you for the heads up on a manual tuner it really helped me a lot! 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Great new ideas for using a manual tuner, Michael, especially using your antenna analyzer in place of your transceiver for tuning-up, thank you for sharing.
You have that teacher's gene! Thanks so much. From: a newbie in Yakima, Washington 😊
Been running an 11m vertical on 10/12/15/17/20. Tuner not only reduces potential harm to the finals, but also makes the receive strength greater on a given band. I initially tune it on Receive, then on Transmit for greater accuracy. This CB vertical (starting at 20" above lawn and without radials), is so much better than my attic fan dipole (6/10/15/20/40/80)!
looking at the comments I will be repeating some of them agreeing that this is the best video so far on the subject that I have watched, well done I will be watching many more.
So glad I saw this video. I've been looking at different tuner options and was completely confused by manual tuners. You explained it so well in this video, I now will definitely go with a manual tuner.
Also thanks for covering the MFJ-949E. I really like the idea of having an antenna tuner, power / SWR meter, dummy load, and antenna switch all in one unit. I can save a fair amount of bench space and money with that piece of kit.
My 2 meter 440 j pole i bought from you nearly 10 years ago is still going strong thank you again kc9wxm
I started out with that exact model tuner in 1993 and still own one like it today. It was the perfect companion to my Kenwood TS-520S as it required a dummy load to tune transmitter output power as well as match the antenna. Having a dummy load, tuner and SWR/Power meter in the same unit is really nice. I have since owned many of the LDG auto-tuners and currently use an LDG AT-100ProII with my Yaesu FTDX10. But as you pointed out, it is much more fun turning the dials and tweaking for low SWR than listening to a noisy auto-tuner. For that very reason my younger brother still uses his MFJ-949E today and has no desire for an auto-tuner. Good video Michael!
I think I erased my last attempt to post a comment somehow. Excellent video, both educational and easy to understand. Your my HF online Elmer thank you for your posts. My LDG auto tuner went wonkybot on me. Fortunately I had an MFJ auto tuner that I acquired a while back, and it’s working nicely. Your videos are very helpful ve and you are the online Elmer for many!
Exactly what I needed.... 5 hours ago when I tried using a manual for the first time, gave up, and went back to my automatic hihi
I bought the same tuner a couple months ago used at a ham fest. I love it! A much wider range of tuning over my auto tuners. I do make a cheat sheet to get the tuning quicker. ( I do need to replace a diode foot the reflected power side) I rely on my radio swr meter to get me there.
Cool video! I was fortunate enough to borrow a fellow club member's MFJ analyzer, figure out where my delta loop was resonant, and write down all the settings for best SWR. It makes for super quick tuning with minimal interference to other ops. Usually 3 to 5 seconds!
Thanks again Mike. Very educational considering I just picked up a 800w amp and manual tuner to go with it.
Thanks!
Thank you for your support. I really appreciate it.
Good Stuff! Valuable info right to the point. A must for my hybrid rigs.
I understand why its inadvisable to switch the inductor on transmit. My AMU (Cap Co SPC-300) has a roller coaster as the inductor. I assume it's safe to tweak that while transmitting? There is something quite satisfying to manually adjust all three dials to the lowest SWR.
That was excellent Michael. Thank you for posting it. Exactly what I needed. 73.
I have that tuner. It works great. Like you pointed out the internal and automatic tuners will adjust till the SWR is ok. You can tweek the manual tuner better. Thanks for a current video on tuners.
What is the correct procedure when😊 using a transceiver with plate tune and loading controls,how do you preset these controls before adjusting the tuner?
Good video. How about a video on using an antenna analyzer. I have a lot to learn and your videos really help.
I have a auto driven on my ken wood five ninety. but on the 7300 hundre. that is why I wonder if I would need a tuner on it. it does have a build in radio tuner.
If your radio has a SWR screen or SWR meter, you can also look at that while tuning. The Icom-7300 has a bar graph which moves up and down as you adjust the tuner (capacitance) dials. This makes tuning trivial.
My MFJ-949E has maximunm capacitance at dial setting 0 and minimum capacitance at dial setting 10. Which is it suupposed to be ?
Thanks Michael. You are a great teacher.
As usual, 10 minutes packed with great instruction Michael. For portable operation the cross-needle meter on these tuners is extra helpful, as a constant visual monitor of both the transmit power output and antenna VSWR. I definitely need to get one of these to use with my FT-891. Do you know of any upcoming Hamfests?😀
I hear word that the South Milwaukee Hamfest will happen on July 10. This is a big tailgate fest, I've always found something good, and they serve beer.
Thanks Michael. That was explained enough so even I can use a manual tuner, which I will need when I am on solar power. Auto tuners was my out before, Just listen to the noise and it would be done.
I am deciding between MFJ MFJ-934...MFJ MFJ-948...MFJ MFJ-941E. Im starting with a 110ft plus doublet. Would like to know if there ar any great differences between them. Any particular one heaver duty? Thank you .
Have the settings on my MFJ 969 setup so I can use my MACO 5000 for both CB and 10 meter work, CB on bypass and 10 meter on the settings, 1:1 for Ham band. The superior main inductance roller on my big tuner really helps when you obsess enough to get that particular part of the band down to no reflection and that 1:1. How much that lower SWR helps is another matter entirely....
But they are essential little (or big) tools. An antenna that won't burn up your rig is better than no antenna at all. And you can at least TRY to make anything run with a manual tuner.
When I use the dummy load on my tuner. I have 100 watts out. But when I endeavor to match either of my two dipoles, while I can get the SWR below 1.5 in all cases, I cannot get full power. That doesn't make sense to me; is it nevertheless the way matches work?
Heres a calibration question. I have two older SWR meters, a Radio Shack & a Vanco and my President George FCC has a built in SWR meter. By using the external meters I end up with diffrent SWR readings & then compared to the internal SWR meter on the radio the SWR is much lower than indicated on the external meters. So the Radio Shack meter shows me a 1.1 on 1 and a 1.5 on 40, the Vanco shows 1.3 & 1.7 and the George FCC shows a 1.0 on 1 and a 1.4 on 40. The question is do SWR meters require calibration? As retired military I had gages and meters that required annual or bi annual bench calibration to ensure proper reading at all times, I have never come across anything indicating that civilian SWR meters requireing calibration every so often. If they do not, how do I tune the anenna properly if I cant be sure that I am getting a proper reading from the meter if each meter gives me a diffrent reading?
Yes, SWR meters may require calibration and an old meter may certainly be out of spec. I can't speak for the Radio Shack or Vanco meters, but I do know that most MFJ meters had a tuning potentiometer inside the case and calibration steps in the instructions.
Wow! I have the rig expert and by double clicking the play button it loops the swr measurements. I think I might stop using the ldg z100 and switch over to the my 1979 era mfj as it seems to match better and can handle higher power.
How are you getting 300W+ watts on the forward meter ?
You should mention that a tuner obsorbs some of your transmitter power to obtain that good match. The more mismatch antenna the more power is taken. It also effects your receive on those weak signals. I have my dipole cut and turned to the daily frequency used most. But I still us a match box for other frequencies. Thank you for your video on antenna tuners. I like the one you have. DE N2MIR
You have a misunderstanding of what a tuner does, it doesn't absorb any of the reflected power as it joins the forward power and reflected back to antenna at the tuner, there maybe some insertion loss depending on quality of tuner components but this isn't measurable so no need to mention it
Thank you Michael!
Thank you very much for your contribution to the international community of radio amateurs, your videos have been very useful, 73 from Chile.
Great video once again, thank you for posting. I saw a similar video in manual tuning but the other operator was tuning in AM away from any traffic on low AM power, tuned up then went back to SSB. I was using an LDG Auto Tuner. It worked great but it started acting funny a couple weeks ago. So I dug out the manual tuner I had acquired and WALA it works pretty good . I will try to tune up in data as well as AM radio n low power and see how that works. Great post, thanks for keeping it simple for us that aren’t so tech savvy lol. Still hoping to catch you in HF soon, God bless and keep on posting. KI5DAY Alll Day Long!
AM, CW, RTTY modes all work well for tuning. You just need something that outputs a constant carrier signal.
Thank you. Best tutorial I could find on YT.
Love your call as it applies to Oregon State statute 811.100: Violation of the Basic Rule 😂 We still have VBR. I’m sure someone else has already let you know about this.
You know what, you're the first to say that.
Just like the rest of your library..fabulous info.. will apply to new & 1st manual roller tuner.. query near ~ 00:08:50 ..I use same analyzer so will the MFJ tuner not simultaneously needle up while tuning on the stick analyzer as seen or are they (needles) not being driven for lack of carrier ?
Ta!
Question. You said if you have an antenna analyzer, you can use that in place of your transmitter. Would that work if you're using a NanoVNA or TinySA, or just something like a RigExpert or MFJ?
A NanoVNA will work. One advantage of the MFJ and Rigexpert models is that they have a continuous SWR scan mode so you can make the adjustments in real time. With the NanoVNA you will scan, adjust, scan, and repeat.
Michael, I wish I’d seen this YEARS AGO! Thank you! Gonna still save up for a Yaesu tuner for my FT DX10. As always, time is well spent watching your content. KQ4IXD
I have a newer one of that same model. I have the MFJ949E model. I got it because it is a power/SWR meter, tuner, dumy load, 4:1 balan and antenna switch in one box. For a good price. What more would you want in there? 73 W4DES
I have a big older one. It was broke in side.I lock tight the knob. I have never used it. i have to antenna that are no tune antenna
Great video very good explanation, Question: I have a MFJ 962E and regarding the inductance as per the manual instructions there is no mention of not transmitting while turning the inductance knob anti-clock for the lowest setting and afterwards to follow with both the Transmitter and antenna knobs? Is it applicable for your type of ATU or what? Many thanks
The key difference is that the MFJ-962E is a roller inductor tuner. The inductance values smoothly change as you turn the knob. Other tuners, like the MFJ-949E use a variable tapped inductor. As you turn the knob, inductance points abruptly change, causing spikes that can damage your transceiver if you are transmitting while turning the knob. For this reason you should not transmit while adjusting inductance on a variable tapped tuner.
you are a Gentleman and a Scholler... many Thanks
I have an older antenna tunner. I have never used it the knob that turned the coils was loose and would not let the goils turn. I have fairly new radios. I have just been afraid to use that tunner on one of the newer radio like the 7300 icom
If the knobs are loose, there may be a set screw in them that needs tightening. If the tuner is functional, I'd have no fear using it on a newer rig like the Icom IC-7300. You should turn the transceiver down to low power for the tuning process and the 7300 has SWR protection circuitry so you don't overload the final transistors.
Thank you for a great show and info.
KN4ZLH, I am a new amateur operator. I have had my general license for a little over a year. I purchased a Kenwood 180S, a very old unit. I have a manual tuner that is made for that radio. I have not used it much. Mostly because it was frustrating to dial in when changing bands. Thanks for the video. I am about to make my 40 meter delta loop into an 80 meter loop. I plan to try to get on the HF radio more this summer. I stay on VHF most of the time. We have several good local clubs in the area.
Do you know what is req to use a ham radio in the philippines?
Thank you so much for your online help and information!!
Hi David I have a Mura CBT25 , I have power I have listened to your instructions after making sure I keyed my mic it shows a bad swr. I then making sure I am not bothering anyone I key the mic & start turning the tuning knobs nothing happens, slow doesn't mater what I do nothing changes?? What do I need to do?? thank you David
Thank you very much for making this video is was very informative. Appreciate your time. Subbed
i HAVE A NEW COMPUTER DRIVEN RADIO. IT IS NOT A FLEX. This was a question. with the comput driven radio. would the computer take up the tunner.
Great info ,,,, can adding external tunner give extra protection to transiver?
I agree Mike, MANUEL TUNING IS BEST, not because I like to fiddle with dials, because in my case I have different radios and can switch them out, some with auto tune some without, for me it's easier, also I have only been a ham for a couple of years and have blown up a radio, some guys have to learn the hard way, thanks for the videos, KN6GZP Dave.
In essence this is a glorified swr meter that you adjust to get low swr right? I have the tuner and was trying to figure out basic swr check but I'm new and learning. What is the peak/avg button for? I hooked mine up to a cb and of course power scale only registered 4 watts but was able to tune other needle flat. I noticed you had turned your power down to 5 watts but the left needle was still near top of travel. Help out a newbie. Thanks. Great video.
I lost the instructions for my mfj 940 tuner and this helped..
Thanks very helpful.Just picked up a 949-c at a trunk sale. I have one question if I might.I’m assuming you need a short piece of co-ax to go from the transceiver to the tuner and then connect the tunner to the antenna co-ax? Thanks for the help.
Correct. You will run a short cable (usually 12 - 18 inches) from the transceiver to the tuner and then your feed line of whatever length from the tuner to the antenna.
Well done! Thank you KB9VBR.
hi there, I have that tuner and for some reason the reflected power meter no longer rests on zero, while at rest? Is there an adjustment to zero it out? Thanks!
I did a little bit of searching using the term "MFJ 941d calibration" and came across this instruction sheet referencing a couple of trim pots behind the meter: www.worldwidedx.com/attachments/mfj-941d-pdf.14194/
I am pulling my hair out trying to get this question answered. I pre tune the tuner using an antenna analyzer. I get the SWR to 1:0 by first turning the inductance then using the input & output dials. Great. Then I transmit and looking at the analog meter the SWR and Forward needles cross on the 1:1 line. Great! But... The forward needle sits at 50 watts. When I TX it maybe moves up to 60 watts but never to 100 watts. I am using a G5RV antenna. I am using a Kenwood 590s with internal tuner of the transceiver turned off. My tuner is a Palstar AT2K. In theory, shouldn't the forward needle go up to 100 watts instead of hovering around 50? The meter on the transceiver reports it is putting out 100 watts. I tested the transceiver using a dummy load and it is putting out 100 watts. Thoughts on why the forward needle hovers around 50 and not 100 watts. Thanks. 73 & God Bless
It depends on what mode you are operating on. If it is a constant carrier mode, like CW, AM, or FT8, then the needle should rise to the output power level. If you are running SSB, then the needle will fluctuate as the output power depends on the audio input. Second thing to check is if your tuner/meter is set to Peak or Average power. If it is at Peak, the needle will move and show the peak outputs of the transmission. If it is at average, it will hover at a lower level (Sideband transmissions are typically 30-60% less than constant carrier).
@@KB9VBRAntennas Thank you sir! I called Palstar the other day and spoke with the owner Paul Hrivnak who suggested similar to what you wrote. He also suggested adjusting my compression function. He had me do a few tests using a power meter and a dummy load using different carriers. In the end, all is working a-okay. Last, he told me that the Kenwood 590s tends to be a bit more touchy (sensitive) when TXing on SSB. In the end of the great conversation, we decided that yes, my 590s was putting out the proper wattage. Thank you Michael for your response. 73 & God Bless!
Do Antenna Tuners improve Reception ?
Possibly. it depends on the type of antenna and the impedance at the feedpoint.
I do have a question! I bought an MFJ-949E at an estate sale and just hooked it up today as my IC-7300 and the EFHW I have will not tune on the 15m band. The MFJ WILL pull it in...but I notice that the Transmitter dial is in what WOULD be about the '11' or '11 1/2' position. Would this imply that a previous owner may have taken the knob off and repositioned it improperly?
I am wondering..... if I open it up and set the capacitor to "full mesh" and then set the knob on '10' ... would that be a reasonable thing to do? Thanks and 73. I appreciate all of your videos and learn so much from them.
Bob - KG5JAI/AE.
Mutli-band antennas can be difficult to tune on 15m but it is an odd multiple of the 40m band (that's a simplistic explanation). The knob on your tuner could have slipped slightly or it may not have been properly aligned. My manual tuner does the same thing. The numbers on the dial are arbitrary and are for your reference so you can go back to that tune spot again. Feel free to make an adjustment if it helps you.
I have a MFJ 945 c and it has only one needle. How you operate that kind of model.
The MFJ 945C has a button so you can toggle the meter between forward and reflected power. Set it to reflected power, do your tuning until it the meter goes down all the way. Then change it to forward and you should see your power output at full deflection.
With my ic 705 I use the m f j manual tuner
my question if you have a built antenna tuner will the it enter fear with the manul. and also it you are running an amp which side should the antenna tuner be?
You should always turn off the internal tuner if you are using an external tuning unit. Otherwise the two will fight each other. If you are using an amplifier, the tuner goes after the amp and before the antenna. (Make sure your tuner is rated for the power level of your amplifier).
Hey! This is a real good video. Thanks.
Hello, I am new to the hobby. Do I use a tuner in the mobile (car) the same way to tune a HF radio, 10M and or other multi band HF radios with a magnet mount antenna or hamsticks etc ? Thanks, Jim KD2WPA
Whelp, I didn't know anyone else that loves the knob twiddling of a manual tuner. 73.
Be sure to turn off the internal antenna tuner in the radio (if your radio has an internal tuner). It isn't particularly harmful, but daisy-chaining tuners introduces loss and inefficiency; you might get a super low SWR but not really transmitting much.
You would use an external tuner, even if your radio has one, because radio tuners tend to have limited range whereas external tuners can usually tune into a 10:1 SWR.
Nice explanation thank you :)
Is that bench from U line?
It's an Edsal workbench with a formica top and the electronics riser. My wife's employer used to do service work and I purchased it surplus when they cleared out that department. It looks like you could piece the components together via Amazon or Global Industrial.
Great video. Thank you. Just a quick question. What if you are using an antenna switch? Is it better to keep them separate?
April W7ANC
Hi Michael,
As always very educational and helpful!
Do you have a video on the use of remote tuners placed at the load point of the antenna? I've only been subscribed for 4-6 months and may have missed it. I did look through your lengthy list but didn't see anything on that topic.
Thanks!
73,
John - KK7JBZ
Great video Mike,
Really. Informative and straight forward.
My brother's name is Mike also.
73
Will an antenna tuner benefit a receiver only? I have an Eton Elite 750 and want to know if an antenna tuner will help with reception.
It depends on the type of antenna you are using. Usually for receive only you don’t need a tuner at all. But if you are using a random length of wire as your antenna, you can try adjusting the inductance for ‘maximum noise.’
@@KB9VBRAntennas I'm going to use a Sony AN-1 active antenna I just won on eBay. That's why I want to know if a tuner will offer any benefit. I really doubt it, but I'm brand new at this hobby, and I mean brand spanking new, and I don't want to waste money on gear I don't need. My Elite 750 is my first SW radio ever, and it hasn't even arrived yet.
I'm hoping that the 750 and the AN-1 will be all that I need for quite some time.
@@heinzkitzvelvet You don’t need a tuner with an active antenna. Active antennas have the ability to adjust the capacitance. so in a way they have a built in tuner.
@@KB9VBRAntennas OUTSTANDING! Thank you, sir. I really appreciate the knowledge. I've read, 73's, is the proper response. Forgive me if I've cocked that up. I'm still learning. LOL! 👍
Do you have to turn down the transmit power on you radio when using a LDG autotuner? Thanks and 73 de KI5JCO
It certainly wouldn't hurt, sometimes the tuning process can be long, especially if the tuner is working with an 'unfamiliar' antenna.
Thank you
FIRST the MJF939E is set to DUMMY LOAD
I chose RTTY and 28k MHz as the Freq.
The Wattage was set to 30 watts vice the 300 watt position. In the 300 watt position the needles on the on the Tuner parted like the red sea and pegged in both directions OFF SCALE. When the mic was keyed.
On the tuner scale
100w Forward
3 watts Reflected
SWR 1.4
Inductor “C”
Match scale of “Zero”
Antenna scale at 1
ON THE 30 WATT SELECTION
SECOND the MJF939E is set to COAX (Off Dummy LOAD)
Freq 28k MHz on RTTY mode
TUNER set on the 30 watts setting (Not covered in your video on the use of the MJF939) Why was that?
Tuner MATCH at “ZERO” 0
Inductor @ “B”
ANT Match @ 0 “zero”
SWR 2.4
Reflected 17 watts
Forward 92 Watts
Scenario (TWO)
Still on RTTY Mode
FREQ is 28.325 MHz
MJF939 set at 30 watts
Trans Match 10+ off scale
Inductor “K”
Ant Match 0.5 or less
FWD watts at 110
Reflected at 6 watts
SWR 1.4
Keying the MIC automatically defaults the FREQ from 28.325 MHz to 28.000 MHz
Switching over the 939 from 30 to 300 watts
Making no changes to the 939 but just switching the button from 30 to 300 watts and keying the MIC again still on (Dummy Load) no response from the 939
Switching off the Dummy Load to the COAX mode and quickly keying the MIC “NO RESPONSE FROM THE 939” NO NEEDLE MOVEMENT IN ANY DIRECTION. CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT’S GOING ONE HERE?
Ken
I really enjoy your videos, 73's KC3PLG
what will happen if you transmit while tuning?
Unless you're using an antenna analyzer, you will have to transmit RF while tuning. But to avoid excessive interference and potential transmitter damage you should:
* Use low power (just a few watts).
* Keep the transmit time as brief as possible.
* IF your tuner has an inductor switch (like the one Michael demonstrated) do NOT transmit while changing the inductor switch setting. The momentary open circuit while switching the inductor could be detrimental to both tuner and transmitter.
Thanks, Michael!! Love this! This is perfect. Thanks for your help. Quick question. I just bought a MFJ 971 at a hamfest. I hooked it up to my ICOM 746 and my 20 meter ham stick but I couldn't get any readings. I checked the jumper and the coax for continuity and they are fine. The inside does look like it's fried. Any ideas? Thanks and 73.
Unfortunately that may be the issue. There's not a whole lot that can go wrong with manual tuners, but if you run too much power and have too great of a mismatch, arcing can occur across the air inductor.
iam sure there is 400 diff answers to this. wondering.... loose thru the tuner conpared to internal tuner.
Isn't impedance and reactance effected separately by a tuner?
By changing the reactance you change the impedance as impedance is dependent on reactance and resistance. In an inductive circuit, adding capacitive reactance will neutralize the inductive reactance hopefully leading to a purely resistive circuit which we usually hope is 50 ohms
@@Gordofor12 aren't you describing admittance?
@@Justin-bd2dg Conductance, admittance, and susceptance are the reciprocals of resistance, impedance, and reactance.
@@Gordofor12 and this is how the tuner tunes the antenna system to resonance
Thanks for the great video, I do have a question. I am running an Icom 706 MkII, MFJ-949B, and Ladderline to a Dipole. When I tune the SWR Meter on the Icom and Tuner do not match. I can often get a near 1:1 match on the tuner, but the Icom shows 2:1 or higher. I have been going witthe SWR Meter on the radio, and have not blown my finals yet. Which should I trust the SWR meter on my radio, tuner, or is there something not working properly in the Tuner or Radio. Thanks for all your great content. KE4QDM
Something is telling me a manual antenna tuner would be much more fun.
Good afternoon Sir. Great video and information. I will certainly budget for a manual tuner for my shack. Until your video, I had no idea how to use one. That does bring up a question to me. I recently purchased a Yaesu FT-891 in hopes of starting some POTA, it sure looks like fun. I these manual tuner you discussed reasonably portable or is they're a more portable option. Thanks again, Vern W8VHS. 73
The MFJ-949 is a little big for portable use. The make a very small portable tuner, but it doesn't have a meter. I have the MFJ-945 travel tuner which is compact enough to take out into the field and has an SWR meter. You can see it in this POTA video: th-cam.com/video/sxrd9fvkipM/w-d-xo.html
@@KB9VBRAntennas Thank you Sir. 73
Really strange.... You describe the D version, yet the E version is "inverse"! "A" is the most inductance and "0" is the most capacitance. I find it interesting that MFJ would make such a major operation change? In their mind it must be an improvement?
Just inherited some HAM radio stuff and trying to figure out what it even does. Totally confused....this is a whole other world I just stepped into.
I must say I have a big gap on the 7300 hundred and i not sure if you need a tuner. i'm under assumption that you would not need one.
I may have missed it but one very important thing to remember is RF burns depending on the design of the tuner. The MFJ mentioned has “hot” shafts that the knobs are attached to. So what, you say...well how are the knobs fastened to the shaft ? Metal set screws which are tightened to the “hot”shaft. If you grip the knob where the set screw is and your fleshy fingers sink into the set screw hole.....guess what....*#%!&@ . Yes you will get burnt. Personal experience. Be careful.
Thanks for the caution. I didn't specifically mention this, but all the more reason why you should tune on low power first. MFJ does say in the instructions to not touch the back plane; especially if you are using ladder line or a random wire.
Isn't the definition of resonance when the capacitive and inductive reactances have been adjusted to zero,?
So with the tuner doing just that the system has been tuned to resonance
In essence you are tuning the antenna system to resonance, but the antenna itself still isn't resonant and you aren't changing the physical characteristics of the antenna. You are only providing a suitable impedance match so the transmitter will output at full power.
@@KB9VBRAntennas with the tuner in line after the tuner has tuned the system to resonance as part of that system the antenna has electrically been tuned to resonance, take the tuner out of line its back to the state it was before
Resident?
In for the first like👍
manual tuners are getting harder to find. Especially the cute little ones.
With MFJ closing its doors, my recommendation is to buy a manual tuner now. Even if you don't think you need it, they have advantages that an auto tuner can't provide.
@@KB9VBRAntennas I agree, I’ll probably get one in a couple of weeks. I think it’s going to be useful, like having an analogue multimeter.
I’m still learning things and I don’t need a “magic box” right now.
I saw a cute one on ebay but it had BNC connectors and was 5 watts. I thought that was too limited for my needs.
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