[Antennas] Received my MFJ-993B "matcher" (a mini review)

Sat Jan 20 13:40:17 EST 2007

Hi all,
Awhile back I posted a request for information about the MFJ-993B tuner, 
asking for actual users feedback on the unit. All I'd used in the past 12+ 
years of operating was a manual tuner (yes, I know they're REALLY a matcher, 
not an actual antenna tuner).
Earlier this week I ordered one and it arrived early yesterday. First, I 
wanted to see how natural it was to use for a "dummy". So, without reading 
the manual I went ahead and hooked it up, applied power (making sure center 
pin was positive ;-) and fired it up with my TS-430 and the Alpha Delta 
DX-EE 4 band dipole. Applying about 10 Watts of AM carrier on 40M the 
critter "clattered" for a moment, then indicated a good match (<1.2/1). 
Not changing anything else I switch through the bands, 40, 20, 15 & 10 
Meters (some of which DON'T have a good match on that DX-EE antenna). Each 
time the unit clattered for a moment, then produced a good match.
Then I again stepped through the bands, each time there was a single "click" 
and the antenna was matched as the memories recalled the settings. So far, 
so good.
THEN, I gave it the acid test. I stepped through the 30, 17 and 12 Meter 
WARC bands, frequencies for which the DX-EE antenna is NOT tuned at all. In 
each case the "tuner" clattered a moment and then produced a good match. 
Now, whether or not the antenna will actually radiate effectively on those 
bands is another question (it is a "shorty" 3 element fan dipole with a 
loading coil on the 20 meter element to allow operation on 40M, covers 40, 
20, 15 & 10M). But at least the radio is happy and I'm somewhat QRV on the 
WARC bands now 8^)
Next step was to select the Butternut HF-2V vertical (75/40M) which is Roof 
mounted over about 1200 Sq/ft of sheet-metal roof. This antenna was tuned 
to be resonant on 3908 and 7240KC. It covers MOST of 40M with an under 2:1 
SWR, but is less than 100KC wide on 75. I cranked the TS-430 down to 3525 
(bottom end of my Advance class allowance) and keyed the carrier. The tuner 
clattered and got a good match. I then did the same for 7025KC. Again, the 
usual clatter and a good match.
The 20 and 15 Meter band Inverted Vees already have a good match across 
their respective bands, but I checked them anyway. The tuner matched them 
well. Ditto when I tested them for the 17 and 12 Meter bands.
I have NO antennas for 160M, so that band wasn't tested!
FURTHER INSPECTION OF THE TUNER:
After making sure that everything was working well with the tuner, I called 
MFJ to ascertain that drilling a hole in either side of the cover for 
"under-shelf" mounting brackets wouldn't void the warranty (it doesn't) I 
opened the unit up for inspection and bracket installation. Here is what I 
observed.
1. Nice clean circuit board construction. Internal workmanship "seems" to 
be of very high quality, not the shoddy assembly you sometimes see with MFJ.
2. Nice LARGE toroid and open wound coils for the tuning section, not the 
iddy biddy ones you usually see in the bandpass filter sections of 
transceivers.
3. Nice large (sealed) relays for all switching, 19 of them, again not iddy 
biddy ones.
4. A nice sized two toroid Balun for balanced lines with 4 banana plug 
connections (two for the balanced side, one for the center and one for the 
tuner output). Not the single toroid Balloon that my 948 has (and which I 
don't think is TRULY balanced).
5. COSMETICS. Good, but NOT great! The cutout for the LCD window is a 
little rough around the edges like it was cut with a dull punch, and the 
silk-screening beneath the LCD window with the MFJ Intellituner logo and 
SWR/PWR bargraph marking is slightly crooked, sloping up slightly from left 
to right. But this is nit-picking and doesn't affect operation at all! I 
can live with it ;-)
WHY I CHOSE THE 993B:
There were only two tuners that I was considering, the LDG AT200 and this 
one. This one was 20.00 more than the LDG, but I LIKED the fact that it has 
BOTH an analog cross needle meter AND a digital LCD display. The meter is 
especially useful for cutting "new" antennas and I then don't need an 
additional power/SWR meter. The LDG has ONLY an LED bargraph. The MFJ also 
has the internal Balun, with LDG you buy that extra. The LDG has a 2 year 
warranty Vs the 1 year MFJ warranty.
Would I buy it again? Only time will tell for sure, but at this time I'd 
have to say an emphatic YES!
NOW, WHERE'S THAT OLD WET NOODLE I TOSSED ASIDE WHEN IT WOULDN'T LOAD UP ;-)
73 de Phil, KO6BB
DX begins at the noise floor!
THE BEACONEER'S LAIR: http://www.geocities.com/ko6bb/
MY RADIO-LOGS: http://www.geocities.com/ko6bb/Logs/
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Merced, Central California, 37.3N 120.48W CM97sh