The balun inside is 4:1 it is usually possible to find more than one 'tuned' knob setting combination you should always use a tune with the LEAST INDUCTANCE to prevent arcing and circulating current losses (!!!) on all these MfJ tuners least inductance is on L position K is more J is more and A is the most. The lower the frequency the more inductance you are going to need on 10 or 11 meters you will usually need about L or K amount of inductance on 160 meters you will usually need to use the A inductance setting (the most) on 160 meters the power handling of this 300 watt tuner is usually no more than abt 100 watts on 20 meters you will usually be somewhere close to J amount of inductance on 40 meters you will usually be somewhere close to G amount of inductance if your tuned settings are wildly different - some ting wong the way to tune is to first set the inductance (start from less) and listen for most noise ( both caps about 50%) make radio transmit a steady carrier at less than 50% max power (if you don't want to make old timers cringe use the cw mode - never FM unless on 10m FM) and use both hands to turn both capacitors to cover all combinations meaning left hand at min - try entire right hand range increase left hand a bit -try entire right hand range increase left hand a bit -try entire right hand range and so on. if no tune increase inductance and repeat ground usually helps especially if you hear electrical arcs inside (reduce power) if you get rf burns - enjoy! it is extremely rare to not be able to find a tune with near 1:1 swr (except on 160) all an antenna tuner does is it adds inductance or capacitance or both to the antenna system in turn doing that will also change the resistive element. antenna system is antenna+coax (or ladderline) the higher the swr before tuning the more power you will waste in the coax ladder line will waste less power with same mismatch

Many dont realize , matching works both ways. Receive and transmit. You can get close by listening to your receiver noise on the band your tuming. Start with lowest inductance first then rapid tune load and tune capacitors. If no change go up one inductance tap ( on the inductor switch ) and do the capacitors again. You will hit a indictance letter that raises the background receiver noise alot! Then tune a signal going back and forth between tune and load capacitors. Now you are very close. Fine tune with a small transmit power.

You're the only Ham enthusiast I have seen on KZfaq who knows or cares enough to keep, indicate, and refer to notes and credible knowledge sources. You employ many accessory parts. You "do stuff". Instead, I waste countless time seeing superfluous reviews made by wild-eyed Tubers using no instrumentation (or often even turning the equipment "on"). Apparently, only to collect free stuff from the sellers. Thank you.

Great explanation!!! Thank you!!!

Hi TO - I have the same model tuner which I bought second hand. I use my cheap Nano-VNA to quickly tune it. I've found this to give me better results when I'm not in a hurry.

Thank you! Only vid I've seen that talks about rtty to be able to see the needle move.

Hi. A couple of notes. Start with the Transmitter and Antenna controls set at 5. Set the Inductor control at the lowest inductance setting. On the 949E, this will be L. However, on most older MFJ tuners the lowest inductance setting is A. Turn the inductor knob 1 letter at a time, until the noise is loudest. When transmitting, use low power in AM or CW mode. Then adjust the Transmitter and Antenna controls to get a 1:1 SWR. The built in tuners in many radios will only work if SWR is 3:1 or less. Manual tuners will work with higher SWR. Resonant antennas are best, but not always possible.

Good video TO, I stared at a few of these this weekend at Huntsville.

If you have a radio with a build in ATU turn it off if you want to use an external tuner. Two tuners will not work. Also don't transmit when turning the middle knob. Did that once and that was not a good idea. :-) .

Nice little tuner. I got one when I first got my general license. I still have it. You gave a good demo. That is pretty much how I do it. I currently use the 1500 watt version with the roller inductor. Like you I do inductance first then the radio cap. Then the antenna cap second. Then back and forth between radio and antenna. Great tuner I still have it. Wanted to do the same thing and have the antenna built for it.

Thanks for sharing. However, it is important to pick the least inductance possible for a good match.

Well done 👏

I've just purchased a s/h Emtron tuner, hopefully I'll be brave enough to give it a go soon.

Great video. I have been struggling with the nuances as I learn this process with a small MFJ Tuner. And have had some success using the manual. Your video filled in a lot of helpful details that I missed (and probably don't belong) in the manual. Thanks

I own that tuner but I don't use it very well. Thank you for the explanation. I'll try it again.

I've had an MFJ-945E for 4+ years, and never really knew how to effectively use it. You've given such useful instructions, I'm going to pull it back out and become familiar with it. Who knows, it may go into my go-kit. Keeps up the great videos.

Thank you for the video. Once matched/tune do you have to match each time your change frequencies within the same band? If so tune for lower and upper portion of the band?

How about a manual tuner for QRO operation. Saw a tube HF linear, is it worth using a manual tuner or can it all be matched with the tube “matching”.

Interesting video. Thank you for your work on this topic. Do you have video(s) that address the use of remote tuners placed at or near the base of the antenna? Thanks! 73, John KK7JBZ

I have a MFJ 969 Versa Tuner II roller inductor 300 watt tuner which I hardly ever use now that I no longer have my old Kenwood TS-430S. I now have a Yaesu 991a which has an internal tuner which will handle all my antennae. All my antennae are pretty close to resonate so the 991a handles it quite well. You know, tuners are not really tuners; they're simply an adjustable box that fools your radio into seeing a perfect 50 ohm load. I was wanting to learn how to tune a random wire but I cannot find any videos on this. Cheers & 73 from W Rusty Lane K9POW in eastern Tennessee

Thank you for posting another video right before I even knew I might need it. I think I can extrapolate to my 7300 and hopefully another antenna than the mag loop.

Did you say that if we have a tween lead cable and a coax cable tip Can we Connect it to any of the coax 1 or coax 2 ?

Great job TO. Love hearing those band selector switches click

I like the cross needles. But even at low power I get nervous keying the mike - on am - for too long. What I need is a linear that uses vacuum tubes as the power output rf amplifiers.

Love my old dentron super tuner best 100$ I ever spent

So, when you turn the inductor knob, you look for the minimun noise? IW7EEQ

We always say "tuna" when referencing these devices.😊

That average meter reading is not really accurate because it just uses a capacitive hold. Some of the newer ones like the 962 echo or the 989 Delta have an active true peak reading capability but requires the 12 volts for those active circuits. They also light the meter as well. On the 949e which I also have, the forward and reverse power readings are only accurate for the average as the peak as I said is not a true Peak reading. The 962E and the 989D however are good to go for true Peak readings although remember these are still mfj products and even products from other companies will never be as good as a good Berd power meter.

Good job To

I just bout a MFJ-949D at a ham fest. I am new to all this but. I can not get mine to tune a thing. It has bad SWR in byepass.

Outstanding, manual not much help to me either, I’m new. Get the same ant tuner soon. Thanks 73 KO4ZCJ

Do u have to turn your internal tuner off or put on external or leave on

👍

Not just a tuner right, it works as a SWR power meter??

Hey, no yeah, Kinda figured something along those lines of how it worked. No I know for sure. Thanks. HLTW TeamReplay for the win!

Can you use two coax and not 450 ladder line🙃

Hey Steve those 300W Waffle Makers are good enough for qrp radios. I fried every single one of them (3) fried up in just a short time with a lousy 100W TRX. The only model that survived is the Comet CAT-300. The Vectronics and MFJ' models became party poopers sooner or later. Great video buddy, hope we can make contact on the Bands real soon. 73's de Your Friend Uncle Guenter from the German Frontier.

NEVER apply power when tuning INDUCTOR! READ THE MANUAL! This is a tutorial of what NOT to do when tuning a manual tuner. One of the greatest advantages of Manual Transmatch is that you can tune without transmitting even using it with receive only radio. Again READ the MANUAL its a very Simple process.

You should have asked if the frequency was in use before tuning up. Very poor form here.

megabucks for those on a pension!

You do hear better.