MFJ STILL JUNK AND I GOT SHAFTED AGAIN.

[Low_Boy]

Not sure this is in the right place but here goes. So back about 3 years ago I bought a NEW MFJ-986 antenna tuner from HRO. Well like most things I got busy things changed and I really did not need the tuner at that time.
Now 12/25/2018 I need the tuner and guess what. Absolutely no continuity between the transmitter and antenna 1 and antenna 2. It does work. It works in bypass. Of course there are loose nuts inside the tuner, but is that not the case for most MFJ JUNK. So now that it is out of warranty I will have to pay to ship this back to MFJ and probably have to pay them to fix something that went out of there factory not working to begin with. All because I never tested it when I first got it.

Unfortunately most everything that is affordable is made by MFJ. I will just have to start spending more money and stay away from that company.

 

[Low_Boy]

Broken or snipped white wire.
Melted casing on gray wire.
Loose nut no lock washer on capacitance coil.
And what is this part on inductance coil that makes no contact electrically or mechanically?

 

[sp5it]

I will just have to start spending more money and stay away from that company.

Maybe resonant, tuned antennas are way to go? No need for tuner. Personally I never used one. Built-in nor external.
Mike

 

[Low_Boy]

Mike you must have a lot of antennas.

 

[543_Dallas]

Mike you must have a lot of antennas.

...or one big dummy load.

 

[sp5it]

Not that many. Just 5. 12 element tribander, 6 element WARC, GP for 30/40m, half delta for 80m TX and k9ay for 80m rx. All resonant, no traps, no gaps.
Mike

 

[Handy Andy]

Broken or snipped white wire.
Melted casing on gray wire.
Loose nut no lock washer on capacitance coil.
And what is this part on inductance coil that makes no contact electrically or mechanically?

SIGH - I wonder just what is going on with MFJ - these are obvious.

As a tech I can understand a loose nut or two - but your "tuning coil" has a broken tang - that springbar is part of the wiper that "taps" that coil. So to see it missing - you can even see where the spade lug rubbed/burnished that copper feeler contact - looks like it was mounted then removed, or sprung - no idea...wow.

 

[543_Dallas]

My suggestion for future purchases would be to find an older tuner like the Murch UT 2000 or a Dentron super tuner. They may need some cleaning, especially roller inductors, but you'll get a better tuner for your money.

 

[Slowmover]

My suggestion for future purchases would be to find an older tuner like the Murch UT 2000 or a Dentron super tuner. They may need some cleaning, especially roller inductors, but you'll get a better tuner for your money.

DENTRON SUPER TUNER. Used. (Universal Radio). $99.95

Review by “wireless girl”: Built like a tank, weighs eighteen pounds. Up to 1kW

Wow to price and accolades. Thx

.

 

[Low_Boy]

DENTRON SUPER TUNER. Used. (Universal Radio). $99.95

Review by “wireless girl”: Built like a tank, weighs eighteen pounds. Up to 1kW

Wow to price and accolades. Thx

.

Like this one. I can not stand it. I have been winging this kind of thing on my own and never watched anyone do this kind of thing. I can blow my radio up before i tune that thing in. Actually this MFJ workes the internal meter is pretty useless. One of the reasons i bought it was for the simplicity of using and having a built-in meter. You pretty much have to use a meter with this MFJ anyway.Thinking of selling the dentron.

 

[338_MtRushmore]

How much for the Dentron?

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Not sure this is in the right place but here goes. So back about 3 years ago I bought a NEW MFJ-986 antenna tuner from HRO. Well like most things I got busy things changed and I really did not need the tuner at that time.
Now 12/25/2018 I need the tuner and guess what. Absolutely no continuity between the transmitter and antenna 1 and antenna 2. It does work. It works in bypass. Of course there are loose nuts inside the tuner, but is that not the case for most MFJ JUNK. So now that it is out of warranty I will have to pay to ship this back to MFJ and probably have to pay them to fix something that went out of there factory not working to begin with. All because I never tested it when I first got it.

Unfortunately most everything that is affordable is made by MFJ. I will just have to start spending more money and stay away from that company.

Are you checking that with an ohmmeter? There should be no continuity between the TX and the antenna when the tuner is inline. That is a differential tuner and has a coupling capacitor inline hence no DC connection from input to output.

 

[BJ radionut]

Nice Dentron...Love mine...Tune a Screen Door on a Submarine!
Very easy to use with Ladder line/Twin Lead or random wire
A Bargain for the $125 I paid for mine!

PS: Will handle 2KW+ and just smile

 

[Tallman]

Listen to the Captain! Even the best DVM will not read through a capacitor. Unless the cap is shorted.

 

[Low_Boy]

Thanks Captain. Sp5it just made me aware of that in the other thread. I am feeling a bit stupid and burnt out about now LOL. It works but it has workmanship I would not be proud of. What confuses me also is this it is supposed to flip and divide. But it never flips. I can get more pictures of the other end tomorrow.