[SixClub] Is anyone using a MFJ-945E on 6M?

[kd4e]

Roger,

	As always you are the "professor"! :-)

	I was curious as to the performance on 6M based on
a switched coil inductor in the 945E vs the variable toroid
inductor in the 904.

	One would think that if the 904 is efficient on 6M
that MFJ might promote that.

	Maybe I will try to find an inexpensive 945E and set
them side-by-side and test them.  They aren't going mobile
so they should be OK.

Thanks!

doc

> First I am not a fan of MFJ. I've had a couple of run-ins with their 
> engineers, or sales people and they became downright hostile when I 
> disagreed with them.
> 
> I have to admit I've come to the conclusion that if it has the MFJ brand 
> on it, in general it's cheap. Cheap components, cheap workmanship, 
> ...cheap.
> That said, I have a pair of 989C tuners which have worked well for quite 
> a few years running from a KW to the legal limit.  The roller inductors 
> need cleaning, but I've had no complaints with them, and they held up 
> even with some nasty arcing with  a KW on 160. OTOH I only used them on 
> 160, 75, and 40 where I needed a tuner. Of course they are considerably 
> larger and more money than the 945E.
> 
> OTOH I would not use a tuner for mobile as the crowd on e-ham were 
> doing. I would match the antenna at the base of the antenna and leave it 
> at that which was something I did for years on HF mobile.
> 
> They are, or are going to become distributors of the Alpha Spid rotators 
> which are far superior to most rotators on the market and anything that 
> Hy-Gain has out. I'm not trashing Hy-Gain, it's just the Alpha Spid is 
> that much better of a rotator. The Alpha Spid is 10 times the rotator 
> with dual worm gear drive than Hy-Gain's HDR-300 is and for the same or 
> less money. IIRC you could purchase on for about the price of a top of a 
> ham series rotator, not the HDR. OTOH they are not cheap, or 
> inexpensive. BUT what they go for once MFJ adds their mark-up is another 
> matter.
> 
> kd4e wrote:
>> Is anyone using a MFJ-945E on 6M?
>>
>> The model is roundly trashed on the eham review
>> page.
>>
>> I have a MFJ-904 that seems to work fine on 160-6M
>> but wonder if the MFJ-945E is any better on 6M.
>>   
> Were it me, and it's not, if I had one that works good I'd stick with it.
> Apparently the 945E is rather lightly constructed with caps suspended 
> only at one end and only one bearing.  I'd really like to take one apart 
> before passing judgment on the particular tuner though.
> There were complaints about construction, but I've come across missing 
> screws on some rather expensive equipment, but that's not the same as 
> cheap components. However a phone call resulted in a rather profuse 
> apology from the owner of said company and in a manner than made me 
> think he really cared. I had the parts on hand so I just replaced the 
> missing SS screws.  I've also purchased Amphenol coax connectors and 
> found one PL259 with no threads. OTOH that is far better than the "cheap 
> ones" that are consistently bad.
> 
> Going back to the e-ham group, apparently there are many who do not 
> realize that even the best tuners are limited as to both resistance and 
> reactance ranges where they can safely operate. I have a rather large, 
> high power tuner and it comes with a table listing the reactance and 
> resistances ranges with power levels that can be used. So even though 
> it's rated at far more than the legal limit, a low impedance antenna on 
> 160 would restrict the user to well less than the legal limit.  Shorten 
> the antenna and it'll do much better.  Thats what I had to do to get rid 
> of the arcing in the 989C tuners. Running a 75 meter antenna on 160 is 
> not good for the health of the tuner<LOL>, particularly a low power tuner.
> 
> OTOH on the AMPS reflector there are those who think even the big 
> Palstar tuners are lightly constructed, but they also use "tubes with 
> handles" in the final.<:-))  Remember there are countries where your 
> power level is based on your license ...and how much it cost and there 
> are amps out there with 3 phase power supplies. <:-))
> 
> Sorry about the dissertation.
> 
> 73
> 
> Roger (K8RI)
> 

-- 

.Thanks! & 73, doc, KD4E
.Have an http://ultrafidian.com day!
.
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