MFJ 969 versa tuner help!!!!

[Mark Youlden]

Hi,
I am currently using a Kenwood TS-450s Transceiver with the MFJ 969 Deluxe
Versa Tuner II. My Antenna is a 5 band Cushcraft MA5V.
I am having problems getting the tuner to tune the antenna. I have tried
tuning with the tuner in the dummy load position and it tunes okay but, I
cannot get it to tune with the selector on any of the coax positions.
Can you please give me some advice?
Thanks.
Mark.

[Brian Reay]

Post by Mark Youlden
Hi,
I am currently using a Kenwood TS-450s Transceiver with the MFJ 969 Deluxe
Versa Tuner II. My Antenna is a 5 band Cushcraft MA5V.
I am having problems getting the tuner to tune the antenna. I have tried
tuning with the tuner in the dummy load position and it tunes okay but, I
cannot get it to tune with the selector on any of the coax positions.
Can you please give me some advice?

Several things to try:

1. Try the dummy load at the antenna end of the coax- it could be you have a
damaged run of cable or a badly fitted connector.

2. Assuming above is OK, check the antenna assembly itself (if you have just
build it up, are the bits all in the right place, have you mixed up some
loading coils or elements), is it all secure (screws tight), connections
good etc. Any coils damaged?

3. Try to borrow an antenna analyser (or noise bridge) and measure the
impedance the tuner is seeing- is it within the spec of the tuner's matching
range? Repeat at the antenna, is that Z within spec for the MA5V?

[Stephen Bryan]

Post by Brian Reay

Post by Mark Youlden
Hi,
I am currently using a Kenwood TS-450s Transceiver with the MFJ 969
Deluxe Versa Tuner II. My Antenna is a 5 band Cushcraft MA5V.
I am having problems getting the tuner to tune the antenna. I have tried
tuning with the tuner in the dummy load position and it tunes okay but, I
cannot get it to tune with the selector on any of the coax positions.
Can you please give me some advice?

1. Try the dummy load at the antenna end of the coax- it could be you have
a damaged run of cable or a badly fitted connector.
2. Assuming above is OK, check the antenna assembly itself (if you have
just build it up, are the bits all in the right place, have you mixed up
some loading coils or elements), is it all secure (screws tight),
connections good etc. Any coils damaged?
3. Try to borrow an antenna analyser (or noise bridge) and measure the
impedance the tuner is seeing- is it within the spec of the tuner's
matching range? Repeat at the antenna, is that Z within spec for the MA5V?
--
73
Brian, G8OSN
www.g8osn.org.uk

[Stephen Bryan]

Point 3 really needs an explanation Brian !
How on earth can you apply this principal to the likes of a G5RV, Carolina
Windom, Long Wire etc etc.
Impedance between 10 Mtrs & 160 Mtrs will never be uniform hence the need
for an ATU.
The MFJ 969 is a totally useless peice of More Foreign Junk. an ATU it is
NOT!

Post by Brian Reay

Post by Mark Youlden
Hi,
I am currently using a Kenwood TS-450s Transceiver with the MFJ 969
Deluxe Versa Tuner II. My Antenna is a 5 band Cushcraft MA5V.
I am having problems getting the tuner to tune the antenna. I have tried
tuning with the tuner in the dummy load position and it tunes okay but, I
cannot get it to tune with the selector on any of the coax positions.
Can you please give me some advice?

1. Try the dummy load at the antenna end of the coax- it could be you have
a damaged run of cable or a badly fitted connector.
2. Assuming above is OK, check the antenna assembly itself (if you have
just build it up, are the bits all in the right place, have you mixed up
some loading coils or elements), is it all secure (screws tight),
connections good etc. Any coils damaged?
3. Try to borrow an antenna analyser (or noise bridge) and measure the
impedance the tuner is seeing- is it within the spec of the tuner's
matching range? Repeat at the antenna, is that Z within spec for the MA5V?
--
73
Brian, G8OSN
www.g8osn.org.uk

[Brian Reay]

Post by Stephen Bryan
Point 3 really needs an explanation Brian !
How on earth can you apply this principal to the likes of a G5RV, Carolina
Windom, Long Wire etc etc.
Impedance between 10 Mtrs & 160 Mtrs will never be uniform hence the need
for an ATU.

Who said it was, notice the bit about "is it within the spec of the tuner's
matching range? Repeat at the antenna, is that Z within spec for the MA5V?"

Whatever the antenna, the ATU can only match over a range of load impedances
and I specifically referred to the MA5V- which isn't a G5RV, Windom, etc

Post by Stephen Bryan
The MFJ 969 is a totally useless peice of More Foreign Junk. an ATU it is
NOT!

Maybe true but I suspect it is good enough to do the job in hand.

[Krusty]

Make sure you don't have the Kenwood internal atu enabled or they'll be
working against each other. I would hve thought the vert would be somewhere
near resonant on 20-10m anyway so the internal atu would handle any slight
mismatch....Also make sure you're not using ANT1 and 2 straight thru'
bypassing the atu!

[Theo]

Why do you need an ATU with this antenna?
If the MAV5 has been correctly adjusted when erected
it should give low SWR on the five bands it is desired
to work on, so an ATU should not be necessary.
Please explain.

[deBaser]

Post by Mark Youlden
Hi,
I am currently using a Kenwood TS-450s Transceiver with the MFJ 969 Deluxe
Versa Tuner II. My Antenna is a 5 band Cushcraft MA5V.
I am having problems getting the tuner to tune the antenna. I have tried
tuning with the tuner in the dummy load position and it tunes okay but, I
cannot get it to tune with the selector on any of the coax positions.
Can you please give me some advice?
Thanks.
Mark.

Has water got in the coax or beam? Bad connections maybe?

Can you test the ATU on another antenna?

Can you take the ATU to another shack and test it to eliminate the ATU?

Can you borrow an ATU to see if your station will work with a different
ATU. As you already know some ATU's have a better range than others.

HTH

deBaser

[Stephen Bryan]

Taken from Page 1 of the MFJ 969 Versa Tune II Instruction Manual.

VERY 1st PARAGRAPH>
The MFJ-969 is a 300 watt RF output power antenna tuner that will match any
transmitter or transceiver to virtually any antenna. Peak to average forward
& reflected power and SWR can be read on the illuminated cross-needle Meter.

The MFJ 969 uses a "T" matching network and covers all bands between 160 and
6 meters (Meters is the spelling they use) Not Metres. This network will
tune dipoles, inverted-vees, verticals, mobile whips, beams, random wires
and many other antennas. The MFJ 969 has rear panel connectors for coaxial,
single wire or two wire feedlines. A built-in 4:1 balun allows the use of
balanced open wire, twinlead, or twin axial feedlines. <end snip>

From reading this on PAGE ONE, one would assume that it would tune Mark's
antenna without problem. However having one as a warning to others not to
buy More Foreign Junk I have tried it on ALL the suggested antennas and
Found -
It will not tune jack shit on 80 Metres even it's own in-built Dummy Load.

In response to deBaser YES to all points but alas NO to any satisfactory
results.
Conclusion "IT's Offical IT's CRAP!"

Post by deBaser

Post by Mark Youlden
Hi,
I am currently using a Kenwood TS-450s Transceiver with the MFJ 969
Deluxe Versa Tuner II. My Antenna is a 5 band Cushcraft MA5V.
I am having problems getting the tuner to tune the antenna. I have tried
tuning with the tuner in the dummy load position and it tunes okay but, I
cannot get it to tune with the selector on any of the coax positions.
Can you please give me some advice?
Thanks.
Mark.

Has water got in the coax or beam? Bad connections maybe?
Can you test the ATU on another antenna?
Can you take the ATU to another shack and test it to eliminate the ATU?
Can you borrow an ATU to see if your station will work with a different
ATU. As you already know some ATU's have a better range than others.
HTH
deBaser

[Brian Reay]

Post by Stephen Bryan
Taken from Page 1 of the MFJ 969 Versa Tune II Instruction Manual.
VERY 1st PARAGRAPH>
The MFJ-969 is a 300 watt RF output power antenna tuner that will match
any transmitter or transceiver to virtually any antenna. Peak to average
forward & reflected power and SWR can be read on the illuminated
cross-needle Meter.
The MFJ 969 uses a "T" matching network and covers all bands between 160
and 6 meters (Meters is the spelling they use) Not Metres. This network
will tune dipoles, inverted-vees, verticals, mobile whips, beams, random
wires and many other antennas. The MFJ 969 has rear panel connectors for
coaxial, single wire or two wire feedlines. A built-in 4:1 balun allows
the use of balanced open wire, twinlead, or twin axial feedlines. <end
snip>
From reading this on PAGE ONE, one would assume that it would tune Mark's
antenna without problem. However having one as a warning to others not to
buy More Foreign Junk I have tried it on ALL the suggested antennas and
Found -
It will not tune jack shit on 80 Metres even it's own in-built Dummy Load.
In response to deBaser YES to all points but alas NO to any satisfactory
results.
Conclusion "IT's Offical IT's CRAP!"

Hmm. I don't know the MFJ969 specifically but a T match is a T match and,
within designed matching & power range of a given T match, there is little
latitude for one to be significantly better than another.

If it wouldn't tune a dummy load then suspect a fault before you magically
concur that some T matches are better than others.

--
73
Brian, G8OSN
www.g8osn.org.uk

[MattD..]

After replacing Brian Reay with a small shell script on Saturday 15 Oct

Post by Brian Reay
If it wouldn't tune a dummy load then suspect a fault before you
magically concur that some T matches are better than others.

Agreed. Specifically, check the inductor. The 969 has two types of "roller
coaster" inductor, if it's the model I think it is, and one of those
types is dire to say the least. Check the plastic end-caps for signs of
melting. Also the springy "contact" has a habit of being less than
perfect.

I have some pictures somewhere that a friend sent me of the damage to his
969 (brand new from the States). They replaced the inductor with the
second type which was far better.

[realradioham]

Post by Brian Reay

Post by Stephen Bryan
Conclusion "IT's Offical IT's CRAP!"

Hmm. I don't know the MFJ969 specifically but a T match is a T match and,
within designed matching & power range of a given T match, there is little
latitude for one to be significantly better than another.
If it wouldn't tune a dummy load then suspect a fault before you magically
concur that some T matches are better than others.
--
73
Brian, G8OSN
www.g8osn.org.uk

The MFJ ATU's are well designed but contain the cheapest possible
components, the rollercoaster's are particularly nasty. Power ratings are a
bit optimistic, the 300 watt tuners often fail with 100 watts of drive.

RRH
***@tiscali.co.uk

[Andy Cowley]

Post by Mark Youlden
Hi,
I am currently using a Kenwood TS-450s Transceiver with the MFJ 969 Deluxe
Versa Tuner II. My Antenna is a 5 band Cushcraft MA5V.
I am having problems getting the tuner to tune the antenna. I have tried
tuning with the tuner in the dummy load position and it tunes okay but, I
cannot get it to tune with the selector on any of the coax positions.
Can you please give me some advice?
Thanks.
Mark.

1. Throw the MFJ969 away. If you feel particularly
cruel, sell it on e-bay.

2. Check your coax and connectors. Replace the
antenna with your dummy load. SWR should be 1:1.
If not fix the coax/connectors.

3. If all that is O.K. you need to fix your MA5V.
Check the assembly against the instructions.

The MA5V should give an acceptable SWR on 5 bands.
No ATU required. Your rig's built in ATU should be
more than capable of dealing with any slight mismatch
on the band segments you have tuned for.

The manual is on-line at

http://www.cushcraft.com/support/pdf/MA5V.pdf

vy 73

Andy, M1EBV