MFJ-971 Watt/Swr meter, "How to.."

[Redbandit]

Hello gentlemen, I am interested in know info on a meter I bought from a fellow selling all his Radio equipment. The MFJ-971 watts and Swr meter. I downloaded what I thought was instructions on how to set it up and use it, however those instructions do not have a clear informative form of setting up and much less how to use meter.

From what I have hear and read, this MFJ-971 meter is a gem to own. But even YouTube videos have not covered the part I'd like to know. So if Anyone has experience with this meter, Or a site where I can download a Real user manual, could you please kindly share? Thx. (see photos)

Also, I don't know if the rear needs meddling with, if I just want to hook Radio, Linear and meter? The other thing I can't figure out is, seeing the 1.5 swr rwading that is normally visible. Thanks in advance. 73s.

[Alan Pilot]

That is an antenna tuner and not really a swr/watt meter.
It does show you the power but i don't think it's what you want as you need to tune the antenna first.
Be careful using it if you don't know what you are doing.
Look on youtube for a video on antenna tuners.

[14CS06]

Hello John

Manual here

http://www.catlog.net/_Descarregas/Manu ... Manual.pdf

@+
Claude

[Buick Mackane]

As Above its an antenna tuning unit with no bypass function, Learn to use it before hooking it up or you might cause some serious damage to your equipment.

[Redbandit]

Thank you for your input gentlemen, most appreciated. Clearly this requires careful attention. About not having a bypass, I ran into someone who added a bypass switch bcuz it seemed to be a necessity. But I would really want to learn how to use it. YouTube doesn't have a video on "How to visually set it up (connections) or use it". They only have videos of people using it in conjunction with another topic.

Claude, I downloaded those same instructions, (thanks), but I don't fully understand or can make sense of it. To me, its just not clean cut explanatory. Good news however, I left a comment to one of the people who having this same meter, made an "Unboxing" this meter video, and asked if he could go beyond explanation the features. He found my question and requested rather intriguing and decided to make a video on "How to connect and use/set it up". Thanks again everyone.

[Alan Pilot]

Just as a matter of interest what radio and aerial are you using ?.

[Crackle]

Its an antenna matcher, not a tuner.
If you are just working on 11M CB then you really don't need to use this antenna matcher if you have a proper CB antenna. Just adjust the antenna so the SWA is reasonable and leave alone.
Using a matcher like this will NOT improve the efficiency of your antenna, and if used incorrectly will probably damage your transmitter.
Its interesting the circuit for this matcher shows the letters for the inductor taps reversed compared to my MFJ 949E

Mike

[Buick Mackane]

Its an antenna matcher, not a tuner.

It says ''tuner'' on it, But yeah it only matches the aerial impedance to the transceiver

[Alan Pilot]

Its an antenna matcher, not a tuner.

It says ''tuner'' on it, But yeah it only matches the aerial impedance to the transceiver

A matcher can be picked up for £25 but this tuner would cost you a lot more.
With this tuner you can attach a long wire or anything you wanted.

[Buick Mackane]

Its an antenna matcher, not a tuner.

It says ''tuner'' on it, But yeah it only matches the aerial impedance to the transceiver

A matcher can be picked up for £25 but this tuner would cost you a lot more.
With this tuner you can attach a long wire or anything you wanted.

I Know that, I was just pointing out that although they're called ''tuners'' they don't actually tune the aerial as some folk seem to think, And MFJ isn't exactly a byword for quality either

[Alan Pilot]

BM
I wasn't getting at you more like getting at C but just stating a point.
If you ever get to look inside a tuner and inside a matcher you will see a big difference.
Nothing can alter the antenna a matcher will match the 27MHz antenna ohm resistance when there is a slight mismatch to bring the SWR down.
A tuner will do the same sort of thing but it will match any antenna to any MHz band almost.
Still won't be as good as the correct antenna for the band but you won't damage your radio.
The OP will have a job on to set it if he doesn't know how to use it but it will do the job for him.

[Redbandit]

Thank you for your input Alan Pilot, the rig I am using, 1 is a Superstar 3900G, the other a Cobra 25 Ltd. The antenna is going to be the Antron 99 by Solarcon (Now TenCom).

There was much negative or rather cautious comments about that MFJ-971, that I feared running into electrical difficulties, and so yesterday I bought a Dosey TC3001-P 3 display meter. Swr/Watt/Mod. (see photo). I believe it's a whole lot simpler to use.

I will however, look carefully into the use of the MFJ-971, and if not usable for me, I'll sell it.

[Redbandit]

Don't know if photo was attached.. here it is.

[Buick Mackane]

BM
I wasn't getting at you

No probs alan

That meter looks ok, Never heard of the brand. But its more what your looking for and has nice big easy to read meters.

[Alan Pilot]

Looks a bit big lol but it will do what you want (SWR) it to do.
Once you have set your aerial swr up you don't need to leave it inline.
With the first one you could set the swr but you would have to keep it inline and make sure you didn't knock the knobs.
Good idea sell the first one unless your are planning to get licenced and go on HF with a long wire that needed tuning for each band.