How To Use A Ham Radio Manual Antenna Tuner 📻

Manual tuners? Why would you want a manual tuner over an automatic tuner?
Monthly newsletter, stickers, private content:
/ hoshnasi
Links to products in the video: www.amazon.com...
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Current Shack Config:
ICOM 7300: amzn.to/2sVdpOq
ICOM 2730a: amzn.to/2JqrASg
MFJ-4230DMP: www.mfjenterpri...
G5RV: amzn.to/2KfETGv
Souncloud................► / hoshnasi
Discord.....................► / discord
Facebook.................►goo.gl/cv5rEQ
Twitter......................► / hoshnasi
Instagram.................► / hoshnasi
SnapChat..................► @Hoshnasi
Music by, Sonic D:
Soundcloud.com/sncd
Twitter.com/sncd
Facebook.com/djsonicd
Companies can send demo products to: Josh Nass P.O Box 5101 Cerritos, Ca. 90703-5101

[@SumOneSomewhere]

You probably won’t see this but just wanted to say you’ve been a huge help on my ham radio journey. I joined the local radio club and while they have certainly been helpful, most hams aren’t teachers.

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Thank you kindly!

[@tatarhead]

I’ve been licensed for years and never used a manual tuner. The main reason had no idea how to use one. Nicely done vid and made it look simple. Thanks

[@jeff-73]

Just a minor correction. The MFJ "potentiometers" are actually just variable capacitors that has an adjustment knob attached. Not resistors. Thx for the vid.

[@udhi_gn3893]

Apparently, among electronic enthusiasts, potentiometer is becoming like a generic trademark for anything that has a dial and rotates, doesn't matter if it's an actual pot, variable caps, rotary encoders, just anything like it.

[@jhorton1600]

Potentiometer is a variable resister. What you have is a variable capacitor.

[@johng7rwf419]

Back in the dark ages before I was grey, we referred to these units as 'antenna matching units' which more accurately describes their function.. Nicely explained, particularly do not key whilst setting the inductance. J

[@gilbreathca]

At 1:27 those aren't potentiometers, those are variable capacitors, right?

[@johng7rwf419]

Agreed, they're also matching units' not tuning units.

[@jamestripi8397]

Yes, just verified in the manual pdf. Easy find with search engine. I thought the same. Manual is just a couple of pages.

[@larryak0z672]

pots would do no good. variable caps

[@johng7rwf419]

Learning by rote does not generate understanding, which is a pity as many people are losing out on theenormous scope of our hobby...

[@rogermabry2816]

just bought a manual antenna tuner new by mfj . Now I need to learn to use it . Thank you for video .

[@keithfrost1268]

I had bought a manual tuner, but haven't used it just because I didn't know what I was doing. Still green, but this helps. Thanks.

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Glad it helped!

[@scottmcmullen6782]

One additional comment; you can minimize the tuner losses by using the lowest inductance setting on which you can obtain a match (often on a band, you can get a match on a few different inductance settings). This will usually correspond to a maximum capacitance on the output side. There is a good article about effective use of T network antenna tuners on the ARRL's TIS.

[@gooberclown]

How much loss is typical? I've never used a manual tuner.

[@scottmcmullen6782]

@@gooberclown I understand 1 db might be about typical (roughly 20%).

[@hcy0]

I use an MFJ-971, works great. Matches almost everything. 73

[@knunne1]

New Ham with aTech license, very valuable video for me Thank You!

[@stridermt2k]

I started with a manual MFJ tuner i was given, then got the bug and tried building my own. Building and testing your own tapped inductor is probably the biggest challenge but still a worthy thing to learn about. eBay has super cheap 11-12 dollar kits you can buy and build, but to be honest they can be hit and miss -probably better for learning about tuners. Those cheap kits are best for shortwave listening with a portable radio than they ever will be for transmitting even 5 watts QRP. I now have radio with an automatic tuner and I'm completely spoiled on it. LOL

[@aldewitt9]

When I was a new ham I had a guy with the radio club explain how to use these. His explanation made the process seem unduly difficult and made my brain hurt. Your description of the process is much better. You are very good at making the complex simple. Great job. If I ever buy a radio to replace my Icom 7200 I will buy an MFJ manual tuner. BTW, don’t you think we should start calling them tuners and start calling them Impedance Matching Devices (IMD)?

[@newq]

I've been doing all my ham stuff so far without a tuner. It's not so bad if you have a way to measure SWR. Plus I always enjoyed the art of building my own antennas! But this video finally convinced me to go ahead and get a tuner.

[@temporarilyoffline]

Thanks... never dawned on me to use the radios SWR meter instead of that cross-needle meter.

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Cheers!

[@andrewperry605]

I have the mfj904 you showed at the end, been using it for sota and in the shack. Very happy with it

[@user-mt2qn4yp8w]

Hi Josh. Well I learned something new today. Don't play with the induction knob when keyed. Oh oh, I have done that. DUH. Hopefully I didn't hurt the tuner because I really need it for the antenna I have. Thanks, you just saved me money. Great video at the right time. 73 Clark KG7LOI

[@Locksnut]

It may cause an ark on the contacts, but more importantly it could damage your radio because between each click on the inductor you have an open circuit. With the more expensive roller inductor there is constant contact. If your radio still tx you’re probably ok. 73

[@redstickham6394]

We've all made mistakes in this hobby, but we learn from them and do better. I've had a homebrew tuner with sparks arcing across the capacitor plates a few times. I also know a ham who told me he burned a hold in a capacitor once. I've never done that thank goodness.

[@Blue-Collar-Radio]

Great demonstration of the manual tuners. I have yet to play with one, as my used HF radio came with an automatic tuner. I would like to have one in the shack. 73!

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Thanks for that!

[@miken8yo4]

Good back to basics vid Josh. I'm actually going back to manual tuning now that I've gone QRO. Fortunately my antennas are resonant on most bands so tuning will be the exception, not the norm. 73!

[@k2rcb]

I kept a page in my notebook with the manual tuner settings for bands/frequencies I used a lot - helped saved time when switching bands (would still fine tune if necessary using the SWR meter on the tuner). If you have different antennas you could have a separate chart for each one. That being said I just got an IC-7300 and that auto-tune button is real nice compared to fiddling with the knobs on the MFJ.

[@cube1us]

You are not likely to damage the tuner, by changing the inductor switch while transmitting which probably temporarily opens it, but the high SWR that you may reflect back to the transmitter may damage the transmitter.

[@tmorg1029]

Wanted to check out one as I will be building antennae and need to be able to get a good match. Thanks for the help!

[@teeganmeyers5507]

Ha, this video is great. Your helping me learn something new everyday! It would be pretty cool to learn about the science behind yagi antennas and how to build a non tape measure yagi... one thing I don't understand is how the matching stub works

[@TheHamNinja]

Oh, that would be a good one, and compare to a log periodic

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Thanks for watching. Yeah, I can explain how a yagi works. Thanks for the idea.

[@thomasmaughan4798]

Matching stubs are transformers. A curious phenomenon is the quarter wave matching section. 1/4 wave of coax inverts the impedance; a 25 ohm feed point impedance, one-half the coax impedance, becomes twice the coax impedance at the other end. Yagis work because current lags voltage when inductive (too long) and current leads voltage when too short (capacitive). The parasitic elements are "excited" by the driven element, and because of different lengths, produce a phase shift that augments the signal in the forward direction and partly cancels in the back and side directions.

[@thomasmaughan4798]

Log periodic is basically the same as yagi but with the important distinction that all elements are driven all the time. One of the elements will be resonant and that will be the principle radiator, others will be too short or too long, becoming directors and reflectors. The relationship of the elements is such that you can tune a band and it maintains a uniform SWR across the band, whereas a Yagi has only one driven element and thus a distinct frequency preference (but also generally more directivity because of that).

[@w.rustylane5650]

I have a MFJ 969 Versa Tuner II which I hardly ever use any more since I no longer have my old Kenwood TS-430S. It's a roller inductor tuner which I really like. I now have a Yaesu 991a which has a built in tuner that will handle all my antennae. My antennae are all very close to resonate so the radio tuner will do. I did, however, turn off the radio tuner and chose an external tuner so I could set up my manual tuner for all the bands, just in case I do need the manual tuner. Tuners are not really tuners per se. They're simply an adjustable box which fools your radio into seeing a perfect 50 ohm load. It really helps if you get your antennae close to resonate. Cheers & 73 from W Rusty Lane K9POW in eastern Tennesseed

[@walteredwards544]

Thank you. You just saved me a lot of money, because I already have the MFJ QRP tuner and it's working well. I may still buy an autotuner in the future but I can now space it out so it stays within my meager budget profile

[@Nnip9]

I'm inexperienced and have a lot of questions about my manual tuner. You're the best so far and I gave you a 'Like' but questions still remain. Next time you do this try to walk in the shoes of a newbie that doesn't have a hammie to talk to.

[@DavidBarbarine]

I've just discovered this awesome thing called "HAM".These types of videos are pulling me in deeper... Thank you!

[@toddkj7jhh]

It's just the beginning. These videos and a Baoefeng are gateway drugs.

[@SumOneSomewhere]

@@toddkj7jhhthat’s what just happened to me! Bought a booofwang and a month later I have my tech license and my bank account is almost 2 grand lighter 😢

[@w.rustylane5650]

You tune a roller inductor tuner, first the transmitter, then the antenna and then the roller inductor. You should use the manual to get you close to the settings on each band. Then fine tune adjusting the tuner as described above. 73 from W Rusty Lane K9POW in eastern Tennessee

[@tav9755]

Great video. Helps me in making the right choices. I am preparing the licence exam and the next thing is buying the first rig. very exciting, I considered to buy an automatic tuner for the Yaesu FT 891 but the manual tuners teach you more about the technology behind. Even the meter is not exactly required since the transceivers have built in SWR Meters.

[@thomasmaughan4798]

The cross-needle meter gives you a sense of actual transmit power AND the SWR. Radio transmitters tend to have a percentage power output, but it typically isn't actually measured. So 50 percent of what, exactly? Then there's the problem of where exactly in the coax is the meter. The radio might read perfect 1:1 and the tuner meter might show something dramatically different (or vice versa). That will happen when there's standing waves on the coax itself and you just happened (or deliberately) placed the radio or tuner at a "null" in the standing waves. What happens is a quarter wavelength of coax becomes a type of transformer and it inverts the impedance, sort of a fulcrum over 50 ohms. So if the antenna is 25 ohms (typical for a vertical), a quarter wave section of coax will see 1/2 below 50 ohms at one end and transform it to 100 ohms at the other end (1/2 above). But a half-wave simply replicates and keeps the antenna impedance. Values in between produce an impedance in between, but with a reactive component. Tuners exist to nullify this reactive component. If the antenna is "capacitive" in reactance (ie, too short), add inductance. If inductive (too long) add capacitance on the antenna side. The transmitter side has its own matching capacitor and the inductor is shared. It is because of the shared parallel inductance that it is typically set first, and then the capacitors, but doing that sometimes necessitates a small adjustment of the inductor again. Manual operation of the tuner isn't quite a simple as this video suggests.

[@redtide08]

I still have an old MFJ-940b as my only tuner. Dead simple, still works great.

[@ve3zdr]

I have a MFJ-941B that I have been using since I got it second hand 10 years ago. It works without fail. I used to use it with my IC-701, now it faithfully negotiates between my IC-718 and my G5RV. I don't know if I would see the need to go automatic, I am never in that big of a rush to tune things up. I keep a notepad with my settings on my desk so I can quickly set the tuner and then add a little finesse as necessary to hit the magic 1:1 ratio

[@mikeramsey9747]

I'm presently using an auto tuner but I like the idea of the manual tuner so that I have more control over what is happening when trying to tune.

[@jackK5FIT]

Finally got my Technician license despite Covid. Remote test was great. Studying for General. Have an ICOM IC-718 and MFJ-941E in transit. I think I am going to like both. Enjoy your videos and get lots of info. 73 KI5MFR

[@edjansson4021]

covid is a lie bro!!!!

[@dehenb]

Thank you, very informative, I am a beginner trying to learn

[@nathanmoore7142]

Want to get one. Been on the fence about them but think it might be good for my camping excursions.

[@jss672006]

Manual tuning short, succinct and to the point, good info, tnx Josh!

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Glad you liked it!

[@JReed305]

I have been looking at the MFJ 971. Small and a decent price.

[@jeffjohansen4945]

Thank you for the video ! I was gifted a tuner and wanted to know how to use it.

[@dandypoint]

I would like to add one word of caution. The T network, as this is, can be tuned for minimum SWR with more than one setting of the one inductor and two capacitors. Only one combination is optimum. I was slightly uncomfortable with that. I always use an L network. There is only one way to tune it to get minimum SWR. The coil is in series with the antenna and the variable capacitor is usually connected from the antenna side to ground. That allows you to match impedances higher than 50 ohms to the 50 ohm coax. If the antenna presents a low impedance then the capacitor needs to be on the other side of the coil. Simply reversing the input and output connections will make that change. L networks are very easy to build and use. Only need a single variable capacitor and a single coil, two coax connectors ( SO-239) and a box or flat surface to mount the components. I have my coil on top of the box and use an alligator clip to adjust how many turns I have in the circuit. Usually a simple coil of #14 wire wound about 5 turns per inch and about 5 inches long works for anywhere from 80 through 10 meters. The variable capacitor can be usually no more than 140 pf max.

[@lucianoiacoletti5725]

Very nice video Josh, really useful for the majority of New Ham Radio Operators. By the way, it could be very interesting to understand how to use an old rig like a Drake, a Collins or whatever else with no automatic controls and no electronic devices inside. in other words, how to use AFGain, RF Gain, RF Tune, Plate, Load, Mic/Car, Comp Level, etc.

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Great suggestion! I only have a Drake receiver at this time. But I'll keep an eye out for a good boat anchor transmitter :D

[@thomasmaughan4798]

Definitely an art as much as science back in the day.

[@davidj.wilcox6053]

Please do another video showing the best settings for passing the most RF through the tuner. An SWR of 1:1 can still mean loss in the tuner with the wrong settings.

[@minicowman]

I use the MFJ-945E with my Alinco DX-70 for POTA. I threw in the towel trying to get the MFJ-939 to work with the DX-70.. although it works fine with my DX-SR8 rig in the camper. Anyway, I've always had good luck with the 945E... just takes a couple of extra steps.. :) 73

[@paulcarcamo6992]

Thank you for the video I’m getting ready to get a tuner I haven’t decided what to buy it thank you for everything

[@n9oqu]

A demonstration of using a manual tuner with an included dummy load would be useful to those hams that purchased such MFJ Tuners. Thanks for the contribution 73, Bob McGarry

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

It might be confusing no? Since the dummy load is 50 ohms to begin with.

[@n9oqu]

Ham Radio Crash Course not tuning with the dummy load but using the dummy load on the tuner for its intended purpose.

[@thomasmaughan4798]

@@HamRadioCrashCourse "It might be confusing no? Since the dummy load is 50 ohms to begin with." But the RADIO might not be 50 ohms! That's why there's two variable capacitors; one for the antenna and one for the radio. Anyway, yes, it is trivially easy to match a dummy load 🙂

[@oswaldcobblepot4954]

Thanks for a "quick refresher". I have used a manual tuner, but not in a long while. I didn't need a 20+ minute explanation on the inner-working of an L-C circuit. BTW, (verbal typo) you called the second tuner an "MFJ-940" at 5:24... It's an MFJ-904... No biggie. I'll have to check out your other videos. 73, DE N4QPM

[@guyhornbeck8940]

I have a Xiegu G-90 transceiver that has a decent auto tuner built in, but I also use a manual tuner on seriously compromised antennas (such as an end-fed long wire) since the manual tuner is more forgiving. Just another tool in an operator’s toolbox.

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Yes, that is a good way to look at it!

[@thomasmaughan4798]

Auto-tuners tend to be limited to matching up to a 3:1 SWR where manual tuners can usually handle 10:1 mismatch. The big roller inductor tuners have nearly infinite matching range but of course if your antenna is that far out of resonance it probably won't go anywhere anyway.

[@garyhorn1325]

Great video as usual. I am a new tech and always learn lot. Thanks.

[@Forevertrue]

Very helpful. I was overly concerned. I think I already have it. That was a big help.

[@robertjeffery3237]

Awesome video! I am going to build one. Thanks for the inspiration.

[@keithkb7zpb688]

Good video on tuners. I got the mfj 1644 wipe tuner as I live in an apartment now and I am having problems putting out my long wires and off center dipole. I have never used an antenna tuner before. Thanks for all that you do for amateur radio. De kb7zpb Keith

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Thank you!

[@bunston1000]

Nice video. Also, if the radio you are using has a built in tuner e.g. Yaesu 991(a) or Icom 7300, always ensure you have the automatic tuner deselected / turned off!.

[@Josh-of-all-Trades]

You mean I don't have to supply 12v to the tuner?? Ugh, I was lied to... I feel dumb. Thanks for the great info! Really cleared some things up!

[@OkieProductions]

sure like your videos. And you must be serious about ham radio, looks like that kw amp got a hold of your hair. lol. keep up the good work

[@Pioneer936]

If the tuner is only providing a 50ohm match to the transmitter then how is the power transferred to the antenna?

[@randykitchleburger2780]

Poorly

[@Pioneer936]

​@@randykitchleburger2780that would depend on the feedline

[@billgrant6175]

Great video. I am still learning a lot. Understanding tuners is great. Especially since a manual tuner is much cheaper.

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Glad it was helpful!

[@TheHamNinja]

I'd say that's one thing that could have been added to this, how it works. Why we need one, like our resonent antenna is closer to the round, etc.

[@hazmatca]

Good video for those who participate in manual tuners.

[@EdLeonard47]

Thanks for showing tuner techniques! Do you ever use an MFJ-212? "Tunes up your antenna tuner without transmitting a single milliwatt... Precisely tune your antenna tuner for a 1:1 SWR -- no additional "tweaking" needed..." 73 N9EDL

[@chuckchamplin6627]

Ham Radio Crash Course.I just payed for a mfj 921 antenna tuner .i hope it's a good one lol.

[@bakkerac]

As a beginner I love these kind of videos. The one question I have is about the bypass switch. The MFJ I bought doesn't have one. Does that mean the tuner is in the line between transmitter and antenna all the time? And doesn't that influence the output in any way?

[@ChrisKeller]

Easier than I thought, I'll have to give one a try

[@pablod6872]

I'm in the market for a tuner for my first 100W HF rig, so I'm watching a bunch of videos on the subject. I have to laugh at the "COVID hair" you (and others) were sporting around 2020. The videos are like a time capsule 😀. Just giving you a hard time, of course - I've been a fan for years. 73.

[@williambickham2042]

Nice, kc6ijh. I would be interested in what your swr was in bypass. Would give a little hint on how much correction was necessary. Good Video

[@edgardoramos5664]

Omg I watch so many videos and yours is best one simple and understanding very good way to describe 73 my friend KB2 EYD I use because small place MP1antenna with radials any Suggestion thanks

[@QUADBOYification]

Great info, thanks. I do wanna note that for some reason i prefer the lowest noise floor to be set, raising it is bad for RF and overall distortion is also higher. Basically contradicting the Attenuator (RF GAIN - It's is exactly that - RF GAIN). That being said it turns out you have maximum power output (Efficiency) if you watch the CB TX Meter and adjust the tuning knob accordingly, leaving the SWR floating at unknown ranges. Without any fancy DSP noise reduction it all makes no sense at all to raise the RF floor (Static).

[@kd5you1]

I think he is using the noise floor as a reference, because having a low noise floor means that the antenna is not really resonant at whatever frequency the radio is tuned to. Having a higher noise floor means that the radio is "seeing" an impedance closer to 50 ohms. You can get a really low noise floor by disconnecting the antenna but obviously that would be bad for the transmitter.

[@pauljameson1]

Hey Josh, you might want to lower your input volume so it’s not making out and distorting. I’m not sure what your setup is, but it was distorting a bit in this video.

[@radiotec76]

I don’t use tuners at all and I don’t own one but if I were to use one I would use a T matcher, thats most marchers, because I prefer and like the”hands on” approach to impedance matching antennas to the rig.

[@kevinkeppler7220]

The first step, selecting the position for the inductor, is the one time that noise is our friend.

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Yes!! Extremely quiet environments actually makes it harder!

[@giulianoggg2035]

Great explanation very good. Question: I have MFJ 962e and it is explained and I understood that I have to turn anti-clock from full inductance the INDUCTANCE knob obviously while transmitting and after work on the Transmitter and Antenna knobs? You say that we shouldn’t do it? Is it only for your type of ATU? Many Thanks in advance

[@danielolivera2618]

thankkk youuuuuuuuu!!!!

[@DominicMazoch]

Noticed a green marker on a coax. Came from Houston's ABR?

[@Paulie.drummer]

With red knob you can only select the range of meter. Max handling power is only 150w.

[@SuAmigoElilegal]

Question. I have a dual antenna whip nagoya. It has 3.5vhf and 5.5 of gain uhf. If i tune the uhf frequencie tona desire, will the gain dimish or be affected and the vhf .

[@kv4atv]

A good term or name for these are a "Variable Impedance Transformer" either manual or automatic.

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

While I see your point. I doubt it's going to catch on.

[@nielsstergaard4262]

Would love a DIY approach. This channel is very much about buying, and not much about making

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

I have multiple build videos. Check them out. 👍

[@rallypoint1]

Very informative!!! Does it go radio, Mfj tuner, amp and antenna? Also the wattage rating is what the radio puts out not the amp?

[@minnesotaarthandtdanceband944]

Does the tuner need to remain in the circuit to hold the adjustment? Thanks, Gerhardt KF0DAQ Semper Fi

[@kd5you1]

Yes it does. The tuner is the adjustment when it is configured to a SWR close to 1:1.

[@giffjim55]

Good information, thanks.

[@BadHorsie2]

Awesome info, Thanks!!

[@yobzf.aldeguer8486]

Absolutely like ur videos,....im one of ur fan...🤗🤗...and i like ur MFJ ANTENNA TUNER...i hope someday,...i have that One for my ICOM IC-718..Godbless U.

[@edwardzachary1426]

Can you explain you position on tuners and why several other ham radio KZbinrs steer away from tuners (and sometimes advise against) recommending a better antenna in most cases

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Resonant antennas are great. Use them if you can. If you can’t. You’ll need an antenna tuner.

[@redstickham6394]

@@HamRadioCrashCourse Exactly. It is better to use a resonant antenna but some of us are living in places where we can't put up a full size or multiple antennas, so we have to compromise with a couple of antennas tuned to multiple bands. Not the best setup, but it gets people living in small houses on small lots on the air.

[@paulm0hpd319]

@@redstickham6394 a resonant antenna doesn't mean its better than a non resonant antenna

[@kishor_VU2MZT]

very nice info buddy,,,for newbies like me great help......bro ,,,,,,,, i have question does antenatunner protect transiver from reple rf ? can we use external antenna tunner for ic7300

[@twobikesandadrone]

When would you do anything with the antenna knob? Should you always vary it just to be sure it doesn't make a difference as well?

[@chrisnielsen3220]

Josh - I really enjoy you beginner videos! I'm looking at adding an antenna tuner to my shack and was wondering about a few things. While tuning a manual tuner like the MFJ discussed here is very straight forward in a receiving mode, I'm wondering how one might do the same for receiving only with a automatic tuner. Would that involve picking a frequency on ones antenna analyzer, allow the auto-tuner to find the sweet spot and then switch over to receive on that frequency? Is that approach even possible with low power signal coming off the analyzer? Is this even a viable approach? Thanks again for your to the point videos.

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Not really. Auto tuners generally require transmitting power through the matching device which would be transmitting out of band for many of SWL frequencies.

[@SuperFlatrock]

My setup uses PL-259 plugs. I guess there is no harm in using an adapter to connect to the pocket tuner?

[@BoboAthanassion]

Great video! Do you think a manual tuner will tune better than an automatic tuner?

[@thomasmaughan4798]

Manual tuners ought to always tune "better" but only slightly better. Since it takes a much longer time transmitting a dead carrier while tuning, it's easy to spot the manual tuners on the air; a carrier with slowly varying intensity that lasts about a minute or so whereas the automatic tuner has the job done in a few seconds.

[@31clint]

Nice! I need to get me one of those.

[@CaptDonMc]

So 2 questions being a noob...1. Is your anteanna hooked up when testing I'm assuming yes but I saw questions on the tech test about a "dummy load sink" when making tests. 2. If I'm correct and the antenna is hooked up am I also correct that you leave the swr meter hooked up when talking so it keeps the good settings? Hope that made sense!

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Yes, you leave it connected.

[@whiskey2dna]

So what is the 'antenna' dial used for? Also, do you need to use a dummy load while tuning to avoid any issues? I'm new to the hobby so pardon the noob questions. 73 😉

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

It add inductance when added. No do not use a timer. Hook it to the antenna, as the timer is helping you get the 50 ohm resistance to it.

[@SA-hk8xj]

Timer?

[@jeffreyparker1939]

Yes I use one. It's great.

[@wendelljackson1488]

I have an old FT 102 Yaesu transceiver. I assume that I would first load up the transmitter to a 50 ohm dummy load, then use my antenna MFJ tuner to match the antenna to the transceiver. After that, would I ever need to readjust the loading of my transceiver drive and grid dip?

[@joemossoczy3492]

So is the idea to keep this in place between the radio and antenna? Your only really "Tuning" the impedance match on the tuner correct?

[@robbomber984]

I use one on 11 meter friends laugh but it works and it will tune bal line and bare wire too.

[@883greatlakes]

do you run an amp with it? I was considering getting one cuz my dipole swr is 1.6

[@briangroh444]

Signal Strength Reader! The video is really helpful (I just bought a manual tuner from Emtech) - but what I REALLY want to know is - What's the end result? Or is that a simple math conversion? Does 2:1 SWR means you're getting 1/2 of your transmitting power out? Still - I would want to SEE that in the real world. Show me a Signal Strength Reader on a Random Wire untuned vs tuned for multiple bands. I've never seen anyone do that, and yet, that would seem to be the most effective way to show the effect of a tuner. Or am I completely wrong? I'm no engineer.

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Oh. The meter is showing both on the video. As the swr ones down, the output power goes up. 2:1 is a measurement of impedance between the radio and antenna. When the antenna is poorly matched it resist the flow of rf and will radiate poorly.

[@briangroh444]

@@HamRadioCrashCourse Thanks for that clarification, still learning my way around the IC-705 and the Emtech ZM-2 tuner. Trying to get all I can out of these 5-10 watts and my CW just isn't there yet. Great 705 vid btw - lots of gems in there for 705 owners.

[@francismcclaughry3794]

I have a big old manual antenna tunner never knew how to use it this is an intersting vido , but I don't feel good enough to use it on my new 7300 I want to get an lgd 100 auomatic tunner for it.

[@dsmith6]

Great Video - Good Content 🥓👍

[@120730amm]

Emtech zm2 user. Love it.

[@heinzkitzvelvet]

Will an antenna tuner benefit a receiver only? I have an Eton Elite 750 and want to know if an antenna tuner will help with reception.

[@Frankh77]

I have noticed improvement in receive stregth when using annual tuner. So, yes, I would definitely get one if you are able.

[@jeffhark5239]

Thanks Josh. Two questions. You never used the Antenna adjustment, just the transmitter adjustment. When is the Antenna adjustment used? Also where did you leave the bypass switch set after you made the adjustment? I'm assuming it's not on bypass to use the Antenna matching setting.

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

I did show the antenna adjustment on the video, it just made the match worse. When I use a manual tuner, I set the inductance first, then the transmitter and I'll check the antenna just to see if I can drop the SWR further. It often will not though. Yes, you need to leave the switch on "tune" to engage the matching network.

[@kelvin0mql]

@@HamRadioCrashCourse whether or not the Antenna Variable CAPACITOR (not a "Potentiometer") makes the match better or worse is a matter of what the antenna is. It's not like you showed it on multiple bands, on multiple antennas, some of which might not be all-that-resonant at the Freq being used, etc. Yeah, there are situations/combinations where you won't deal with the Antenna Capacitor much. There are others where you can't get the SWR down reasonably at all without the help of the Antenna Capacitor being adjusted.

[@DaSteve-i8o]

Newby Question - Are Manual Antenna Tuners only for HF or can they also be used for VHF & UHF?

[@The.Doctor.Venkman]

Hey, Josh! What would be interesting, would be the difference between a manual antenna tuner vs. automatic vs. antenna matching hardware?

[@thomasmaughan4798]

Manual tuner uses variable capacitors; automatic tuners use stepped capacitors arranged in a binary progression such as 1, 2, 4, 8, 16,32 picofarads (for instance) allowing to choose any value from 1 to 63 pf in 1 pf increments. What the computer does is scroll through the combinations rapidly. Same with inductors. Naturally you want to dial down the power on your transmitter since it will try a possibly large number of wrong combinations reflecting a lot of power back to the radio while it is hunting. Manual tuners only MATCH the antenna, whether you actually radiate energy is another matter entirely. This is true of automatic tuners of course but the programming is aware of that possibility of getting a false match where the tuner itself consumes all or most of the power.