MFJ Balanced Line Tuner

Introduction
Special Note: This manual applies in all
respects to both the MFJ-974H and MFJ-974,
except that in the case of the MFJ-974 all
references to 160 Meters should be ignored.

The MFJ-974H balanced line antenna tuner is a fully balanced true balanced line antenna tuner, providing superb
current balance throughout a very wide matching range – 12 to 2000 ohms – and frequency range – 1.8 through
54 MHz (3.5 through 54 MHz for the MFJ-974), continuous. It is rated at 300 watts SSB PEP transmitter output
and 150 watts CW transmitter output.

The MFJ-974H is designed to match 50 ohm output transmitters or transceivers to virtually any antenna. Peak
and average forward power, reflected power, and SWR are displayed on the MFJ-974H's illuminated cross-needle
meter.

The MFJ-974H is a fully balanced wide range T-Network using four gear driven 1000 volt air variable capacitors
and a high-Q air wound tapped inductor for 80 through10 Meters. Separate inductors are used for 6 and 160
Meters. The tuning components are mounted symmetrically to ensure electrical balance and are centrally located
in the cabinet for better isolation.

A 1:1 current balun is placed on the low impedance 50 ohm input (transmitter) side to convert the balanced T-
Network to unbalanced operation. The balun is made of 50 ferrite beads on RG-303 Teflon™ coax to give
exceptional and efficient isolation. It stays cool even at the tuner’s maximum rated power.

The MFJ-974H will match virtually any balanced-line-fed antenna: dipoles, inverted-vees, verticals, mobile
whips, yagi beams, quad loops, horizontal loops, sterba curtain arrays, random wires, and many other antennas.
The MFJ-974H has rear panel connectors for coaxial and single or two wire feedlines. The built-in balun works
with balanced open wire, twinlead, or twin-axial feedlines.

Understanding Power Ratings

There are no standardized power rating systems for tuners. The names used (i.e. 3 kW Tuner) carry over from the
time when amplifiers were rated by peak power input, and not the true RF power output. For example, the one
thousand watt Johnson Matchbox was rated to handle a 1000 watt plate modulated AM transmitter (four kilowatts
PEP transmitter input and 3000 watts PEP RF output).

The Heathkit SB-220 was called a two kilowatt amplifier, and the rated CW output was approximately 600 watts.
Matching tuners were called 2 kilowatt tuners, and these tuners safely handled 600 watts of CW power and 1200
watts PEP SSB.

The FCC has changed the power rating system of amplifiers, and tuners no longer follow amplifier power ratings.
Most typical 1500 watt tuners remain able to safely handle 400 to 600 watts CW, and 600 to 900 watts PEP SSB.

Load conditions and control settings also greatly affect the power handling capability of tuners. T-networks
typically handle more power on higher frequency bands into higher load impedances. The worst operating
condition for T-network tuners are low-impedance capacitive reactance loads. T-network tuners always handle
the least power when operated on 160 meters into low impedance capacitive reactive loads.
MFJ-974/974H Balanced Line Antenna Tuner Instruction Manual

Follow the guidelines in this manual to avoid exceeding the ratings of this tuner.

Peak Reading SWR/Wattmeter

The cross-needle meter measures the peak or average FORWARD power, REFLECTED power, and SWR, and is
always operating since the tuner is always in line.

The meter's full scale forward and reflected power range is controlled by the POWER switch that selects HI (300
watts) or LO (30 watts). If your transmitter runs more than 30 watts of output power, set this switch to the 300
watt HI (in) position. If your transmitter has less than 30 watts of output, set this switch to the 30 watt LO (out)
switch position .

Peak envelope power (PEP) is measured when the PEAK or AVG power push button is placed in the PEAK (in)
position. Peak power and average power values are equal with steady unmodulated carriers, FSK, or FM. The
meter reading on these modes will be the same whether the PEAK/AVG button is in or out. On SSB, the PEP
meter reading should be twice the average power with two tone test modulation.

On SSB, the ratio of PEP to average power varies with voice characteristics. With most voices, the PEP reading is
three to five times higher than the average voice power reading. The most accurate peak envelope power readings
are obtained only with sustained carrier, voice or two tone test modulation. During normal voice modulation the
wattmeter will typically indicate only 70% of the true peak envelope power.

Forward power is displayed on the left-hand FORWARD meter scale. This scale is calibrated from 0 to 300
watts. In the HI position, each picket (scale mark) represents 5 watts below 10 watts, 10 watts between 10 and
100 watts, and 25 watts between 100 and 300 watts. In the LO power position, full-scale meter reading is 30
watts; divide the meter reading by 10 for the correct value.

Reflected power is read on the right-hand REFLECTED meter scale. This scale indicates 60 watts full scale when
the 300W power sensitivity is selected, and 6 watts full scale when the 30W power scale is selected. This scale
has a picket every watt below 10 watts and every 5 watts above 10 watts.

The most accurate power readings occur in the upper half of the meter scales. When trying to measure power
with a less than perfect match, the reflected power should be subtracted from the forward power reading.

The SWR is read directly from eleven red SWR curves that range from 1:1 to infinity. SWR is measured by
observing the point where the forward and reflected power needles cross. The SWR is indicated by the red curve
closest to the needle crossing point. No cumbersome or time consuming SWR sensitivity adjustments are
required with this meter.

The wattmeter has an internal lamp that backlights the meter scale. The lamp circuit requires power from an
external 12 Vdc source, such as the optional MFJ-1312D power supply. The rear panel jack accepts a 2.1 mm
coaxial plug with the center conductor positive (+) and the sleeve negative (-). The negative lead is grounded
inside the tuner. The LAMP ON/OFF switch turns the meter lamp off and on.

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MFJ-974/974H Balanced Line Antenna Tuner Instruction Manual

Installation

CAUTION
Locate the tuner so the rear is not accessible during operation.

1. Place the tuner in a convenient location at the operating position. With random wire or balanced feedlines,
the feed through insulators may have high RF voltages. These voltages can cause serious RF burns if the
terminals are touched when transmitting. Be sure to locate the tuner so these terminals cannot
accidentally be contacted during operation.
2. Install the tuner between the transmitter and the antenna. Use a 50-ohm coaxial cable (such as RG-8/U) to
connect the transmitter to the connector marked TRANSMITTER on the rear of the tuner.
3. Connect the antenna feedline to the tuner as follows:
A. Coaxial feedlines connect to the coax connector labeled ANTENNA (a jumper wire is required between
the lower, red binding post and the ground terminal).
B. Random wire or single wire line antennas should be connected to the top red connector on the back of
the unit (jumper wire required between the lower, red binding post and the ground terminal).
Note: Route all single and random wire antennas safely to prevent RF burn hazard.
C. Balanced feedline (open wire, twinlead, or twin-axial line) is connected to the BALANCED LINE
terminals.
4. A ground post is provided for an RF ground connection.

Transceiver or
Transmitter
MFJ-974H/974
50-ohm coax
To antenna

Figure 1 RF ground
Block Diagram

Operation

The MFJ-974H uses three inductors for maximum efficiency. A 2½-inch diameter high-Q air-wound inductor is
tapped for flexibility and is used on frequencies from 3.5 to 30 MHz. For 160 Meters (MFJ-974H only) an
additional inductance, made of Teflon™ insulated wire wound on two powdered-iron cores, is switched in by the
front panel 160 METER pushbutton. Front panel inductor switch position L automatically selects a 6-Meter only
inductance (bypassing the larger air-wound coil). Inductance switch position A is the greatest inductance,
position L the least. The inductance decreases as the knob is rotated clockwise.

The ANTENNA and TRANSMITTER capacitors have maximum capacitance at setting 0 and minimum
capacitance at setting 10.

Maximum tuner efficiency is achieved with the most capacitance (settings closest to 0) and the least possible
inductance (higher letters of the alphabet). This efficiency translates into best power handling, broadest
bandwidth, and least power loss. The goal is always to operate the tuner at the lowest Q for the LC
(inductance/capacitance) circuit.

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MFJ-974/974H Balanced Line Antenna Tuner Instruction Manual

When necessary to increase the tuner’s matching range, set the ANTENNA or TRANSMITTER control to a
higher number, or dial in a lower letter on the INDUCTOR switch, but remember that this lowers the efficiency
and power handling capability of the tuner.

Adjustment Procedure

1. If the exciter or transmitter must be tuned, do it into a 50-ohm dummy load.

2. Set the ANTENNA, INDUCTANCE, and TRANSMITTER controls at the settings in the Suggested
Tuning Chart on Page 9. At these settings signals (or at least some noise) should be audible in your
receiver.
3. Place the POWER switch in the LO position.
4. Transmit at low power (20 or 25 watts should suffice).
5. Rotate the ANTENNA and TRANSMITTER controls for maximum forward power and minimum
reflected power (ideal). If full forward power and zero reflected power cannot be obtained, turn the
INDUCTOR one letter lower in the alphabet and try again. If this does not achieve a match, turn the
INDUCTOR control two letters lower and try.
Note: Never change the INDUCTOR setting while power is applied to the tuner!
6. Once full forward power and zero reflected power are achieved, always try advancing the INDUCTOR
setting by one letter (higher) and tune for a match. If a match can be achieved at two different
INDUCTOR settings, the “higher letter” (lower inductance) setting is better.
7. Adjust transmitter to full output and touch up the tuner settings if needed.
8. For quick retuning of the tuner, record the INDUCTOR and CAPACITOR settings for each band (see
the Logged Tuning Chart, Page 10).
Note: Maximum power handling is achieved when both the ANTENNA and TRANSMITTER
controls are set at the lowest possible number, and the INDUCTOR control is set at the highest possible
letter that permits matching the antenna. Following this guideline will ensure maximum power handling
capability and efficiency, and the smoothest tuning.

WARNING:
• Never operate the tuner with the top removed. Contact with the components
inside the tuner while transmitting will result in painful RF burns.
• Never rotate the INDUCTANCE switch while transmitting. Doing so may
permanently damage the switch.
• Locate the tuner so that the rear terminals are not accessible during operation.
The balanced line connectors may have high voltage on them while transmitting.
• Disconnect all antennas from the tuner during lightning storms.
• Always tune with low power (i.e. less than 100 watts). Apply maximum power
only after tuning up.
• Be sure to adjust the SWR before transmitting at full power. Do not transmit
with a high SWR for extended periods.

Operating Notes

While this tuner is designed to have as large a tuning range as possible, there are limits to the tuning range of the
capacitors. Some antennas may require more or less capacitance than is available. In these cases, the SWR may
not be reduced to 1:1. If the SWR is higher than the limits of your rig, try changing the length of the antenna or
feedline to bring the impedance within the tuning range of the tuner.

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MFJ-974/974H Balanced Line Antenna Tuner Instruction Manual

When adjusting the tuner, use the lowest number on the ANTENNA and TRANSMITTER controls and the
highest letter on the INDUCTOR control that produces a good SWR. This will reduce tuner losses and increase
the power rating of the tuner.

In Case Of Difficulty

If the tuner fails to tune, please double check all connections and follow the tuning procedures again.

Be sure you are using enough inductance (low enough inductance letter) and have the capacitors open far enough
(higher front panel numbers).

If the tuner arcs at the rated power levels, please double check all connections and follow the tuning procedures
again. The power rating of this tuner is 300 watts PEP RF power. Be sure you are using the least amount of
inductance (highest number) and the greatest capacitance (lowest number) possible that still allows matching the
load on the operating frequency.

Note: If this tuner arcs when operating on the 160 meter band, it may be necessary to reduce transmitter output
power.

If you are still unsuccessful, but the tuner does adjust and operate when used with a dummy load or another
antenna, please read the Antenna System Hints section.

Grounding Hints
To minimize RFI, single wire feedlines (such as used with Windom or longwire antennas) should be kept away
from other wiring. Radiation will be minimized if the single wire feeder runs parallel and reasonably close to the
wire that connects the tuner to the outdoor ground. The antenna feed wire should be adequately insulated to
prevent arcing or accidental contact.

For safety, please use good DC and RF grounds. It is particularly important to have a good RF ground when using
a single wire feeder. When using a single wire feeder, the tuner needs something to "push" against in order to
force current into the single wire feedline. If a good RF ground is not available, RF will usually find its way back
into the power line (RFI), transmitter audio circuits (RF feedback), or the operator (RF burns).

Caution

For operator safety a good outside earth ground or water pipe

ground should always be installed and connected to the case of the
MFJ-974H/974. Make certain the safety ground also connects to
the transmitter and other station accessories. A wing nut post
marked GROUND is provided for ground connections.

Water pipes and ground rods provide good DC and AC safety grounds, but they are often inadequate for RF
grounding because they are single conductors. Ground rods by themselves are almost useless for dependable RF
grounding.

RF grounds work much better when "spread out" over a large area, especially when they employ multiple
connections directly to the equipment ground point. Water pipes, heating ducts, and fences may work (especially
if they are connected together with multiple wires), but the best RF grounds are radial systems or multi-wire
counterpoises. Radials and counterpoises provide large, low resistance surfaces for RF energy.

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MFJ-974/974H Balanced Line Antenna Tuner Instruction Manual

RF and lightning travel on the surface of conductors. Braided or woven conductors have high surface resistance to
lightning and RF. Ground leads for RF and lightning should have wide smooth surfaces. Avoid the use of woven
or braided conductors in RF and lightning grounds unless the lead needs to be flexible.

Antenna System Hints

Location
For the best performance, an end-fed longwire wire antenna should be at least one quarter-wavelength long at the
operating frequency. Horizontal center-fed antennas should be at least a half-wavelength long and located as high
and clear as possible. While good RF grounds help the signal in almost any transmitting installation, it is
extremely important to have good RF grounds with long wire or other Marconi style antennas.

Matching Problems

Most matching problems occur when the antenna system presents an extremely high impedance to the tuner.
When the antenna impedance is much lower than the feedline impedance, an odd quarter-wavelength feedline
converts the low antenna impedance to a very high impedance at the tuner. A similar problem occurs if the
antenna has an extremely high impedance and the transmission line is a multiple of a half-wavelength. The half-
wavelength line repeats the very high antenna impedance at the tuner. Incorrect feedline and antenna lengths can
make an otherwise perfect antenna system very difficult or impossible to tune.

One example where this problem occurs is on 80 meters when an odd quarter-wave length (60 to 70 feet) of open
wire line is used to feed a half-wave (100 to 140 foot) dipole. The odd quarter-wave line transforms the dipole's
low impedance to over three thousand ohms at the tuner. This is because the mismatched feedline is an odd
multiple of 1/4 wavelength long. The line inverts (or teeter-totters) the antenna impedance.

A problem also occurs on 40 meters with this same antenna example. The feedline is now a multiple of a half-
wave (60 to 70 foot) and connects to a full-wave high impedance antenna (100 to 140 feet). The half-wave line
repeats the high antenna impedance at the tuner. The antenna system looks like several thousand ohms at the
tuner on 40 meters.

This places enormous strain on the balun and the insulation in the tuner, since voltages can reach several thousand
volts. This can cause component arcing and heating.

The following suggestions will reduce the difficulty in matching an antenna with a tuner:
• Never center feed a half-wave multi-band antenna with a high impedance feedline that is close to an
odd multiple of a quarter-wave long.
• Never center feed a full-wave antenna with any feedline close to a multiple of a half-wave long.
• If this tuner will not "tune" a multi-band antenna, add or subtract 1/8 wave of feedline (for the band
that won't tune) and try again.
• Never try to load a G5RV or center fed dipole on a band below the half-wave design frequency. If
you want to operate an 80 meter antenna on 160 meters, feed either or both conductors as a longwire
against the station ground.
• To avoid problems matching or feeding any dipole antenna with high impedance open wire lines,
keep the lines around these lengths. [The worst possible line lengths are shown in brackets]:

160 meters; dipole 35-60, 170-195 or 210-235 feet [Avoid 130, 260 ft]
80 meters; dipole: 34-40, 90-102 or 160-172 feet [Avoid 66, 135, 190 ft]
40 meters; dipole: 42-52, 73-83, 112-123 or 145-155 feet [Avoid 32, 64, 96, 128 ft]

Some slight trimming or adding of feedline may be necessary to accommodate the higher bands.

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MFJ-974/974H Balanced Line Antenna Tuner Instruction Manual

WARNING!

To avoid problems, a dipole antenna should be a full half-wavelength on the lowest

band. On 160 Meters, an 80- or 40-Meter antenna fed the normal way will be
extremely reactive, with only a few ohms of feedpoint resistance. Trying to load an
80-Meter halfwave dipole (or shorter) antenna on 160 Meters can be a disaster for
both your signal and the tuner. The best way to operate 160 Meters with an 80- or
40-Meter antenna is to load either or both feedline wires (in parallel) as a longwire.
The antenna will act like a “T” antenna worked against station ground.

Technical Assistance

If you have any problem with this unit first check the appropriate section of this manual. If the manual does not
reference your problem or your problem is not solved by reading the manual, you may call MFJ Technical Service
at 662-323-0549 or the MFJ Factory at 662-323-5869. You will be best helped if you have your unit, manual and
all information on your station handy so you can answer any questions the technicians may ask.

You can also send questions by mail to MFJ Enterprises, INC., 300 Industrial Park Road, Starkville, MS 39759;
by Facsimile (FAX) to 662-323-6551; or by email to techinfo@mfjenterprises.com. Send a complete description
of your problem, an explanation of exactly how you are using your unit, and a complete description of your
station.

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MFJ-974/974H Balanced Line Antenna Tuner Instruction Manual

Suggested Tuning Chart

Frequency (MHz) Antenna Inductance Transmitter Load

1.8 0 L 2 25
1.8 0 B 0 50
1.8 2 L 0 600
2.0 2.5 L 3.5 25
2.0 4 B 3 50
2.0 4 L 2.5 600
3.5 2 E 3.5 25
3.5 0 E 0 50
3.5 0 E 0 600
3.75 1.5 E 3 25
3.75 2 E 2 50
3.75 2 E 1.5 600
4.0 0 F 0 25
4.0 1 F 0 50
4.0 1 F 1 600
7.15 0 I 2.5 25
7.15 1 I 0 50
7.15 1.5 I 1.5 600
10.1 0 K 2.5 25
10.1 1 K 0 50
10.1 0 K 1 600
14.2 3 L 4 25
14.2 4 L 3 50
14.2 4 L 3 600
18.1 6.5 L 7.5 25
18.1 6 L 6 50
18.1 7 L 7 600
21.2 7.5 L 7.5 25
21.2 7.5 L 7.5 50
21.2 7 L 7.5 600
24.9 8.5 L 8.5 25
24.9 8.5 L 8.5 50
24.9 9 K 8 600
28.5 8.5 L 9 25
28.5 9 L 9 50
28.5 8.5 L 8 600
50.1 7.5 A 2.5 25
50.1 7 A 6.5 50
50.1 7 B 8.5 600

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MFJ-974/974H Balanced Line Antenna Tuner Instruction Manual

Logged Tuning Chart

Use the chart below to log values for your station. You may want to copy this chart and post it by your
tuner.

Frequency (MHz) ANTENNA INDUCTOR TRANSMITTER

1.8

3.5

10.1

14

18

21

24

28

50

10