MFJ-969 Deluxe Versa Tuner II
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| Frequency | 1.8-54 MHz |
| TX power | 300 W (300 W PEP. Manual roller-inductor T-network tuner. Meter lamp/ActivePeak circuit runs on a 9 V internal battery or external 12 V (external supply needed for full accuracy above ~250 W).) |
| Modes | SSB, CW, AM, FM, digital |
| Weight | 2.5 kg (5.5 lb) |
| rf in | SO-239 (from transmitter) |
| rf out coax1 | SO-239 (coax antenna 1) |
| rf out coax2 | SO-239 (coax antenna 2) |
| wire | 5-way binding post (random wire) |
| balanced | two binding posts (balanced line, via heavy-duty 4:1 balun) |
| dummy load | built-in 50 ohm non-inductive dummy load (no external jack needed) |
| ground | wing-nut ground post |
| dc | 2.1 mm jack, 12 V DC (or 9 V internal battery) |
| power req | None for matching (passive). Meter/ActivePeak: 9 V internal battery or external 12 V DC (11-18 V for full accuracy above 250 W). |
Estimated (unverified): Introduction year is not documented (a long-running model). The roller-inductor turns counter reads ~117-125 at maximum inductance across production revisions. The 4:1 balun is described only as 'heavy-duty 4:1' - voltage vs current type is not stated by MFJ.
A feature-loaded barefoot roller-inductor tuner: continuous, repeatable matching with a geared turns counter, the widest coverage in MFJ's barefoot line (160 m through 6 m), and a built-in dummy load with QRM-Free PreTune so you can tune off the air. The 8-position switch handles two coax antennas, a wire, and balanced line; the ActivePeak cross-needle meter reads true peak power and runs on a 9 V battery for portable use. A clear step up from the switched-inductor 941E.
300 W maximum (no amplifier - see the MFJ-962D). Manual tuning only. The roller inductor is a mechanical part whose wiping contact can wear over years of use, and the Self-Resonance Killer adds a normal but noticeable bump. The built-in dummy load is short-duty (300 W for 30 seconds). It is larger and heavier than the 941E, MFJ quality varies, and it is discontinued.
The pick of MFJ's barefoot manual tuners: a roller inductor for precise, repeatable matching, 6-meter coverage, a built-in dummy load, QRM-Free PreTune, and a true-peak meter. It is a real step above the switched-inductor 941E for difficult antennas. Amplifier stations should look at the legal-limit 962D, and the US-built Palstar AT2K is the premium alternative - but for 300 W the 969 is hard to out-feature. Now a used-market item since MFJ closed.
The MFJ-969 is the "Deluxe" manual tuner in MFJ's Versa Tuner II line, and the upgrade that earns the name is the inductor. Where the cheaper MFJ-941E uses a twelve-position switch, the 969 has a continuously variable AirCore roller inductor with a geared turns counter, so you can dial in the exact inductance for the lowest possible SWR and write the setting down to return to it. It is still a 300-watt manual T-network tuner, but it covers 1.8 all the way to 54 MHz - adding 6 meters, the widest span in MFJ's barefoot line.
It is loaded with the rest of MFJ's tuner features. A built-in 50-ohm dummy load lets you tune off the air - the "QRM-Free PreTune" trick - before flipping the eight-position antenna switch to your real antenna; the load takes 300 watts for 30 seconds, less for longer. The lighted cross-needle meter has an "ActivePeak" circuit that reads true peak forward power, with buttons to pick the 300- or 30-watt range and peak versus average, and it runs from a 9-volt battery or external 12 volts. A heavy-duty 4:1 balun handles balanced feedlines.
Connections are the familiar set: an SO-239 from the radio, two for coax antennas, binding posts for wire and balanced line, and a ground post - with the dummy load built in rather than needing an external one. The roller inductor does ask for a little care: it is a mechanical part whose wiping contact can wear over the years, and MFJ's "Self-Resonance Killer" puts a deliberate bump in the roller's travel that is normal. As with any T-network, maximize the capacitance and minimize the inductance for the lowest loss.
For a barefoot station that wants precise, repeatable matching across 160 through 6 meters, the 969 is a well-equipped choice and a clear step above the switched-inductor 941E. If you run an amplifier you want the legal-limit MFJ-962D instead, and the US-built Palstar AT2K is the premium alternative for those who want heavier components. MFJ stopped manufacturing in 2024, so it is now a used-market item at around $320.