Nye Viking MB-V-A
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| Frequency | 1.8-30 MHz (160-10 m, continuous) |
| Bands | 160m, 80m, 60m, 40m, 30m, 20m, 17m, 15m, 12m, 10m |
| TX power | 3000 W (A manual antenna tuner, not a transmitter. Rated 3 kW across 1.8-30 MHz, with a 7000 V variable capacitor and 15,000 V switch-selected capacitors for high-voltage handling.) |
| Modes | manual T-network high-power antenna tuner with built-in 3 kW balun, 4-antenna switch and dual SWR/power metering |
| Weight | 8.16 kg (18 lb) |
| rf input | SO-239 coax input from the transceiver, with a tuner-bypass position for the coax input |
| antenna | Four antenna positions selected from the front panel: two SO-239 coax, one single-wire post, and balanced (twin-lead) terminals fed by the built-in 3 kW balun |
| meter | Dual backlit meters showing SWR and power continuously (hands-free) |
| power req | None for tuning - it is a passive manual tuner; only the backlit SWR/power meters use a small DC supply. |
A heavily built, high-end 3 kW manual tuner that does it all: a smooth silver-plated roller inductor with a 25:1 vernier for precise tuning, high-voltage capacitors for full-power margin, continuous hands-free dual SWR/power metering, push-button switching among four antennas, and a genuine 3 kW balun for balanced (twin-lead) feeders rather than a token output balun. The thick aluminum cabinet shields well, and it is a durable, well-regarded classic.
It is discontinued (the William M. Nye company is gone), so it is used-only with no factory support. It is a large, heavy 18-pound manual tuner, so every band change is hands-on, and it covers HF only (no 6 m). Good used examples can be scarce and command a premium for their build quality.
The Nye Viking MB-V-A is a classic, heavily engineered 3 kW manual antenna tuner with a roller inductor, continuous dual metering, four-antenna switching and a real 3 kW balun for balanced line. It suits an operator who wants a rugged, full-power manual tuner that handles coax and twin-lead alike and can find a good used one; those wanting a current tuner with a warranty look at Palstar's manual tuners instead.
The Nye Viking MB-V-A is a classic high-power manual antenna tuner, made by the William M. Nye Company and long regarded as one of the better-built tuners of its era. It is a 3-kilowatt T-network tuner covering 1.8 to 30 MHz, and what set it apart was its engineering: a heavy silver-plated roller inductor with a 25:1 vernier dial for smooth, repeatable tuning, a 7000-volt variable capacitor and 15,000-volt switch-selected capacitors to handle the voltages that appear at full power into a reactive load.
It is also a complete antenna-management center. Dual backlit meters show SWR and power continuously, so you can keep an eye on SWR hands-free while operating, and front-panel push buttons switch among four antenna positions: two coaxial feeds, a single wire and a balanced line, with a bypass for the coax input. Crucially, the balanced output is driven by a genuine 3-kilowatt balun, a trifilar-wound triple-core toroid, rather than the small output balun many tuners use, so it feeds twin-lead from roughly 200 to 1000 ohms (and unbalanced loads down to 20 ohms) without the heating that plagues lesser designs. The cabinet is extra-heavy aluminum for shielding, and the tuner measures about 14.7 by 6.7 by 12.25 inches and weighs 18 pounds.
It is discontinued, as the Nye company is no longer in business, so it is found on the used market. Companion models were the MB-V-B (the same tuner without metering) and the MB-IV-A1 (without the antenna switch and twin-lead balun). Being passive, it needs no power to tune.
It is a rugged, full-power classic for an operator who wants a manual tuner that handles coax and balanced line equally well. For a current high-power manual tuner with a warranty, Palstar's AT2K (coax) and BT1500A (balanced) are modern equivalents, and the MFJ-989D is another large roller-inductor tuner.