Posted: 7/10/2016 6:37:17 PM EDT
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So I have a Yaesu FT-450D with internal tuner, I am currently running an end fed antenna 80 to 6 meter, It will not tune on the 40 meter band. So I am looking into either the LDG Z-100Plus or YT-1200 (radio specific LDG Tuner) is there a benefit one over the other? Currently price is the only main difference I am seeing for them.....Many of you will make fun of me but also considered the MFJ 939Y tuner as same price range as the the Z-100plus. Some point I plan on a different antenna once I play enough on HF bands and get a hang of everything. So just looking for some input.
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End fed thingies are notorious for tuning and other issues - generally because they're often not all that well defined or implemented.
It could be as simple as an inconvenient wire length, or it could be telling you that your counterpoise is an odd length, or that you should be running a choke (which of course you should in order to keep coax common mode shield currents where they belong - away from your shack, ground, and noise sources). If you want a quick and dirty fix, and if haven't already done so, the easiest thing to try is to change the length of the feedline in an effort to present your existing tuner with an impedance it can handle. There's a fair chance that you won't need to buy a new tuner. |
There's nothing wrong with a little Mighty Fine Junk! 
As long as you consider that every MFJ item is 100% minus final QA inspection. If you buy an MFJ item, do be sure, prior to putting it into service, to open it up and look for component clippings, solder balls, loose hardware, bad solder joints, and general QA type issues. Fix those, then plug it in, and you will be happy. Good design, good price, good execution. Pick any two! At least where MFJ is concerned you get the first two
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| I have a 993B which is (as far as I can tell since I haven't compared internals) the same thing as the 939 with a display and more buttons. I'm also using it with an FT-450D. I'm contemplating buying a 939 for my truck. I've been impressed with it's ability to tune most anything (yes, I know, that doesn't make it a useable antenna really). I don't really use the brand-specific integration. I spent the $$ on the cable & adapter for the 993B but I programmed the C.S. key to 10W CW and that's what I use for tuning. From what I understand, the 939 works the same way if you set the jumper for no radio interface. |
| As stated above the first choice would be to work the antenna. As for the two LDG tuners, both of them will work. The advantage of the 1200 is that it interfaces with the rig.I currently have the z-100. To use it I have to change mouse, power, tune, then put things back. The YT-1200 makes it a one button process and eliminates the need for a power source for the tuner as it draws directly from the radio. |
| I have a FT-450d also and i know a lot of people will disagree but if my internal tuner want tune it then that tells me i need a better antenna, i prefer an antenna that i dont have to tune on most bands. 80 meter horizontal loop , OCF dipole , i know you cant always put up the antenna you want but keep experimenting, as suggested earlier try different length wires. |
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yup... the tuner in the 450 will tune about a 3:1 down to close to 1:1, it's for making a decent antenna usable. I got my 993B because I'm restricted due to my HOA and end up using poor antennas. Contemplating the 939 for my truck to use with a random wire and an antenna launcher.
As for the OP, yeah, if you can tweak your antenna, do that first. If you end up getting the 939, you can either use the tune button with the "right" 939 config and cable, to tune, or just program the CS key to 10W CW and it will just tune up when you push that button. |
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Just personal opinion here, but...
I have had a couple of radio-specific LDG tuners, and while they performed very well, I was continually facing the issue of replacing a perfectly good tuner only because I was changing radios. The internal tuner on my FT-991 let me down similarly to yours, so I decided to buy ONE LAST tuner - and I bought a Palstar AT-500. I had the Palstar AT-2K in my sights, but this 500 came up for a good price on QRZ, and I jumped on it. I could not be more pleased! It has done a phenomenal job, it's easy to use, and it makes me feel like a "real ham operator" when I crank that roller inductor to the desired position.  I took a few minutes to map out the settings for each band, after which I made a quick reference card. With this info in hand, I don't think it really takes much longer to tune than the various auto tuners did. The biggest benefit is I will not be needing to search for another tuner unless I someday have the opportunity to run real QRO, which isn't really on the horizon for me.
Cheers... Jim Insert here a gratuitous photo of shack with AT-500 prominently displayed... 
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Quoted:
Why not use a better antenna instead of trying to get a different tuner that can overcome a dysfunctional antenna? That's certainly the right question, and a better (resonant) antenna is the best answer, but some of us live in an area where it's a compromise "stealth" antenna or nothing. Jim... |
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Quoted:
I have had a couple of radio-specific LDG tuners, and while they performed very well, I was continually facing the issue of replacing a perfectly good tuner only because I was changing radios. That's actually one of the selling points of the 939. Buy a new cable, change a jumper and now you can use it on the new radio. But I'd probably use it like I do my 993. Just put 10W CW through it and it auto-tunes without any special cable. |