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SWR analyzer:


Many years ago, back when they first came out, I bought an MFJ-249. I used it all the time, and it made it so
easy to adjust mobile and home antennas for SWR. I just needed to plug it in and spin the dial to see what
frequency it was resonant at, and make whatever adjustment was needed. HUGE time-saver!

Nowadays the new toy on the block is the nano-VNA, but that (in my humble opinion) is an absolutely terrible tool
for new hams. It's more informative, but is fiddly, delicate, hard to learn, and almost always slower to use
when all you need to do is adjust for low SWR. In that case (and others), the nano-VNA is both overkill and
clumsy to use. Turn it on, spin a dial, look at a meter, DONE - I'll take that every time.

I'd also consider a RigRunner expensive and clumsy overkill for most uses, for much the same reasons. Might be
nice for a seasoned ham or professional to use, but impractical and a waste of money for most hams.



MFJ-249


MFJ-249B


MFJ-259


MFJ-269



last updated 07/20/2026 at 10:26:39 by make_www_index.command version 2026.07.10.A