MFJ-9420 Installation Manual
20-Meter SSB Travel Radio
GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR MFJ-9420 STATION:
While spanning the globe with a small portable rig like the MFJ-9420 may SOUND difficult, it
really is not. High power and big antennas have never been a requirement for worldwide radio
communication and still are not. Despite the vast distances involved, hams consistently reach
every corner of the planet running far less power than your MFJ-9420. How do they do it? Here
are some proven tips guaranteed to work:
GROOM YOUR ANTENNA
Inspect and clean all traps and contacting surfaces. Replace corroded hardware, dirty
connectors, and aging coax. Retune for minimum SWR in the phone band.
Raise wire dipoles high and in the clear 40 to 60 feet is far better than 10 or 20. Carefully prune
for minimum SWR. If you have only one high support, install an inverted V or sloper.
Multiband verticals (1/4 wave types) require at least 4 good 14 MHz radials add them if needed.
Clean up corrosion and adjust your top section for minimum SWR in the phone band.
Avoid "compromise" antennas. When it comes to pure operating enjoyment, every dB you gain
at the antenna pays big dividends!
USE PROVEN DX OPERATING TECHNIQUES
Be a good listener and search out and answer CQs, or call stations that have just completed
QSOs (a practice called tailgating).
Never hesitate to call a weak station because it may be QRP or using a marginal antenna. You
may be much louder than you think!
Be realistic about diving into huge 20-Meter pileups. Once a choice DX station hits the packet
clusters and the big guns move in, calling may be a waste of time until the smoke clears.
Tune slowly and listen carefully. If one exotic station is coming through, there may be others
you can work nearby.
Pay attention to DX forecasts and gray line propagation. When the band is hot, power
differences become much less significant. Operating just before the band goes out at night may
yield strong signal reports from exotic locations with little QRM.
Do not be shy about calling. The MFJ-9420 has very potent audio and on air tests indicate its
signal is competitive with higher-powered radios. If your antenna is good, most stations will not
even know you are running low power!
TROUBLESHOOTING
IN CASE OF TROUBLE, CHECK IT OUT FIRST – THEN CALL US AT 800-647-TECH
(800-647-8324): Your MFJ-9420 is fully backed for 1 year by MFJ's "NO MATTER WHAT
GUARANTEE". After that, MFJ Customer Service Technicians will be there to help you keep
your rig in top shape for as long as you own it. However, before you call us, please check
through this list just to make sure the problem is not something simple you can fix yourself!
1. RADIO DOES NOT POWER UP
Is power plug okay, broken supply wire?
Is supply or battery functional?
Is reverse polarity fuse open?
