A Tale of Surprise
Author: Lee Bezuidenhout ZS1GWL
www.learnminds.co.za
In the vast world of Amateur Radio, there are moments when a piece of equipment unexpectedly becomes the unsung hero of your setup. Such is the case with the MFJ-16010, a random wire tuner from the ’70s that I impulsively acquired on a whim. Its vintage charm, complete with a two-tone paint job, hinted at a story waiting to unfold.
With a 21-meter wire (or 70 feet for the Imperialists among us) haphazardly thrown over a tree 5m tall, I embarked on an experiment to see if this aging tuner in an inverted V setup could weave its magic across the bands. The simplicity of its design, a nod to an era gone by, intrigued me as I wondered if it could still hold its own in the modern ham radio landscape.
No flashy digital displays or complex controls; just a straightforward interface that felt like shaking hands with a seasoned companion. The dials, though weathered with age, turned smoothly, revealing the tuner’s resilience over the decades. I must add the newer model comes with letters and numbers on the impedance and capacitance dials, which makes recording of the ideal settings for each channel much easier.
To my surprise, tuning the random wire to various bands proved to be a breeze. The MFJ-16010 effortlessly danced through the frequencies, transforming the seemingly chaotic wire into a versatile antenna. With each twist of the dial, I found myself opening up 80m, 40m, 30m, 20m, 17m, 15m, 12m, and 10m.
It was a testament to the timeless design of the MFJ-16010, an ode to an era when craftsmanship spoke louder than flashy features. The vintage allure of the two-tone paint job only added to the experience. Instead of feeling outdated, it exuded a sense of history, a reminder that even in the fast-paced evolution of technology, certain classics withstand the test of time.
The MFJ-16010 may carry the weight of its years, but in the realm of random wire tuners, it proved to be a timeless companion, turning a simple wire into a conduit for radiance across the bands.
Lightweight and ultra mobile, consider the MFJ-16010 not as a relic of the past but as a vintage maestro orchestrating connections across the airwaves.
Sometimes, the most impulsive decisions lead to the most delightful discoveries.
73 Lee ZS1GWL
