Irv,

I think you will find it difficult to tune up using a MFJ-949E, random wire antenna and a roll of wire run around your apartment. You will probably end up with a "hot mike" most of the time. Even if you get it all tuned up on one frequency as soon as you QSY to a different frequency you will have to change the counterpoise wire length. Finding the right lengths for different frequencies and coiling/uncoiling the wire each time you QSY will get old fast.

I have a better solution for you. Buy an MFJ artificial ground so that you can use a fixed length of wire under the carpet and tune the counterpoise from the operating position. MFJ makes a standalone product called the MFJ-931 or a tuner that includes the artificial ground - MFJ-934. Here are some links to these products:

http://www.mfjenterprises.com/Produc...ductid=MFJ-931
http://www.mfjenterprises.com/Produc...ductid=MFJ-934

Hope things work out for you and that you get back on the air in the near future. Let us know how things work out for you.

Roger