|
miniVNA
- HF & VHF Antenna Analyzer |
||||||||||||||||||
|
miniVNA is also available from
W4RT Electronics Dealers
************************************************************************
The miniVNA is a full-featured, yet tiny antenna analyser covering 0.1 to 180 MHz. It is connected to a computer with just one USB cable, power is supplied over USB. An internal setting for serial (RS-232) communications is available as well. The miniVNA allows you to quickly analyze any antenna over a user defined frequency range between 0.1 and 180 MHz. In real time, you can see at a glance where the antenna is resonant, and the SWR, return loss, impedance, phase, etc. as a function of frequency. The best (minimal) SWR frequency is automatically found and displayed. Click Here to Read miniVNA Manual.
miniVNA board Two markers can be freely placed within the shown frequency range and measure impedance [Z], resistance [R], phase [f] and other values at these points. Other functions of the mniVNA allows you to measure cable losses, cable length, transmission, bandwidth and quality of filters etc. With it's extremely small size, low power consumption and easy to use software interface the miniVNA offers a perfect device for HF/VHF measurements for the radio amateur. Whether at home in your shack or in the field during a field day or expedition. Size 90 x 85 x 25mm, Connectors S BNC.
Software is available for
Windows™ and Linux™ operating systems. Smith Charts Zplots is a free Excel application by AC6LA that allows you to plot impedance and related data obtained from the miniVNA. You can plot on both an XY chart and a Smith chart as well as view the data in tabular format. Lots of added capability! Click here for more information and to download Zplots. Wireless Remote Operation of miniVNA It is possible to use the miniVNA together with a Bluetooth adaptor, using the miniVNA's internal RS-232 serial interface. Both the Bluetooth adaptor and the miniVNA must be supplied, in this case, with power from an external source (e.g. battery). The computer must have a Bluetooth interface. This enables remote measurements, for example, right at the base of an antenna. Example Test of W4WB's GAP Titan Antenna It had been a while since I used the trusty old GAP Titan vertical antenna. Although I generally don't use my LDG autotuner with this antenna on bands other than 80 and 40 m, I noticed that 17 m was acting a bit odd. Figured this was a good time to use the miniVNA to examine this antenna system.
I first set the frequency sweep range to cover 3-33 MHz and to just plot out the SWR. Ouch! SWR in the 17 m band was almost 3:1, which means I had to fix my antenna. Since all of the other bands looked normal, this gave me a good clue where the problem was likely located.
I next changed the frequency sweep to cover 6-8 MHz so I could look more carefully at the antenna's 40 m performance. The markers were set just below the SWR = 2:1 values and the "BW and Q" box was checked. The minimum SWR was automatically located and displayed ("MIN SWR boxes were checked). The bandwidth was found to be about 165 kHz, but the min SWR is located at 7.00 MHz. This might at first look like a bad tuning of the antenna, but it is actually what I like since I use it for CW mostly and primarily in the DX portion, which is located from about 7.000 to 7.020 MHz. For phone portion of 40 m, I use the autotuner to achieve a good match.
The 20-m performance is clearly just fine. The frequency sweep to covers 10-15 MHz. I could have also checked the HF box and the various HF bands pop up. Selection of a band is as easy as checking a box. Technical Specifications
|
||||||||||||||||||
Included
in Package:
miniVNA
USB cable
Quick Start Manual, Software, Instructions, & Data
High-quality SMT fabrication to CE standards.
