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Posted: 5/22/2020 3:53:29 PM EDT
[#1]
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Posted: 5/22/2020 9:35:03 PM EDT
[#2]
To emphasize your point, make sure the range you are sweeping is small and relevant. If you want a general idea you can sweep 1.6-30 or whatever but don't use those settings to trim an antenna as the steps can be pretty coarse. With the pc software you can specify the steps, I don't know that you can do that from the panel.
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Posted: 5/23/2020 9:34:42 AM EDT
[#3]
Good post. The one thing that threw me at first (that I probably screwed up by tapping stuff, early on) was my trace was at the very top of (and off) the screen - I needed to shrink SWR "points" (horizontal lines) down so it appeared to look "normal".
I finally did something (no idea) and got it right (below), but maybe the instructions on how to do that, would help any "crazy tappers"   |
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Posted: 5/23/2020 9:55:59 AM EDT
[#4]
Thanks for the tips, I have some experience on a big Network Analyzer but that was long long ago. I'm going to get the big dipole in the air today, checking it out with the analyzer will be part of the fun as will comparing it to the trusty MFJ 259B.
73, Rob |
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Posted: 5/23/2020 10:09:50 AM EDT
[#5]
I have been wanting an analyzer for a while but I don't really NEED one.
I did a quick search on amazon and found a bunch for about $100-150. Is there a good source for these? |
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Posted: 5/23/2020 10:27:00 AM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I have been wanting an analyzer for a while but I don't really NEED one. I did a quick search on amazon and found a bunch for about $100-150. Is there a good source for these? @LT_Beaker I can't give you a specific source but E-bay is where they first started appearing. Be mindful of what you are getting, some were with out cases or batteries. In short, shop for the most well equipped unit including cases, batteries, adapters to the PL-259 perhaps the most recent hardware upgrade. I'm sure some of the guys can be more specific on the cautions for buyers. 73, Rob |
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Posted: 5/23/2020 11:39:08 AM EDT
[#7]
Here's the one a lot of us just bought. I'm sure they're working on getting more units into inventory: http://www.randl.com/shop/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=75127
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Posted: 5/23/2020 11:38:39 PM EDT
[#8]
Thanks guys! I'll check it out!
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Posted: 5/23/2020 11:45:34 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I have been wanting an analyzer for a while but I don't really NEED one. Crazy talk! 
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Posted: 5/24/2020 4:39:55 AM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I have been wanting an analyzer for a while but I don't really NEED one. I did a quick search on amazon and found a bunch for about $100-150. Is there a good source for these? I went with AURSINC on Amazon, and it is a quality unit. This was about 5 months ago. |
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Posted: 5/24/2020 9:03:51 AM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I have been wanting an analyzer for a while but I don't really NEED one. You just don't know you need one ;) I picked one of these things up just because they were cheap, figured it'd be fun to screw around with. Turns out it's a pretty useful tool that gets utilized often.  Attached File |
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Posted: 5/24/2020 9:05:12 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I went with AURSINC on Amazon, and it is a quality unit. This was about 5 months ago. Will have to check back here to learn how to use it  |
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Posted: 5/24/2020 9:08:09 PM EDT
[#13]
Hangfire...
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Posted: 5/25/2020 1:24:51 AM EDT
[#14]
I never realized the importance of return loss, which is the component of SWR, until a friend told me to look at it. I was trying to look at pass bands and what not on filters and you can't really see it until you look at the return loss. Once you get your mind around it you see what's going on and it all starts to make sense. These things are freaking amazing.
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Posted: 5/25/2020 9:11:04 AM EDT
[#15]
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Posted: 5/25/2020 1:58:33 PM EDT
[#16]
Good post, thanks OP!
Finally got some time to mess with it a little. |
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Posted: 5/30/2020 11:52:55 AM EDT
[#17]
Thanks!
I usually hook it up to a laptop and run the program. |
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Posted: 6/19/2020 10:13:47 PM EDT
[#18]
decided to finally get one of these. hope to tune some cheap VHF antenna and maybe some RC stuff.
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Posted: 6/20/2020 3:25:21 PM EDT
[#19]
Also worth noting... Do that OSL cal at the point you're actually interested in measuring.
If you're interested in the antenna, but you've got a feedline and a polyphaser in place along with a few adapters... do that OSL cal at the connection to the antenna, then plug the antenna in. Put some thought into what you're actually measuring, do the cals and make the measurement. Did a sweep of some equipment at work yesterday, both RL/SWR and trans.meas. Need to pull those sweeps and kick out a report/xls/csv... 
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Posted: 6/21/2020 1:38:10 AM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Also worth noting... Do that OSL cal at the point you're actually interested in measuring. If you're interested in the antenna, but you've got a feedline and a polyphaser in place along with a few adapters... do that OSL cal at the connection to the antenna, then plug the antenna in. Put some thought into what you're actually measuring, do the cals and make the measurement. Did a sweep of some equipment at work yesterday, both RL/SWR and trans.meas. Need to pull those sweeps and kick out a report/xls/csv... https://photos.smugmug.com/Work/i-rMGw5M4/0/8cb661bd/L/i-rMGw5M4-L.jpg |
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Posted: 6/22/2020 12:25:46 AM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I just saw that OP mentioned using the jumper when calibrating. I didnt do that but used the cable when testing the antenna. good tip. Ill recal and test again in the Am. curious how much diff it makes. It'll probably be significant. VNA's need that OSL cal to get a good reading at the point that OSL cal happened. 8753 at the office "remembers" cal fairly well, if I don't change feedlines/ports around it does well at the ends of those cables even after a few power cycles. My Sitemaster's not as good, but it's easy enough to mash the "Start Cal" button and do that OSL cal before making the measurements. That gets used for all sorts of measurements anyways, so even if it was on par with the 8753 i'd still be doing cal probably every time I fired it up anyways. 
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Posted: 6/22/2020 2:06:28 AM EDT
[#22]
any idea how usable this is at the upper range? say 915mhz and 1.3ghz
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Posted: 6/30/2020 7:15:05 PM EDT
[#23]
@SimpleScout
Thanks for posting. I just ordered one of these things. |
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Posted: 7/3/2020 7:45:56 AM EDT
[#24]
do you need to recalibrate each time I use the unit? Or how often should I do it?
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Posted: 7/3/2020 11:55:12 AM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted: do you need to recalibrate each time I use the unit? Or how often should I do it? The calibration is stored in whichever channel you select, so it 'should' be saved. I've calibrated mine, hooked it up to my PC and rechecked an antenna a week later, just for S&G's and had identical test results. Having said that, I spend 30 seconds and recal. before each use. |
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Posted: 7/3/2020 6:04:16 PM EDT
[#26]
Mine has to be calibrated every time I use it. For the price it is a great tool, but I’d rather have a full sized antenna analyzer. The touch screen sucks, even when calibrated and using a stylus, the rocker switch is equally bad, and mine rarely takes the frequency range I try to set for it. I usually just use my SWR meter to tune antennas because it’s way less hassle than using it.
Once I have an SMA to PL-259 adapter, associated coax, etc. between it & the antenna it’s just a guess anyway. |
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Posted: 7/3/2020 7:42:17 PM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Mine has to be calibrated every time I use it. For the price it is a great tool, but I’d rather have a full sized antenna analyzer. The touch screen sucks, even when calibrated and using a stylus, the rocker switch is equally bad, and mine rarely takes the frequency range I try to set for it. I usually just use my SWR meter to tune antennas because it’s way less hassle than using it. Once I have an SMA to PL-259 adapter, associated coax, etc. between it & the antenna it’s just a guess anyway. Why can't you save the cal to one of the cal memories? |
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