NanoVNA H4, what an eye opener

[rixdafix]

Our four children all chipped in and got dad a NanoVNA H4 for Christmas! What a great tool. I tested all of my mobile antennas yesterday and each one needed some fine tuning to get spot on. I calibrated at the feed point so the NanoVNA was only looking at the antenna. I'd never studied Smith charts before and I've learned so much in the last couple of days. Being able to see SWR as well as impedance and such. Wow. I'm going to learn a lot from this little device. I believe it confirmed my CMC is working as I could grab my coax at a few exposed areas and it didn't change SWR or impedance.

I sometimes use an MFJ 12 meter telescopic antenna when I'm parked in the Jeep. Previously, I had used the McKinley built in SWR meter to find the "sweet spot" on how far to extend the antenna for 11 meter. Turns out I was about 3 inches too short of being resonant. I haven't made a DX contact in over a week and after fine tuning the telescopic, I fired up the McKinley and had a QSO with 129 New York. Obviously many things contributed to making the trip but still, good stuff.

I'll be trying 16LSB and 40LSB throughout the day, hope to contact some WDX friends with my freshly tuned antennas.

Peace and Happy New Year!

 

[guitar_199]

(On the Nano VNA H4) I could not agree more. Mine came in yesterday and after a bit of stumbling had shot my dual band antenna and found it to be great across both bands. It really makes it nice being able to dynamically "see" the entire "band of interest" and "see" the antenna's coverage. This is almost going to make "antenna play" delightful!!! Not to mention coax testing....

 

[brandon7861]

Not to mention coax testing....

I think that model can also be set up as a TDR using the transform function

 

[guitar_199]

I think that model can also be set up as a TDR using the transform function

I know that it can be used for coax testing and "fault location" so I would have to say yes.... but I am so new with it.... I couldn't tell you how yet!!!

 

[Trillo5]

I have a few , different evolutions and screen sizes. I also have an expensive Rigexpert which is a great tool, but the Nano VNA does so much more for less money. To do fault location and coax lengths, you do need to do some simple calculations, but isn't not bad. Tons of Youtube videos to explore all of its full protentional, truly a very powerful tool. We have a vector analyzer from the late 90s at my office....its a huge boat anchor these days and it cost several thousands of dollars at the time.