Alan Wolke W2AEW Explains the Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) (Video)

I told Alan that his video on VNAs was — for me — very timely. The video popped up on YouTube on the day than my NanoVNA was being delivered. TRGHS.

Alan does a great job in explaining what the VNA does. Particularly useful for me was his explanation of the VNA’s ability to measure phase differences (through the use of directional couplers).

I am having fun with my NanoVNA, happily measuring SWR and the bandpass characteristics of various filters. Mine came with what looks like a guitar pick — this is used as a stylus to hit the small boxes on the touch-screen. A nice touch…

I wish there was some good software for use with this VNA. Apparently the nice software described by Joe Smith (yesterday’s blog post) is quite expensive. Is there a free alternative out there?

6 thoughts on “Alan Wolke W2AEW Explains the Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) (Video)”

  1. There is a Community version that is a free download, maybe Joe’s program works with that. No VNA in my toolbox, so I don’t know. Worth a look. Ed KC8SBV

  2. Yes VNASAVER is great but, doing al the things you can do with the saver Without the saver is challenging. I love the Nano, got the 4 version, need to work with it more, saw a great issue of QST using a T and coax and a capacitor to tune an antenna, and most importantly,,relied on the Smith Chart to do it. Not sure they had NanoVNA when this came out though, now with a dynamic smith chart you can do amazing things. The article was in feb 202 qst page 43

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