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  • čas přidán 4. 06. 2020
  • This video presents the basic definition of a vector network analyzer (VNA), a practical view of how some of the measurements are performed, and an introduction to some of the common measurements that are made. A few examples VNAs are shown. Knowledge of transmission lines, reflections, VSWR, etc. is helpful, but not required for this video. Here are several additional video links that may be helpful:
    Directional Coupler videos:
    • #158: Directional Coup...
    • #196: How a Directiona...
    Transmission lines, reflections, and standing wave videos:
    • #143: Transmission Lin...
    • #208: Visualizing RF S...
    Smith Chart videos:
    • #297: Basics of the Sm...
    • #275: Smith Chart: Z, ...
    Notes from this video:
    www.qsl.net/w2aew/youtube/what...
  • Věda a technologie

Komentáře • 324

  • @marcozbo
    @marcozbo Před rokem +47

    Your videos are excellent. I have a PhD in Physics and I'm a radioamateur. You should be awarded some kind of prize, especially for not turning everything to monetization and for the extreme clarity of your notes and explanations. Also, watching your videos makes one want to experiment, and I think this is the most important result you can get.

  • @billjones2271
    @billjones2271 Před 4 lety +175

    My wife of 33 years said if I buy a new Tek TTR506A VNA she is going to leave me. Boy, I’m going to miss her!

  • @deonmomberg3732
    @deonmomberg3732 Před 4 lety +50

    My wife is trying to find a w2aew rehab Centre for me. Your videos are addictive in brilliance and content. Excellently done..

  • @ernieschatz3783
    @ernieschatz3783 Před 6 měsíci +4

    You break things down so well. This is the first time I've had S22 fully explained. Why can't people just say "reflection off of the output port?"

  • @P4nDA_pls
    @P4nDA_pls Před rokem +2

    Citing this video in the lab manual I'm making. This channel is a gem.

    • @w2aew
      @w2aew  Před rokem +1

      Thank you - I hope your students find it useful.

  • @NodeEntry
    @NodeEntry Před 4 lety +19

    Oh hell yeah! W2AEW talking about VNAs.

  • @RadioWhisperer
    @RadioWhisperer Před 4 lety +35

    Thank you so much for demystifying VNAs for me. I never knew what they really did as Google's explanation wasn't really helpful, as you pointed out. A great video as always. I know how much effort there is in turning out videos, the work you do is greatly appreciated!

  • @rbmwiv
    @rbmwiv Před 5 měsíci +2

    Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. I am pretty new to radio only being at it for about 6 months. I just got one of these and your video and notes are an amazing resource.

  • @aco7992
    @aco7992 Před 2 měsíci +2

    Best video that I have ever seen about the RF measurements. Thank you so much for your informative contents !!!

  • @chrisabad6666
    @chrisabad6666 Před 4 lety +10

    Your videos are extremely good Alan and I look forward to every one. I'm glad you are providing some introductory content on VNA's - I'm just starting to venture more into them...Perfect timing!

  • @jackjonson7509
    @jackjonson7509 Před 4 lety +3

    Thank you. For making these videos for us! I still remember the first time I saw one and I was so happy to have some one to look to for help. You are a great friend to me.

  • @remontlive
    @remontlive Před 4 lety +3

    I have no words about how seldom and useful videos like that about VNA! Thank you very much!!!

  • @shieldcracker
    @shieldcracker Před 4 lety +4

    Excellent presentation, I was actually searching for vectorscopes and this came up, none the less this was time well spent.

  • @EngineeringVignettes
    @EngineeringVignettes Před 4 lety +2

    Always invaluable info, looking forward to the next part in the VNA discussion...
    Cheers,

  • @acestudioscouk-Ace-G0ACE

    I watched this a while back and benefited from it's teaching, so just wanted to say thank-you!

  • @eugenebrown9803
    @eugenebrown9803 Před 4 lety +2

    I've been waiting for you really dig into this series!! thanks for sharing your knowledge

  • @shridharambady2069
    @shridharambady2069 Před 4 lety +1

    Wow you made this video just in time. I was about to buy a NanoVNA to start getting into RF and this is exactly what I needed. Love your videos, thank you so much!

  • @rosshollinger8097
    @rosshollinger8097 Před 4 lety +6

    Watching your videos always tells me how much I have yet to learn. I always glean usable info even if I don't grasp all of the subject. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

  • @nomadr1349
    @nomadr1349 Před 4 lety

    Finally! Asked you for it some time ago (for I can understand your explanations best), and now it is here. Thank you sooo much!! You can't imagine how perfect the timing of this video is for me. Thank you, thank you, thank you!.

  • @brucesmith9144
    @brucesmith9144 Před 4 lety

    Great to find your channel. Ironically, I was chatting with a colleague recently about network analyzers and, voilà, this video popped up. Nice presentation.

  • @OMNI_INFINITY
    @OMNI_INFINITY Před 3 měsíci +1

    Subscribed. I salute how wonderfully White this engineer and teacher is.

  • @Arnold7221
    @Arnold7221 Před 4 lety +3

    Wow great info that has been needed for years. Thanks. Keep em coming,

  • @damny0utoobe
    @damny0utoobe Před 4 lety +1

    You're always educating me. I needed an overview of the VNA

  • @bfx8185
    @bfx8185 Před 4 lety +1

    As always excellent explanation. Even I know what VNA is and also using it frequently is really nice to see some clear explanation of the basics behind.

  • @rwnelson51
    @rwnelson51 Před 4 lety

    Excellent tutorials with theory and applications on the bench! I admire your test equipment collection as it is very high grade -- Tektronix and others and notably your very clear layout of contents on graph paper which is indicative of good engineering practices and communication skills in total.
    We would all love to have 100K budgets for pro grade gear but it is useless without the knowledge and training to make use of such instrumentation and how lower cost but useful devices that are affordable compare to "pro grade" instruments that are now very available.
    Your presentations are "classroom'" grade, instructive and a real service to elevate our desire to expand our knowledge and engineering practices!!!
    Many thanks!!

  • @anthropomorphousdodecahedr6504

    Awesome video. And thanks for giving examples and your opinion on the existing VNAs on the market.

  • @diggleboy
    @diggleboy Před 4 lety +1

    Another great educational video on VNA's and how technology and embedded circuits have now put very accurate test and measurement equipment affordably put the into the hands of almost anyone.

  • @RotBaron
    @RotBaron Před 4 lety +2

    Alan, I love your Videos. I have many RF courses and I always love to share your videos with my classmates and they are always thankful. Our stuff is so dry, mathematical and without examples but your videos help us so much. Please stay healthy and save!

  • @andykunik217
    @andykunik217 Před 4 lety +1

    Very informative and timely. I just ordered a Nano VNA. Now waiting for more videos to show me how to use it!

  • @laurenreid91
    @laurenreid91 Před 3 lety +1

    Great Summary! I spent hours reading Tektronics manuals vs a succinct 17 minutes of your video to get the same information. Appreciate this :D

  • @Factory400
    @Factory400 Před 4 lety

    This is the only channel I watch at half speed to ensure I don't miss anything!

  • @JonathanKayne
    @JonathanKayne Před 4 lety +5

    Thanks for that, looking forward to seeing your video on how to use a VNA! My school has some nice R&S ones but I wasn't too sure on how to use them.

  • @PeopleAlreadyDidThis
    @PeopleAlreadyDidThis Před 4 lety +1

    Thanks so much for a VNA series. Got a bench full of aging Tek and HP equipment, never quite got my head around VNAs, but have been shopping a little; surplus lab VNAs are still awfully expensive in hobby terms. This will be most helpful!

  • @abdulhaquemohammed6478
    @abdulhaquemohammed6478 Před 2 lety +1

    Very informative video and very well explained. I highly appreciate your work. Thank you!

  • @BobSolimeno
    @BobSolimeno Před 4 lety +4

    Excellent introduction to how a VNA works! I purchased the NanoVNA last fall and really like all that can be done with this very inexpensive instrument for amateur radio. Thank you Alan!

  • @chrisscott1547
    @chrisscott1547 Před 3 lety +1

    Very well done, as you typically do. It is so refreshing to see a fellow ham that is truly an RF pro - getting scarce these days. I notice that in Raleigh, NC there exists a "Smith chart amateur radio society" - a club whose members must be able to demonstrate competence with the chart! My kind of club. 73 de W4NEQ.

  • @seamasclerkin5301
    @seamasclerkin5301 Před 4 lety

    Great video, informative as always, looking forward to the future VNA vids!!

  • @PapasDino
    @PapasDino Před 4 lety +2

    Know you're busy with work so thanks for taking the time to begin this VNA discussion. Stay safe! 73 - Dino KLØS

  • @gkprivate433
    @gkprivate433 Před 2 lety +2

    well done sir, well done. I spent all of last year using signal generators, spectrum analyzers and Oscilloscopes running acceptance test procedures on electronic countermeasure systems. I did not have to use network analyzers but did look over the shoulder at the next test bench that was using one to troubleshoot some issues. Your video now helps me understand network analyzers enough to do my next assignment.

  • @douglasvinicius5020
    @douglasvinicius5020 Před 4 lety +2

    Amazing lesson! I cannot wait for the next :D

  • @nicks22
    @nicks22 Před 4 lety

    Your videos are very useful and detailed, keep up the good work!

  •  Před 4 lety

    Another item in the wishlist / cart. Thank you for the in-depth introduction.

  • @OxTongue0
    @OxTongue0 Před 3 lety +1

    Thanks for the excellent presentation and explaining the basics

  • @caseylaurensen7360
    @caseylaurensen7360 Před 6 měsíci

    I love your explanation i didnt know how to use ut and when to, but explaining how it works now also allows me to fully understand and appreciate this awesome piece of machinery

  • @kirkpennock2997
    @kirkpennock2997 Před 4 lety +1

    You make it easy to understand, thank you.

  • @ruhnet
    @ruhnet Před 4 lety +2

    Great overview! Looking forward to the followup video(s) with comparisons. 73s

  • @deanandrewjeski2027
    @deanandrewjeski2027 Před 4 lety

    Excellent video presentation on VNA's It's one of those must have tools for RF work and play. I'm really surprised how well the NANO VNA measurements are so closed to the expensive VNA's like the HP 8753 and Agilent FieldFox units. For home use such as Amateur radio it's hard to beat that low cost for this type of RF tool. Thanks again for the video and looking forward to more .

  • @jspencerg
    @jspencerg Před rokem

    Best practical introduction to vna! Great demonstration.
    I've not understood need for two-port measurements for most all situations. Our "nano" versions do very well.

  • @zahedalsawadi7084
    @zahedalsawadi7084 Před 4 lety +1

    Very informative, as usual. Thanks.

  • @amciaapple1654
    @amciaapple1654 Před 4 lety

    Finally a series about VNAs ! Maybe I will finally understand what is lost in the "Return Loss"

  • @SKARTHIKSELVAN
    @SKARTHIKSELVAN Před 4 lety

    Thanks for putting efforts in making these videos.

  • @hazer2351
    @hazer2351 Před 3 lety

    Very good explanation. Clear and understandable. You are good instructor. Thanks..

  • @mandigit
    @mandigit Před 4 lety

    Thank you! Very informative. I like to hear your topics.

  • @TheMorpheus017
    @TheMorpheus017 Před 4 lety

    Thanks, looking forward to the next videos!

  • @Radiowild
    @Radiowild Před 4 lety +3

    I'm Considering buying one of these. You helped to bring me up to speed with your explanation! 73's de KC2RDU

  •  Před 4 lety +1

    Great video, as always! I'll receive my nanoVNA in a few days, so I'm looking forward to learning how to use it and make measurements.

  • @grahambambrook313
    @grahambambrook313 Před 4 lety +2

    Thanks for the video, Alan - excellent as always.
    I bought a Nano VNA because I was having issues with the range of the anti-collision device in my sailplane. It allowed me to design my own antenna which has vastly improved the coverage, and given me greater time to respond to warnings. Without it, I would not have had a clue how bad the various proprietary antennae were at the frequency used, 868.3 MHz. It allowed me to get pretty close to the centre of the Smith Chart even without a matching network and it shows around -30dB reflection loss and an VSWR of less than 1.1. Can't think of anything else to use it for yet but I am a 'newbie' to the world of electronics and particularly RF.

    • @grahambambrook313
      @grahambambrook313 Před 4 lety

      @H Higgins Maybe at the end of the season I will do some more work on it but we have only just been allowed to start flying in the UK because of all this Covid nonsense. I just need to concentrate on the flying for now. The Nano seems to give A+jB info as well so I can maybe get things better. The matching seems incredibly sensitive to co-ax length! Furthest ground contact so far is about 2dB @ 94km and this from about 10mW output so I am pretty pleased with it.

  • @salehalsaee934
    @salehalsaee934 Před rokem +1

    Thank you so much, sir ... very informative and simple to understand

  • @researchandbuild1751
    @researchandbuild1751 Před 4 lety +37

    I bought a NanoVNA and it is amazing. It has allowed me to accurately measure inductors that i have wound ( many were quite off supposeded calculated value) as well as tune antennas easily. It has been worth every penny for sure.

    • @michaelhawthorne8696
      @michaelhawthorne8696 Před 4 lety +2

      If you had a good osciloscope & frequency generator, you could work out your inductance with the use of a tank circuit and a known good capacitor/s... maybe cheaper than the nano.....especially if you already have this gear I mentioned.

    • @ziyuewu3715
      @ziyuewu3715 Před 4 lety +3

      Really, and the NanoVNA V2 extended the measuring range, it makes 2.4GHz antenna tunning easily.

    • @researchandbuild1751
      @researchandbuild1751 Před 4 lety +1

      @@ziyuewu3715 oh wow i may need to get a new version!

    • @researchandbuild1751
      @researchandbuild1751 Před 4 lety +5

      @@michaelhawthorne8696 i used to use that technique but my osxilloscope is an analog scope and it doesnt get bright enough to see the traces to see a tank circuit ring. Plus lots of calculator involved. Also it still requires the capacitor to be accurate with that method. The nanovna doesnt need the capacitor..and it already reads out in microhenries so its super easy to use.
      Also i found the inductors actually change in value over frequency ranges (what measures as 10microhenries at 5mhz may only be 6 microhenries at 10mhz) this was not expected. Thoery always states the inductance value is only based on turns, etc. But that shows the ring technique also will not be truly accurate unless you use a tank close to the frequency your circuit is going to be. If you are building a chebechev filter you have to be accurate or it wont work properly at all

    • @keithrainbow
      @keithrainbow Před 4 lety +3

      Sadly the standard 2.8 inch NanoVNA screen is too small for my eyes to easily read the text :( But I have heard a rumor that a 4 inch screen S-A-A-V2 version may be in the pipeline. :)

  • @hebrewhammer1000
    @hebrewhammer1000 Před 4 lety

    Thanks for sharing. I can't wait for more content on the NanoVNA.

  • @scottpastor1
    @scottpastor1 Před 2 lety

    You explain this very clearly!

  • @thomasw6169
    @thomasw6169 Před 4 lety +1

    Thanks God your healthy. Another excellent video.

  • @nikaldo7819
    @nikaldo7819 Před 4 lety +1

    very nice...cant wait for next videos for how to with VNAs

  • @Zion.DCunha
    @Zion.DCunha Před 3 lety

    Awesome video! Keep up the quality content

  • @yanickch
    @yanickch Před 4 lety +2

    Thanks! Damn, I like your videos. Always Very well detailed and explained.

  • @eddyane67
    @eddyane67 Před 4 lety +1

    Thanks a lot for your explanation.
    As always, it was very good and instructive
    Regards

  • @brothertyler
    @brothertyler Před 4 lety +1

    Alan thanks for another great video.
    I have been used to the old scope and sig gen trick for doing time domain reflectometery. But nice to know a nano vna can do that too!

  • @MichaelLloyd
    @MichaelLloyd Před 4 lety +1

    Perfect timing. I'm looking forward to the coming videos 73 NE5U

  • @goofypettiger
    @goofypettiger Před 3 lety +1

    Excellent video. Well done!

  • @marknahabedian1803
    @marknahabedian1803 Před 3 lety +1

    This reminds me of being an undergraduate and trying to use a Time Domain Reflectometer to diagnose a local area network problem.
    MIT Chaos Net ran over 1/2" UHF cable (sorry. I don't know any details, though I might recall correctly that it was 50 ohm). The TDR would apply an impulse on the cable and then plot the voltage over time. Any place where there was a bump in the plot indicated a problem on the line and you could calculate how far from your test point the problem was based on the time lag of the reflection.
    After one of two times doing this we eventually learned that the problem was always in the Building 38 basement phone closet. This network cable was stuff and fragile and had a minimum allowed bending diameter of about four feet. The cable needed to make a large turn there and whenever a workman leaned a ladder against it it would kink the cable. I think we had to fix that once, but I don't recall how.

  • @OleF112
    @OleF112 Před 4 lety +2

    Well done, thank you for this vid.

  • @williamrmeara2162
    @williamrmeara2162 Před 4 lety +2

    Thanks Alan. My NanoVNA (a Fathers'Day gift) arrives today, so your video was very timely. TRGHS. 73 Bill N2CQR

    • @w2aew
      @w2aew  Před 4 lety

      Cool - good luck with it Bill. Let me know if you have any questions!

  • @pepesworld2995
    @pepesworld2995 Před 4 lety +2

    oh my god this looks so amazing but i havent got the time yet to watch. fffffffffffffffffuuu. onto my watch-later list. you're a champ, w2aew.

  • @roliveira2225
    @roliveira2225 Před 9 měsíci

    Excellent! Congratulations!

  • @kamurashev
    @kamurashev Před 3 měsíci +1

    Great videos, thank you!

  • @sm7udb
    @sm7udb Před 4 lety

    Very good video, as always😊. Can’t almost not wait until the next one. Take care and keep up the good work! 73/Mikael

  • @BGLENN-dp4tx
    @BGLENN-dp4tx Před 3 lety

    As I have said many time, these videos are brilliant. Thank you very, very much.
    'Magenta' is the color name I believe you have there. At least that's the name we use in the cockpit to refer to our navigation "magenta" line.

  • @azav8raa
    @azav8raa Před 4 lety

    Thanks again, Alan. I learn something new each visit to your channel. Can't wait to see how the Nano VNA stacks up to the Professional VNA. 73, de KB7ZUT

  •  Před 3 lety

    Thank you so much by very instructive video. RF is a fascinating science. I have learned many new things with your video. Although English is difficult to me, I will try attend your others videos.

  • @bobvincent5921
    @bobvincent5921 Před 4 lety

    Thanks. So far so good and I have some catching up to do.

  • @kkusumakumari
    @kkusumakumari Před 4 lety +1

    Very nice explained 👍

  • @ElectronicsCircuitHubECH
    @ElectronicsCircuitHubECH Před 4 lety +3

    Awesome Content

  • @funkyironman69
    @funkyironman69 Před 4 lety +2

    Great video, thanks

  • @nickpenacl_
    @nickpenacl_ Před rokem +1

    This was just terrific

  • @eighty_8
    @eighty_8 Před rokem

    Great video, thank you!

  • @dave_dennis
    @dave_dennis Před 4 lety

    This little VNA gives me a wealth of information about my antenna. I'd LOVE to see a video on how to interpret the data, and make use of that interpretation to know what I need to change about my antenna to optimise it.

    • @w2aew
      @w2aew  Před 4 lety +1

      The VNA can help you to measure your antenna's impedance match to the transmission line which helps you to get maximum power transfer (minimum SWR, S11 reflection coefficient). See video #314. But, it can't help you make it a more efficient radiator.

  • @therfnoob7697
    @therfnoob7697 Před 4 lety

    superb, as usual!

  • @stevefoudray487
    @stevefoudray487 Před 4 lety +1

    Everyone of your videos is clear, concise, and enjoyable. Automatic like. I love my RSA507A. Until I save up for a TTR503A, an external coupler is getting me by. My calibration set is built with help from your previous videos. They compare well enough to commercial sets. My use is greater than hobby but less than a research lab. Thanks for the excellent videos!

    • @w2aew
      @w2aew  Před 4 lety

      I wonder if you got the tracking generator and reflection measurement options. That turns this fine realtime spectrum and vector signal analyzer into a 2-port, 1-path scalar network analyzer.

    • @stevefoudray487
      @stevefoudray487 Před 4 lety

      w2aew Hi Alan, I do have the tracking gen. I don’t have the return loss option. I have considered it though, and still may get that. I use an external directional coupler with it, but don’t get the metrics provided by the option. I want to be able to do phase type measurements and use a smith chart. If the RSA can do that in the future, That would be awesome. At the moment the Rig Expert AA-1400 helps me with antennas. For now it’s filling up the penny jar for a TTR.

    • @w2aew
      @w2aew  Před 4 lety +1

      @@stevefoudray487 You can enable a 30 day trial license for the Reflection measurements, so you can try before you buy. Currently does not do phase (thus, no Smith charts), just scalar return loss, VSWR, distance to fault and cable loss.

  • @FF7824
    @FF7824 Před 4 lety

    Very informative. Thanks.

  • @baccusthedrunken
    @baccusthedrunken Před 2 lety +1

    Scope probe is the coolest way to point during presentation

  • @richardravich8337
    @richardravich8337 Před 4 lety +2

    Congrats on your mention in this month's QST. Best 73's de WD6FIE

    • @w2aew
      @w2aew  Před 4 lety

      Thank you! I haven't gotten my copy yet!

  • @gerard.pardoel4295
    @gerard.pardoel4295 Před 4 lety +1

    Thanks for the video.

  • @ElectronicsCircuitHubECH
    @ElectronicsCircuitHubECH Před 4 lety +4

    I really liked it

  • @cwbh10
    @cwbh10 Před 4 lety

    I just had a phone interview (2020 ECE grad) about the difference between a SA and a VNA the other day and your videos, along with some credit to the signal path, allowed me to answer him with confidence! Thanks so much for your videos, they're amazing

    • @w2aew
      @w2aew  Před 4 lety +1

      Good luck with the job!

    • @cwbh10
      @cwbh10 Před 4 lety

      @@w2aew thanks so much! :)

  • @richarddacosta659
    @richarddacosta659 Před měsícem +1

    Your explanations and clarity of presentations for all your videos that I have viewed are superb. Thanks for the excellent work you do. I fully agree with M@marcozbo. Great job.

  • @voitano73
    @voitano73 Před 4 lety +1

    Another interesting cartoon, thanks again :) Zdravím z České republiky

  • @kosalajayarathne7531
    @kosalajayarathne7531 Před rokem

    Very informative 👍

  • @hectorpascal
    @hectorpascal Před 4 lety +18

    Ooops! Your written rho at 9:23 is actually a sigma! - rho has a vertical tail. :) Nevertheless a great explanation and demonstration (as usual).

    • @w2aew
      @w2aew  Před 4 lety +13

      Oops, thanks for the correction.

    • @xmun9236
      @xmun9236 Před 4 lety +1

      And rho is acrually the voltage signal wave ratio (VSWR) not the magnitude of reflection coefficient right??
      VSWR = (1 + abs(gamma)) /( 1 - abs(gamma)), which is also the ratio of Vmax to Vmin

    • @hectorpascal
      @hectorpascal Před 4 lety +4

      @@xmun9236 Complex gamma (rho angle phi) = complex (V reflected/V forward), so rho is the reflection coefficient's magnitude (absolute value), and not the same as Vmax/Vmin (= SWR when the line's not matched). Complex (V ref + V fwd) is a solution of the transmission line's wave equation. So V ref and V fwd can be thought of as independent waves that "combine" to create V max and V min along the line.

    • @w2aew
      @w2aew  Před 4 lety +6

      I have corrected the downloadable notes.

  • @richardphillips2405
    @richardphillips2405 Před 4 lety +2

    Great video. I would like to know more about the S parameters. Thank you.

  • @andykunik217
    @andykunik217 Před 4 lety

    Congrats on the nice write-up in QST