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- čas přidán 23. 03. 2018
- Knowing how your antennas work or build and optimize our antenna is very rewarding. Unfortunately, it needs know-how and some costly equipment to do that. Today we will change that, and I show you an affordable new tool that enables these tasks. This small device was one of my best investments I made so far.
My HAM Radio channel: / @hb9bla
At the end
- You know how to build and optimize a LoRa ground plane antenna
- You will know How to tune a commercially available antenna
- You will get a little theory behind it, as usual
And we will have a close look at this small gadget from China and compare it with a professional tester
Links:
N1201A Antenna Tester: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/Nhr3Xedw
Calibration Set: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/q3VbiQ7 or s.click.aliexpress.com/e/VJeqJY7 (not tested)
N2201SS (2 ports): s.click.aliexpress.com/e/CHDgGnr2
Ground Plane calculator: www.buxcomm.com/ground_plane_c...
SMA connector for Antenna: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/RBAYzbU
What's inside the N1201SA: notes.superlogical.ch/?p=89
Supporting Material and Blog Page: www.sensorsiot.org
Github: www.github.com/sensorsiot
My Patreon Page: / andreasspiess
If you want to support the channel, please use the links below to start your shopping. No additional charges for you, but I get a commission (of your purchases the next 24 hours) to buy new stuff for the channel
For Banggood bit.ly/2jAQEf4
For AliExpress: bit.ly/2B0yTLL
For ebay.com: ebay.to/2DuYXBp
profile.php?...
/ spiessa
www.instructables.com/member/...
Please do not try to Email me or invite me on LinkedIn. These communication channels are reserved for my primary job
Equipment in my lab: www.sensorsiot.org/my-lab/ - Věda a technologie
i am an electronic engineer for around 20 years and I can tell that this tutorial is one of the best tutorials I had seen
Thank you for your nice words!
Maybe that's the difference. I do this stuff for a living. Lots of errors in the first 5 minutes.
@@BobDarlington Perhaps we could all learn something if you share what you believe these errors are?
Otherwise your comment is not only useless, but annoying.
Very true.... and that's when someone is super knowledgeable and super funny and knows how to combine them :)
@@martym2464 agreed!
This man is the best eletronics and DYI CZcamsr, not only he explains why things work like they do but also tells the truth and shows what he means. Thank you Andreas for making these videos and helping thousands making little projects that seemed impossible before!
Thank you for your nice words!
Now when I am working with electronics I have a Swiss voice in my head.. Dankeschön
Bitteschön!
I watched this video in the past and now I went back to watch it again to ask questions. I'm just frustrated that I can't press the "Like" button again. Thank you again master.
Thank you. Did you watch my newest ones about the topic?
The expensive equipment had unlocked the, "black art of RF" to me decades ago.
(It's easy with the right tools.) THANK YOU for your _perfectly_ concise explanation
of the theory, and FOR SHOWING THESE _DELIGHTFULLY AFFORDABLE_ DIY TOOLS!
You might be aware that I was (sightly) delighted too when I made this video...
AGREED - #MeToo LOL >>> I relied on the maths and precision construction,... but was BLIND to the real / actual tuning.
.
This unit is excellent. This one of the most addictive radio tools I have every owned - just cannot stop making antennas!!
One of the best videos of 2018. Thank you for explaining things I’ve always wondered about my whole career.
Thank you for your nice words!
I have learned more things from your videos on practical and theoretical electronics than in my 4 years in the EE school.
Thank you!
As a life long antenna building nerd, I really appreciated this video. I've had my eye on one of these inexpensive VNAs for some time. Now I'll be sure to get one.
I am sure you will enjoy it.
This is good work, Andreas. You explain things very clearly so that I can understand things that I have not understood for many years. Thank you so much.
You are welcome! Glad my videos help.
Super useful information presented in a clear, concise and convincing manner. Thank you once again! Anxiously waiting for the next video...
Order for the tester placed. My guess is that Shenzhen Boss Digital Electronic Co is going to be very happy for this video also. :) Tip for people not using the AliExpress app - very often products are discounted for mobile orders. In this case 6% discount. I've been wondering why this is with a tin foil hat in my head.
This was the last antenna video on this channel for a moment. Other topics are waiting...
It seems you really like your new tool ;-) Thanks for the content, very interesting, as usual.
Yes, it is very useful for me.
Thank you for getting into antenna theory. Because your explanations are so easy to understand, I think I will be able to learn basics of antennae theory from this series
You are welcome!
I *really* like how show some theorie , but always tied to practical usage! Had to order that device .. no chance to resist ;)
Yes; resistance is futile. Now order yours right away, if you have enough capacitance.
+ Water: I am sure you will enjoy it.+ FindLiberty: I like your comment!
Again Andreas has surpassed all the others!! You earned my patronage!!! Keep up the good work!!
Thank you for your support!
Thank you Andreas, as a French, I like your Swiss accent, and I remain admirative in front of the simplicity with which you can explain complex subjects ...I'll keep watching your multiple videos and keep learning ... Your experiments basically save me the hassle of trial and errors, and help me to go straight to the right solution. Bravo !
Thank you for your nice words!
Andreas, you are a legend. I learnt more in the first 5 minutes of this video than I had in months of playing around with DIY antennas :)
Antennas are not easy and the knowledge is not widely spread. So I am glad the video was helpful.
Ok, Ok....... so once again you introduce me to another topic (I thought I had no interest in).
Once again your enthusiasm for the subject, along with the way you present, is just a dream.
At the speed you are going, I have to wonder what wonders you have for us in the future.
My life is enriched every Sunday by your work and often I spend the week thinking it over.
I’m surprised you hardly mentioned how much you loved your new tool
🤥
Keep going Andreas, you are an authority on so many subjects.
I had 61 years to learn. So, some things are buried somewhere in my brains. Like antenna theory. I had to build my own antennas when I was a radio operator in the war zone of N'Djamena already in the 1980s ;-)
Your videos are always interesting and I always learn something useful.
Thank you!
I really enjoyed this as well as quite a few other videos you have produced, thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I have no experience and knowledge about antenna. But I am learning a lot from your tutorial. Thank you so much.
Glad to hear that!
Great video and simple description. I have a PS 100 model of it and I find it very useful for tuning the POTY antenna for QO-100
Did you see my videos about the QO-100?
Thanks Andreas, as usual, your videos are excellent and will save us lots of RF-hassle!
You are welcome!
I have been using a nanovna for a couple of years and have found it very useful for tuning and troubleshooting antennas. Every time I use it I am amazed that such a cheap tool can give me the same information as the $80,000 analyzer I use at work. Obviously I don't expect it to be perfect but I have compared it and found it surprisingly close.
I agree. When the first cheap devices appeared on the market, I had suspicions and also compared it with an expensive instrument. Already then, the results were usable for my purposes.
You make very nice videos, for me some parts are review but some is new, kind of to radio stuff but have done electronics for years. Thanks again for sharing!
You are welcome!
Excellent! I love the lesson plan and summary. It helps reinforce learning.
Great to hear! Thank you.
Like previous video on antenna, this video is really useful. I'd like to thank you Andreas for sharing useful videos.
You are welcome!
I typically transmit signals from 300 mW to 3 W when trying to communicate with my Amateur Radio. Prior to recent times the technology that you describe was not available to most hobbyists. Glad that technology is making measuring devices like this that I can afford on my retirement pension. I enjoy building my antennas, mostly for HF.
Things changed considerably since we were young. And now I feel like living in a "electronics paradise"
You best video so far! That explained a lot! Good work! Now the logical next step is to explain impedance even deeper.
This was the last video on antennas for a while. There are better channels for that if you are interested in antennas. I want to keep this channel broad, and not trivial, but not only for specialists.
Really excellent teaching here, learning points well made and useful information. Thank-you.
You are welcome!
Well explained.. Always your style of presentation is easy to understand and very useful for beginners..
Thank you for your kind words!
really amazing tutorial, congratulations and thank you very much!
Thank you for your nice words!
LOL! I remember in trade school asking the head of the electronics department about antenna matching. "Complex impedance.... That is a dark art of the field"
Nice to see it described as such from you.
:-)
That does it !!!
It's 40 years since I used a Smith chart. 15 years working with HF/VHF/UHF antennas with the old tools. What would we have given for tools like that?
Yes, I see why you fell in love with it! I'm off to your Patreon channel - give us more like this.
This is the reason I like this part a lot...
Very nice, I've had this thing in my wishlist for about a year now. Guess it's time :)
Enjoy!
Super great video, I love this N1201SA device.
BTW: The open/closed SMA connectors are easy to build for everyone. For the 50 Ohm load, a 100 Ohm 0.1% (two parallel ERA-6AEB101V Panasonic) resistors will do the job.
So you were more successful than me. We did some tests with a "homemade and a "bought" open and short. The differences were noticeable already at 868.
I learned more about antennas in this 16 minute video than I did from by Extra Class license course. Thanks!
Not good. They should learn you how it works before you buy a 1kW amplifier ;-)
They do, or at least they try. But it's presented as if you're an electrical engineering student. That's doesn't work with everyone. Definitely didn't with me, and I spent a career in technology.
I also purchased the N1201SA so I can fine tune my 915 MHz LoRa antennas. Your video is great.
KC2ORP
Thank you!
Einfach super! Ich habe schon lange darauf gewartet.Vielen Dank!
Bitte, gern geschehen
Such a good tutorial,... I bought one for analysing my home-brew antennas I make for mobile coverage & repeaters.
.
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You are not alone,. These cheap VNAs became quite popular. And very handy!
@@AndreasSpiess - Good day, and apologies for not responding to your kind reply above.
- Did you ever measure the FINAL cut length of your TUNED antenna ??? >82mm or
Again a very good video! Thank you very much. I ordered a N1201SA this morning via your link and hope, you'll get your "fee".
Thank you for your support! I hope you will like it.
Its a great time to be alive if you are in the electronics/technical/software fields
You are absolutely right. I enjoy it every day!
Thank you! So much useful info in such a simple way!
You are welcome!
"like a good politician, if a method does not work, we just use more of it"
HAHAHAHA!!!!!
It is a little like an Englishman trying to speak Swiss. English Loudly, then more Loudly.
Spot on, we see that every day now.
Excellent video! It's worth adding that altering an RF transmitter's performance in any way can easily put you on the wrong side of the law in one's home country, and that doing so is obviously (and entirely) at their own risk.
Thanks for your info. I hope, my viewers know what they do...
Great work... I'll be checking out your other videos for sure.
Welcome on the channel!
Something else I didn't know I needed until now LOL This would have been awesome 30 years ago when I was doing VHF/UHF radio work.
You are right. We live in a wonderful world (electronically)
I can only confirm: I own one and I love it - so much better than calculations ;)
Thank you for your feedback. It is very valuable for others
Eres lo mejor que le ha pasado a la Ingeniería Electrónica!!!
Thank you. Maybe you watch also my video about the NanoVNA...
Great video again, I will have to have one of those analysers, I was brought up on an HP VNA and have seen that the price of professional equipment has tumbled down in recent years. Remember the Anritsu Sitemaster? So helpful to have the comparison with a 'known good' analyser - better than any sales pitch. Now, what would be interesting (because you like testing outdoors and now have the tools) it would be really interesting to show the impact of antenna optimisation on your radio link budget in real terms of RSSI. Again, great video, keep it up. (Ian T) :-)
This was the last antenna video for a while on this channel. Many other topics are waiting...
Thank you for this. Great presentation!
Glad it was helpful!
Excellent presentation. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
brilliant. We just got one of these for our Maker Space!
Good!
Very educational, and well done, Fine presentation...Thank you...
:-) Did you see my other videos about this topic?
Enjoyed your video. Very informative and entertaining. Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks, really enjoyed video, well done! I am 76 and a retired electrical engineer / technician. Never too-old to lean new technology!
You are right! I have a few viewers at your age. So our profession seems to be healthy for the brains ;-)
I was a Microwave Technician and took a 9 month Special class about antennas, learned all the basics, theory and use of the Smith Chart and went on to work to help build 4-18 Ghz microwave amplifiers here in Silicon Valley, there were a lot of tuning using the microcope, tuning is like black magic with a skill using those little gold chips and soldering / tacking them when the desired SWR was achieved. I would like to buy one of these... hahaha... I'd like to learn how to use this HIGH TECH DEVICE 'AWESOME'...
Maybe you watch my video about the NanoVNA. This is a more modern version (which also shows the Smith chart)
Brilliant video. Thank you Andreas.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you sir for such an informative video
You are welcome! Maybe you check my newer videos about the topic?
OH WOW, THANK YOU! !!!. This is one of your best videos to date. Antennae theory and practice is something that most of electronics hobbyists have to always rely on others, such as vendors and manufacturers, when we build with RF modules such as Lora etc. Using this video the theory and practice is now approachable. - IN A COLOUR GRAPH!!!! You have really showed us how we can optimise our own antennae using tools that even we hobbyists can consider getting. Thank you again!
One question please Andreas, please could tell us if this device can be used for wifi/ES32/ESP82xx, GSM and other similar modules that all play with. I know you said that the 2.2 GHz band is covered, but is it just as effective in that range? Sorry if I missed this the video but it wasn't clear to me.
Ps. The other thing that wasn't clear was whether you loved this new tool? :-)
Concerning 2.4 GHz: We did not focus on that range so I cannot tell you if the results are as good as they were below 1 GHz. But I assume they are ok, too. I saw a video somewhere where the guy used it for WiFi antenna testing.
northshorepx p
@@AndreasSpiess Hello Andreas, Do you have experience with the management of Rigexpert? I have the AA-600, but it remains at 600mhz maximum. I was looking at several models, which at least could analyze the 2.4-2.5Ghz band, for wifi antennas, and have appeared yours N1201A, the Vna Tiny and another one that is much more expensive, the KC901V, which comes to cover the wifi antennas of double band.
I would like to know if the measurements of the N1201A are quite accurate, since I would like to use it to make high sensitivity Bluetooth antennas.
Thanks for your mythical tutorials.
I wait your answer.
Best regards from Barcelona, Catalonia.
Again, a Very good and interesting video. Thanks!
You are welcome!
Great video .. You should have included how to measure the antenna impedance using the NS1201SA. You can tune the radials by bending them at an angle and measuring the change in impedance at the specific frequency. You can also use the VNA to cut optimum length feed lines. Did I mention I love this tool too :-)
You are right. But the video should not get too long and I always leave something to discover by ma viewers.
Very good! Excellent work.
Thank you!
An awesome video, Andreas. You have demystified the dark arts of antenna tuning. Northshorepx says it all and I support all he says.
Thank you!
Being a engineer this is a great video, love that tool as well for something simple and portable when I don't want to drag out the analyzer and extension cord.
Many of my viewers bought one and I got quite good feedback about it.
Great teacher.
Thanks much!
You are welcome! Maybe you also watch my newer video on the nanoVNA? (if not already done).
Thank you Andreas ! 👍👍
RF has always been "black magic" to me ...☹️
I wich i had your knowledge about antennas !
You are welcome!
Again a nice 'Swiss tube' tnx Andreas 73 de Germain, ON4SG !
Fantastic Tutorial!
Thank you Andreas :)
You are welcome!
thanks a lot Andreas, this video was awesome. please consider doing a video on cables and connectors like SMA, RP-SMA?
This was the last antenna video for a while. I have many other topics waiting...
Great video as usual!
Thanks!
So Andreas, I was wondering, do you like the N1201SA Vector Network Analyser. Couldn't quite tell... 😜 Excellent video, sir.
I wanted to leave everybody uncertain about that fact. Glad I succeeded ;-)
John Burns Exactly my thoughts! 😂
Today I got my Nano Vna and Joe Smith mentions you in his video!
VNAs are great! Enjoy.
Thanks a lot Professor Spiess! :))
You are welcome!
Nice timing. I ordered one a few days ago already 😁
Enjoy!
i compared it with some expensive analyzers. it seems quite accurate. really interesting for such a price.
Yes, you mentioned already that you loved it :)
:-)
Thank you, very useful info on Antennas. I'd love to learn what are the things to be considered if you soldered a LoRa module to a PCB. So then routing a track from LoRa module to the antenna. I'd imagine you could make quite a mess.
Keep the distance between the module and the antenna short... Maybe you google about the dimensioning of transfer lines on PCBs.
Wow, a wery god explanation
Thanks for sharing 😀👍
:-)
Andreas, the length of the coax is also important. Perhaps you can make a video on how, some time is better to put the amplifier also with the antenna on the roof.. .. And measure the comparison on power reflected.
I find the N1201SA analyzer very usefull. I have one. I would recommend it too. I would prefer a good spectrum analyzer with larger bandwidth but I cannot justify the cost.
These devices are still quite expensive. I only bought one because it was a long-time dream...
Great video. Good work!
Thank you!
Very good for a digital guy! Congrats.
:-)
Great to the point tutorial for people who know nothing about smith charts
Thank you!
I see that you are very close to explaining the Smith chart and it's usefullness :-) But it would be hard without complex impedance :-)
Very nice video!
This is why I shortened the video. First, it was in. But too complicated...
Thank you...this is NEED TO KNOW info!
:-)
Hi Andreas, this is a great video, I'm new to VNA's and this was very interesting and easy to watch. I love your humour, please keep it up, 73 Colin, G7KDM
Thank you for your nice words!
Great information. Thank you
You are welcome!
Great video as always! I was really hoping you were also going to show the insides of the N1201SA VNA in "Don't turn it on, take it apart!" fashion.
I would never take it apart. The risk is too high that it does not work anymore. That would be a catastrophe for my relation to this small device ;-)
For your info: It consists of an ADF4350 and a SA612A mixer plus the usual STM processor and charging circuits.
Another most interesting vid.
Thank you!
Hi and thank you for yet another interesting video.
Regarding the antenna you were showing that shifted resonant frequency when you removed / replaced the cover. I am wondering if it had something to do with the carbon content of the plastic / rubber used to make the antenna cover?
A long time ago, I read about building antennas and it said not to use black plastics to house antennas due to the carbon used in black plastics.
Well possible. I do not know the (chemical) reason. If it can be adjusted by cutting the wire it is still ok...
Thanks Andreas, awesome video as always. quick question .. can I change one of those common 2.4GHz antennas to operate on 900MHz with the help of N1201SA?
Not easy. It is Mitch too short.
Great video
Thank you!
Andreas Spiess For President 2020
"Make America Smart Again!"
😂
I'm all in, for exporting our neutral policy, see my name...
:-))
Nope, we need him ourselves!
Hello Mr. Andreas! Excellent video very pleasant to watch and informative, but remains a question, what's the difference between N1201A vs N2201SA? Is there other feature available?
As a suggestion, could you please do some antenna construction videos? Thanks in advance!
As I mentioned it has two ports and also a Serial connection. But I did not look at it and if the software is good.
Andreas, great work!
I just looked it up and there seems to be a model called N2201SS which is an improved version with ‘dB measurement’ - I am still trying to understand what it does exactly. There is a RMB200 price difference between the two.
The more expensive one has two connectors. But I do not know if the software is ready to use both connectors.
Thanks Andreas. Out of interest, after you manually "tuned " the radiating element by physically cutting it, how does the length compare with the wavelength calculation of freq(MHz)/300? And how close was the length of the radiator to what the online calculator indicated?
I did not measure.
Awesome! Please, can you test the built in ESP8266 antenna and any other RF433mhz modules? Thanks!
You cannot built-in antennas because you need a possibility to connect
very nice video. how do you like the MFJ analyzers compared to this one? I am having trouble deciding on a brand.
I do not know the MFJ analyzers.
Great video!
Thank you!
Andreas, thanks for the great video. I think it would be a nice idea to set up a website where the performance, or resonating frequency of these antennas is documented. These VNA tools are still quite expensive for the regular maker, also because you usually have to pay custom fees for more expensive items. Maybe a simple public Google sheets will work for this, or a Google sites website?
You never know if our dealers change their suppliers. I can only test what I have on my bench.
Sometimes there are maker spaces that have all the fancy equipment. Maybe build your antenna and take it there! :) Then everyone shares all the equipment. I hear some places even have the thing that goes bleep! ;)