Antenna Analyzer

[Kurt Loken]

Hello All,

I've decided that before I get too carried away with
antenna experiments (mag loops, etc.), it would
probably be a good idea to get an antenna analyzer.  

Anyone have a favorite they would like to recommend?
I'm leaning toward the Micro908 from the American QRP
Club.   Anyone want to talk me into an MFJ or another
brand?

Too bad Elecraft doesn't offer one.  I would love to
see them do for antenna analyzers what they did for
antenna tuners with the T1.

Regard,

Kurt - ae6uj


       
               
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[Andrey Stoev]

Hi,

If you consider yourself as "lucky" you can try the MFJ - it's a good idea
as product but very slopy execution and on the top of everything seems there
is no QC at the factory whatsoever - you might get a good unit but you might
get pure junk as well!
A good choice (and just a bit more expensive) would be Palstar ZM30 -
http://www.palstar.com/zm30.php - i think its a much better product then the
mfj - well built, upgradeable firmware, VFO, PC interface, etc.
Hope this helps!

73s

> Hello All,
>
> I've decided that before I get too carried away with
> antenna experiments (mag loops, etc.), it would
> probably be a good idea to get an antenna analyzer.
>
> Anyone have a favorite they would like to recommend?
> I'm leaning toward the Micro908 from the American QRP
> Club.   Anyone want to talk me into an MFJ or another
> brand?
>
> Too bad Elecraft doesn't offer one.  I would love to
> see them do for antenna analyzers what they did for
> antenna tuners with the T1.
>
> Regard,
>
> Kurt - ae6uj

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[Stephen W. Kercel]

Kurt:

Depends on what you're trying to do. If all you want is to read SWR without
sending out a transmitted signal, the MFJ-207 will do nicely. You can often
find them in the $60-70 range on eBay.

MFJ makes a very fancy R+JX analyzer. However, it has a reputation for
uneven quality and reliability. (In fairness, many Elecraft list members
report themselves being quite happy with the fancy MFJs.)

My opinion is that in R+JX analyzers, if you're strictly interested in HF,
the best value for the money is the Palstar ZM-30 available for $349 from
the manufacturer. I own one and I am very happy with it. (Disclaimer: I
have no financial interest in Palstar. I'm merely a very happy customer.)

73,

Steve
AA4AK



At 04:02 PM 11/13/2005 -0800, Kurt Loken wrote:

>Hello All,
>
>I've decided that before I get too carried away with
>antenna experiments (mag loops, etc.), it would
>probably be a good idea to get an antenna analyzer.
>
>Anyone have a favorite they would like to recommend?
>I'm leaning toward the Micro908 from the American QRP
>Club.   Anyone want to talk me into an MFJ or another
>brand?
>
>Too bad Elecraft doesn't offer one.  I would love to
>see them do for antenna analyzers what they did for
>antenna tuners with the T1.
>
>Regard,
>
>Kurt - ae6uj
>
>
>
>
>__________________________________
>Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005
>http://mail.yahoo.com
>_______________________________________________
>Elecraft mailing list
>Post to: [hidden email]
>You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
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>  http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>
>Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
>Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

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[Ian Stirling, G4ICV, AB2GR]

  I've heard that the MFJ doesn't give the sign
of the reactive component - in otherwords, can't
tell whether it's a capacitor or an inductor.
  I have an Autek Research VA1 - can hardly believe
that it has an old 68HC705P6 as its engine, but
it works as advertised and I like it.

Ian, G4ICV, AB2GR, K2 #4962
--
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[Ward Willats-3]

This caught my eye. Don't know if it is shipping yet or not....

http://www.timewave.com/TZ-900.html

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[Stewart Baker]

Hi Kurt,

You might be interested in this antenna analyser.
http://www.qsl.net/iw3hev/

73
Stewart G3RXQ

On Sun, 13 Nov 2005 16:02:21 -0800 (PST), Kurt Loken wrote:

> Hello All,
>
> I've decided that before I get too carried away with
> antenna experiments (mag loops, etc.), it would
> probably be a good idea to get an antenna analyzer.
>
> Anyone have a favorite they would like to recommend?
> I'm leaning toward the Micro908 from the American QRP
> Club.   Anyone want to talk me into an MFJ or another
> brand?
>
> Too bad Elecraft doesn't offer one.  I would love to
> see them do for antenna analyzers what they did for
> antenna tuners with the T1.
>
> Regard,
>
> Kurt - ae6uj
>
>
> __________________________________
> Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005
> http://mail.yahoo.com
> _______________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Post to: [hidden email]
> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

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[Lambs, Dick & Judy]

For a bargain approach, you might consider an antenna noise bridge  
instead of an analyzer.  Used in conjunction with your receiver or  
transceiver (no transmitting needed), you can readily find the  
antenna resonant frequency.  If you want to know resistance,  
capacitive reactance, and inductive reactance, for any frequency, you  
can compute them from the dial readings.   The  MFJ-202B noise bridge  
is $60.  There are kit providers, and there's usually at least one on  
ebay for around $15 to $30.

Dick, K0KK




> Anyone have a favorite they would like to recommend?
> I'm leaning toward the Micro908 from the American QRP
> Club.   Anyone want to talk me into an MFJ or another
> brand?
>
> Kurt - ae6uj
>

> __________________________________
> Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005
> http://mail.yahoo.com
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> Post to: [hidden email]
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>
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> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

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[Paul Gates, KD3JF]

I would imagine that getting the Palstar Antenna
Analyzer would be just as easy to obtain. I imagine
dealers that they have would discount 10%-13% and the
cost would be slightly more than a 259B and it is very
good quality. I have heard good stories and bad ones
about the 259B. However the one at our Museum in DC
works flawlessly and the guy I work with has one at
home and no problems.

Paul, KD3JF Maryland

--- Andrey Stoev <[hidden email]> wrote:

> QC = Quality Control.
> The units are either not checked or they have very
> low standards at the
> factory.
> My 259B had a whole bunch of problems right out of
> the box - very slopy job
> during the assembly!
>
> 73
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Paul Gates, KD3JF" <[hidden email]>
> To: "Andrey Stoev" <[hidden email]>
> Sent: Sunday, November 13, 2005 10:25 PM
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Antenna Analyzer
>
>
> > What do mean by "QC!?"
> >
> > Paul, KD3JF Maryland
> >
> > --- Andrey Stoev <[hidden email]> wrote:
> >
> >> Hi,
> >>
> >> If you consider yourself as "lucky" you can try
> the
> >> MFJ - it's a good idea
> >> as product but very slopy execution and on the
> top
> >> of everything seems there
> >> is no QC at the factory whatsoever - you might
> get a
> >> good unit but you might
> >> get pure junk as well!
> >> A good choice (and just a bit more expensive)
> would
> >> be Palstar ZM30 -
> >> http://www.palstar.com/zm30.php - i think its a
> much
> >> better product then the
> >> mfj - well built, upgradeable firmware, VFO, PC
> >> interface, etc.
> >> Hope this helps!
> >>
> >> 73s
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> > Hello All,
> >> >
> >> > I've decided that before I get too carried away
> >> with
> >> > antenna experiments (mag loops, etc.), it would
> >> > probably be a good idea to get an antenna
> >> analyzer.
> >> >
> >> > Anyone have a favorite they would like to
> >> recommend?
> >> > I'm leaning toward the Micro908 from the
> American
> >> QRP
> >> > Club.   Anyone want to talk me into an MFJ or
> >> another
> >> > brand?
> >> >
> >> > Too bad Elecraft doesn't offer one.  I would
> love
> >> to
> >> > see them do for antenna analyzers what they did
> >> for
> >> > antenna tuners with the T1.
> >> >
> >> > Regard,
> >> >
> >> > Kurt - ae6uj
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Elecraft mailing list
> >> Post to: [hidden email]
> >> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
> >> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
> >>  http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> >>
> >>
> >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
> >> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
> >>
> >
> >
> > Paul Gates, KD3JF
> > K1  #0231
> > KX1 #1186
> > XG1
> >
> > __________________________________________________
> > Do You Yahoo!?
> > Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam
> protection around
> > http://mail.yahoo.com 
>

Paul Gates, KD3JF
K1  #0231
KX1 #1186
XG1

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[srife]

        Did you see the price, though?  I think I'll stick with my Micro908.

Stan Rife
W5EWA
Houston, TX
K2 S/N 4216
 

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Ward Willats
Sent: Sunday, November 13, 2005 10:00 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Antenna Analyzer


This caught my eye. Don't know if it is shipping yet or not....

http://www.timewave.com/TZ-900.html

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[Stuart Rohre]

You can determine the sign of the reactance by simply tuning higher in
frequency.  IF the reactance increases it is inductive, if it DECREASES, it
is capacitive reactance.  Remember the basic formula for inductive is Xl =
2Pi fL, while the inverse formula is for capacitive reactance, thus it
decreases with frequency increase.

Stuart
K5KVH



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[Leigh L. Klotz Jr WA5ZNU]

I have seen and tried this unit, both in the field at AmTech day
(http://fars.k6ya.org) and at the Timewave Pacificon booth, and know the
pepole (Dale NX6S et. al.) who designed it.  It is very nice.  I want
one, but is expensive.  If I had a lab budget I would get one.

At AmTech day I hooked a piece of twin lead to it and got the frequency
it was 1/2 wavelength on.  It agreed with my Autek VA1 but had a few
more decimal places, and was much easier to use, giving the results in
real time.  Dale also said I could have terminated it in a resistor and
gotten a Smith chart for finding the characteristic impedance, also in
real time.

At Pacifocon, I hooked a Maldol 20m whip to it, saw two dips in the SWR
curve (one at about 16MHz and the other somewhere equally useless, 9MHz
I think).  I clipped a foot of bus wire to it (I trick I think I learned
from N6KR at a PAARA club prsentation) and the dip went down a bit but
not to 14MHz.  The analyzer showed me this graphically in real time on
its screen, and also on a computer which was slaved to it (though not
required).

Then I walked off with Dale's BNC connector.  (I couldn't fit the
analyzer in my pocker.)

Leigh / WA5ZNU
On Sun, 13 Nov 2005 8:00 pm, Ward Willats wrote:
> This caught my eye. Don't know if it is shipping yet or not....
>
> http://www.timewave.com/TZ-900.html
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[John Young-10]

Stuart
   Thanks for reminding us that an understanding of basics is more
valuable than all the bell and whistles added to the black boxes.

John
WA8KNE


Stuart Rohre wrote:

>You can determine the sign of the reactance by simply tuning higher in
>frequency.  IF the reactance increases it is inductive, if it DECREASES, it
>is capacitive reactance.  Remember the basic formula for inductive is Xl =
>2Pi fL, while the inverse formula is for capacitive reactance, thus it
>decreases with frequency increase.
>
>Stuart
>K5KVH
>
>
>
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>  
>

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