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[2012/08/08]
Antenna Analyzer , bought and tried
For a person like me who is devoted to hand-work only, I have always avoided "network analyzers" because they are too difficult to understand.
It's difficult graspe and analyze the characteristics of "self-made antennas" until now.
Nowaday, the "analyzers" have become available at low prices, so I just bought them. "
NanoVNA (2.5" 50K-900MHz) "set $ 32.63 : \ 3,737 shipping included. (
Fig.1 )
However, as I had been dealing only with "M connector/M type" and "BNC connector" before days, I needed a connection cable with "SMA connector", so I bought more. (\ 1,310 including shipping)
The nice thing about this "device/NanoVNA" is that it has a built-in local oscillator so I don't have to use a transmitter to measure "
SWR". This is more good than anything else now (because I have not the radio station license now)!
However, with a 2.5-inch (?) Screen, isn't it quite difficult to operate outdoors? I'm worried from now on.
However, since I can easily draw "SWR" etc. in a large size because I'm using a PC with a USB connection on my desk, there is no problem.
This is an example of an off-the-shelf "vertical multi-band antenna" (I forgot the name) that I bought a long time ago, but it seems that each channel for Ham still clears
SWR <= 3. ... And it doesn't seem to be significantly "
deteriorated" due to "
weathering", so I'm relieved. (
Fig.2 [click] )
Right now, I haven't read all the instructions yet, and for the time being, I have measured the "SWR". (
User Guide)
This time, I made a graph of the current situation for confirmation.
−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−
+++ Multi-winding loop antenna under trial +++
I'm not familiar with the "correct principle of antennas", so until now I had to do it only by imagining, guessing, and experimenting, but from now on, I can easily get clues (such as "SWR"). Now that I'm in, I want to try everything I can think of. z(^^;
First of all, I can't get a lot of space to put the HF antenna, so I'm trying "multi-winding loop" to make it as compact as possible. (
Fig.3)
The 55cm diameter is just because the 3mmφ aluminum wire that I had at hand was bent into a round shape and it happened to be this diameter.
Besides, there was a copper diameter 1mmφ coated wire for telephone wiring that I had at hand, which was about 13m(eters), so I winded it beside it and used only one line of it.
When I use both, it became a very unfavorable frequency response, so I used only one.
Also, I tried putting a variable condenser (100PF) in parallel, but this also only has less desirable characteristics, so I plan to remove it.
At the feeding point, I twisted two 1mmφ wires and winded into a "ring core
FT114-43" with a "sort balun" wound five times. But I'm not sure if it's good or bad. I'll check after.
When I checked the "SWR" of the "loop antenna-like", the "SWR" was low at 14MHz and 28MHz, but not good at 7MHz and 21MHz. (
Fig.4 [click] )
I don't know why these are so, but I'm looking forward to working on it, hoping that this "
NanoVNA" may find an improvement direction. (lol)