Author Topic: NanoVNA Custom Software (Read 461910 times)

joeqsmith · « **on:** July 22, 2019, 11:54:25 am »

joeqsmith · « **Reply #1 on:** July 23, 2019, 05:22:02 pm »

I have started working on the communications and have a simple Smith chart now working.

0xdeadbeef · « **Reply #2 on:** July 23, 2019, 05:37:33 pm »

Hm, there is the official GitHub repository which should allow at least reverse engineering:
https://github.com/ttrftech/NanoVNA

joeqsmith · « **Reply #3 on:** July 23, 2019, 10:12:55 pm »

It's never a good sign when you have to reverse engineer something. Someone had started a list of commands and someone else posted the BAUD. It's easier for me to just sniff it. All seems fairly basic so far.

0xdeadbeef · « **Reply #4 on:** July 23, 2019, 10:51:48 pm »

Isn't sniffing another way of reverse engineering? Anyway, all the communication commands seem to be implemented in main.c (array "commands"). So that might have been worth a look.

joeqsmith · « **Reply #5 on:** July 23, 2019, 11:48:41 pm »

Quote from: 0xdeadbeef on July 23, 2019, 10:51:48 pm

Isn't sniffing another way of reverse engineering? Anyway, all the communication commands seem to be implemented in main.c (array "commands"). So that might have been worth a look.

You bet it is. Did I post something otherwise? Ideally, it would have been documented. Of course, you could say the code "IS" the document.

syau · « **Reply #6 on:** July 23, 2019, 11:55:17 pm »

Another alternative is groups.io

https://groups.io/g/nanovna-users

support by a seller who sell nanovna in aliexpress.

joeqsmith · « **Reply #7 on:** July 24, 2019, 12:13:19 am »

I signed up before it arrived. This is where the few people posted the list of commands and BAUD rate. I've been asking them a few questions as I go. So far things are pretty intuitive. I was a bit concerned when I saw them use the third harmonic for anything above 300MHz but the group claims it's normal. Bug wise, it's the only real problem I have seen so far beyond the cheap rocker switch. I would like to replace it with something better but the touchscreen handles most of it.

joeqsmith · « **Reply #8 on:** July 25, 2019, 02:09:12 am »

Made some progress. There's a 100pF capacitor attached.

joeqsmith · « **Reply #9 on:** July 27, 2019, 10:56:32 pm »

I made an attempt to get the S21 working but ran into a snag sorting out channel 1. I took a step away from it for a few days and will have another look. A couple of paragraphs of detailed documentation would have gone a long way to help this project.

Most of the channel 0 measurements are now sorted out. The plan will be to have the graph change modes so the SWR will eventually be shown on the main graph in place of the Smith chart.

Shown for the most part with a bad SOLT using a 200ohm resistor.

joeqsmith · « **Reply #10 on:** July 28, 2019, 01:29:27 am »

Walking away for a while helped. Both channels are now sorted out. Next step is to add the remaining cursor readouts, finish up the graphs and add the ability to store some references.

Shown looking at a Showa crystal filter.

KC3EKL · « **Reply #11 on:** July 28, 2019, 02:18:27 am »

Are you going available? I am a bit unsatisfied with the VNA Sharp but lack the skills to write anything better myself.
73, KC3EKL Curtis

joeqsmith · « **Reply #12 on:** July 28, 2019, 03:34:09 am »

I havn't thought about it. The reason I started working on it is because the included software wouldn't work. The cursor readouts would be blank or flash. It just wasn't usable.

joeqsmith · « **Reply #13 on:** July 29, 2019, 12:21:19 am »

Short demo showing the current status of my LabView interface for the NanoVNA.

joeqsmith · « **Reply #14 on:** July 30, 2019, 01:27:38 am »

The software is almost good enough. I finally added the return loss readout plus support for a couple of storage references and a few other features. It needs a few more features and I may restructure the communications before wrapping it up. It's getting close.

I plan to make some sort of video on the NanoVNA. Not so much a review but more of a demo showing the basics of how to use it. I don't plan to dive into all the math or make it too detailed at this point. If there is anything you want to see, feel free to ask. I doubt I will get to it until next weekend so there is plenty of time.

hagster · « **Reply #15 on:** July 30, 2019, 09:06:09 pm »

Any video would be interesting. Thinking about getting one of these myself. Does it require a LabVIEW licence to run your custom software¿

joeqsmith · « **Reply #16 on:** July 30, 2019, 09:08:57 pm »

It would be an EXE just like any other program, no license required.

hagster · « **Reply #17 on:** July 30, 2019, 09:15:13 pm »

Great news

joeqsmith · « **Reply #18 on:** August 01, 2019, 12:19:22 am »

Ended up restructuring my software and now have a decent platform to build on. The original design was a single process where it now has three. Breaking up the code makes it a lot more flexible.

With the software now working, I'll start working on the video this weekend as planned. My goal is to make some sort of beginners guide on how to use it to make some practical measurements.

TheSteve · « **Reply #19 on:** August 01, 2019, 03:45:43 am »

I'm kind of tempted to buy one just to see how it compares to my Keysight VNA's. It is much more tempting if there will be good software to use with it.

joeqsmith · « **Reply #20 on:** August 01, 2019, 11:53:43 am »

Quote from: TheSteve on August 01, 2019, 03:45:43 am

I'm kind of tempted to buy one just to see how it compares to my Keysight VNA's. It is much more tempting if there will be good software to use with it.

What don't you like about the included software?

Theboel · « **Reply #21 on:** August 01, 2019, 01:02:58 pm »

Just curious can the graph show one by one.

joeqsmith · « **Reply #22 on:** August 01, 2019, 01:11:43 pm »

Quote from: Theboel on August 01, 2019, 01:02:58 pm

Just curious can the graph show one by one.

What do you mean by showing one by one? Are you asking about my software, or what's included with the VNA?

Theboel · « **Reply #23 on:** August 01, 2019, 02:47:47 pm »

Quote from: joeqsmith on August 01, 2019, 01:11:43 pm

Quote from: Theboel on August 01, 2019, 01:02:58 pm
Just curious can the graph show one by one.

What do you mean by showing one by one? Are you asking about my software, or what's included with the VNA?

yes its about Your software.
can we choose to show one big graph like only the smith chart alone ?

joeqsmith · « **Reply #24 on:** August 01, 2019, 03:42:58 pm »

Quote from: Theboel on August 01, 2019, 02:47:47 pm

Quote from: joeqsmith on August 01, 2019, 01:11:43 pm
Quote from: Theboel on August 01, 2019, 01:02:58 pm
Just curious can the graph show one by one.

What do you mean by showing one by one? Are you asking about my software, or what's included with the VNA?

yes its about Your software.
can we choose to show one big graph like only the smith chart alone ?

I am still not sure what you are asking. If you watched the above video, you can see how it cycles through the different retangular, Smith and polar plots. If you want to know if I support displaying retangular and Smith chart on a single graph, then the answer is I do not. I just don't have a need for it. If you are asking if I can make the Smith chart take up the full screen with nothing else displayed, currently the graphs size and location are fixed. The three plots on the right will be moved to a separate page or I may remove them all together.


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Author Topic: NanoVNA Custom Software (Read 461910 times)

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