Electronics > RF, Microwave, Ham Radio
The new tinySA "Ultra+"
mehdi:
I got this yesterday. Apparently it's the successor to "Ultra"
Comes in 2 variants: ZS406 and ZS407. The former goes up to 5.3GHZ (as the Ultra) and the latter goes to 7.3GHZ.
Here's the official comparison page: https://tinysa.org/wiki/pmwiki.php?n=TinySA4.Comparison
The 4 main differences are:
1. Bigger battery (5000mAh)
2. Normal mode up to 900 vs 800MHZ
3. On the ZS407 version: Ultra mode up to 7.3 vs 5.3GHZ
4. Better phase noise
I haven't had time to test it properly (especially on the phase noise improvements)
Physically, the device is identical to "Ultra" (30g heavier, due to the bigger battery) and uses the same firmware as Ultra.
Price for the 5.3GHZ version (ZS406) is the same as Ultra.
HW version is "V0.5.4" while my Ultra is "V0.4.5.1"
Let me know if you need specific comparisons between the two (I have the regular Ultra and also the Ultra+ ZS407)
mehdi:
Early teardown pictures: I can only see minor changes on the PCB without opening the RF shields (there are some components removed/added)
Obviously the battery is the biggest visible change.
Pictured: tinySA Ultra, and tinySA Ultra+ ZS407
mehdi:
Still testing and comparing the Ultra+ to Ultra.
One difference I missed, is the display: the LCD on Ultra+ is new (new connector, new part number, and even different colors! Colors are warmer on Ultra+. Also, a dot matrix is visible. Not sure what it is: touchscreen grid?)
W4PJB:
I love mine. It's obviously somewhat limited compared to a bench instrument, but it's certainly easier to carry than an 8566 :D I also like the idea of having a $139 S/A to plug "questionable" loads into, before I plug it into something MUCH more expensive and difficult to repair.
One thing I do wish for is the menu to be full-screen (like the frequency entry keypad), and not a tiny little bar on the side. It would be SO much easier to operate if the menu items were closer to thumb-sized, not to mention easier to read. I don't like using the included guitar pick or scrolling up/down the menu with the 3 way switch on the top. But those are minor gripes. Considering what it can do, it's an amazing instrument.
mehdi:
Same here. It even has the potential to sell upgraded versions and features (e.g. I'd buy one with a bigger display)
At this price point (and even higher), there's no competition.
In my lab, I always use either a SignalHound or a benchtop SA, but when travelling, I usually take the tinySA.
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