Author Topic: Best VNA for around or under $2000?  (Read 10087 times)

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Offline BattleTopic starter

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Best VNA for around or under $2000?
« on: October 12, 2024, 04:10:37 am »
I've been hunting a good VNA for duplexer tuning & other things. Six cavity 7" vhf duplexers that can go down past 100db a good ways. I currently just have a Lite VNA 64. I figured something under 2k might get me what I need, hopefully.

  I've seen a few other nano vna type that are more expensive with more range. But i don't know if I trust spending more on the same type of device as being wise. I've seen some other devices that sound promising. Though a couple of them only go to 100db for range. Products made by Measall & a few others look a bit more promising than the lite vna styles.

 I'd like some suggestions so that's why I'm making this post. I appreciate the input for making a decision on some.
« Last Edit: October 12, 2024, 04:36:55 am by Battle »
 

Offline Bryn

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Re: Best VNA for around or under $2000?
« Reply #1 on: October 12, 2024, 05:35:26 am »
The NanoVNA V2 Plus 4 is a popular choice, costing just $299.
 

Online nctnico

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Re: Best VNA for around or under $2000?
« Reply #2 on: October 12, 2024, 03:02:56 pm »
What kind of frequency range?
100dB of dynamic range is going to be really tough with a low cost VNA. There is also a device called 'Libre VNA' which claims 95dB of dynamic range up to 3GHz.

On the used market you can also find base station analysers within your budget. For example the ones from JDSU / Viavi. I have a JDSU JD745A which can also use the spectrum analyser input to do scalar analysis instead of vector analysis giving much more dynamic range.
« Last Edit: October 13, 2024, 03:08:26 pm by nctnico »
There are small lies, big lies and then there is what is on the screen of your oscilloscope.
 
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Offline BattleTopic starter

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Re: Best VNA for around or under $2000?
« Reply #3 on: October 12, 2024, 03:12:43 pm »
Im interest in something from low band vhf up to 1.2ghz. Currently the VHF 6 cavity cans I have will likely tune down around or past 110db. I noticed some siglent devices online that might do it. But I dont know anyone with those to ask them questions. 
 

Online Grandchuck

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Re: Best VNA for around or under $2000?
« Reply #4 on: October 12, 2024, 04:03:29 pm »
You could search this forum for Siglent SNA and VNA.  Then, perhaps you could identify some owners/users to contact.

Also: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/rf-microwave/
« Last Edit: October 12, 2024, 04:07:25 pm by Grandchuck »
 

Offline joeqsmith

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Re: Best VNA for around or under $2000?
« Reply #5 on: October 12, 2024, 05:30:31 pm »
Im interest in something from low band vhf up to 1.2ghz. Currently the VHF 6 cavity cans I have will likely tune down around or past 110db. I noticed some siglent devices online that might do it. But I dont know anyone with those to ask them questions.

I would start looking for a used 8753.  You can get an ES for around that price.   Don't forget the cost of cables, adapters, standards.....

Online tautech

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Re: Best VNA for around or under $2000?
« Reply #6 on: October 12, 2024, 08:12:03 pm »
Im interest in something from low band vhf up to 1.2ghz. Currently the VHF 6 cavity cans I have will likely tune down around or past 110db. I noticed some siglent devices online that might do it. But I dont know anyone with those to ask them questions.
The SVA1000X range is spec'ed with a dynamic range of 90 dB.
SVA1015X will cover your frequencies.

https://int.siglent.com/u_file/download/24_05_17/SVA1000X_DataSheet_DS0701X_E05F.pdf
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Online nctnico

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Re: Best VNA for around or under $2000?
« Reply #7 on: October 12, 2024, 08:54:57 pm »
Im interest in something from low band vhf up to 1.2ghz. Currently the VHF 6 cavity cans I have will likely tune down around or past 110db. I noticed some siglent devices online that might do it. But I dont know anyone with those to ask them questions.
The SVA1000X range is spec'ed with a dynamic range of 90 dB.
Not over the entire frequency range! Read the specs carefully; it is good custom to skip any specification on the first page as this is typically bogus.
There are small lies, big lies and then there is what is on the screen of your oscilloscope.
 
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Offline Wallace Gasiewicz

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Re: Best VNA for around or under $2000?
« Reply #8 on: October 13, 2024, 02:37:56 pm »
I think many folks use a HP Service Monitor for tuning duplexers.     
The HP 8920-8935 group on groups .io is a good source of info.
Edit:  Here is a link to some info on HP Service monitors, including tuning duplexers     

https://www.amtronix.com/aism.htm
« Last Edit: October 13, 2024, 02:50:02 pm by Wallace Gasiewicz »
 

Offline Marcel G

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Re: Best VNA for around or under $2000?
« Reply #9 on: October 13, 2024, 02:59:59 pm »
Buy a real one, all those amateur solutions are just not enough.

Slowwwww, Trace noise and a small dynamic range.

Tried a converted Siglent, a waste of money.

Take a look at an (used) Agilent E5062A (for example) and the world opens up for you, not particularly good but 100x more usable than the above solutions.
« Last Edit: October 13, 2024, 03:02:52 pm by Marcel G »
 
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Offline Bud

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Re: Best VNA for around or under $2000?
« Reply #10 on: October 13, 2024, 03:03:18 pm »
Do you really need phase information? If not then a spectrum analyzer with a tracking generator may be a better choice.
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Offline Marcel G

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Re: Best VNA for around or under $2000?
« Reply #11 on: October 13, 2024, 03:26:32 pm »
Bud nice idea, but dynamic range is too smal is completely not usable with duplexers.

SA + TG max -60/70db is to low.
« Last Edit: October 13, 2024, 03:29:27 pm by Marcel G »
 

Offline Bud

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Re: Best VNA for around or under $2000?
« Reply #12 on: October 13, 2024, 03:40:24 pm »
No man, forget the Chinese toys, look for a used HP gear.
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Offline knudch

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Re: Best VNA for around or under $2000?
« Reply #13 on: October 14, 2024, 05:00:52 am »
I have a LibreVNA and a NanoVNA-F V2

I am quite sure that the NanoVNA can not do the job.

LibreVNA will come close or match your req.

If you give some specific measuring ranges (frequency ranges, allowed average,speed needed) I can make a check

Knud
 

Online pdenisowski

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Re: Best VNA for around or under $2000?
« Reply #14 on: October 14, 2024, 08:28:41 am »
100dB of dynamic range is going to be really tough with a low cost VNA.

This. 

Question: if this is a limited-time need, have you considered renting a (professional) VNA?  Plenty of reputable rental companies out there.
Test and Measurement Fundamentals video series on the Rohde & Schwarz YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKxVoO5jUTlvsVtDcqrVn0ybqBVlLj2z8
 
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Offline BattleTopic starter

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Re: Best VNA for around or under $2000?
« Reply #15 on: October 14, 2024, 09:31:35 pm »
I'm mainly interested in something that can cover HF thru 70cm. This particular instance is for a 2 meter repeater. I have a set of Sinclair 6 cavity Q201GC cans. I've made a new harness for it. The notches should go down to about 120db. So that seems to be the problem with many of these handheld VNAs.

I live out in the country. I enjoy learning how to do things myself. But I'm a hands on way of learning type of person. So having this little lite vna to get me started has been great. But I've hit it's limit of dynamic range for deep notches. I was hoping to find something better for a little more $ up to 2K. But it's been hard to find something that isn't a dinosaur with a floppy drive on it.

I believe they sell these things to people who make money with the units. So they can justify the crazy expenses of them. But for someone like me who does this as a hobby. Then also likes to help others around me out if I can for free. It's hard to justify such cost on something I don't use every day.

I see the rentals as an option. But I'd like something to have on hand for this duplexer tuning & anythings else I decide I'd use it for ham radio wise. Plus having something of your own you get to know using it better.
 

Online nctnico

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Re: Best VNA for around or under $2000?
« Reply #16 on: October 14, 2024, 10:09:11 pm »
If you have an RF generator and a power meter (AKA RF voltmeter), you can sweep manually. If you roughly know where the notches are and want to know their attenuation, then this is a very low cost solution which isn't super time consuming either.
There are small lies, big lies and then there is what is on the screen of your oscilloscope.
 
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Offline Momchilo

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Re: Best VNA for around or under $2000?
« Reply #17 on: October 14, 2024, 11:48:46 pm »
You can get a two port Siglent SVA1032X VNA for the price of a Siglent SSA3021X Plus (1500€ without VAT).
Probably the best for under 2k€. You can buy cheap N and SMA calibration kits at https://www.sdr-kits.net. With some adapters and cables you should be at around 2k€.

 
 

Offline BattleTopic starter

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Re: Best VNA for around or under $2000?
« Reply #18 on: October 14, 2024, 11:57:51 pm »
I was looking at the Siglent SVA1015X it says it's s Spectrum Analyzer with tracking generator & VNA. I mean that sounds pretty sweet. But I can't confirm the dynamic range of it for measuring a duplexer 120db down. I emailed the company asking some questions but they haven't responded yet.

I don't really need anything past 1.5ghz so that's one reason that model seemed more suited to my needs. The others say more frequency range & more money.
 

Offline KungFuJosh

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Re: Best VNA for around or under $2000?
« Reply #19 on: October 15, 2024, 12:10:11 am »
Dynamic ranges (from their datasheets):

SVA1000X 90 dB
SNA6000A 135 dB
SNA5000A 125 dB

More datasheets: https://siglentna.com/resources/documents/

Thanks,
Josh
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Offline BattleTopic starter

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Re: Best VNA for around or under $2000?
« Reply #20 on: October 15, 2024, 12:17:21 am »
Ah..ok thanks..damn it.
 

Offline joeqsmith

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Re: Best VNA for around or under $2000?
« Reply #21 on: October 15, 2024, 01:54:00 am »
If you don't need phase and you want something small and brand new, maybe a Signal Hound spectrum analyzer and tracking generator would fit your needs.  Cost would be close to your budget. 

I don't own these and did not watch the video below but I do own the BB60C and have been very happy with its performance. 

https://signalhound.com/products/usb-sa44b/
https://signalhound.com/products/usb-tg44a/




Offline BattleTopic starter

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Re: Best VNA for around or under $2000?
« Reply #22 on: October 15, 2024, 02:34:05 am »
Anyone have any experience with this handheld unit? NanoRFE VNA6000-B model?
Says it will do 110db of dynamic range.
https://nanorfe.com/vna6000.html
 

Offline BattleTopic starter

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Re: Best VNA for around or under $2000?
« Reply #23 on: October 15, 2024, 02:51:33 am »
There's also the MEASALL KC901K handheld.  Says 100db of dynamic range.

Heck even a Agilent 8753ES has only like 110db of dynamic range if google results are correct. 
 

Offline bergenhut

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Re: Best VNA for around or under $2000?
« Reply #24 on: October 15, 2024, 06:27:23 am »
Hi, you are going to struggle to get much better than 100db dynamic range, especially in a portable device. I have several VNA’s including fieldfox, anritsu, HP, Agilent, Measall KC901 and others. The Measall does just give approximately 100db range, but a lot of the Chinese cheaper units won’t meet their specs. My best unit for the frequency range that you are looking at is the HP 4396a which gives me a min of 130db dynamic range. As others have suggested, a good spec analyser with a tracking generator will give at least 110db, usually 120db or more. The HP 8920 radio test set with its spec an and tracking gen will give 110+ db dynamic range, and you can use a return loss bridge with it for S11 measurements. Beyond the 100db point in VNA’s, things get very difficult in engineering to maintain isolation and keep internal losses down from bridges, impedance matching etc as well as getting detectors sensitive enough for phase measurements. For tuning tight notches, we often just use a spec analyser with tracking, as it has a slightly better dynamic range than using the equivalent VNA.
 
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