How good is the SV4401A or SV6301A handheld VNA?

[szoftveres]

I'm on the market for a cheap VNA with adjustable output power level down to at least -30dBm and interested in any bad experience with either of these VNAs - there's a groups.io thread about some battery related start-up issues and PC connection related problems, wondering if there are any more gotchas.

(RF/Microwave topic might be more successful in terms of getting responses for this question, but heck, let's stick to the rules)

[KeBeNe]

Hi,

I have an SV4401A, it has no problems with the battery, the software connection also works, but I rarely use the software.
I am delighted with the device, up to 3Ghz very good, above that with less dynamic range.

So here the device runs very stable, for the price (at that time) about 330€ with shipping fully in order.

[TylerPeppy]

Rebooting this thread quickly, hopefully people have some opinions on this device.

Compared to the NanoVNA with a super small screen; how have people found this device to perform in general? On paper, this isn't terribly expensive, and actually looks like a nice device to use. Thoughts?

Thanks,
Tyler

[Rubo]

Don't have SV6301A, so no first hand experience there, but judging by the SV4401A that I do have, It's a great "toy" for the money.

Like KeBeNe said, up to around 3GHz it's decent. above that it slowly looses dynamic range.

It is much more comfortable to use compared to it's smaller screen siblings. The battery charging issues have been resolved on the recent version.
I opened up mine (my second one, first one was dropped from a 3rd story roof  ) and the modification required for the booting issue already is there.

It is quite slow using 1001 points and a narrow IFBW, but if you know it's limitations, it's very usable.

Don't really use it's PC software, so can't comment on that one.

Compared to a desktop units from Siglent, Rigol, etc. it's not in the same league, but neither is it's price.

And for the money ($351.19 with tax in California, US), if you damage it (for whatever reason), you can just buy another one.

[TylerPeppy]

Don't have SV6301A, so no first hand experience there, but judging by the SV4401A that I do have, It's a great "toy" for the money.

Like KeBeNe said, up to around 3GHz it's decent. above that it slowly looses dynamic range.

It is much more comfortable to use compared to it's smaller screen siblings. The battery charging issues have been resolved on the recent version.
I opened up mine (my second one, first one was dropped from a 3rd story roof  ) and the modification required for the booting issue already is there.

It is quite slow using 1001 points and a narrow IFBW, but if you know it's limitations, it's very usable.

Don't really use it's PC software, so can't comment on that one.

Compared to a desktop units from Siglent, Rigol, etc. it's not in the same league, but neither is it's price.

And for the money ($351.19 with tax in California, US), if you damage it (for whatever reason), you can just buy another one.

I am curious though; how did your VNA fall from a 3rd story roof??

Oddities aside, it seems like a decent piece of kit. I did inquire within Copper Mountain to their "Value series", and had a chat with a salesman. In Canada, the 4.5GHz VNA would be around CAD$ 13,450. Siglent's VNAs are around CAD$8000 from my local distributor.

I think Digikey sells the SV6301A for $1200, and the SV4401A can be found for around CAD$ 500 from eBay and Aliexpress.

I realistically wouldn't push it above 4GHz, but looks like the 6301A has better dynamic range than the 4401?

I think the most similar professional VNA I could obtain used is around CAD$ 3000 for Anritsu's offerings on eBay.

Tyler

[tautech]

Don't have SV6301A, so no first hand experience there, but judging by the SV4401A that I do have, It's a great "toy" for the money.

Like KeBeNe said, up to around 3GHz it's decent. above that it slowly looses dynamic range.

It is much more comfortable to use compared to it's smaller screen siblings. The battery charging issues have been resolved on the recent version.
I opened up mine (my second one, first one was dropped from a 3rd story roof  ) and the modification required for the booting issue already is there.

It is quite slow using 1001 points and a narrow IFBW, but if you know it's limitations, it's very usable.

Don't really use it's PC software, so can't comment on that one.

Compared to a desktop units from Siglent, Rigol, etc. it's not in the same league, but neither is it's price.

And for the money ($351.19 with tax in California, US), if you damage it (for whatever reason), you can just buy another one.

I am curious though; how did your VNA fall from a 3rd story roof??

Oddities aside, it seems like a decent piece of kit. I did inquire within Copper Mountain to their "Value series", and had a chat with a salesman. In Canada, the 4.5GHz VNA would be around CAD$ 13,450. Siglent's VNAs are around CAD$8000 from my local distributor.

I think Digikey sells the SV6301A for $1200, and the SV4401A can be found for around CAD$ 500 from eBay and Aliexpress.

I realistically wouldn't push it above 4GHz, but looks like the 6301A has better dynamic range than the 4401?

I think the most similar professional VNA I could obtain used is around CAD$ 3000 for Anritsu's offerings on eBay.

Tyler

SNA5k models yes but there are lower cost models like the SVA1000X series although these don't have 2 active ports for S11, S12, S21 and S22 measurements.

Still just S11 and S21 can be very useful and if S12 and S22 are required the DUT connection can be flipped.

[Rubo]

I am curious though; how did your VNA fall from a 3rd story roof??

I was checking a ham radio antenna setup (cables, antennas, etc) for a friend and slipped, so it was either me or the SV4401A

SV6301A is a little more than I want to spend on a "toy" (it's around $900 US), but if you will used it on a desk, it makes sense.

Check if amazon has it in CA. I got mine last week from there (but I'm in US).

Don't think I've seen a hand-held VNA for under $5K-$6K US on ebay. If you don't want hand-held, that oppens up more options, but they are still way more than SV4401A is.

[Rubo]

SNA5k models yes but there are lower cost models like the SVA1000X series although these don't have 2 active ports for S11, S12, S21 and S22 measurements.

SVA1015X is $1944 on Siglent US website. That's more than 5 times the money I paid for SV4401A and it only goes to 1.5GHz. And I'm pretty sure the hardware in it is different from the next model up in the series, so you can't "open it".

I would love got get one of the SHA series from Siglent, but the price on those is between $6K & $9K US. Can't justify it right now.

[TylerPeppy]

Don't have SV6301A, so no first hand experience there, but judging by the SV4401A that I do have, It's a great "toy" for the money.

Like KeBeNe said, up to around 3GHz it's decent. above that it slowly looses dynamic range.

It is much more comfortable to use compared to it's smaller screen siblings. The battery charging issues have been resolved on the recent version.
I opened up mine (my second one, first one was dropped from a 3rd story roof  ) and the modification required for the booting issue already is there.

It is quite slow using 1001 points and a narrow IFBW, but if you know it's limitations, it's very usable.

Don't really use it's PC software, so can't comment on that one.

Compared to a desktop units from Siglent, Rigol, etc. it's not in the same league, but neither is it's price.

And for the money ($351.19 with tax in California, US), if you damage it (for whatever reason), you can just buy another one.

I am curious though; how did your VNA fall from a 3rd story roof??

Oddities aside, it seems like a decent piece of kit. I did inquire within Copper Mountain to their "Value series", and had a chat with a salesman. In Canada, the 4.5GHz VNA would be around CAD$ 13,450. Siglent's VNAs are around CAD$8000 from my local distributor.

I think Digikey sells the SV6301A for $1200, and the SV4401A can be found for around CAD$ 500 from eBay and Aliexpress.

I realistically wouldn't push it above 4GHz, but looks like the 6301A has better dynamic range than the 4401?

I think the most similar professional VNA I could obtain used is around CAD$ 3000 for Anritsu's offerings on eBay.

Tyler

SNA5k models yes but there are lower cost models like the SVA1000X series although these don't have 2 active ports for S11, S12, S21 and S22 measurements.

Still just S11 and S21 can be very useful and if S12 and S22 are required the DUT connection can be flipped.

SVA1015X and SVA1032X are around CAD$ 3000 new from my distributor. SNA5003X-E is CAD$ 7803.00. The single 2 port capable of S11 and S21 is all I currently need.

I am curious though; how did your VNA fall from a 3rd story roof??

I was checking a ham radio antenna setup (cables, antennas, etc) for a friend and slipped, so it was either me or the SV4401A

SV6301A is a little more than I want to spend on a "toy" (it's around $900 US), but if you will used it on a desk, it makes sense.

Check if amazon has it in CA. I got mine last week from there (but I'm in US).

Don't think I've seen a hand-held VNA for under $5K-$6K US on ebay. If you don't want hand-held, that oppens up more options, but they are still way more than SV4401A is.

Doesn't need to be handheld. Most of the ones I saw around eBay were desktop crt-era ones from the 90s. As to the 6301A, it is about USD$ 750 in Canada, so not as expensive as you were mentioning.

I saw there was SV4401A for sale on Amazon, but it was the last in stock, and disappeared from stock when I checked yesterday. Maybe it was the same one you bought?

Tyler

[TylerPeppy]

SNA5k models yes but there are lower cost models like the SVA1000X series although these don't have 2 active ports for S11, S12, S21 and S22 measurements.

SVA1015X is $1944 on Siglent US website. That's more than 5 times the money I paid for SV4401A and it only goes to 1.5GHz. And I'm pretty sure the hardware in it is different from the next model up in the series, so you can't "open it".

I would love got get one of the SHA series from Siglent, but the price on those is between $6K & $9K US. Can't justify it right now.

SVA is nice hardware, and certainly closer to hobbyist pricing, but still eye watering. But it's the cheap, fast, and good conundrum. You can really only have 2 there, and Siglent chose good and fast; not quite cheap.

Tyler

[Rubo]

Doesn't need to be handheld. Most of the ones I saw around eBay were desktop crt-era ones from the 90s. As to the 6301A, it is about USD$ 750 in Canada, so not as expensive as you were mentioning.

If you don't need a handheld, that make thing a little easier. What exactly do you want (specs, etc) I'll see if I can find anything (have had pretty good luck on ebay  ).

SV6301A in US is around $800 + tax (which in California is almost 10% where I live), that makes it almost $900

I saw there was SV4401A for sale on Amazon, but it was the last in stock, and disappeared from stock when I checked yesterday. Maybe it was the same one you bought?

I bought mine last week, so it wasn't me 

[KungFuJosh]

I have the SV4401A and the NanoVNA SAA-2N. For the price, they're okay (very good for toys). I do not like anything with a smaller screen than the SV4401A.

The desktop software for the SV4401A (last I checked) required a special version of the app, and newer firmware on the SV4401A for it to work. But once setup, it worked fine. It was easier for me to use than the device directly.

The UI/UX is clunky either way. The Siglent SNA UI/UX is (as expected) light years better than the nanoVNA toys in this regard, though it still has plenty of room for improvement. It is far more intuitive either way.

I don't feel any rush to get rid of either of my nanoVNAs, but if somebody offered something fun in trade, I'd probably go for it.

If you don't need portability, the libreVNA + libreCal might be worth looking at, but some people aren't a fan. I would guess/hope it's better than these.

That said, on a budget, your best bet is to be patient and watch the used market. Figure out exactly what you need for specs, choose a few models that meet that, and keep your eyes + search alerts open.

Thanks,
Josh

[TylerPeppy]

Doesn't need to be handheld. Most of the ones I saw around eBay were desktop crt-era ones from the 90s. As to the 6301A, it is about USD$ 750 in Canada, so not as expensive as you were mentioning.

If you don't need a handheld, that make thing a little easier. What exactly do you want (specs, etc) I'll see if I can find anything (have had pretty good luck on ebay  ).

SV6301A in US is around $800 + tax (which in California is almost 10% where I live), that makes it almost $900

I saw there was SV4401A for sale on Amazon, but it was the last in stock, and disappeared from stock when I checked yesterday. Maybe it was the same one you bought?

I bought mine last week, so it wasn't me 

Top end, maybe 3.5GHz. That really about it. Two port measurements for S11 and S21 will suffice, no need for S12 or S22. I was trying to keep it under CAD$ 1.5k, because this is getting expensive now.

I have the SV4401A and the NanoVNA SAA-2N. For the price, they're okay (very good for toys). I do not like anything with a smaller screen than the SV4401A.

The desktop software for the SV4401A (last I checked) required a special version of the app, and newer firmware on the SV4401A for it to work. But once setup, it worked fine. It was easier for me to use than the device directly.

The UI/UX is clunky either way. The Siglent SNA UI/UX is (as expected) light years better than the nanoVNA toys in this regard, though it still has plenty of room for improvement. It is far more intuitive either way.

I don't feel any rush to get rid of either of my nanoVNAs, but if somebody offered something fun in trade, I'd probably go for it.

If you don't need portability, the libreVNA + libreCal might be worth looking at, but some people aren't a fan. I would guess/hope it's better than these.

That said, on a budget, your best bet is to be patient and watch the used market. Figure out exactly what you need for specs, choose a few models that meet that, and keep your eyes + search alerts open.

Thanks,
Josh

Of course the Siglent UI is better. I would expect that from a product nearly 3x the price. Problem with the used market, is that it seems to keep biting me in the rear (as you know by now...). I have terrible luck with used equipment these days it would seem.

I am of course, usually open to different options, and try to be non-discriminatory of possibilities. That said, I haven't seen much about the LibreVNA. I currently have a NanoVNA, but it was the cheapest one available, and the screen size gets on my nerves. Plus, only going to 1.5GHz was not super useful for me.

Tyler

[KungFuJosh]

Of course the Siglent UI is better. I would expect that from a product nearly 3x the price. Problem with the used market, is that it seems to keep biting me in the rear (as you know by now...). I have terrible luck with used equipment these days it would seem.

I am of course, usually open to different options, and try to be non-discriminatory of possibilities. That said, I haven't seen much about the LibreVNA. I currently have a NanoVNA, but it was the cheapest one available, and the screen size gets on my nerves. Plus, only going to 1.5GHz was not super useful for me.

3x the price isn't even close.

I don't know anything about the quality, but the LibreVNA goes to 6GHz and requires a PC to operate. I like the LibreCAL though. @hendorog is setting up a LibreCAL for me to use with my SNA5012A.

If you have any local colleges with electronics labs, you could reach out and ask what they do when it's time to get new lab equipment. You might be able to help them get that old "junk" out of the way.

[Rubo]

If you have any local colleges with electronics labs, you could reach out and ask what they do when it's time to get new lab equipment. You might be able to help them get that old "junk" out of the way.

I second what Josh said. If you can find an 'in" with one of those, you may get lucky.

I'll wee what I can find on the 'bay and if there's anything interesting, will post a link here.

[tautech]

.............
Top end, maybe 3.5GHz. That really about it. Two port measurements for S11 and S21 will suffice, no need for S12 or S22. I was trying to keep it under CAD$ 1.5k, because this is getting expensive now.
.................

USD $1,733 will get you to where you wanna be with some additional reading and some tweaks..... 

[Rubo]

.............
Top end, maybe 3.5GHz. That really about it. Two port measurements for S11 and S21 will suffice, no need for S12 or S22. I was trying to keep it under CAD$ 1.5k, because this is getting expensive now.
.................

USD $1,733 will get you to where you wanna be with some additional reading and some tweaks..... 

As of today, nothing on ebay for around that price with that frequency range.

If Rob can get you one for the above price, I would take him up on it.

[KungFuJosh]

.............
Top end, maybe 3.5GHz. That really about it. Two port measurements for S11 and S21 will suffice, no need for S12 or S22. I was trying to keep it under CAD$ 1.5k, because this is getting expensive now.
.................

USD $1,733 will get you to where you wanna be with some additional reading and some tweaks..... 

That's CAD $2,465 according to google. The SSA3021X Plus conversion is a good option for him, especially if he finds it used...and still under warranty.

[KungFuJosh]

USD $1,733 will get you to where you wanna be with some additional reading and some tweaks..... 

As of today, nothing on ebay for around that price with that frequency range.

If Rob can get you one for the above price, I would take him up on it.

That's the normal price for the SSA3021X Plus.

[TylerPeppy]

Of course the Siglent UI is better. I would expect that from a product nearly 3x the price. Problem with the used market, is that it seems to keep biting me in the rear (as you know by now...). I have terrible luck with used equipment these days it would seem.

I am of course, usually open to different options, and try to be non-discriminatory of possibilities. That said, I haven't seen much about the LibreVNA. I currently have a NanoVNA, but it was the cheapest one available, and the screen size gets on my nerves. Plus, only going to 1.5GHz was not super useful for me.

3x the price isn't even close.

I don't know anything about the quality, but the LibreVNA goes to 6GHz and requires a PC to operate. I like the LibreCAL though. @hendorog is setting up a LibreCAL for me to use with my SNA5012A.

If you have any local colleges with electronics labs, you could reach out and ask what they do when it's time to get new lab equipment. You might be able to help them get that old "junk" out of the way.

If you have any local colleges with electronics labs, you could reach out and ask what they do when it's time to get new lab equipment. You might be able to help them get that old "junk" out of the way.

I second what Josh said. If you can find an 'in" with one of those, you may get lucky.

I'll wee what I can find on the 'bay and if there's anything interesting, will post a link here.

I actually work close to EDI Ottawa, and they do exactly this. Unfortunately, they jack their prices sky high, or most of is broken. I inquired with my University a while back, but we don't have the budget to upgrade our microwave lab, so we are still using equipment from the 90s.

I will have to see about the ssa3021x plus, it seems like it might work. Too bad my work isn't getting rid of our Anritsu 37277C 

Tyler

[TylerPeppy]

I just noticed for the mod, you have to solder an SMA jumper on the board. That completely defeats the purpose of buying a new unit in warranty

I think I will have to stick to my expensive "toys" (well, not completely in agreement with that term) for now.  I can get an SSA3021X plus for CAD$ 2470, which is about 3 grand after taxes. Plus, I just recently bought my Anritsu SA, so it defeats the purpose of the 3021X in my eyes, before the VNA mod should it go sideways.

On a side note, maybe time to trade up or trade in my SDM4065A for something more useful

Tyler

[TylerPeppy]

.............
Top end, maybe 3.5GHz. That really about it. Two port measurements for S11 and S21 will suffice, no need for S12 or S22. I was trying to keep it under CAD$ 1.5k, because this is getting expensive now.
.................

USD $1,733 will get you to where you wanna be with some additional reading and some tweaks..... 

As of today, nothing on ebay for around that price with that frequency range.

If Rob can get you one for the above price, I would take him up on it.

Thanks for looking, always good to have a 2nd pair of eyes!

Tyler

[knudch]

Depends on your needs

LibreVNA is much faster and flexible combined with the PC GUI

AND it is full 2 port VNA which non of those mentioned is except SNA500x from siglent.

First I bought a NanoVNA V2....lot value for the money but user interface is very simplistic

Then LibreVNA came into house....significant step upwards..still impress me.

Recently I went for a SNA5003X-E.....major step forward in dynamic range/noise-floor AND stability....but also a STEP upwards in price

Think carefull about full 2 port...it makes a difference measering 2 port devices , filters/atten etc.

Knud

[KungFuJosh]

2 ports is also better for testing cable quality.

If you find a used SSA3021X Plus, it might already have the parts installed depending on how old it is, and you might find one that was already upgraded.

[TylerPeppy]

Depends on your needs

LibreVNA is much faster and flexible combined with the PC GUI

AND it is full 2 port VNA which non of those mentioned is except SNA500x from siglent.

First I bought a NanoVNA V2....lot value for the money but user interface is very simplistic

Then LibreVNA came into house....significant step upwards..still impress me.

Recently I went for a SNA5003X-E.....major step forward in dynamic range/noise-floor AND stability....but also a STEP upwards in price

Think carefull about full 2 port...it makes a difference measering 2 port devices , filters/atten etc.

Knud

Absolutely, a 2 port was never not the question. The LibreVNA seems to fit my budget a bit better.

I scoured eBay, and I can only find new SSA3021X Plus units. Unfortnately, those ship from the US and I am more keen on shipping from Canada.

I would wait around for FB marketplace or Kijiji ads, but I can only have so much patience. I wil keep my eye out, but will likely end up with an SV6301A or LibreVNA. I already have an Anritsu cal kit so that is not a problem.

Tyler