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Reviews For: RigExpert AA-55 Zoom

Category: Antenna Analyzers

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Review Summary For : RigExpert AA-55 Zoom
Reviews: 25MSRP: 350.
Description:
Graphic antenna and cable analyzer. The analyzer is
designed for measuring SWR (standing wave ratio), return
loss, cable loss, as well as other parameters of cable
and antenna systems in the range of 60 kHz to 55 MHz.
Color display and USB interface to AntScope software.
Product is in production
More Info: https://rigexpert.com/products/antenna-analyzers/aa-55-zoom/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00254.6
G4HUE Rating: 2019-06-20
Very good indeed Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Awesome PC software with wonderfully clear information of SWR (Smith chart is not actually useful to me as I use off centre fed dipole). In addition the handheld display is surprisingly useful - all the ham bands are displayed most clearly and in a practical in the field usage then its a real gem. It would be difficult to better it. I also have an FA-VA5, a great instrument but to be honest pretty useless without a PC. OK so its not cheap but for HF work I struggle to see what improvements could be made.
QRPNEW Rating: 2019-03-06
Great Product Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I am very happy with the unit. My only gripes is as follows.

1. You cant find the updated firmware file on the web page. You have to use the Automatic update service utility. Why cant they place the firmware and its version number on the web page for update?
2. You have no idea that there is a update available since no information is posted about updates or what the changes are. This is really terrible.
3. One touted benefit of this model is that its immune to overload from broadcast stations on 160 meters. I find that its hit and miss. Sometimes I connect the unit to say a 160 meter vertical and the unit gets rapidly changing bizarre readings. Especially in the late afternoon. During the the middle of the day when the QTY of signals are at the minimum it can work but sometimes you do see the odd flicker of a weird reading like its overloading. A LOW frequency immune model would be a great model to the range. And especially one that is accurate for phased arrays and low impedance's.
4. Battery life is not all that great especially when you building a new complex antenna and trying to optimize a matching network etc. They should double the battery compartment to hold parallel batteries for long sessions. A lithium iron battery pack would even be better than the AA batteries.

Overall very happy with the unit as a general purpose analyzer.
K8TS Rating: 2019-02-08
Sharp Little Unit Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
As one other put it, been licensed over 45 years and closest to an analyzer I ever had was a SWR meter. I had no clue all the things this unit would do for me, and I have not even had it outside. It told me in just a few minutes (very few) how bad my antennas had become. I can't wait to get out side and make the adjustments. I even "tuned" my tuner to find the "sweet spots" I could never find manually. I have also found great joy in being able to measure multi-band antennas in one simple display showing all the frequencies and the resonate spot on each band, which will allow me to make the tweaks to make them more effective. I got my 160 vertical down to 1.05:1 on 1825, something I was never able to do manually. Worth every penny, and a sure keeper! One of the best investments I have ever made. de K8TS
K0UA Rating: 2019-01-10
I didn't know what I was missing Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have been a ham for almost 50 years, and I have learned more in the last couple weeks of owning the AA-55-Zoom about my antennas than all that previous time. It is also useful for checking Ferrites, coax quality and many other things. It is so easy to use, you don't really need the manual. Plus it has built in help if you get lost. Truly a wonderful tool and worth every penny.
K5GS Rating: 2018-11-22
A Must Have Tool Time Owned: more than 12 months.
We had 2 AA-55 Zoom antenna analyzers on VP6D Ducie Island DX-pedition. The CW and SSB campsites were just over a kilometer apart, separated by dense jungle, each camp had a AA-55 Zoom.

One team member brought along his MFJ-259B which failed when he tried to use it to troubleshoot a problem. Within a few minutes the AA-55 told him what the problem was, a quick repair was made.

We also used a Rig Expert analyzer on TX3X Chesterfield Reef DX-pedition where we encountered serious problems with our 40 meter antennas. The analyzer enabled us to completely disassemble the antennas and adjust them for a crushed coral uneven base vs. flat solid ground.

An indispensable piece of test equipment for anyone who builds, tunes or repairs antennas. Will save you countless hours of guesswork and tinkering.
W1ADE Rating: 2018-10-22
Great gear! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
--for a great online video review look up W2AEW's video at the usual place. He does a great review. SWR to air works great, might not have tried without being familiarized by Alan's video.

The true magnificence of this box can only be fully understood by those who toiled with any MFJ-type.

Battery door-no tools, wait--how many?! Lovely.

Works absolutely wonderfully for the multi-banders I'm building and tuning now (half-wave, fed on end) as well as my mobile installations, or anything you'll want to run RF through!

Simple manual, nearly unnecessary. But there again-10x better than any MFJ "manual" I've ever seen.

I'm not a hater, not a make/model/style critic. I've had good service from most MFJ gear I've owned through the years, because what works works--but RigExpert smashed the competition with this one - in my book.

Hey mine had a Memory Function Glitch. It'd lock up the system any time the 4th memory was pre-selected (could not scroll to or past). Required
battery removal to shut down and reset. Then I found "erase all memories" function in the menus. Cleared the mems, no more problems. No big whoop.

WA8EBM Rating: 2018-09-23
One Problem Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Does everything you could want up to 6 meters except work in direct sunlight. I have tried all the settings and it is virtually unusable in the sun.
On sunny days I have gone back to my AA-200, which I finally repaired with a new preamp chip.
KA2OFM Rating: 2018-06-25
Super Antenna Analyzer Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Purchased a AA-55 Zoom at Dayton. This Analyzer was more than I expected. Its a MUST HAVE TOOL for every ham
N4MIT Rating: 2018-05-05
I love mine Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Every ham should have one of these analyzers in their tool bag. I replaced my MFJ259B with the Rig Expert AA-55 Zoom and I have no regrets at all.
W2AEW Rating: 2018-03-30
Excellent Antenna & Cable analyzer Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Very easy to use, with a variety of helpful functions for both basic antenna analysis/tuning, to complex impedance measurements and cable measurements for the experimenter. My comments are fully contained in this video that I produced:

https://youtu.be/Q2HDuv84mkw