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Reviews For: Funkamateur Vector Antenna Analyzer FA-VA5

Category: Antenna Analyzers

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Review Summary For : Funkamateur Vector Antenna Analyzer FA-VA5
Reviews: 10MSRP: 210
Description:
A vector antenna analyzer for single port measurements from 10 kHz to 600 MHz. Developed by DG5MK and published by Funkamateur Magazin 2018. Easy to build "semi-kit" with all SMD parts pre- assembled.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.box73.de/product_info.php?products_id=4019
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00104.6
AF8A Rating: 2020-07-27
Highly Functional, Cost Effective Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I am very pleased with FA-VA5, after having built the semi-kit. The menu system, while it takes some time to learn (less than an hour, if you have good short-term memory).

Most importantly, it makes tuning my portable, shortened vertical quick and easy. I perform a quick SWR check across 5 pre-defined amateur bands (of my choosing), then scan the single band of interest, and then can further zero in on the exact frequency I plan to operate. There is a ‘beep mode’ in which the analyzer beeps slowly for a high SWR, and as you adjust the antenna towards resonance, the beeping speeds up. That saves a lot of steps if you use the analyzer at the end of your feedline in the field.

The construction process is somewhat delicate - you'll need both soldering experience and quality soldering tools, ideally with a few different tip sizes. Oh, and be sure to study the pictures in the assembly manual. The text can be a bit misleading. (They now offer a nearly complete version for a few extra dollars - that may be a better option for some.)

Some reviewers dislike the three-button user interface. I find the sleek and slim design appealing because it is durable. I plan to use it for portable expeditions, so I can put it in a soft sided case (perhaps from an old camera) and not have to worry about a knob, rotary switch or encoder getting bent or broken if it bounces around in my go-box.

Hint: There is a groups.io forum dedicated to the FA-VA5. It has helpful construction hints, operation videos, etc.
KE5DYY Rating: 2020-07-12
Great analyzer! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought the kit and assembly was not too difficult at all. It seems to be remarkably accurate for measuring SWR. The only drawback is that with only three buttons to input and control the device, there is a fairly steep learning curve for how to use it. After using it for about a month, I still have questions with regard to calibration.
KZ1X Rating: 2019-06-30
no, it gets a 5, really Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I am slightly sympathetic to the complaints about the user interface here. If the product creator had included, for example, just a single knob/rotary encoder, the entire apparatus could have been truly exemplary in BOTH the roles of precision field test gear AND handy-simple antenna tester, like the YouKits unit. However, this omission is NO indictment. Instead it's a way to look at solving a problem from a different cultural point of view. Seriously, this is an expression of a Teutonic outlook, and when you embrace that, a LOT of Mercedes-like goodness comes out. For example, there's ZERO chance you can get a display filled with hyper-precise parameters like this device gives you, at 80' up the tower and connected to the multiband Yagi feedpoint ... or at the base feed of a complex impedance MF vertical ... or when looking at a UHF stacked array ... and all in ONE instrument, at this price point? Nope, this box gets a FIVE, solid ... and I didn't even GET to the fact that it's ALSO a high grade VNA for bench use. NOW you know why there is a 3 or 4 month wait to even get one of these things. PS, buy the matching carry case and the precision test load kit too.
KD8CGH Rating: 2019-05-08
Nice analyzer Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
The kit was easy to build and it works well. I got mine in particular to tune 2 m and 70 cm antennas. In addition to handheld mode it has a USB connection to the powerful DG8SAQ VNWA software. They are very popular and I had to put my name on a list and wait for a few months to get one.
QRPNEW Rating: 2019-04-26
Potential Squandered Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
This analyzer has lots of potential and its accurate. What lets it down is is its poor user interface. If you hate complex menus dont buy this analyzer because you will soon throw it against a brick wall!

Its very frustrating to use because it has a very primitive and unfriendly user interface. I have owned and still own just about every antenna Analyzer on the market and this antenna analyzer drives me nuts.

A simple thing like selecting a band or particular parameter is lost in a primitive Assembler like menu interface that you might have found in 1980 equipment its so primitive and user unfriendly. It reminds me of when I was in University writing assembler programs on microcontrollers for simple LED interfaces.

To me a basic interface should work as follows.

1. What Band (or range of frequencies)do you want to use in a single frequency or sweep a range
2. What parameters do you want to measure
4. What and how do you want to display the information
3. Select all of the above in a simple and clear manner.

This analyzer fails in the above. You spend more time fighting the user interface than measuring what you are supposed to do.

The 3 button menu and the disorganised way the menu items are organised is a total fail.

An example of a good user interface using 3 buttons is the SARK110, you can navigate around this analyzer far quicker and in a more logical way. The SARK user interface kills this analyzer. If the SARK had the same high frequency capability I would buy it because its just such a pleisure to use and navigate with.

I also own a VNWA, RIGEXPERT, MINI VNA and many others that all have limitations. But they certainly all have a superior user interfaces.

What I mainly wanted a was a high accurate unit, that was affordable and easy to use. This unit fails in the ease of use category in a miserable way. If you left this in the trunk of your car and came back 6 months later to use it would take you 2 hours to figure it out its such a clunky interface.

I also find the interface buggy and sometimes the unit behaves in an erratic way. The manual is also very poorly written and does not clearly explain how the buttons interact with the various menu options in terms of setting the options.

I will keep the unit as a simple single frequency analyzer and maybe sometime in the future they will improve the firmware and user interface. I will only use it as a VHF/UHF analyzer which is something that I could have just used a MFJ for. Its shame that power of this analyzer could not be used in an effective manner because of its shambolic user interface.

I will wait and see how and if the firmware and user interface improves before writing this analyzer off. Maybe I am a simpleton that cant get and handle such a clunky user interface but thats me!

These days with ARM processors, TFT displays and unlimited memory I really dont understand why people are still designing products like these resources are expensive resources. Somethings like radios and analyzers are better off with more buttons and knobs than menus driven by a primitive joystick like control buttons which belong in the year 1980 for a user interface.

I have bought lots of kits from Funk Amateur and their service and support is excellent.
N5LB Rating: 2019-04-02
Excellent Analyzer Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I received mine about two weeks ago after a three-month wait, well worth the wait. The analyzer arrives mostly assembled with a few parts including one small module SMT and a few terminal strips, and of course the mechanical assembly. The assembly instructions are not "Heathkit" so some experience and patience are needed. At first, when I saw the module it was an "oh no" its surface mounted. It's actually fairly large and installing it was easy. A trick I used was a drop of flux under the module to hold it in place, then no big deal to solder with a small tip 30W iron and 0.020 solder. I enjoyed putting this together.
The unit calibrated easily with the extra SOL set bought at the same time. The LCD screen is easy to read.
This analyzer is capable of so many functions; I will be enjoying the learning as much as the using.
W9OY Rating: 2019-02-05
Great Kit/Analyzer Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This is a popular kit. Had to wait a couple months for the kit to come back in stock but the suppliers were excellent in their communication and delivery once parts were back in stock. Kit quality is superb and the build was straight forward. I used a 1/64" 800 degree tip and a lighted magnifier because the old eyes ain't what they used to be. From un-boxing to power up was 60 min build time. The instructions are clear but read through each entire section before proceeding. My use case is in multi-band antenna design to calibrate a known but random length of cable to test antenna impedance at the feed point including all baluns and chokes in the tuning process. If you want a quality antenna/impedance/sig gen measurement and test instrument that doesn't break the bank buy this thing. There are some youtube reviews/instructionals as well regarding design building and firmware update and SOL cal. Very pleased at the results.
WA4ZRP Rating: 2018-10-12
I'm Happy. Cal kit info. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I like the very wide frequency range the analyzer handles: 10 kHz to 600 MHz. The wide range including low frequencies makes it also useful for analysis of many passive components (such as identifying the characteristics of unknown ferrite or powdered iron cores. I like the nice large Smith chart display when it is used with a PC, having downloaded the PC software interface.

I have been exploring the differences in measurements made following calibration with the standard SOL cal kit (supplied with the unit) versus measurements made following calibration with the "high accuracy" SOL cal kit. The "high accuracy" SOL cal kit is offered separately at additional cost, and is supplied with special model values. I found that the standard SOL cal kit will produce measurements very similar to the high accuracy SOL cal kit across the full frequency range if you enter the following cal model values for the standard SOL kit:
Open delay: -99 ps
Short delay: -284 ps
Load: R = 50 (or use a precisely-measured resistance for yours if you prefer), L = 4.9 nH, C = 0 fF, delay = -151 ps.

The standard SOL cal kit is advertised to be good to only about 100 MHz, but use of these model values appear to produce good calibration all the way to 600 MHz, and can save you from having to buy the high accuracy kit.

Assemble the short and open for the standard SOL cal kit per the photos and instructions on page 37 of the manual. For consistency to keep the short delay number at -284 ps, when building the short, at steps 6 and 7, keep the wire coaxial (centered) in the body of the connector up to the back end where the bend is formed. After soldering, the main length of the wire should be centered.

The manual does not identify the reference plane for the impedance and reflection coefficient measurements. I found the reference plane identified in other literature from the manufacturer. The reference plane is at the front face of the electrical outer conductor of the BNC plug that you will mate to the BNC socket on the unit. The outer conductor of the plug is the split tube that slides inside the body of the BNC socket when mated. Knowing the exact location of the reference plane is not very important when making measurements at the lower frequencies, but becomes increasingly important as the measurement frequencies approach the high end of the range. As explained in the manual, the reference plane can be shifted from this point if desired.
K1ST Rating: 2018-07-13
Easy to use 0-600 Mhz Analyzer Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Saw the FA-VA5 Vector Antenna Analyzer kit described on the Internet and was very impressed. I finally found them available on the sdr-kits.net website in the UK. I ordered one and received it in six days including Customs. The kit is extremely well thought out, all SMD parts already soldered and took about an hour to assemble. Please note the solder pads on the PCB are quite small, good soldering skills are required. I then soldered the calibration elements and calibrated the analyzer. The user interface is quite intuitive. I especially like the SWR sweep function for adjusting antennas. I also set it up to work with DG8SAQ's Free VNWA Software Application. This is a professional grade instrument at kit prices. sdr-kits provided great communications on the ordering/shipping process and followed up after to see how I liked the product and any feedback on the assembly instructions. I HIGHLY recommend this kit.
DJ0ABR Rating: 2018-07-02
close to perfect Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
comes with a detailed assembly and user manual, the build time was 45 min, no problems at all. Offers SOL calibration which is required if a cable is used between the antenna and the analyser - which is always the case. Other analysers without calibration show only senseless values if cables are used. I compared it against an R&S FPC1500 with VNA option using a variety of RC and RL circuits. The readings were almost equal. Then I tested it at my 50MHz beam and a 70cm car antenna. The accurracy of the measurement results is amazing, how is that possible for this low price.
A very powerful PC software is available free of charge which reads the values via USB port. I will try this later and write another review.