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Reviews For: AUTEK RESEARCH VA1-RF1-RF5 RF ANALYST

Category: Antenna Analyzers

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Review Summary For : AUTEK RESEARCH VA1-RF1-RF5 RF ANALYST
Reviews: 109MSRP: 129.95
Description:
The pocket-sized RF1 is designed to check and adjust antennas,
Product is not in production
More Info: https://web.archive.org/web/20130523062036/http://autekresearch.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
001093.2
K0RAJ Rating: 2001-11-08
The RF-1 is better than slice bread Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I bought the RF-1 in August and have used it on several projects. Rating it to other equipment in the same quality and price range, it's a 10++++++
K0KAV Rating: 2001-10-28
Great little tool Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased the RF-1 to adjust portable and mobile antenna's. It works great so far. It does this very well and many other functions also. It's small, compact and easily packed. I never leave home with out it.
AH7Y Rating: 2001-10-18
Junk Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had the RF-1 for over 4 years, it at first proved useful, then the display started loosing segments. Then the results became unreliable. I bought the RF-5 when the RF-1 was still working. The first time I attempted to use it the Z and SWR readings were the same open or shorted or with a resistive termination, I returned it to Autek and it was returned with the note "input capacitor broken do not twist cable when connecting", still had the same readings on an antenna but resistive loads read ok. Contacted Autek, "got the run around",and told to return it for repair. I disassembled the unit found a chip fully inserted at on end and just touching socket pins on the other end. Also found a pad on the input to have never been soldered, it now works but accuracy makes it unusable. I would not recommend Autek products to anyone.
DO1MGK Rating: 2001-08-22
RF1 ok, RF5 not Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I tried to cut 1/4 wavelengt on 145Mhz and 435Mhz
using the RF5. I never found the lowest Z any near
the exspected 32 cm. It looks to me, that the SO239 socket adds some capacitance to the line.
Also SWR measurements are unreliable compared with
Revex or Diamond. I wrote to the helpdesk
"Mailbox@autekresearch.com", without reply.

Just in opposite to the RF5, I´m happy with the
performance and features of the RF1.

N6JSX Rating: 2001-06-16
RF-5 a piece of JUNK Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Just over two years ago I bought a RF-5 to use on VHF/UHF antennas that I design & build (J's, Quads, Quagi's). I found The RF-5 to be "highly inaccurate" when compared against a Bird/Philco-164B, MFJ-259 (2m only), or Diamond SX40C meters. I returned the unit within 30 days and could not get my money back and the company could not be contacted (they use a telephone front to answer their calls) nor would he return my calls. Autek would not communicate to me if the unit was defective and I just got a lemon, if they would replace it, or refund my money. I called Autek once a week for nearly two months and left a query message about my RF-5 each time. On the 55th day after the return I asked my credit card company to get my money back - which they got it all back except the return shipping. I do not recommend the RF-5 to anyone - and advise using a credit card when dealing with Autek - for your own protection!!!
Kuby, N6JSX /8
WA6GPL Rating: 2001-06-16
EASY TO USE, AND ACCURATE Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This was an RF5, which covers the whole VHF band (to 500 MHz), and 35-75, which I didn't use. It simply worked fine, doing everything it's supposed to do, and the only reason I didn't give it a 5 is that I haven't put it through all its paces in the short time I've had it. One annoyance, common to all other models I know, is the use of UHF connectors on a VHF/UHF instrument. I wish the manufacturers could offer the option of a BNC or TNC connector on such a low-power high-frequency device. It's a small instrument, and not fragile, but one shouldn't be ham-handed with it. (No pun intended.)
KI6CP Rating: 2001-04-10
Excellent Performance VA1 Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This little VA1 unit measures all of the electrical parameters of my antenna. What was at the Antenna and what was in the Shack. It's performance lives up to every one of its claims. The documentation that came with the instrument shows you how to use it and apply it to solve your antenna & feed line problems. I have a General Radio RF impedance bridge and a MFJ SWR Analyzer. To gether they never did the job that the VA1 does all by itself. I use the measured outputs from the VA1 as data inputs to a antenna system software program called, Trline.exe . It does all the application calculations and produces a real nice Smith Chart. I highly reccommend the Autek Research VA1.
Steve Chapman KI6CP
KD6LM Rating: 2001-02-25
Works great! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I have the RF1 antenna analyzer unit and it works great. It takes up no space in the shack and the battery (1 nine volt) seems to last forever. It does exactly what it is supposed to do: it allows me to easily check and make adjustments to my antenna. Of course it does a lot of other neat stuff too, but making adjustments to my antenna is what I bought it for. I highly recommend it.
WD4AC Rating: 2001-02-24
Works as Advertised! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
The little Autek RF1 has been a great addition to the shack. It's saved a lot of walking out and back. Additionally, it's small size and auto-off feature keep the batteries going. Yes, it's a little touchy tuning it, but the MFJ is not really better in that department either. For the money, it's a good deal.
N0WK Rating: 2000-08-15
RF-1 Nice & Small Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Have had both MFJ-249B & Autek RF-1 Analyzers at the same time. Both have their Good & bad points. Both will freeze in cold weather. Point for Autek small enought to keep in shirt pocket and keep warm. MFJ take to car or house to warm up. MFJ point has extended coverage of VHF. You pay a higher price for this. If you don't use VHF,you still pay for it. Both tune terrible on course and fine tuning,but with practice you will get the hang of it. Comparing both units for tuning a antenna I liked the Autek better, both showed the facts to be the same for the all the information on the antenna as impedence and SWR. The Autek small size and battery consumption beats MFJ hands down. Buttons are very easy to engage on Autek which cause accidents on on&off and other problems,other than the buttons Autek stands tall for the money. Speaking of money send your MFJ in for repair. 6 Weeks and when it was returned it still doesn't work. Told to send back, which I did, they said they would get on it the day it arrived. 4 weeks later it arrived back only after several calls. For a couple dollars more with what they charged to replace a switch and transistor and shipping back and forth, I could have bought a new Autek. Have never had to send in the Autek for repair so can't say on their service. All in All made a choice and sold the MFJ and never regretted it.