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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
QRPNEW Rating: 2009-02-25
Needs help Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I owned both a RF1 and a VA1. Frankly these instruments do a decent job, however what lets them downs as others have indicated is the poor workmanship and parts. The things I hate about them were these.

** Very Poor stability
** Touchy controls
** Mechanical instability
** Poor pots

If I was going to suggest improvements it would be these.

1. Use multiturn pots
2. Improve quality control(soldering)
3. Better quality parts
4. Better stability
5. Improved mechanical and electrical stability.
6. Proper shielding for things like hand capacitance.
7. Ham band switch with the center in each ham band.
8. Separate buttons for MHZ and KHZ advancement.
9. Inbuilt filter for notching the broadcast band.
10. Dont use 9v batteries, use AA Nimh batteries

I would be willing to pay much more for an improved Autek. In its current form its a good electrical concept with poor execution.

WB0OEW Rating: 2008-08-02
works as advertised Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Bought the VA1 a month ago and has been in steady use ever since. I've changed from cut-and-try to actually doing some calculations with my antenna experiments because knowing R and X lets me actually use the formulas in the books. Since it has a built in processor, it can also compute other relationships including Z and phase (these are what it actually measures, everything else is derived), SWR, effects of line lengths, lines with different characteristic impedances, series and parallel equivalent L and C. Manual is full of interesting ways to use the device effectively such as making resonant lines, component values and building tuning circuits. Have had no problems with reliability, etc. Main frequency control allows setting to about 0.5 MHz, fine control works down to about 0.02 MHz. Only disappointment is signal is not clean enough to use as an RF generator but then it wasn't designed for that (I was just hoping).

The VA1 has allowed me to work on my antennas in a more quantitative manner. I like it very much.
KM5Q Rating: 2008-01-10
RF-1 works fine! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Ergonomic qualities aren't great, but that's what I expected from the reviews. It works fine, and is extremely useful considering I never had any such device before. How else am I to tune a vertical on the roof?

It looks perfect inside. Cleanly and professionally built. Good instructions.
W1CUN Rating: 2007-10-27
Slick Little Unit Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I recently ordered a VA-1 and I am pleased with the unit. I was not expecting a laboratory grade unit for a $200.00 price tag. My unit arrived in good condition, did not stink of cigarette smoke and worked correctly out of the box. I did not expect one Hz resolution on the tuning knobs but I find that it is not difficult to tune the oscillator to the desired frequency. All functions work as advertised. Here is the bottom line: It is a great shack companion and I found it to be accurate and it saved me a lot of guesswork as to the reactive component of the antenna I was trying to resonate. All the horror stories I have read in the other reviews i.e. switches don’t line up, intermittent operation, erroneous display, tobacco smell etc. do not apply to the unit I received. Again, it is not a laboratory grade instrument but Autek makes no claims that it is. My unit does everything I expect of it and it eliminates multiple trips in and out of the shack. It’s a slick little unit and I am very satisfied with mine.
KENNETH Rating: 2007-03-14
Bought mine new Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought mine new. Thought I would wait a few years until a review. I have used it with all sorts of antennas and no problems in the two years I have used it. Folks buy a used unit then review it… but who know how much it was been abused in the past? I keep mine in its original cardboard box wrapped in the bubble wrap. I like the small size for camping and traveling. It needs a fresh battery to stay accurate but the low price point was the main factor for me.
N6TZV Rating: 2007-01-31
Gives New Meaning to "Cold Solder Joints"! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I am a lucky one. I was given the RF-1 by a friend a few years ago. he said it was touchy and difficult to use. I tried it and agreed. I had an MFJ 259, so I put the Autek on the shelf. About a month later, I tried it again, but it was dead. I replaced the battery, still dead. I measured both batteries and they were good!

What's going on here? I opened it up and was amazed. Virtually NONE of the "solder" joints had actually been soldered! The display had NO solder on any pins. Same with the buttons and switch. I carefully soldered all joints, put it back together carefully, and now it works. Lack of actually soldering many connections is the cause for most of the problems mentioned here. This is a new meaning to Cold Solder Joints. The soldering iron never touched them!

But I don't trust it much. It never seems to agree with other devices such as the 259 or Kuranishi (which do agree with each other). Even on a dummy load it wanders some.

So, even though I got it for FREE, and got it to work, sorta, I only keep it as a spare, not a back up.

This is really a poorly designed, poorly made, poorly executed product. JUNK, in less polite terms.

I'm sure some folks got units that were actually soldered and calibrated, and I'm happy they did. For everyone else, this is a crap shoot. Do YOU want to risk blowing $150? What do you think your chances are? Do you feel lucky today?

Bottom line, don't support a company that takes advantage of their customers. There are alternatives that actually work.
K2GW Rating: 2007-01-26
Read the Manual Time Owned: more than 12 months.
As the Autek RF1 only has a published frequency range of 1.8-35 Mhz, it's not surprising that some have difficulty getting it to work on UHF.

My HF transceiver has a similar problem when I try to use it on 440.

My Autek has worked fine for tuning HF antennas over the past 4 years.
KA3NXN Rating: 2007-01-19
Total junk and even worse customer service Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have had the unit for less than a year and the display often fades in and out. The biggest problem is the inaccuracy of the unit at UHF frequencies. No matter what you plug into the unit it will not read below a 2.8:1 SWR in the UHF band. I work for a large military contractor who produces antennas & radar gear for the government, and I brought the thing into our RF lab and connected it directly to a dummy load that covers to 18.0GHz, still the RF-5 will only read an SWR of 2.8:1. Enough to drive one mad when you think the problem is in your antenna. I contacted Autek and they acted like the unit was no longer in warranty and I had to send it in with 68.00 to get it repaired. Or I can replace 3 obscure diodes in the unit that are almost impossible to find to see if this will fix the problem. The diodes are HP5082-2835. Does anybody know where I can get these without having to place an order of $200.00 minimum? Remember this might fix the problem. The guy on the phone was also a jerk, treated me like I was the one who broke it. The only thing left was for him to do was to yell at me. DON'T BUY THIS GARBAGE! I bought a Kuranichi analyzer, an excellent product.
KB3DSK Rating: 2007-01-19
Bought used. Went back to Manufacturer and was treated great Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I recently purchased an older Autek RF-1, used from a local swap meet. The unit had a small problem with the Display. Being a tech, I figured I would do the repair myself. I emailed the manufacturer about my defective part and was asked to call and discuss the problem directly. I did as I was requested and was pleased to find I was directed to one of the engineers to discuss my problem with me. I was informed of what the normal trouble cause was, and was told how to effect the repair myself, if I desired to. What could have been a costly repair was solved over the phone at no cost. I was also informed that if I preferred they would gladly do the repair under a flat fee basis. I am very satisfied with the service. Where most places are quick to tell you, they no longer support a product. I was pleased to find someone who is eager to help you. And who stood behind their product.
K0ZN Rating: 2006-06-17
Don't buy one. Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Worked for about 6 months...became intermittent and then finally quit.

Called Autek for service advise. Guy on the phone was sarcastic and some what condescending about my questions and/or repairing it. He clearly had little interest in customer satisfaction.

Customer service sucks. I will buy something else rather than repair this thing.

"Avoid".