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Reviews For: Array Solutions VNA2180 2 Port Vector Network Analyzer

Category: Antenna Analyzers

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Review Summary For : Array Solutions VNA2180 2 Port Vector Network Analyzer
Reviews: 4MSRP: 995
Description:
The Vector Network Analyzer, VNA2180, measures impedance (magnitude and phase) and filter transmission in the range of 5 KHz to 180 MHz.

A PC is used to plot parameters, such as, impedance, SWR, Return Loss and S21.

The test frequency is generated digitally.

An analog to digital converter digitizes the raw data. This avoids non- linearity associated with diode detectors, and results in very good dynamic range and linearity for accurate magnitude and phase measurements.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.arraysolutions.com/vna-2180?search=vna
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0045
K0KS Rating: 2015-07-23
A Multi-Function Lab in a box Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Two years and I'm still finding new uses for it. I have a step-attenuator to enhance it as a signal generator. There's my box of adapters and 75 and 400 ohm cal standards. The whole VNA2180 can "float" on a battery with a netbook doing the data work. It's useful at audio frequencies to find resonance in speakers and microphones. VHF cavities and antennas are much easier to tune. Check out the SW Demo and let your imagination run wild. It's small and portable and can "float" and be used in 400 or 450 ohm systems and do a lot of things those old HP/Agilent boxes never dreamed of. Accuracy depends on the calibration standards so it will match wits with any Agilent box. It's way more than an "antenna analyzer".
W9AC Rating: 2015-01-24
Lab in a Box. Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Performs impedance, return loss, SWR and TDR functions. A true two-port VNA with high dynamic range S-parameter testing.

Between an extremely narrow resolution bandwidth, DSP, and +10 dBm output level, you can sweep any 160m array in the presence of very strong AM broadcast fields. In fact, you can sweep an antenna resonant in the AM band and hardly notice AM stations on the swept display *on their own operating frequency.* That's something not possible with traditional antenna analyzers that are based on diode detectors - and some CIA/VNAs with low output power.

YWAN Rating: 2011-06-08
Best tool for antenna field and RF component experiments Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought one before the official release last year and the tool has since become my best RF tool. I also have other inexpensive VNAs such as VNWA and N2PK VNA. in comparison, VNWA has better frequency range, and smaller form factor. N2PK has better accuracy but only HF range, VNA2180 stands out in its robustness, the stronger RF output with surge arresters , easy to calibrate and user friendly software. I've used the tool to check antenna VSWRs across the whole operating range in the field and it it never has a miss. I've used the tool to make or check new RF components such as filters, transformers, it shortens my time of test in a great deal!
The only improvement I've made is to add a 12 VDC rechargeable battery pack inside( you can add 10 AA low leakage Ni-Mn cells but you need to redesign the charging circuit so the battery can be charged properly and last longer. My battery can last 2 hours when fully charged and be left there for months without losing the power. The AC adapter would be better to be 15VDC so it can charge the 12VDC battery properly.
AD5X Rating: 2009-10-09
Lab Grade! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
If you liked the AIM4170, you'll love the VNA2180. It includes the features of an enhanced AIM4170 (the VNA2180 handles much hotter interfering signals, and outputs a hotter programmable-level signal than the AIM). And it has a built-in USB interface, so no more messing around with a USB/serial converter. The main reason I upgraded to the VNA2180 was for the second port which permits measurement of transmission parameters over a very wide dynamic range. Like he has done with the AIM4170, W5BIG continuously improves the VNA2180 software - in the two weeks I've had the VNA2180 there have been two software updates for improved performance and feature additions. Check out http://w5big.com/vna2180.htm for more details. You can download the VNA2180 manual and software, and you can run the software in demo mode to get a feel for everything you can do with it.