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Reviews For: RigExpert AA-230PRO

Category: Antenna Analyzers

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Review Summary For : RigExpert AA-230PRO
Reviews: 19MSRP:
Description:
Powerful, laboratory grade antenna analyzer designed for testing, checking, tuning or repairing antennas and antenna feedlines in 0.3 to 230 MHz range. Main features (to name a few): Graphical SWR (Standing Wave Ratio) and impedance display, multi language user interface, memory storage and connection to a personal computer (USB port), etc... The TDR (Time Domain Reflectometer) mode is essencial for quick cable testing and cable fault location.

Product is not in production
More Info: https://rigexpert.com/discontinued-products/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00195
VE9AA Rating: 2011-04-26
Seems to do everything Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
OK, yes, I have only owned it a day, but must say, Yuri VE3DZ was vy FB to deal with and it was here in only a few days...even over Easter weekend.

So far I've used it on 8 different antennas, some of them large multiband ones and it is a dream to use. Have only opened the (very small) manual/leaflet a couple times. (could've been a little more descriptive at times), but this product is quite intuitive to use (more than I thought it would be).

I am sure I am going to use the SWR2air mode quite a bit. I always hated running back and forth to the shack when adjusting the air-variable caps on the bases of my 1/4WL lowband verticals. At times I had my 10 year old on a walkie-talkie reading out the SWR-meter to me-as I adjusted the antennas by hand...(@ the 5watt level of course)HI!! (he's not too keen on ham radio and didn't relish this chore)

The Multi-SWR mode is pretty cool looking. Beats fiddlng with the semi-broken band switch on my aging MFJ-259(non B model).

I have a lot to learn about this unit, and YES, the price really did hurt somewhat. I could buy a nice xcvr for the $$, but I hope to get a lot of years use out of it.

(slight)Cons noticed so far: Would've liked the SWR2Air mode beeps to be a little quicker as (remote)tuning is done. It seems too slow. Would've liked it to be a little quicker on the response time (less lag). Tuning will have to be done very slowly I think.

Other than those 2 minor issues, I don't have anything bad to say about it or the service after only 1 hours+ use.
DL1AIW Rating: 2010-12-31
Greatest Analyzer Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Everything has been written about this fabulous tool for antenna and cable measuring. It does everything needed in the shack or during fieldday. It measures exactly impedance, SWR, cable lenght, identifies cable faults, shows the results also on a graphical display, can send the data for further investigation to PC, is 100% portable and not too expensive. Nothing else is needed to bring any antenna-system to work. Would give it a number higher than 5 if possible.
VK6NU Rating: 2010-10-03
Great piece of gear Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Finally decided to spend big and buy the AA-230PRO and I'm really pleased I did. Just back from setting up a portable station for the Oceanic DX Contest for our Club Station VK6NC. All antennas were erected for the contest and the AA-230PRO was fantastic, so easy to use and you get the info you require very fast. We had a lot of fun tuning our 160/80 inverted V at 80 feet but the 230PRO made it easy. Also checking our tri-bander was quick and easy. If you don't feel like spending big on the AA-230PRO, I see there are now a couple of new cheaper models coming. Even the AA-230PRO is such good value. Its very rugged and has really good battery life also, no AA batteries here, a nice rechargeable one . I've only just touched the surface with it and look forward to trying out all the other features in the coming months.

Go on buy one, you will be glad you did.

John VK6NU
KH6DC Rating: 2010-08-26
Valuable Tool Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Well just received package from the Array Solutions via USPS. Ran it through the manual and it works great. Tested my Butternut HF6v, S9 Veritcal, Dipole, Radio Works Carolina Windom and G5RV. This analyzer test all and found a fault in the Carolina Windom where age cracked a solder joint in the feedline. Straight of out the box and accurate based on measurements I've logged down with each antenna. Not even my Palstar ZM30 came close as it was riddled with errors I sent it back to HRO for a refund. My MFJ 259B is starting to show its age at 12 years old and the analog SWR meter works intermittently. Excellent job Rig Expert. I highly recommend all hams and though the price is high, this and a multimeter are the only instruments you'll ever need.
ON4ATW Rating: 2010-08-03
Superb ! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
No need to add anything to the below comments.
This is one fine piece of equipment.
Get one !
K8ALM Rating: 2010-05-26
Great piece of test equipment! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Just received my AA-230Pro and in about 10 minutes I was able to determine my antenna problem. Previously I was trying to analyze my issue with an MFJ 259B with no luck. There is no comparision between the two analyzers. The Rigexpert is far superior in every aspect. The SWR scan feature is especially a pleasure to work with and helps determine the direction you need to go to properly tune an antenna.
KM6U Rating: 2010-05-05
Rugged, Accurate, Simple, Full-Featured Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Just received my 230 Pro from Array Solutions, the US distributor. In the past two days, I have finally resolved any and all questions as to the resonance of my Carolina Windom 80 - 10M windom antenna. The AA-230 Pro instantly displayed all SWRs for the 5 main ham bands ( 80,40,20,15, and 10) at the bands' midpoints. Then, I picked the center frequencies of each band- in reality, I specified my favorite frequency for each band. The graphing function then showed me the SWR plot +/- 250 kHz, which clearly points you to which way to trim the antenna. My windom by the way is incapable of in-band SWRs of less than 2.9 to 1!

I visited KI6POW's QTH and we spent 3+ hours getting all bands down to about 1.6 to 1 - on his Hustler Vertical, with traps. The 230 Pro was a pleasure to use, and its main functions are simple to learn (and I hate to read manuals!).

I wanted a solid, non-MFJ (sorry, their QC is below Chinese stndards anymore) antenna analyzer that is accurate and would retain its value, if and when I decide to sell it. The Rig Expert is well worth the premium price, and I am keeping mine! KM6U
VK3WHO Rating: 2010-03-24
Better than the advert hype Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After a lot of research I purchased the RigExpert AA-230PRO via the WEB. When it first arrived I was surprised of the quality of its construction and the ease of its use. In my research I read the advertising literature, where they stated, that this was an lab quality instrument, of cause I took this as hype, but how wrong I was . It quickly became apparent that this instrument is in league of its own. It is more expensive than most of the other analysers I researched, but is it far more accurate, flexible and rugged.

The features that I have found extremely valuable:
Being able to measure the VSWR on 160,80,40,30 and 20, or any other five selected frequency, simultaneously. This make tuning multi band antennas a dream.

Having the + j and -j display, that will measure well over 1000 ohms, takes the guess work in impedance matching long wire antennas.

The VSWR or complex impedance /phase graph just makes checking or adjusting baluns or broadband impedance matching transforms so easy.

I use mainly 75 ohm co-ax, and this analyser allows for this. It has option to switch to 25, 50, 75 and 100ohms transmission line.

Anther features that I have found useful is the TDR function that works well for tracing bad connectors and cable faults.
The analyser has a inbuilt transmitter to signal the VSWR to my radio while adjusting the antenna. This means that analyser can be connected to the end of the cable in the shack while I am adjusting the antenna up in the tower.

It can also be used as an accurate frequency generator but has no output level adjustment.

The software that comes with the analyser works extremely well, installs without problem and is not beset with passwords or registration. It has addition measurement options and speeds up the TDR operation and allows storage of measurements of graphs for later reference. One of the functions that the software allow, is measuring the coaxial loss in a cable. It would have been a nice feature to have in the anlayser.

It's is not often that I can say I have bought a piece of equipment that is such a pleasure to use and works as well as the reviews and literature state. I found this instrument be very useful and it accuracy approaching that of the HP network analyser I once used.

73
Frans



VE3SSR Rating: 2009-11-08
Great portable antenna analyzer Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have purchased AA-230PRO from Rigexpert net in Canada, who kindly offered me some discount.
The instrument is definitely not cheap, but its price is reasonable, considering its value.

The instrument’s main advantage - its portable design and quite accurate readings of SWR and load impedance with ability to distinguish a sign of reactance, e.g. tell the difference between capacitance and inductance.
The main difference between AA-230PRO and AA-200 is ability of AA-230PRO to calculate and to display on LCD the Time Domain Response which indicates the distance between the instrument and a problem in transmission line. That is really great tool.

While tuning KT-34 antenna I compared AA-230PRO SWR readings with IC-7600 and
Daiwa CN-801HP SWR meters. AA-230PRO demonstrated perfect match with its Japanese colleagues.

I also tested instrument’s abilities to interface with PC. AntScope program was capable of downloading and displaying data from the instrument, such as SWR, Return Loss and Impedance components. TDR function worked fine when it was initiated from AntScope.

As a conclusion I would say that AA-230PRO is a great hand-held antenna analyzer which is absolutely sufficient to tune ham-radio antennas within 0.3 – 230 MHZ range.