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Reviews For: Feature Tech AW07A HF-VHF-UHF Antenna Analyzer

Category: Antenna Analyzers

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Review Summary For : Feature Tech AW07A HF-VHF-UHF Antenna Analyzer
Reviews: 15MSRP: 229
Description:
The AW07A SWR analyzer is a compact battery powered RF impedance analyzer.
This unit combines six basic circuits:a variable oscillator, frequency counter,Independent Oscillator, 50 ohm RF bridge, a 8-bit A-D converter, and microcontroller. This unit performs a wide variety of useful antenna and RF impedance measurements,including Capacitance and Inductance.
The operating frequency range of this unit extends from 1.8 to 490MHz SWR measurements. Special designed for analyzing 50ohm antenna.
The AW07A also measure RF impedances between a few ohms and several hundred ohms.
An easily accessed user controlled Z setting in the ADVANCED function menus allows changing SWR to any normalized impedance value between 10 and 500 ohms.
The AW07A also functions as a non-precision signal source and frequency counter.
The operating frequency range of this unit extends from 1.5 to 71 MHz in six overlapping bands, and includes SWR measurements on 85-185MHz ,300-490 MHz.

Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.hamradioinfinity.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00154.1
VE2TBC Rating: 2021-07-26
Excellent for quick look but a correctable major flaw Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have this unit since 2015 and it worked well for 3-4 years. After that I lost reliable readings on VHF and UHF.

After some thinking, I decided to change the connector expecting that the connector was worn out. While at it, I changed it to SO-239. I hate adapters and sorry, SO-239 is what I use.

Unfortunately, no change. I was pissed at spending 278 CAN$ for a product from China that didn't last. Seen that before and that was too much. I left the unit for 1 year on the floor of the shack with a high temptation to throw it away to move on.

Once in awhile I tried it and I noticed that sometimes it would read ok and revert to higher VSWR while playing with the RF connector. Since the problem was the same with 2 connectors, I thought it could be a ground problem. But a ground problem would have shown up immediately right????

Time passed and I started to look at reviews particularly on DX engineering. One customer purchased the MFJ version and commented that readings were unstable and unreliable. He figured that it could be a grounding problem. Bingo! Minds meet!

The RF connector is screwed on a painted surface (the case). The inner connection is soldered on the PCB but the outer portion of the connector is only pressed to the PCB ground (a circular pad). The PCB ground is connected to the case.

Removed some paint on the case under the RF connector. Connected a wire from a screw on the RF connector to the PCB ground. That is it.

Works now. With time, the ground connection became bad.
KE2RR Rating: 2016-10-26
Two days testing Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Just got it two days ago and it has been great. Easy as pie to operate, well built construction. Far better than I expected. Only wish it worked with batteries and external power at the same time. Getting the manual online was no problem.
2M0LDT Rating: 2016-05-07
NOT MFJ Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
This is NOT the same as the MFJ 226,. and is basically a cheap knock off !..
I have BOTH and the MFJ is Far more stable, and the internal components are totally different..

its funny how rumours start.
but,, YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR GUYS !
N2GPE Rating: 2015-06-01
Great Value; Build quality what you would expect at this price Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased this for $225, new from Wengo Electronic via AliExpress. From order to delivery was about two weeks, but you have to expect that given it was free shipping.

I'm giving it 5-stars even though the build quality is a little rough around the edges. One of the sheet metal screws holding the steel case together was stripped out. And as others have reported, the frequency pot sometimes increases and sometimes decreases the frequency with a CW turn depending on the band. Once you get used to that, it's fine. The battery cases were securely attached (2x4 AA holders).

I have no problems with my unit. It is essentially the non-rebranded MFJ-266C for $75 less. It is not a piece of precision lab gear, but that's not what I bought it for.

I needed and wanted a single device that would enable me to take reasonably accurate SWR measurements on all my antennas. The fact that it gives resistance + reactance and does a few other tricks is an added bonus.

Go into this with the right mindset (it's not an HP or Rhode & Schwarz), and you will be very satisfied at the capabilities you get at this price point.
VK2LEE Rating: 2014-10-13
THIS IS GREAT VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY- I LOVE IT Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Well, I've only just received My Feature Tech AW07A antenna analyzer in the mail Yesterday and I love it already. And No I don't have a manual as yet.. Hi Hi.. These are available NEW on EBay from Hong Kong. The cost of postage was $49-95 but its what I wanted and what I read about these great analyzers was excellent. It Now comes with 2 battery holders to hold 8 x AA Alkaline batteries. It also comes with a plug in 12v DC lead so You don't need to keep buying new batteries. The digital readout is excellent and All the switches have a quality feel about them. The total cost was $319Aus dollars which is about $330US.. I'll let You know how it goes when I get an instruction manual off the internet.
Lee VK2LEE
N6JSX Rating: 2013-09-27
Looks capable Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The Analyzer looks very capable but DOES NOT ship with a manual!!! Due to a lack of manual (the V1.6 I found online) is so inaccurate it does not cover basic how-to-use-it features well at all. You better have a very intuitive finger to discover how to operate.

First, the battery-ext power jumper is not well explained and actually should be a mounted slide switch. Both batteries should be able to be connected letting the slide-jumper switch to determine power! Rather than having to unscrew 4 small screws every time you want to switch power method. V1.6 manual calls for 8xAA, but the Analyzer only has a 4xAA battery holder.

Besides the weird uncovered power issues the lack of a manual on how to operate it is the only big negative I have. I've not actually performed measurements at this time - just got it yesterday.

But it does look more capable than my MFJ-269.
G0LGB Rating: 2013-06-08
Excellent for the Price Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This is really just an update as the manufacturer has once more started selling some of these under his name "Feature Tech" at around the $200 range, although this is really the new MkII version with some improvements over the original version,such as wider supply voltages, now 12 to 15 volts input, also you can run it on just 4 AA batteries instead of 8, or just 1 lithium 18650 re-chargeable cell.

It has its own charging circuit built in for this too so you simply plug it into a 12 to 15v supply and it will charge it up for you, a red indicator light behind the power switch will go out once fully charged.

It also covers the US 220mhz band for you chaps over there...sadly no good to me in the Uk but hey its unusual to see coverage of that band.

So you get a very good analyser that covers all bands up to 70cms,it also measures Complex Impedance, Impedance Magnitude, Capacitance, Inductance, Relative Field Strength and will run as a frequency counter as well, an amazing bit of kit for the price.

Yes I agree with some other comments it does have some frequency drift in analyser mode, but it is quite slow and a simple slight turn of the main knob will bring it back to a spot frequency if needed, I honestly haven't found this to be an issue at all in practice.

This has pride of place in my shack and for the money it simply cannot be beaten, if you see one grab it...but double check its the newer version first, look for it taking just the 4 AA batteries or 1x18650 rechargeable.


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Earlier 5-star review posted by G0LGB on 2011-07-07

I have been trying to buy one of these for about 12 months after seeing a friend using one.
Sadly they seemed thin on the ground & I never got one to own myself.
Now I discover MFJ did a deal with the manufacturers to make these with the MFJ badge on.
Now the MFJ 266

There is of course one BIG difference...these cost around $200 from the manufacturer....now with an MFJ badge on they are over $350 for the exact same thing!!

It seems the same will be true for their new model the AA-100, as soon as it goes into full production it will be re-badged MFJ and the price doubled...

Still at least being made in China the quality will be miles better than the dry joint kings at MFJ!
PE5T Rating: 2012-07-07
Poor signals, high level of harmonics Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Be aware that this instrument has poor spectrum purity. Special in the lower frequency range the harmonics are only 15-25 dB down. When you think the SWR of your 160m inverted L is only 1.4, it could be 1. The 1.4 reading is caused by the (total)reflection of the 2th and 3th harmonics being only 15-20 dB down.

Kes
W4CHT Rating: 2011-11-01
A lot of capability for the $$ Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Works as advertised. Is well constructed except for the internal battery housing. Does not calculate the sign of jX. Was pretty accurate in measuring resistive loads. Freq knob is backwards: Freq goes up with CCW turn. Also output is noisy when tuning but settles down when stopped. Tuning resolution was a bit low when trying to measure a magnetic loop with narrow resonance.
M3IUC Rating: 2011-07-16
good for the price Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
very handy for building antennas, i have yet to use it for capacitance and inductance as i dont know how to do that so if anyone out there can tell me i would be very greatfull . i have used it for tuneing antennas and boy does it save a lot of time. the instruction manual is poor and basic. i see mfj are now selling these at much more money than i paid on ebay. i cant compair it to a mfj analyzer but from what i have heard people say about bad solder joints etc etc with mfj i would say it is a better analyzer.