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Reviews For: RigExpert AA-30 Antenna Analyzer

Category: Antenna Analyzers

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Review Summary For : RigExpert AA-30 Antenna Analyzer
Reviews: 39MSRP:
Description:
The RigExpert AA-30 is a powerful antenna analyzer designed for testing, checking, tuning or repairing antennas and antenna feedlines. It provides a graphical display of SWR and impedance (magnitude and phase) over a user-defined frequency range which significantly reduces the time required to adjust an antenna. Easy-to use measurement modes, as well as additional features such as connection to a personal computer (to plot Smith diagrams, etc.), makes the RigExpert AA-30 attractive for professionals and hobbyists.

The following tasks are easily accomplished with the RigExpert AA-30:

Tuning an antenna to resonance
Antenna SWR and impedance measurements
Measuring the parameters of coaxial lines
Cable testing and fault location
Measuring capacitance or inductance of reactive loads
Use as a signal source for testing receivers, filters, etc.
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
00394.6
VU2XE Rating: 2021-09-28
Must for any radio shack and the best brand in the market! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have been using this analyzer for litter over 4 years now. To the point and very easy to use in the field. I do many local portable operations out side my homeQTH few times a year and this is must carry item for me.
I was unsure about the customer service living in India and no service centers here. Never had to worry about this till recently when touch key pad started giving some problem. Email to customer support and delighted to see Alex replying back with replacement keypad at no cost to me. It arrived within couple of weeks. Keypad was easy to replace and get all working normal.
This is awesome service from Ukraine.
If you are searching for Antenna Analyzers, RigExpert is the best!
M0AZE Rating: 2020-04-26
Every ham should have one Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Updated review that reflects the addition of AntScope software, mine is the Mac OSX version, plus the AA-30 analyser purchased some years ago.

The addition of the software makes this series of RigExpert analysers OUTSTANDING. I'm not a Windows user and as such we OSX users are bereft of decent amateur programs. Well Alex and the guys at RigExpert have changed that, my AA-30 interfaces with the software. I did have initial issues that Alex helped me sort (FTDI driver) and I'm so grateful as during lockdown this old ham can get on with designing antennas (aerials in the UK). Cannot recommend these guys enough.

Come on Yaesu, ICOM and Kenwood make your equipment with OSX in mind. These guys have!


Thank you Alex...

I purchased the AA-30 and what immediately struck me was how compact and light the unit is. Very easy to use 2 x AA battery cells that last a fair time or powered via USB from your computer.

One of the other main considerations was to connect the AA-30 to my Apple Mac. This is where the reality did not match my expectations! After much head scratching and e-mails with the Ukaine the solution was to install and run a Windows emulator on the Mac (Wine and X11). The supplied software is not Mac OSX. So Mac users please be aware as the unit is advertised as compatible with Mac OSX.

The other consideration is this model has no memory functions. The next model up (AA54) does and I did not realise this until after purchasing. Not a big deal as long as you can connect to your PC and store files that way. For those of you on Windows you should not have the same issues as I. If it were really packaged to run on Mac OSX then I would have given this a 4.5 rating and with memories a 5.

Every ham should have one, you begin to realise the reality of whats going on when constructing and measuring your antennas performance. My multi band trapped dipole will have to be replaced, always thought it was lacking and now I know exactly why. Something not so obvious when i built the antenna using the MFJ 269. This unit plots a lovely graph. But the MFJ still has a role to play and is nowhere near ready for the scrap box even after 20 years.
WA3JRS Rating: 2018-10-12
A little pricey but great Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This analyzer does everything it's advertised to do. I've never used another analyzer so this review may not be as valuable as others' reviews. Pros: Great battery life (when connected to the computer it uses USB power and not battery); sealed buttons; standard USB cable to link it to your computer; ability to save the graphical output to a file (great for tracking changes to the antenna); though I've bumped it around a bit I have had zero problems with this unit - always works. Cons: It's maybe a little expensive for an anlyzer that tops out at 30 Mhz; no bluetooth so you can't really hang it directly at the feed point and capture the data (example, Sark). Finally, and not really a "Con", I wish I'd spent the money on the 54 MHz version (currently around $260 as of late 2018). I very much enjoy using this analyzer and it has made building antennas much easier for me. Maybe deserves 4.5 stars.
VE1YY Rating: 2017-11-27
Excellent Value Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have been using my AA-30 for over five years.

I use it for tweaking antennas at or near the antenna's feed point. If that's impractical and I must read at the input end of the transmission line, I plug the unit into the PC. Using a table in the supplied software, I enter my feed line type and length, and compensate for its effect thus giving a good approximation of what's happening at the actual feed point.

I also use the analyzer to check transmission line quality by assessing loss per 100 feet (SWR method) and bumps in impedance (frequency domain reflectometry) along the line.

It's a great instrument for my kind of hamming.
KE0ABA Rating: 2017-05-25
Be Careful! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Good Price. Good Performance. Really like the Save to PC feature. I'd give it a 5 but I broke it due to my own fault - mostly. I had a PL259 connected that had a little extra solder globed onto the tip of the center conductor. It went into the AA-30 kinda hard but when I pulled it out, I pulled the entire center conductor of the SO239 out of the AA-30. I took it apart, installed another SO connector, re-soldered the center conductor and was back in business. Took less than 15 minutes to fix. Since then, I have installed a double PL259 and a barrel connector. Now when/if I have to tug on it, I have something to hold onto to keep this from happening again.
K6NXI Rating: 2017-05-17
Mostly good but glass falls off. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Glass face keeps falling off. Must tape in place.
Finer resolution would be nice to show exactly what value is what on the graph. Otherwise very handy.
K6CRC Rating: 2017-04-30
Bang for the Buck - Good Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Tired of my MFJ eating batteries. Also wanted a scan feature. The AA-30 does the trick. But, the plotting in slow, and the LCD screen is fairly dim in bright light.
The reason I gave it a 4, is MacOS compatibility. It is advertised as 'Mac OSX compatible', but not possible now. The software they specify doesn't run on modern versions of OS X. You need to have a dual boot or VM with Windozzz running to use the computer based application.
Not a big deal, just an annoyance.
For the money, and even without computer output, it is a good deal.
KC9VFI Rating: 2016-09-29
Great product Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I can use this product with my PC and print out a graph showing SWR and other applications. This is useful especially when comparing more than just one antenna. MY MFJ 259C has a few more perks, but the RigExpert AA-30 can be useful in other ways, especially PC compatible. Be sure to purchase a USB cable and software.
NO2CW Rating: 2016-07-12
As advertised check connections Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have used it many times since I got mine and it does a good job. I rate it 4 instead of 5 because the SO 239 on top is partly below the plastic cover and a couple of my coax cables cannot make a good contact even when screwed all the way in.
KA4KOE Rating: 2015-11-16
Works Fine Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just received my AA30 and I am using it to set the tank circuit resonance on a broadcast transmitter. I have had no issues with getting the included software to load and run propertly. My confuserator has an Intel I7 processor running Windows 10.

The user commmands are very intuitive. I didn't envision using this tool above 10 meters so I only purchased the base model.

Gigaparts shipped quickly and without issue.

Thanks!