The N2PK is an awesome piece of gear for the money. I have several
friends with them. I also have one sitting in a box waiting to be built.
That project got scuttled when Jack, K8ZOA found a couple of surplus HP
VNAs that we both bought. He already had his N2PK built, and another HP
as well, but I am now too spoiled to finish the project ;-) I also have
one of his Z90 Panadapter kits sitting in a box. I had his prototype for
awhile last year, and showed it at Dayton... a really nifty kit, and I
definitely want to finish that project ;-) His manual is awesome... like
a cross between Elecraft and Hewlett Packard... should be a snap to do
when I get to it. Jack's website is www.cliftonlaboratories.com. K2
owners should bookmark it. There is plenty of good K2 test data there,
as well as some K2 specific construction stuff.
The TAPR VNA that Ten-Tec sells is pretty decent, but pricey, and
requires a PC. Ditto for the W5BIG which looks like a good design.
I can see maybe a nice, small unit... simple, smooth, handy and accurate.
73,
Larry N8LP
www.telepostinc.com
Don Wilhelm wrote:
Larry,
A kit is a great idea! Avoid temptations for an instrument that tries to do
everything and ends up doing many things poorly.
I had hopes that the AMQRP Micro908 kit would be a better replacement for my
MFJ259, but alas, it is very inaccurate for impedances that vary much from
50 ohms resistive. IMHO, its bridge needs a total redesign to make it a
useful instrument.
Of course, the N2PK VNA should be a great instrument if I can ever get
around to completing it, but it is not a tool to use at the top of a tower -
it needs the computer attached to be useful.
73,
Don W3FPR
-----Original Message-----
I have the MFJ, Autek Vector Analyst and AEA CIA. Without question the
most accurate is the AEA, but I usually grab the Autek because of its
size. It also resolves sign of X. The tuning is touchy though, and the
menus are a hassle. I hadn't thought of an antenna analyzer product,
since the field is so crowded, but maybe there's a niche for a simple
device, along the lines of the MFJ, but smaller and with better product
build (ie, user built kit ;-) and battery life. Maybe also with the
ability to determine sign of phase angle.
Larry N8LP
Craig D. Smith wrote:
I have a MFJ259B. Had to hold my nose to shell out the $250 or so for
something with that build quality and design flaws (size,
battery system,
etc). That said, next to my transceiver, it is the piece of
equipment I use
most often and it does do the job intended. I would feel naked
without it.
Every ham should have one or something equivalent.
The features and quality of ham equipment these days is astounding, but
strangely there, in my estimation, is no really good antenna
analyzer on the
market. I think the MFJ is the best overall unit available,
and that is a
sad statement. Most analyzers (see Eham reviews) score lower
than the MFJ.
The Palstar gets good marks for size, quality, etc, but does not have an
analog meter which I think is an essential user interface for convenient
usage.
So I agree with the comment some others have made - there is a
big market
for a good antenna analyzer - especially with all the new ham
licenses that
will be minted soon. My wish list includes: About half the
physical size of
the MFJ, analog meter plus LCD display, decent battery life, frequency
coverage from 1.5 to 150 MHz, price about $250 or $200 for a
kit. I don't
need automated plotting or computer interface. Either Elecraft or Larry
Phipps have the technical expertise and kitting experience to
do a great job
with such a project. I hope they are listening!!
73 Craig AC0DS
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