There is a popular DIY VNA designed by N2PK, boards are available from a fellow in Ontario Canada, a quick google search should find the information for you.
Also, Sam Wettlerlin has published much on his web site with respect to Scotty's Spectrum Analyzer project, VNA, return loss bridges, etc. http://www.wetterlin.org/sam/ Also, there is an interesting project called the Poor Hams Scalar Network Analyzer (PHSNA) which may be of interest. There is an active Yahoo group. All that is missing is a phase detector to make it a simple VNA. Based on Arduino and the inexpensive AD9850/AD9851 DDS boards from Asia. I'd like a VNA too but I am starting small with the PHSNA and will build from there. My needs are not that great, just as a learning tool and to support my ham radio tinkering. Cheers, Graham ve3gtc -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Attila Kinali Sent: June-02-14 10:43 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [time-nuts] VNA design Hi, I know this is not exactly a time-nut question, but i guess this is the best place i know to ask about this stuff. I recently got introduced into the usefullness of a VNA. But these things are horribly expensive for home use, even if bought from ebay (before you say anything, remember i live in europe, where every boat anchor hast to travel a long way). But given that most of the designs that are on ebay are from the 80s and early 90s, i thought that with todays ICs it should be easy to come up with a design that does the same thing but can be build on a kitchen table. Well, my problem now is, that i don't know how to build a VNA. Yes, i understand the basic principle. I can come up with a design that should work. But i have no clue about any problems or difficulties in building these devices. Ie it's very likely that i fall into a dozen traps when i try to build one. I tried to get information on how to build a VNA, or what kind of trouble people had operating one, but beside the VNA book[1] Rick mentioned a couple of months ago and ko4bb's site (thanks man! your manual collection is a gold mine!), my searches came out blank. As i'm quite sure that there is information of that kind out there, i would like to ask whether someone could point me to some documents, webpages, books, papers, etc that would show me the detailed design of VNA, the problems people had with some designs or anything else that would be of interest in such an endavor. Also, any good resource on how to build a directional coupler that does 10-3000MHz without going to exotic materials would be much appreciated. All papers i found deal mostly with stuff above 5GHz. Seems like "low frequency" couplers are considered "a solved problem". Attila Kinali [1] Handbook of Microwave Component Measurements: with Advanced VNA Techniques by Dunsmore, 2012 -- The trouble with you, Shev, is you don't say anything until you've saved up a whole truckload of damned heavy brick arguments and then you dump them all out and never look at the bleeding body mangled beneath the heap -- Tirin, The Dispossessed, U. Le Guin _______________________________________________ time-nuts mailing list -- [email protected] To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. This electronic message, as well as any transmitted files included in the electronic message, may contain privileged or confidential information and is intended solely for the use of the individual(s) or entity to which it is addressed. If you have received this electronic message in error please notify the sender immediately and delete the electronic message. Any unauthorized copying, disclosure or distribution of the electronic message is strictly forbidden. NAV CANADA accepts no liability for any damage caused by any virus and/or other malicious code transmitted by this electronic communication. Le présent message électronique et tout fichier qui peut y être joint peuvent contenir des renseignements privilégiés ou confidentiels destinés à l’usage exclusif des personnes ou des organismes à qui ils s’adressent. Si vous avez reçu ce message électronique par erreur, veuillez en informer l’expéditeur immédiatement et supprimez le. Toute reproduction, divulgation ou distribution du présent message électronique est strictement interdite. NAV CANADA n’assume aucune responsabilité en cas de dommage causé par tout virus ou autre programme malveillant transmis par ce message électronique. _______________________________________________ time-nuts mailing list -- [email protected] To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
