Price seems in the right range. Has anyone here bought a Nanovna from Lusya?

Is anyone else trying this out .. My experience so far: OMG the Com port is not being detected ... read loads of crap on STMicroelectronics Virtual Com Port from ages back ... then noticed instead of /dev/ttyUSB0 it makes /dev/ttyACM0 .... DOH!! Tried setting up NanoVNASharp with playonlinux ... so far no go but have not tried too hard yet .... UGH! nanovna.py came with some issues as well but not hard to sort out just a little ugh so first make sure you install the dependencies: $ pip install numpy $ pip install scikit-rf I found pip install scikit-rf needed sudo so $ pip install numpy $ sudo pip install scikit-rf Then nanovan.py complains about the com port ... Traceback (most recent call last): File "./nanovna.py", line 330, in <module>nv.set_port(opt.port) File "./nanovna.py", line 58, in set_port self.send_command("port %d\r" % port) File "./nanovna.py", line 48, in send_command self.open() File "./nanovna.py", line 40, in open self.serial = serial.Serial(self.dev) File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/serial/serialutil.py", line 240, in __init__ self.open() File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/serial/serialposix.py", line 268, in open raise SerialException(msg.errno, "could not open port {}: {}".format(self._port, msg))serial.serialutil.SerialException: [Errno 2] could not open port /dev/cu.usbmodem401: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/dev/cu.usbmodem401' Tried passing the port to nanovna.py using the -P switch: $ ./nanovna.py -P /dev/ttyACM0 Usage: nanovna.py: [options] nanovna.py: error: option -P: invalid integer value: '/dev/ttyACM0' Then brain kicked in ... it is the the OMG early hours right now :P and used the -d switch -P must be for setting he channel Port BIG DOH!! With that working I have been trying to get plots all seems to go ok only I get a screen showing a plot (wish I could attach (admins?)) will try an explain running ./nanovna.py -d /dev/ttyACM0 -P 0 -v -W gets me a graph in matlib x 0.0 to 3.0 y 1.000 ti 1.025 at this point i was all YAY .. then I zoomed out and moved around no data showing out of these scales ... ok me thinks pass a frequency and perhaps those numbers move so just a test i pluck 7Mhz out of my head and run ./nanovna.py -d /dev/ttyACM0 -P 0 -F 7000000 -v -W and get exactly the same graph .... have i missed something the -h doesn't specify how to send the Freq (i.e. Hz Khz Mhz) So after my long winded post (sorry all) am am left with: How do you get a graph of the area you want? What is the -c scan by script option anyone played with that yet? And the biggy has anyone coded a live updating graph like the vna/j software ... or better yet a plugin for vna/J? Cheers All Tim M0THM

Hi Hugen, Please add frequency markers and label boxes for parameter values be displayed on the NanoVNA Software. Thanks, neb

Here is a paper, just came out now in Microwave & RF publication...July 2019 https://www.mwrf.com/test-measurement/make-accurate-impedance-measurements-using-vna-pdf-download An excellent treatment on measure of passive elements and the approach required to improve accuracy. Perfect stuff to know when using the nanoVNA. You can download the pdf after signing up. I have the pdf, and I think we can get permission to place on site if we ask. Alan

Is it possible to move a trace up or down? I sometimes have the trace at the very bottom of the screen and some of it falls away. And I can't find where I can adjust this

I am considering purchasing a NanoVNA. I live in the United States. I see discussions on possible clones and differences in the available NanoVNAs. So, what would be the best source to get a NanoVNA for someone living in the United States? I don't mind buying from an overseas source as long as I can trust that what I get will be the real thing and will work properly. Larry

Subject deals with the performance of the LOAD kit, 50 ohm termination, supplied with the nanoNA. I just measured the TWO 50 ohm terminations supplied with the TWO different nanoVNA instruments. The white GECKO unit and the black unit. I concur with a prior post, within 6 dB I obtain a SIGNIFICANT better return loss with the SHORTER 50 ohm termination block supplied with the black unit, ~ 42 dB at 900 MHz. The white GECKO unit termination is slightly LONGER. It's RTL at 900 MHz is ~ 18 dB. Hence, we have two significantly physical different terminations supplied with the kits. Of course at HF, say below a few 100 MHz, there is no issue with either. Alan

Folks, edy555, the original designer of the NanoVNA has given me permission to translate and post his assembly instructions for the ORIGINAL kit version he was selling on his TTRFTECH website. This is NOT what everyone is purchasing at this time but is close enough to use as a reference. Note his discussion on how to calibrate the device. I have added a number of original links to his design notes as posted in his Blog. He told me he only developed the serial port for debug purposes and that is why there is very little documentation. However, he stated in the next few weeks, he will try to shed some light on what is available through the debug interface (ie: update the documentation). Enjoy, Larry

As I wrote earlier, my company designs and builds VNA calibration kits, so I have a fair idea of how to design them. As I expected, the supplied open standard is a total waste of time and causes a greater phase error than just leaving the connector open. This is to be expected, as all it does is increase the fringing capacitance. The phase error is quite small, being 0.9 degrees at 900 MHz if the connector is left open, rising to 1.1 degrees if the open standard is connected. See attached PDFs. Also attached is the load got supplied with my NanoVNA. The return loss was measured at 44 dB @ 900 MHz, which is quite impressive. At that level, there will be significant measurement errors, as I believe the loads in the 85052B cal kit are rated at 48 dB. It would have been sensible to put the phase of the open connector and the phase of the open standard on the same graph, but I would have had to do that manually, whereas the graphs are plotted by non-interactive shell scripts. I could not be bothered to write another shell script, or import to OpenOffice and plot it. All results are better at lower frequencies. I've just given the data at 900 MHz above, as that's where it is worst. The attached PDFs should clarify things. I finally have a working NanoVNA. Well, at least I think it worst - the screen lights up. I have no worked out how to set change much yet. Can you actually perform a 1-port calibration, or do you always have to do a 2-port calibration? I could not see any obvious way to select what sort I wanted. I assume if one only wants 1-port, when can just not bother connecting anything between ports 1 and 2 for the thru, then S21 will be invalid, and that will be fine. Unless it has something that detects the attenuation between ports 1 and 2 is too high. -- Dr David Kirkby Ph.D C.Eng MIET Kirkby Microwave Ltd Registered office: Stokes Hall Lodge, Burnham Rd, Althorne, CHELMSFORD, Essex, CM3 6DT, United Kingdom. Registered in England and Wales as company number 08914892 https://www.kirkbymicrowave.co.uk/ Tel 01621-680100 / +44 1621-680100

In case anyone is interested I took some photos while I had my NanoVNA apart to solder the sma sockets to the back of the PCB. Rather than clog the forum up they're here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-2Ujx7WEW9ot9OPsykZZYj8uU8GqiY4U?usp=sharing As noted before this clone has no screening on Ch0 & Ch1 circuits and the panels are both plastic. It came configured as a 2-trace Antenna Analyser so the lack of screening may not be too critical as Ch1 is not used. The battery is stuck down with a sticky pad and is slightly too close to Ch1 circuitry. The case is this one: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3673624 Mike

There are certainly different versions of the NanoVNA, and people are making reference to "good clones" and "bad clones". But I think the word "clone" is a poor word to use for a GPL licensed open-source project, where the intent of the original author was to make the code available to others to copy and if they wished to modify. -- Dr David Kirkby Ph.D C.Eng MIET Kirkby Microwave Ltd Registered office: Stokes Hall Lodge, Burnham Rd, Althorne, CHELMSFORD, Essex, CM3 6DT, United Kingdom. Registered in England and Wales as company number 08914892 https://www.kirkbymicrowave.co.uk/ Tel 01621-680100 / +44 1621-680100

Some versions of the NanoVNA are shipped without batteries. I see someone mentioned the other day that they used an old phone battery. Phones use lithium ion batteries, which need care in charging if you wish to avoid them exploding. I don’t know what the charging circuit on the NanoVNA is, but I doubt it is designed for lithium ion batteries, so there are *significant* risks using them. I am likely to put mine in a bigger case with a good quality switch, N connectors, decent power switch, larger USB connector and perhaps three AA NiMH cells. I would then dispense with the supplied battery as finding a replacement would be tricky. These NanoVNAs are clearly made at low cost using low quality components. I think unless people change to higher quality components, reliability will be an issue. -- Dr. David Kirkby,