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I am preparing to purchase my first antenna analyzer product.? I have an
old MFJ-209 which has neither meters nor frequency readout.? I love to
build antennas, especially for my ham club.
Can any of you give a reason pro or con as to why nanovna vs MfJ 259
series.? I presume many are nanovna users due to the lower cost.? Is there
any tradeoff that would discourage either?

Thanks in advance from a new subscriber to [email protected]

Dan? K5KHZ

I am preparing to purchase my first antenna analyzer product. I have an old MFJ-209 which has neither meters nor frequency readout. I love to build antennas, especially for my ham club.
Can any of you give a reason pro or con as to why nanovna vs MfJ 259 series. I presume many are nanovna users due to the lower cost. Is there any tradeoff that would discourage either?

I am preparing to purchase my first antenna analyzer product.? I have an
old MFJ-209 which has neither meters nor frequency readout.? I love to
build antennas, especially for my ham club.
Can any of you give a reason pro or con as to why nanovna vs MfJ 259
series.? I presume many are nanovna users due to the lower cost.? Is there
any tradeoff that would discourage either?

Thanks in advance from a new subscriber to [email protected]

Dan? K5KHZ

The MFJ's
1) do not cover the frequency range of the NANO's
2) do not offer the measurement accuracy of the NANO's
3) do not have the frequency accuracy of the NANO's
4) do not have the diversified plotting capabilities of the NANO's
5) do not make an ACCURATE measurement of either the real or complex
portion of an impedance
6) are not true vector network analyzers
7) are far more expensive than the NANO's (MFJ charges roughly $380
for
their closest competition to the NANO's and it
covers to only 260 MHz)
8) either end of their frequency coverages suffer from extreme errors
in
measurements
9) others can add to this list...................

Personally, I would not even consider MFJ, given the full capabilities
and
price (and marginal reputation of MFJ) of the NANO's. They are a game
changer!!!!

One last comment: I've many times compared the NANO's to the HP 8753C
vector network analyzer in many different setups and different tasks.
Guess what? The NANO's compare extremely favorably with the
(expensive) HP
8753C! The MFJ units do not, in most cases!!!!!

Dave - W?LEV


On Mon, May 11, 2020 at 11:47 AM Dan Gilliam via groups.io <k5khz=
[email protected]> wrote:

I am preparing to purchase my first antenna analyzer product. I have

an

old MFJ-209 which has neither meters nor frequency readout. I love

to

build antennas, especially for my ham club.
Can any of you give a reason pro or con as to why nanovna vs MfJ 259
series. I presume many are nanovna users due to the lower cost. Is

there

any tradeoff that would discourage either?

Thanks in advance from a new subscriber to [email protected]

Dan K5KHZ

--
*Dave - W?LEV*
*Just Let Darwin Work*

On May 11, 2020 at 4:14 PM David Eckhardt <davearea51a@...> wrote:


The MFJ's
1) do not cover the frequency range of the NANO's
2) do not offer the measurement accuracy of the NANO's
3) do not have the frequency accuracy of the NANO's
4) do not have the diversified plotting capabilities of the NANO's
5) do not make an ACCURATE measurement of either the real or complex
portion of an impedance
6) are not true vector network analyzers
7) are far more expensive than the NANO's (MFJ charges roughly $380 for
their closest competition to the NANO's and it
covers to only 260 MHz)
8) either end of their frequency coverages suffer from extreme errors in
measurements
9) others can add to this list...................

Personally, I would not even consider MFJ, given the full capabilities and
price (and marginal reputation of MFJ) of the NANO's. They are a game
changer!!!!

One last comment: I've many times compared the NANO's to the HP 8753C
vector network analyzer in many different setups and different tasks.
Guess what? The NANO's compare extremely favorably with the (expensive) HP
8753C! The MFJ units do not, in most cases!!!!!

Dave - W?LEV


On Mon, May 11, 2020 at 11:47 AM Dan Gilliam via groups.io <k5khz=
[email protected]> wrote:

I am preparing to purchase my first antenna analyzer product. I have an
old MFJ-209 which has neither meters nor frequency readout. I love to
build antennas, especially for my ham club.
Can any of you give a reason pro or con as to why nanovna vs MfJ 259
series. I presume many are nanovna users due to the lower cost. Is there
any tradeoff that would discourage either?

Thanks in advance from a new subscriber to [email protected]

Dan K5KHZ

--
*Dave - W?LEV*
*Just Let Darwin Work*

Im very happy with a recently acquired H4 from Gigaparts and the smaller and
older Hugen version.

Carl

On May 11, 2020 at 4:14 PM David Eckhardt <davearea51a@...> wrote:


The MFJ's
1) do not cover the frequency range of the NANO's
2) do not offer the measurement accuracy of the NANO's
3) do not have the frequency accuracy of the NANO's
4) do not have the diversified plotting capabilities of the NANO's
5) do not make an ACCURATE measurement of either the real or complex
portion of an impedance
6) are not true vector network analyzers
7) are far more expensive than the NANO's (MFJ charges roughly $380 for
their closest competition to the NANO's and it
covers to only 260 MHz)
8) either end of their frequency coverages suffer from extreme errors in
measurements
9) others can add to this list...................

Personally, I would not even consider MFJ, given the full capabilities
and
price (and marginal reputation of MFJ) of the NANO's. They are a game
changer!!!!

One last comment: I've many times compared the NANO's to the HP 8753C
vector network analyzer in many different setups and different tasks.
Guess what? The NANO's compare extremely favorably with the (expensive)
HP
8753C! The MFJ units do not, in most cases!!!!!

Dave - W?LEV


On Mon, May 11, 2020 at 11:47 AM Dan Gilliam via groups.io <k5khz=
[email protected]> wrote:

I am preparing to purchase my first antenna analyzer product. I have
an
old MFJ-209 which has neither meters nor frequency readout. I love to
build antennas, especially for my ham club.
Can any of you give a reason pro or con as to why nanovna vs MfJ 259
series. I presume many are nanovna users due to the lower cost. Is
there
any tradeoff that would discourage either?

Thanks in advance from a new subscriber to [email protected]

Dan K5KHZ

--
*Dave - W?LEV*
*Just Let Darwin Work*

On May 11, 2020, at 3:56 PM, Ed Humphries <ed@...> wrote:

?Dan, here's my 0.02 worth RE nanoVNA versus antenna analyzers:

One is an open source "vector network analyzer" that is continually open to updates and fixes and experimentation. It requires close attention to calibration, menu selection, cable choice and adapters to connect to your "device under test." Unless you connect it to an external computer (notebook or laptop usually), even the 4" version might be considered a little hard to read and you must pay attention to what values you are reading. If you can read small Smith Charts and they are what you need, then a VNA is your choice. The nanoVNA is essentially a hobbyist/experimenter device. More professional equipment in the same family costs more and offers more to professional users.

The other is an all-in-one box capable of high-levels of precision (still not "top-of-the-line, but up there). You connect your antenna and read the results with little difficulty or fiddling. They are antenna-centric, ready-to-go instruments.

Is the more expensive antenna analyzer worth so many $$ more than the nanoVNA? It is almost an apple-orange thing - you have to decide what you need and how you will be using it. Personally, a nanoVNA would not be my first purchase if measuring and adjusting antennas is what is needed. I have one 2.8" and one 4" nano, but when I'm going to an antenna site (at least for now) I'm taking my MFJ analyzer and (because I'm and belt and suspenders person) my Bird Wattmeter. (Or maybe just the Bird, because they are that good.)

If you are purchasing for the purpose of checking and adjusting/building antennas, you have your answer.

If you want to fool around with neat tech, by all means go small. :-)

Frankly, cost should be your last consideration.

Cheers, Ed H. KT4ED

On 5/11/2020 1:06 PM, Dan Gilliam via groups.io wrote:
I am preparing to purchase my first antenna analyzer product. I have an old MFJ-209 which has neither meters nor frequency readout. I love to build antennas, especially for my ham club.
Can any of you give a reason pro or con as to why nanovna vs MfJ 259 series. I presume many are nanovna users due to the lower cost. Is there any tradeoff that would discourage either?

I agree with Ed.? I have an early NanoVNA, and a more expensive one by
Seeed, the Sark 110, but to do antenna installs and tuning of my antenna
matching device I use my YouKits FG-01 as it just gives me SWR and
impedance quickly and continuously.? No reading of the manual or
interpreting the Smith Chart needed.? I enjoyed my MFJ 259 but it was
clutzy to use and slower to get the same results.? It was great when it was
all I had compared to a noise bridge and GDO (the old days).

If you want to study antennas get a VNA.? If you just want to tune an
antenna or adjust a tuner get a device with a screen like the YouKits or
the RigExpert.? The RigExpert series seems to have taken over our radio
club just like the Icom 7300 but has more features than most purchasers
understand or even use.

My YouKits FG-01 is cheaper and easier to use for me. Also small for
portable use.? The new RigExpert Stik 230 looks tantalizing per the write
up in the May “The Spectrum Monitor” but is $100 dollars more compared to
the YouKits.? I bought my YouKits back when it was just released in 2012
and have used it almost daily.? Sold my MFJ easily too.

Bottom line is for $49.00 (my original cost of the the first NanoVNA) the
nanoVNA works but it has a learning curve and even earning how to calibrate
it took some time for this old guy.? If cost is an issue get one of the
nanoVNAs from GigaParts or other US dealers.? It is a steal.? For ease of
use the YouKits is the easiest even compared to the RigExpert.? I didn’t
even have to read a manual for the YouKits. It goes with me everywhere.

Dave K8WPE

David J. Wilcox K8WPE’s iPad

On May 11, 2020, at 3:56 PM, Ed Humphries <ed@...> wrote:

?Dan, here's my 0.02 worth RE nanoVNA versus antenna analyzers:

One is an open source "vector network analyzer" that is continually open

to updates and fixes and experimentation. It requires close attention to
calibration, menu selection, cable choice and adapters to connect to your
"device under test." Unless you connect it to an external computer
(notebook or laptop usually), even the 4" version might be considered a
little hard to read and you must pay attention to what values you are
reading. If you can read small Smith Charts and they are what you need,
then a VNA is your choice. The nanoVNA is essentially a
hobbyist/experimenter device. More professional equipment in the same
family costs more and offers more to professional users.

The other is an all-in-one box capable of high-levels of precision

(still not "top-of-the-line, but up there). You connect your antenna and
read the results with little difficulty or fiddling. They are
antenna-centric, ready-to-go instruments.

Is the more expensive antenna analyzer worth so many $$ more than the

nanoVNA? It is almost an apple-orange thing - you have to decide what you
need and how you will be using it. Personally, a nanoVNA would not be my
first purchase if measuring and adjusting antennas is what is needed. I
have one 2.8" and one 4" nano, but when I'm going to an antenna site (at
least for now) I'm taking my MFJ analyzer and (because I'm and belt and
suspenders person) my Bird Wattmeter. (Or maybe just the Bird, because they
are that good.)

If you are purchasing for the purpose of checking and adjusting/building

antennas, you have your answer.

If you want to fool around with neat tech, by all means go small. :-)

Frankly, cost should be your last consideration.

Cheers, Ed H. KT4ED

On 5/11/2020 1:06 PM, Dan Gilliam via groups.io wrote:
I am preparing to purchase my first antenna analyzer product.? I have

an old MFJ-209 which has neither meters nor frequency readout.? I love to
build antennas, especially for my ham club.

Can any of you give a reason pro or con as to why nanovna vs MfJ 259

series.? I presume many are nanovna users due to the lower cost.? Is there
any tradeoff that would discourage either?

I have a Nano F.? I used it on my Butternut HF9V antenna, a 9 band HF vertical.? It has been up for about 20 years.? Watching the swr and return loss during a spell of high winds showed a lot of changes going on.? Time to refurb antenna.? Took it all apart, put it back together with zinc paste for aluminum to aluminum connections.? I found a bad doorknob cap, had loose terminal.? I replaced all the doorknob caps. Now antenna shows all the swr and return loss dips where they should be.? I could never have done this with my MFJ analyzer.? Really a fine instrument for the price.
Eric WA3UYI

I am preparing to purchase my first antenna analyzer product. I have an old MFJ-209 which has neither meters nor frequency readout. I love to build antennas, especially for my ham club.
Can any of you give a reason pro or con as to why nanovna vs MfJ 259 series. I presume many are nanovna users due to the lower cost. Is there any tradeoff that would discourage either?

Thanks in advance from a new subscriber to [email protected]

Dan K5KHZ