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Using a nanoVNA to test a transmitter #newbie #general_vna


 

Even a reasonably good 10 dB attenuator makes a good dummy load as the
return loss is 20 dB - two passes through the -10 dB circuit. And 20 dB RT
amounts to an SWR of 1.02 : 1. So, you not only have a good 10 dB
attenuator, but a good dummy load as well.

Dave - W?LEV

On Mon, Feb 15, 2021 at 6:08 PM Luc ON7DQ <on7dq@...> wrote:

If it's of any use to anyone, here I described a simple 40 dB / 20W
attenuator I once built

You can also convert a QRP Labs or QRP Guys dummyload into an attenuator
that way, it may not be the "perfect" 50 Ohm IN/OUT attenuator, but surely
good enough to test a QRP rig. Even with ordinary resistors, it will be
useable in the HF range.

Another option is to build a "power sampler", see a link in the post
mentioned above.

As for that "better" video on Youtube that Evan mentioned.
It shows the problems all right, but it does NOT explain it, the maker of
that video cleary missed some points.
"... it goes up and down ... some weird filter ... " huh ?

The simple explanation is that the NanoVNA is limited to 101 points, so
runs over the spectrum in too coarse steps, missing several signals if they
are not on one of those 101 frequencies. Reducing the sweep range may show
more signals, but still miss some.
And nothing weird about the IF filter, but the IF of the NanoVNA is at 5
kHz, so you will see an image signal at 10 kHz offset.

So the NanoVNA is not a spectrum analyzer, but yes, it can be used as a
very crude signal monitor ... if you know what you're doing, and don't
expect too much.

73,
Luc ON7DQ





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