N1201SA Antenna Analyser Review

[@edwatters6377]

After seeing your video, I purchased a N1201SA analyzer. I wanted to see how accurate the unit was, so I used a WEB site you can use to build 1/4 antennas. It was on the money every time. The N1201A allowed me to fine tune each antenna to 1.3 or below for each of my projects. Thanks for your review of this product. Ed KC2ORP

[@hansturpyn5455]

Biquads are superb antennas, i made a lot of them, in the 1.2ghz and 2.4 ghz range. I also used this device for tuning them. I also made biquads for 5.8 and did the max range on dji hd with them. For tuning the 5.8 biquads i used the owl rc swr meter.

[@DenysSene]

I was looking for some cheap vna for a long time. Finally something under $400 to test my antennas.

[@mikewillis1592]

Thanks for the review - very helpful. Just one thing you implied that VSWR is a measure of antenna efficiency, that's not true, even though it is often a good indicator. A 50 ohm load should have 1:1 VSWR but certainly won't radiate, a VSWR of 1 therefore does not mean a perfect antenna, it only means a perfect match. Of course we need to get a good match but it's not the only criterion.

[@skuula]

Yep - and then, there is the story of the bad antenna at the other end of the lossy cable. Since the cable ate most of the energy going up to the antenna, and once again ate most of the power reflected back, the SWR meter at the transmitter end received little reflected power, and indicated all fine.

[@aleks07111971]

Hello, can you make the video work of the instrument in calibration mode?

[@Inspironator]

VSWR is a measurement of the impedance mismatch at a given frequency. It is not a direct indicator of how "good" your antenna is. Some antennas can be high gain on the desired frequency with so so VSWR and perform better than a low gain antenna on a out of band frequency that has a good VSWR (VSWR of 1.1).

[@austntexan]

Brilliant video. Thank you for putting this together. A must-have​ for every FPVer imo.Would def like to see videos on antenna construction and tuning.

[@spookymulder007]

Great Video, I have this unit, should calibration be done with cable in place with and the usual open, short and 50hm load THEN connect the antenna? How do you check antennas with 75ohm cable? Please help!

[@VE3FAL1Fred]

What an awesome video and review, looking at the N2021BA as the cost of the rig experts I want is way off the wall for me. Thanks

[@tonydinkel]

Excellent demo and eval, thank you!

[@StuntDoubleFPV]

I learned a few things, thanks for sharing. Think i need to purchase something like this to test my homemade antennas

[@larrys_truth]

Very Good tutorial on this analyzer! Will purchase one soon.

[@melsailsnorth1]

Just learning about this device and is seems like a blessing for the "backyard" antenna makers like me!! I was as curious if you could also use it as a spectrum analyzer similar to an RF explorer or just for SWR and impedance tests? Thanks so much for sharing such an informative video!!

[@glikar1]

Cleared a few things up for me. Thanks!

[@JAKOB1977]

Is this e N1201SA (PES100) still a valid offer in today's market late 2020, or are there newer revision that is more optimal for anybody looking for a cheap widespread antenna analyzer for a relatively low cost. Looks like there is alsot other model, PES200 (35mhz-2.7ghz), and also a model with 2 SMA, but both of these are somewhat more expensive.

[@zukjeff]

I would love to see your design for a 433 yagi with 50 ohm feed . thank you for the NVA review.

[@kn6bst349]

Does the VSWR have a wide range? Say unto 10? Great video, thx.

[@buzzsah]

I just ordered one today, I have been looking but like you I did not want to spend K's of dollars. I too have the AA-600 that I bought last month but found I needed more. When I had my store I had a Marconi Spec analyzer but now as a hobby I can't see spending big bucks. So how do you like is?

[@JAKOB1977]

Any of these relative low priced devices that able to do both 2.4 and also 5.8ghz?

[@neilsanson8539]

Hi, just asking if do i need to test together with the coax & ant? Or just the ant alone?

[@garynorthtruro]

A very good instrument. At a price I could afford !! Very easy to use.

[@na5y]

Thank you for the video. Is this unit capable of analyzing, say, a mobile 2m antenna mounted on a car with ~3m coax or is it intended for the antenna to be directly connected. Excuse the newb question - I am new into this hobby.

[@CaptScience]

+caliphaxable it will do anything you hook up, however the transmission line will cause some skew in the readings. At that Freq and over those distances it should be negligible unless the line is really bad.

[@IamNewPrepper]

I have the AA230 but like you I need more. Would you buy this again? and how has it been working to date?

[@kermets]

Hello there, just looking at this item and wonder if your testing has shown a range increase when you tuned the antenna etc? cheers Brett

[@Migueldeservantes]

Any advice how to change the resistance of an dipole antenna or at least one that don't have a close/loop?

[@davidkierzkowski]

will this thing do DTF measurements ?

[@disonesto]

can you make a video on calibration, load, open, short

[@Koestel-FPV]

Nice video thanks you, So you think this device is reliable?

[@CaptScience]

seems to be i've been using it on all the antennas i own, even commercial ones for HAM which I have also tested with the Rigexpert and i get very comparable results at least at the low end.

[@pefclic]

Hello, thank you very much for this very nice video : I've already purchased mine :D Do you know how you can get some information about the gain of the antenna ?

[@CaptScience]

I have had some success using a sdr on my computer and comparing the signal strength received from a dipole as my reference and comparing it to that of the test antenna. you could use he test antenna for receive or transmit. In my case i compared against a dipole in whatever case i would use it for. (send or receive) and leave the same antenna on the other end.

[@DrTune]

Thanks that was really useful; lots of info, well explained.

[@TheKetsa]

I need one that covers 5.8ghz

[@californiakayaker]

Mine turns on with what would typically be thought of as a reset button. Guess I need to read the destructions ? (instructions ) It turns off with the power button .

[@Neeko_110]

I'm looking to buy one of these but it uses SMA-K (2.9mm) connector vs the standard SMA (3.5mm)what adapter are you using?

[@CaptScience]

I bought an adapter kit from banggood which pretty much converts everything to everything. I use this little $1 adapter on my radios a lot www.banggood.com/RPSMA-Female-to-RPSMA-Female-Adapter-RF-Connector-RPSMAKK-p-925208.html?p=DU052212075452015025 The version I have connects with standard SMA, not sure why you'd want to buy one with such an uncommon connector.

[@stevew9945]

good video. interested in antenna construction, regards Steve W

[@kutay_ozkeskin]

Can you describe S11 ? Z ? ESL ? What are good values on a good antenna ? Can this device show howmuch gain it gives for an antenna ?

[@Slicerwizard]

S11 tells you how much power sent out by the VNA comes back. So first, connect your coax to the VNA. Connect nothing at the other end (leave the coax open, not shorted). The S11 value then tells you the dB loss of a *two* way trip through the coax at a given frequency. Use the graph screen to see loss over a frequency range. So maybe you are using a 440 MHz antenna, so set the VNA test frequency and connect your coax to the VNA only. So maybe it displays S11: -3 dB; then your coax run loses 1.5 dB *one* way at 440 MHz. So on coax alone, higher S11 (like -1 dB instead of -10 db) is better. Then connect the antenna to the coax. Maybe now the VNA displays S11: -15 dB. So 1/32 of the power from the VNA came back. But 3 dB was lost in the coax alone (see above). So -12 dB (1/16 of the power that reached the antenna) came back instead of being radiated, which is not bad. So lower adjusted S11 (the -12 dB above) is better. Higher adjusted S11 means the antenna is not tuned for the frequency or is not impedance matched to the coax. So low S11 because your coax is lossy = bad. Low S11 because your antenna radiated almost all of the power = good. Note: "Low S11" means more negative (-15 dB is lower than -3 dB) Z is the impedance that the VNA sees. It is not the impedance of your antenna if you have a long coax run connected or a matching network. Connect the antenna's RF connector directly to the VNA or use a short coax jumper to see true antenna impedance. Z should normally be close to 50, as that is what your radio and coax want to see. Numbers close to 50 (maybe 40 to 60?) are not that bad. Other numbers mean your antenna (or antenna plus matching network) is not tuned or has a design problem or is damaged. X is reactance (capacitive or inductive) and should be near zero. As you move away from zero, it shows that there are problems. Reactance means there will be RF power that the antenna will not radiate, i.e. an efficiency loss. -5 to +5 is quite good; up to -20 to 20 is probably ok. And no, a VNA can not calculate antenna gain. There is nothing being sent over the coax that can tell the VNA that.

[@kutay_ozkeskin]

Thanks alot. This helped so much.. Btw, im trying to make a great 2.3 to 2.6ghz multirange antenna. here are the results, "" R 54 X18 vswr 1.4 and s11 -15 ""will it blend ?

[@kutay_ozkeskin]

On my multiple tests, i see when an antenna is multirange, it has a low power. A single channel antenna always has better values and a peak at S11 am i right ?

[@Slicerwizard]

R 54 is good. X 18 is ok. You did not report Z. VSWR 1.4 is probably because the antenna is wide (not single frequency), so is to be expected. S11 reading is hard to say unless you know how much power is lost in the coax. If the coax is very short, then you can guess that is does not lose much (maybe a few dB), so then you are looking at maybe -13 dB for power bouncing back from the antenna, so the antenna is only kicking back about 1/20th or less of the power and you should be ok with that...

[@kutay_ozkeskin]

i calculate the loss, its -0.9 (S11dB) coax is very short. And the Z is 49

[@JD_1]

Very good advice! Thanks

[@shiggyking]

JD FPV great vid How do you check the strength of a signal?

[@bowsbot]

179 dollars and wont do 5.8g :( ill pass lmao