Protect your NanoVNA and TinySA

In this video, we discuss how to extend the live of your NanoVNA and TinySA by protecting your hole!
Remember to like, comment, and subscribe to our channel to stay updated with future videos that explore fascinating topics in the world of technology. Hit the notification bell to ensure you never miss out on our latest content!
👍Join this channel:
/ @thesmokinape
👍Support TheSmokinApe Channel on Patreon Here: / thesmokinape
🔥🔥🔥 Get your Ham Radio License using Ham Radio Prep:
shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=125420...
USE CODE "SmokinApe" for 20% OFF
Links to products in the video:
👍www.amazon.com/shop/TheSmokinApe
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
If you liked this video you can see more like it here:
👍 / thesmokinape
You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram:
👍 / thesmokinape
👍 / thesmokinape

[@KG6NLWMotoRadio]

Blowing out our holes and keeping them nice and tight, Ape I think you’re onto something there!😂 GOOD video!

[@TheSmokinApe]

Thanks Frank 👍

[@n1kkri]

This is a good idea. I use to take Radiated Emissions as well as other types of measurements for a computer company to meet FCC/CISPR requirements and I had what I used to call a "Connector Saver" to prevent a very expensive repair job on high end Spectrum Analyzers and Receivers. The cost of that extra connector will save you a bigger expense.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Agreed, thanks for the comment 👍

[@HamRadio2]

You said "hole" - uh huh huh...huh huh huh huh uh

[@TheSmokinApe]

Sure did 👀

[@dickvercouteren1424]

Thanks Smoke, I will be putting sacrificial adapters on all my new stuff from now on.

[@TheSmokinApe]

It is the way 👍

[@t.j.speakman7723]

Thanks Ape. I have a mostly feral 21 year old son. There isn’t a safe one in 10 counties round here.

[@WR3ND]

As a mostly feral 42 year old man, you have my sympathy.

[@TheSmokinApe]

lol

[@t.j.speakman7723]

My feral all rubbed off several years ago but, I remember the old days. Lol.@@WR3ND

[@ericlevine420]

Good one Keep your hole covered Excellent advice

[@TheSmokinApe]

Thanks 👍

[@ornithopterindia]

👍Thank you sir.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Thanks for watching 👍

[@philswede]

Greetings from Sweden! Great tips!

[@TheSmokinApe]

Hey Phil 👍

[@Inkling777]

Thanks for the helpful advice. I'll add another. When I checked my NanoVNA, I found that the SNA to BNC adapter was one solid piece. That meant the entire assembly had to be rotated to tighten rather than having a loose sleeve that could be tightened down without rotating the pin. That's now been fixed. That may explain some of the noise I've experienced checking SWR.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Ah, good tip to look out for that 👍

[@normreed9886]

Excellent video. The Reference Plane is super important so calibrate calibrate with the adapters. Generally speaking anything over 200MHz should be torqued. Most purists will torque everything. I worked in RF all my career. Things get strange the higher you go and more care needs to be taken.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Thanks Norm 👍

[@Thump2030]

Protect that hole. :-D

[@TheSmokinApe]

Right

[@jayd8935]

One can never take too much care of your hole, you want to make sure it stays nice and tight. (yeah, I have the mind of a schoolboy sometimes, what can I say) 73 from me in VK3.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Thanks for watching Jay 👍

[@bassangler73]

Good advice Ape, I put BNC's on my radio ports and on my Coax to save wear when I unhook them for lightning which we get a lot of here in Tornado Alley..Another thing you can do is use a light coating of Silicone grease on your connectors and they last much longer...keep up the good advice brother!

[@TheSmokinApe]

Good idea and thanks BA 👍

[@mikeZL3XD7029]

Hi Ape, My SAA-2N has N connectors on it, but what you are saying is very sage advice, especially with SMA type connectors and the ones that solder to the PC Board itself. Wrenching them sideways/upwards when using a supposed torque wrench sounds like a recipe for disaster, I've only ever tightened any RF connector, with my fingers, until they stop turning, it's not like the bolts that hold the head down on your V8 lawnmower.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Hey Mike, I’m sure there is an ISO spec for how tight they should be but ain’t nobody got time for that 👍

[@drocles]

I got my nanovna hole dirty and it had a bad connection, i replaced it. Just a heads up, if you do want to replace the connector, chop it up with pliers or dremmel, etc and desolder each pin individually, its a pain to desolder the whole thing and you might wreck some traces!

[@TheSmokinApe]

Ah, that’s a good tip. I guess whole other a big ole hear sync 👍

[@DonzLockz]

Good tip Ape. I have some adapters but I think I need to get me some more. It's best to short out the antenna plug with your tongue... im told.😜

[@TheSmokinApe]

👀

[@iainmcculloch5807]

I actually have a torque spanner which is the correct size for SMA connectors, but I also generally only tighten the connectors finger tight.

[@TheSmokinApe]

I mean the wrench is the right way, but ain’t nobody got time for that 👀

[@robertmeyer4744]

nice. I only got the H4 one. I keep the yellow caps on SMA when not in use. I use dummy load on my antenna lead .I keep finding more adapters I need for my nano VNA H4. 73's

[@TheSmokinApe]

Hey Robert. I have just about every adapter you can imagine, just can’t find the one I need when I need it 😮

[@Gengh13]

Agree with your recommendations, but changing the sma connector on those devices is quick and easy.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Agreed, but what is easy for one man that not be for others

[@warplanner8852]

Love the double entendre in this video! By the way, SMA, on your recent poll? The name of the antenna is _Yagi Uda_ not yagi uga.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Haha, thanks on both accounts WP 👍

[@DellFargus]

How did you get through the first minute or so of this video with a straight face? It had the 13-year old in my head laughing like Beavis.

[@TheSmokinApe]

It wasn’t easy

[@LeeMcc_KI5YPR]

The old engineers who wanted precise measurements used a torque wrench, and they were looking at high UHF frequencies (

[@TheSmokinApe]

Those wrenches are how the get you 🤔

[@HOAHamRadio]

Learning new stuff everyday. Off to the kitchen for a fork.

[@TheSmokinApe]

I like to have multipurpose equipment, the folk is a breakfast assistant and static discharger 👍

[@dan_in_sd]

Already done. ;)

[@TheSmokinApe]

Nice 👍

[@dan_in_sd]

@@TheSmokinApe I cut 2 small holes in the plastic tray that the NanoVNA sits in when in its box, that way I never have to take off the SMA extenders when i put the unit away ;)

[@TheSmokinApe]

#protip

[@mcgrath16511]

First as you probably already realize,, there is room for a butt load of jokes1 (see what I did there?), Second.. safety smaftey!! live on the edge LOL,, Great video,, I have been using the "adapters on both my vna and Sa,, .. just deemed logical since all things mechanical or electrical do one of two things,, work or break! Thanks again! 73..

[@TheSmokinApe]

Thanks man! Appreciate you watching 👍

[@manipulatingsound]

@2:17 SMA* Male to SMA* Female You accidentally said BNC, just mentioning so people don't purchase the incorrect adapters. Thank you for the tips!

[@TheSmokinApe]

Thanks for the catch Kyle 👍

[@dpinkerton7441]

Hello, I have been using a LibreVNA to tune cavity filters and have been hoping you were going to do more clips on your channel with the LibreVNA

[@TheSmokinApe]

I would but I ended up passing it along as I didn’t use it much

[@dpinkerton7441]

Keep up the great work, it is appreciated@@TheSmokinApe

[@TheSmokinApe]

@@dpinkerton7441 thank you

[@button-puncher]

Port Saver. Or at least that's what they call them in the computer world. First saw them with VGA (15pin) and serial (9pin) connectors. Would paralleling a 10Meg resistor be a good idea for ESD protection? I don't know enough about the VNA if that'd be enough to significantly throw off its measurements.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Being candid, I’m not sure either

[@Matt-qq8dh]

Great video on protecting you nanaovna. I've worked with ESD sensitive electronics over the years and I didn't even think about electrical discharge from an open feed line to an antenna. That makes sense. That discharge would definitely blow out the vna. Do you know if the instructions for the nanovna has something on this? I'll definitely purchase those adapters for the ports and short out the end of the feed line. Thanks again. 73s.

[@TheSmokinApe]

I don't recall seeing anything in the "manual" for the Nano. You have to be careful when connecting to a radio as well...

[@Matt-qq8dh]

@@TheSmokinApe Thank you for that info on the radio. I'll use the nano for analyzing common mode chokes, cables and antennas.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Thanks for watching Matt 👍

[@mj-dd2fb]

At about 1:20 in I thought you were gonna lose it, Ape! Don't blow out your hole!!!

[@TheSmokinApe]

I came close 😂

[@Ezzell_]

Hello my Ape friend, I was thinking last night that since these NanoVNAs are open source, why havent some one made a firm ware that will turn it into a dedicated SWR meter like other digital-portable meters. It would be nice to turn it on, select a band and read a number with or with out a graph.

[@briansalsbery9968]

I use saved configs to accomplish that. Each slot remembers your custom display settings as well as the range, etc. Saves a lot of time and keeps that pesky Smith Chart off the screen. de AC7PB

[@TheSmokinApe]

It would be nice if there was a FW specific to the interests of hams.

[@adk5746]

How wide can you view the spectrum at one time on this

[@TheSmokinApe]

On the H4 you can do DC to 1.5GHz but you want to zoom in to see what’s going on 👍

[@commontater652]

Had to check the date this was posted. Nope, not April 1.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Nope

[@Will_N4WIL]

🧐

[@TheSmokinApe]

Right

[@richysradioroom]

You could dab a little ky jell on it to.

[@TheSmokinApe]

😳