Vector Network Analysers – An introduction, by Neil G0SVN

A vector Network Analyser (VNA) is a sophisticated and useful item of test equipment for the Radio Amateur. Neil G0SVN, Chairman of the Maidenhead and District Amateur Radio Club kindly offered to visit our club for our August meeting to introduce us to the VNA and its uses.

introducing us to some of the very first commercial VNAs, Neil explained that these were relatively large, heavy and complex devices and their cost meant that they were out of reach of the average Radio Amateur, but used commercially since the 1980s.

Having discussed the history and development of the VNA and the addition as such features as the Time Domain Reflectometer offering further functionality, Neil moved on to desktop and handheld VNA’s and of course the popular and more affordable Nano-VNA that many Radio Amateurs have at home.

Connecting his handheld VNA to a PC Neil demonstrated some of the features and results produced by the VNA with some live tests for us.

Thank you to Neil G0SVN for a useful and interesting presentation.

Thank you also to all that browsed through and bought items and components from our impromptu table sale of items donated by Bob G4TTZ. The sale raised £106.62 which has now been donated to the British Heart Foundation on Bob’s request.