This is my NanoVNA H4. It’s an antenna analyser, amongst many other things. The unit has a 4 inch screen, unlike the Nano very tiny handheld VNA H which has a 2.8 inch screen. And it’s incredible. After checking all my aerials, I decided to find out what else the VNA could do.
The NanoVNA H4 is pictured below along with a few of the adaptors I bought separately.
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- NanoVNA H4 antenna analyser
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- NanoVNA H4 antenna analyser adaptors
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- NanoVNA H4 antenna analyser
Pictured below is a small box I made up for connecting to both VNA ports. At the frequencies I’m interested in, medium wave to 30MHz, the length of the crock clip leads won’t affect the test results. If I were to check VHF, UHF and higher, the lead length would come into play and give me false readings. Patch leads connect the female SMA ports to the VNA.
Below are a few non-technical videos of my NanoVNA H4 in action. I say non-technical because I wanted to explain the basic operation of the unit to newcomers to the hobby. Too many people are frighten off by in-depth theory and mathematics when all that is needed to get started is a simplified explanation. Further learning can come later. The first video concerns SWR and antenna resonance. The second video deals with tuned circuits. The third video shows test results from a common mode choke. The fourth video explains how to set up and use both ports on the VNA for measurement.
SWR and Aerial Resonance.
Tuned Circuits.
Common Mode Chokes and Coax.
Link to article by Steve Hunt here.
How to set up and use CH0 and CH1.
Common Mode Chokes.
My FT240-31 ferrite ring has arrived. I’ve wound 8 turns of RG8X Mini8 coax on the ring to form a common mode choke to cover the HF spectrum. I’ve checked the results on my NanoVNA… see video above. Below is the coax wound on the ferrite ring. The box was rather small so it was a bit of a squeeze.
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- FT240-31 toroid HF common mode choke
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- FT240-31 toroid HF common mode choke
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- FT240-31 toroid HF common mode choke
The NanoVNA H4 as a signal generator.
I keep discovering more secrets hidden within the NanoVNA. It can be used as a basic signal generator! I’m not sure that this discovery warrants a video, but I’ll give it some thought.
The NanoVNA H4 and crystal filters.
I’ve been checking a 1.6MHz USB I.F. quartz crystal filter with the NanoVNA. Again, I’m not sure that this discovery warrants a video, but I’ll give it some thought.
Maybe I should make a video combing the NanoVNA as a signal generator and checking the crystal filter.
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- Crystal IF Filter 1.6MHz
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- Crystal IF Filter 1.6MHz USB
NanoVNA H4 Settings Notes.
The notes below take you through the setup procedure for checking SWR and aerial resonance and tuned circuits and quartz crystal frequencies. I’ll soon be adding another video dealing with checking quartz crystals.
TO CHECK AERIAL SWR – port CH0 |
TO CHECK RESONANCE OF TUNED CIRCUITS, COMMON MODE CHOKES AND QUARTZ XTAL fx – Ports Ch0 and CH1 |
| Menu | Menu |
| Trace | Trace |
| Trace yellow SWR | Trace blue Logmag |
| Back | Back |
| Format | Format |
| SWR | Logmag |
| Back | Back |
| Stimulus | Stimulus |
| Enter start fx | Enter start fx |
| Enter stop fx | Enter stop fx |
| Back | Back |
| Cal | Cal |
| Reset | Reset |
| Calibrate CH0 | Calibrate CH0 |
| Open | Open |
| Short | Short |
| Load | Load |
| Done | Isolate (load to CH1) |
| Save to location | Thru (connect ports together) |
| Connect Ant | Done |
| Marker | Save to location |
| Search | Marker |
| Minimum | Search |
| Reading shows resonant fx and SWR | Minimum |
| Reading shows resonant fx of tuned circuit or crystal |
Looking after the NanoVNA H4.
A lovely old, very old, set of drawers for the NanoVNA H4 and its various bits and pieces. There are three drawers in total.
