Dear Erik,
Maybe I can help a bit with my personal experience of Spectrum Analysers. Many others may have similar stories to tell.
I am a retired doctor, but just happen to have a long (since age 10) history of an interest in electronics, sufficient to also pick up a degree in Electrical Sciences during my medical training. A career in electronics was not feasible, so electronics (and computing) remained a hobby, not a career.
Many years ago I had a problem driving a transducer to 50mhz from a hf amateur transceiver; just did not work. At the same time, I had built a very primitive Spectrum Analyser (0-100mhz) from a kit of parts. I discovered that the transverter output was full of other frequencies, so I made, and tuned an appropriate band pass filter, using a home made bridge and noise source with the Analyser. Success,! I was working on my own, no colleagues or nearby radio club to help.
As a result of this success, I bought an HP 141- based spectrum Analyser, repaired it and used it, eventually buying two more, including the 10ghz plugin. I improved the performance of the basic Analyser I had originally built, as well.?
I hardly used much of this kit in anger ( medical career taking up huge majority of my time), but I do know what I can do with a rbw of 100hz.
I have a roomful of boatanchor spectrum analysers (6 I think at the last count) all destined for the dustbin now. A tiny handheld device is not as good as the HP machines but at least does not take up bench space or need warming up for 2 hours, and is easier to use. And you can walk around with it to trace qrm (interference).
The TinySA will displace all these old machines, even with its current spec. A rbw of 1khz would be nice, as would operation up to 3gkz, so as to play with the obsolescent WiFi kit, for example. I own a Deepace KC901s ( discontinued) handheld - cost $1500 several years ago, and the TinySA does much of what this machine does for $50.
Please keep up the good work. Although I was “ spectrum Analyser literate”, I knew little about vna devices until I bought a nanovna. These devices are costing less than a mediocre restaurant meal for two. They will succeed and educate the radio and electronics community.
I hope this encourages you all to continue the development of these devices.
Stephen Laurence, radio amateur since 1964, doctor since 1975, G7PSZ
