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Re: What are the biggest damage risks when using stock antenna?
Thank you for all the helpful replies!
I will definitely avoid touching anything with the antenna and be mindful of ESD best practices. I'd like to look into the attenuator option. Any recommendations for something simple/affordable I could use for this? Specific product suggestions are super appreciated as I'm still really new to even the terminology of some of these devices. On the topic of avoiding being too close to strong transmitters... any examples of suggestions for what to avoid? I'm trying to wrap my head around this and wondering... are there any electrical devices in the average household that could cause damage to the tinySA via the antenna (through the air of course, not talking about accidental contact)? Or are we talking higher power transmitters (like the FM station example)? Apologies for all the questions but even having a few examples of specific devices and a ballpark distance to keep away from them would be very helpful. Thanks again for the help! |
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Re: What are the biggest damage risks when using stock antenna?
The 40673 may be very static-sensitive, but somewhere I have a few MFE3008 dual-gate MOSFET's left. These were supplied with the leads pushed through a metal rivet to connect all of the leads together. They were much more sensitive to static burn-out than the 40673's. I have never damaged a 40673 while installing it in a circuit. I remember damaging at least a couple MFE3008's. Also, the MF10CN switched-capacitor filters were very static-sensitive for some reason. I burned out a couple of them, too. Zack W9SZ On Wed, Feb 14, 2024 at 2:31?PM W0LEV <davearea51a@...> wrote:
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Re: What are the biggest damage risks when using stock antenna?
Also, from MiniCircuits: ???? VLM-33W-2W-S+ 0.2 - 3000 MHz.? Limiter Dave - W?LEV On Wed, Feb 14, 2024 at 9:14?PM Stuart Landau via <stuartl73=[email protected]> wrote:
-- Dave - W?LEV |
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Re: What are the biggest damage risks when using stock antenna?
Interesting topic. ? What do you guys think about just shorting the antenna before connecting to the vna? Or - Use a switchable?attenuator connected to the antenna in test? George? Sent from Proton Mail for iOS On Wed, Feb 14, 2024 at 4:14 PM, Stuart Landau via groups.io <stuartl73@...> wrote:
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Re: What are the biggest damage risks when using stock antenna?
Certainly, ESD would be the most common destructive danger.? With the telescopic antenna, the danger would be from being close to a transmitting radio or its antenna. I will not take my Tinysa to the high-power FM station that I am responsible for maintaining. The RF field is just too high and it is not worth the risk. All of my other analyzers have been at the transmitter site, without a problem. That is a shortcoming of the inexpensive devices.? ? Many commercial spectrum analyzers include devices that either disconnect the input or automatically limit the input power when it exceeds a predetermined level. The?HP 5087-7051 Power Limiter 300KHz-3GHz SMA would be an example. They will absorb up to ten watts for a short time. The Hewlett Packard limiters often are available on eBay. I have many of them (SMA in and out) for sale at reasonable prices. Stuart K6YAZ Los Angeles, California?
On Wednesday, February 14, 2024 at 11:28:41 AM PST, <prettyfunbird@...> wrote:
I recently purchased a tinySA and am planning to use it casually as I study some basics of radio and related topics. I am admittedly extremely new to these fields. I've seen a lot of warnings about potentially damaging the tinySA. If I'm only using the antenna that comes with it (not other input method), what are the biggest risks? Are there certain environments or devices to avoid going near? I understand how to avoid damage via ESD, but I'm not clear on what I'd need to do to reduce the chances of other damage via the antenna. Thank you in advance for any guidance on this! |
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Re: What are the biggest damage risks when using stock antenna?
An ESD story from "on old" regarding the original dual-gate MOSFET: Some old timers may remember the introduction, infiltration into a multitude of designs of the day, and the ultimate demise of the first good dual gate MOSFET, the 40673.? Specifically refer to the Sony expensive portable receiver of the day (I had one, but forget its designation).? It had a 40673 in the front end.,...where else for a good dual-gate MOSFET.? Many......many......MANY? of those radios hit the land fills prematurely due to the antenna just touching or just nicking something/anything conductive.? The 40673 proved to be extremely ESD sensitive, even after the suppliers added protection diodes.? So much so that designers abandoned them in new designs.?? Sure, my vintage Swan SS-100 if full of them.? When I first received it from a Swan sale, of course, the first RF amp is a 40673.? And.....of course, it was dead.? The receiver was numb, but the transmitter worked fine.? I expected this.? You can still buy the 40673 as NOS, but the prices are well over $30 EACH.? That's more than some RF power BJTs of FETs.? I used a 2-JFET robust replacement that performs better than the original 40673.? It uses a pair of J-310s (or 309s or 308s).? I used the J-310.? These JFETs are extremely robust! I'm sure the TinySAs are just "a bit" less sensitive to ESD than the old 40673 was, but Eric is correct in warning users to keep the antenna, ANY ANTENNA, that connects directly to the SA away from anything/everything conductive.? Further, when connecting ANY coaxial cable to ANY piece of test equipment, I make a practice (for decades) of holding my finger across the shield and center pin simultaneously - especially if it is connected to ANY outside antenna.? You'd be surprised how long a coaxial cable can and will hold a charge.? And, further, it's a transmission line by design. Therefore, it can and will deliver its dastardly slug of charge in a devilishly rapid manner.? Dave - W?LEV? ? ? ? On Wed, Feb 14, 2024 at 8:11?PM geo via <geo751=[email protected]> wrote:
-- Dave - W?LEV |
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Re: What are the biggest damage risks when using stock antenna?
Take a kook at this video explaining the damage risks with antenna connections.? ? Sent from Proton Mail for iOS On Wed, Feb 14, 2024 at 2:26 PM, prettyfunbird via groups.io <prettyfunbird@...> wrote:
I recently purchased a tinySA and am planning to use it casually as I study some basics of radio and related topics. I am admittedly extremely new to these fields. |
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Re: What are the biggest damage risks when using stock antenna?
Two biggest risks are
1: touching anything with the antenna. Anything electrically charged can still destroy the tinySA, even with the ESD protection 2: being close to a strong transmitter. Even if you do not see a signal in the scan there can still be a signal at the input. Examples are AM or FM broadcast transmitters, mobile phone base stations, amateur radio transmitters. The critical distance depends on the transmitter power. Best is to always start with a 30dB external attenuator and do a full range scan, zero to 6GHz. If no strong signals are present you can reduce the external attenuator to 6 or 10 dB.? It's safer to enable the LNA if needed than to remove the external attenuator -- Designer of the tinySA For more info go to https://tinysa.org/wiki/ |
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What are the biggest damage risks when using stock antenna?
I recently purchased a tinySA and am planning to use it casually as I study some basics of radio and related topics. I am admittedly extremely new to these fields.
I've seen a lot of warnings about potentially damaging the tinySA. If I'm only using the antenna that comes with it (not other input method), what are the biggest risks? Are there certain environments or devices to avoid going near? I understand how to avoid damage via ESD, but I'm not clear on what I'd need to do to reduce the chances of other damage via the antenna. Thank you in advance for any guidance on this! |
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TinySA Ultra 28 kHz Spurious?
Hello- This is at a center frequency of 7.050 MHz and a span of 100 kHz. I am wondering if I have overdriven the input.? I have been careful to protect the analyzer with external input attenuators. 73 Greg KF5N |
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Re: Welcome and feel free to ask about the tinySA
Hello Erik! and thank you for these wonderful devices! I have Linux experience so this is device intrigues me in many way ways. I one Tinysa, Tinysa ultra, and nanovna.
I have a suggestion since it might be only software but is it possible to add to in the generator side of the menu that you could include another option in the sweep for rise, fall and rise-fall? Thank you. |
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Re: 0.1 db resolution measurement
On Sun, Feb 11, 2024 at 06:45 AM, THE BOSS wrote:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cYVKeqnKSkIn your video you are confusing resolution with accuracy.? The resolution can be quite small but that does NOT mean the measurement is that accurate. Resolution - how "fine" can we make the measurement - for a digital instrument this is the step size Accuracy - how close to the true value is the measured value Precision - how repeatable is the measurement In the case of the tinySA Ultra the wiki states "Absolute power level accuracy after power level calibration of +/- 2dB" So even if you can adjust the settings like you do in your video to 0.1 dB that does not mean the measured value is accurate to that degree.? Even though you are not accurate to the resolution step size you can still make relative measurements that are close to the resolution capability of the instrument.? This however will be limited to by the precision of the image. This was a fairly basic explanation of the issues associated with making valid measurements.? Those interested in the subject also need to consider the types of errors and measurement "uncertainty".?? A Google search has a wealth of information on this subject. Roger |
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0.1 db resolution measurement
When measuring the gain of several antennas it is preferred to have a better resolution than the usual 0,5 db resolution.
Through watching several YT videos i noticed the "measure" and "noise" method, this helped to increase the resolution to 0.1 db, very helpful today. Because others may have the same issue i made a short clip of how to do this in both tiny's; "Mostly in English" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cYVKeqnKSk |
Roger Need
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