Measure Capacitance and Inductance with a NanoVNA

Рет қаралды 4,033

3 ай бұрын

In this comprehensive step-by-step tutorial, we will show measuring; Capacitors, Inductors and Resistors with the NanoVNA using non-standard test leads. We will guide you through each calibration process in a clear and concise manner, ensuring a thorough understanding of this vital aspect. By the end of this tutorial, you'll be equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to perform accurate and reliable measurements on your NanoVNA. Stay tuned for insightful tips, common pitfalls to avoid, and hands-on demonstrations. Get ready to take your NanoVNA skills to the next level!
👍Join this channel:
kzfaq.info/love/dJlIoWR3mf7apfB1dXS97Ajoin
👍Support TheSmokinApe Channel on Patreon Here: www.patreon.com/TheSmokinApe
Links to products in the video:
👉NanoVNA H4: www.banggood.com/custlink/DvmF4TnmUN
👉East Tester LCR Meter: amzn.to/4akxJfq
👉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:
👉kzfaq.info
You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram:
👉 TheSmokinApe
👉 TheSmokinApe

Пікірлер: 73

@MikeN2MAK 2 ай бұрын

My use/knowledge of the NanoVNA is still limited, but I’ve always liked how it’ll do VHF and UHF frequencies.

@TheSmokinApe 2 ай бұрын

It’s been the best thing I ever bought for understanding how antennas work

@marcdowns8347 2 ай бұрын

Another good one. Thanks for your continued efforts to make our investments benefit us more.

@TheSmokinApe 2 ай бұрын

Thanks Marc, glad you liked it 👍

@MrMudsRadioTime 3 ай бұрын

Yet another great video Ape! If it were 2003 I would buy your complete DVD box set. Please keep them coming.

@TheSmokinApe 3 ай бұрын

lol, thanks man!

@la7yka 3 ай бұрын

Thank you for this great demo. I guess we can use the NanoVNA as an LCR-meter for the very small values (typ pF and nH) of reactance, outside the measuring range of "ordinary" LCR-meters. After all - it's probably a matter of sweep frequency.

@TheSmokinApe 3 ай бұрын

Yeah, that’s exactly what I am hoping for 👍

@johnwest7993 2 ай бұрын

For more precise readings when using test leads like that, or even test fixtures, you can do your cal with the leads in place. Just short the clips, open the clips, and put a noninductive 50 Ohm resistor between the clips. I keep a small, leaded noninductive resistor as part of my cal kit for that purpose.

@TheSmokinApe 2 ай бұрын

Great point John, I actually have a video showing how to do that 👍

@survivalcomms 2 ай бұрын

Groovy ! Thanks for sharing !

@TheSmokinApe 2 ай бұрын

Thanks for checking it out SC 👍

@acestudioscouk-Ace-G0ACE 3 ай бұрын

Thanks for the video Ape! As usual, a very clear and concise talk through which I understand and will use for reference. 👍

@TheSmokinApe 3 ай бұрын

Thanks Ace, glad you liked it 👍

@bassangler73 2 ай бұрын

Cool video Ape!

@TheSmokinApe 2 ай бұрын

Thanks BA 👍

@ExtraAmateur 3 ай бұрын

Thanks Ape for another great Nano-vna video. We just did a club training on basic measurements with the Nano. I will have to incorporate this into the next training. -AC3HY

@TheSmokinApe 3 ай бұрын

Glad you liked it EA 👍

@LeeMcc_KI5YPR 3 ай бұрын

Good job.

@TheSmokinApe 3 ай бұрын

Thanks Lee 👍

@patthesoundguy 3 ай бұрын

I have been thinking about getting a Nano VNA for the past week or so. And I literally had it in my Amazon cart and hour ago. This video made me go pull the trigger right now without even watching it yet.

@la7yka 3 ай бұрын

Also consider the LiteVNA 64. Especially if you are into microwaves.

@phildurall7466 3 ай бұрын

Pat ... we call Ape the "enabler"! Don't expect to hold onto your cash when Ape gets "explain'n"! 😛 73 - KF6IF

@TheSmokinApe 3 ай бұрын

Everyone should own a NanoVNA 😮

@patthesoundguy 3 ай бұрын

I will own one on Thursday 😎 I'm also going to order a TinySA

@TheSmokinApe 3 ай бұрын

@@patthesoundguy nice, get the TomySA Utral 👍

@robertmeyer4744 3 ай бұрын

that handy ! knowing how copoint's react at a given frequency is important. the listed value can change. inductors can have stray capacitance that changes with frequency came with a cap or resistor. even core type in a coil like ferrite mix. 73's

@TheSmokinApe 3 ай бұрын

Yeah, I had been playing with it for a little while and figured I would share. Thanks for watching Robert 👍

@HamRadioA2Z 2 ай бұрын

NanoVNA, or any good VNA - best LCR meter going! I would be curious to see what the cap and inductor did at VHF and UHF. Of course lead length, including your test leads might swamp out everything else above a few hundred MHz.

@TheSmokinApe 2 ай бұрын

Hey Tom! Yeah, the tests in the VHF/UHF range are super difficult. I might have an idea for that 🤔

@richysradioroom 3 ай бұрын

Good stuff. Kerry Wong did a review of the ET431. He said it was decent. I bought one and find that it is decent but no better than my BM4070. The ET431 cost $100 more, but is more pretty.

@TheSmokinApe 3 ай бұрын

The Proster? C’mon man…

@la7yka 3 ай бұрын

Nice. Yesterday I took my old BM4070 from the shelf and tested some caps and inductors. It works fine, even if it looks and feels like a toy. My reference though is my 10 year old DER EE DE-5000 (not so fancy looking either), but with true Kelvin measurements at least.

@riccardomilan 12 күн бұрын

Thanks so much for this video, I didn't think was so simple to measure LCR components with nanoVNA. Why the latest version of nano saver is only avalible as not compiled binary?

@TheSmokinApe 7 күн бұрын

Hey Riccardo. I’m not sure why they did that, hopefully they will be compiling them in the next release 👍

@Swamp-Fox 3 ай бұрын

Fantastic video Ape! How in the world do you figure this stuff out?

@TheSmokinApe 3 ай бұрын

Thanks SF, I sit in my basement soaking in Miller Lite playing with NanoVNAs 😮

@TheHandyHam73 3 ай бұрын

Hey Ape, What attenuator values would you use to test harmonics on a 20 watt handheld with a TinySA Ultra?

@TheHandyHam73 3 ай бұрын

I calculated 43db for 20 watts so I have a 25 watt 30db and a 10 watt 10 db attenuators so that leaves 3db going into the TinySA Ultra, does that sound Kosher?

@TheSmokinApe 3 ай бұрын

Yes, 20w and s 43dbm. You really want the in input signal to be about -20dbm for best results.

@TheHandyHam73 3 ай бұрын

@@TheSmokinApe I have a 25 watt 30db and a 10 watt 40db that would make it 70db minus the 43 would make it 27db down, do you think that might work?

@TheSmokinApe 2 ай бұрын

Yeah. I’d make sure the power coming from the radio goes into the 25w attenuator first 👍

@markharrison1160 3 ай бұрын

Let's build a bandpass for the data portion of 20M and test it with the VNA. I think it could be useful for field day.

@TheSmokinApe 3 ай бұрын

I need to get back to working on the BPFs

@Ezzell_ 3 ай бұрын

When you said that you expected that the resistor would be inductive, I believe that statement would only be true for wire wound resistors...like the one you were testing. I dont think solid resistors would do that... Thoughts?

@TheSmokinApe 3 ай бұрын

Yes, I agree but I think most will do this unless it’s a quality non-inductive resistor 👍

@Ezzell_ 2 ай бұрын

@@TheSmokinApe I did a search for solid resistors and it is hard to find one that is not SMD. But the one I did find is power resistors for microwave oven's magnetron section... I am going to order some 50 ohm ones and try them out in a DIY dummy load. This may be a good DIY video for you also.

@TheSmokinApe 2 ай бұрын

I’m interested to see how it goes 👍

@JackFalltrades Ай бұрын

By the way, I can't find the NanoVNA Saver software for Windows. Where I expect to find it there's a message saying, "Sorry No Binary." Not very useful. Can you recommend any alternatives?

@TheSmokinApe Ай бұрын

Scroll down to the July 31, 2023 you will see a compiled binary for Windows.

@AndyAAzeroAM 3 ай бұрын

Just curious, how far off was the L/C meter in comparison to the East thing?

@TheSmokinApe 3 ай бұрын

It was close and in reality probably fine, I’m just a belly acher

@AndyAAzeroAM 3 ай бұрын

@@TheSmokinApe That is a prerequisite for our hobby, also I'd like to thank autocorrect for allowing me to spell prerequisite correctly.

@TheSmokinApe 3 ай бұрын

+1 for autocorrect

@davidm.wilson3736 3 ай бұрын

I got to get me a Nano VNA or tiny SA 😊

@TheSmokinApe 2 ай бұрын

They are very helpful tools, I’d start with the VNA 👍

@sandyjohnston9457 3 ай бұрын

I just recently upgraded my 1st gen 2019 nano vna, which was giving me good service although tho letters on the screen are very hard to read. I bought the nano vna h 4.3 after watching your review. The sceen text is much better. But comparing swr on both i get vastly different readings. I do a full calibration on both but the old one may show a 1:1.5 the new one shows 1: 8.7. My question is, are there any ways to actually check what is correct? Subbed and liked. 73 ZL3AXL.

@TheSmokinApe 3 ай бұрын

Hey Sandy, did you use the same calibration standards on both? Also, do you have a known load, like a dummy load you can use to compare them?

@sandyjohnston9457 3 ай бұрын

@@TheSmokinApe Yes. Every thing for calibration was same - 50 ohm dummy was good. My biggest concern is which nanovna is more accurate, and can bad one be corrected or thrown out.

@sandyjohnston9457 3 ай бұрын

I have a big 100w 50 ohm dummy load thar could pressed into service. Didn’t think that would be needed.

@sandyjohnston9457 2 ай бұрын

All good, thank you. I used my big 100W 50ohm Dummy load with a home-made pl259 short and no open to calibrate both my nanovna at the same time and now things have settled down. The SMA and BNC dummy loads are now history. You advice to use same calibration sets for both put me on track. But by using the full size hf calibration set, I got better consistencies with the units. one very happy camper - thank you. 73 from New Zealand ZL3AXL.

@TheSmokinApe 2 ай бұрын

@@sandyjohnston9457 awesome, glad you got it sorted 👍

@slappomatthew 3 ай бұрын

Why does the nanovna swr not match my g90 swr on the same antenna

@TheSmokinApe 2 ай бұрын

How far off are they? The VNA is calibrated right?

@slappomatthew 2 ай бұрын

@@TheSmokinApemore than a point. yes vna is calibrated. someone online told me the nanovna doesn't actually measure swr only something approximating it?

@TheSmokinApe 2 ай бұрын

It measures SWR, they are mistaken. You using the exact came test conditions? Adapter and connectors and transmission line?

@slappomatthew 2 ай бұрын

@@TheSmokinApe my coax run to the shack is SMA, so it goes straight to the VNA, the G90 uses a sma to uhf adapter. I have more adapters Ill try a different one?