Low cost impedance analyzers <10MHz?

Then theres this:

Ten-Tec's VNA is the same as the N2PK design in the other message. Dunno how you'd make something like that NIST-traceable.

-- jm

------------------------------------------------------

Note: My E-mail address has been altered to avoid spam

------------------------------------------------------

Hello Folks,

Are there any low cost impedance analyzers up to 10MHz and of around 1% precision? Most of the old HP stuff is or is going obsolete, hard to get spare parts, tough to get calibrated. Mine just blew a gasket. Again. The new Agilent gear is well north of $20k.

This is one of the cheaper ones, but still >$5k:

Any others you came across? What I am looking for is something that can be used industrial, not hobbyist kits.

Regards, Joerg

Hello Steve,

Thanks! I remember TenTec. Didn't know they are in the VNA biz now. I'll give them a ring tomorrow, to see if this would be an instrument that could be under a calibration scheme, IOW work in a controlled industrial (non-hobby) environment.

Regards, Joerg

No it isn't.

You could use verification standards that are traceable and write your own cal procedure/spec.

[snip]

The '3577 goes to 200 MHz. You might be thinking of a 3585 spectrum analyzer.

Hello John,

That's what I am going to have to find out. VNAs are regularly calibrated on site doing the usual short - 50ohm - open routine. But it would need to have a solid spec sheet stating error limits and tolerances after calibration. Else you couldn't use it in the industry.

One of the other parameters, for example, is frequency calibration. That's typically done at the cal shop. Just like the smog check on a car. So you'd either have to be able to sign up for cal with the manufacturer or the usual cal shops must have that particular model on record.

Regards, Joerg

Hi Joerg' Here is another FRA to threw into the ring just to keep your collection complete.

I could use a good one, Windows based, powered off the USB port, 0.1 to

10MHz and super noise rejection.>100db. The above one has isolated inputs which is a good feature but the $13KUS is killing. Regards, Harry

Hello Harry,

$13k, ouch. That's almost where Agilent starts. But on this one the iso circuitry does go down to 5Hz, probably to be able to play in the power engineering market. That's not as easy to design as it sounds. For power guys this is probably a pretty good solution.

I always chuckle when I read things like "The world's only ...". I mean, the other one from Core technology has been around a while.

If you can live with clunky HPIB keep an eye out for old HP gear like the 4191 (impedance only, but goes to a cool GHz) or the 3577 (network to 40MHz).

Regards, Joerg

Hello Wes,

You are right, I mixed up these two.

$4k is a decent price, especially with the S-parameter set.

I just wonder why there are no 4191 on eBay. When I looked yesterday a search came up with zilch.

Regards, Joerg