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Funk Amateur FA-VA5 Assembly And Operating Manual
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Funk Amateur FA-VA5 Assembly And Operating Manual

Vector antenna analyzer
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Vector
Antenna Analyzer
FA-VA5
Kit for an easy to use
vector antenna analyzer
for use in the frequency range
10 kHz to 600 MHz.
Assembly and Operating Manual
Ver E 1.3
2019. 08. 06

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Summary of Contents for Funk Amateur FA-VA5

  • Page 1 Vector Antenna Analyzer FA-VA5 Kit for an easy to use vector antenna analyzer for use in the frequency range 10 kHz to 600 MHz. Assembly and Operating Manual Ver E 1.3 2019. 08. 06...
  • Page 3 The FA-VA5 closes this gap. It complex reflection coefficient, capaci- about 100 MHz. A high-quality calibration is the successor to the successful FA-VA4 tance and inductance.

  • Page 4: Technical Data

    ≤ 2 % (0.01 MHz ≤ f ≤ 200 MHz, Z < 1000 Ω) Dynamic range Mode Precise: 80 dB to 200 MHz, 50 dB 200 MHz … 600 MHz Any revision of the FA-VA5 Assembly of Return Loss Mode Standard: 75 dB to 200 MHz, 45 dB 200 MHz … 500 MHz and User manual will be published as a pdf Fast mode: 70 dB to 200 MHz, 40 dB 200 MHz …...

  • Page 5: Building Instructions

    USB board including mica washer and fix the USB as- Fig. 1: View of assembled FA-VA5 – Power switched off © Box 73 Amateurfunkservice GmbH 2019...
  • Page 6 Battery DIS1 1.5 V USB Module Fig. 2: Assembly plan of the FA-VA5 with components to be fitted Fig. 3: Slide switch soldered in the correct Fig. 4: USB interface board correctly posi- 4 • BX-245 © Box 73 Amateurfunkservice GmbH 2019 position.
  • Page 7 A graphic LCD display with integral LED Display backlight is used to display the measured data. Both components are already delivered as- sembled as a unit and are only to be sol- dered in certain places. Caution: Make sure the display is flush with the LED backlight so that there is no gap, then pro- ceed to solder all six connections of the two three-pin display contacts on the back...
  • Page 8 The three socket strips for contacting the Socket strips LC display are fitted next. The pre-assem- bled display can be used conveniently as a gauge for their orientation. Fig. 7: Four cardboard strips are used for Fig. 8: Main PCB view before soldering the female connectors of the LC display; The card- setting the distance between female con- board strips must be pulled out after soldering, also the display is removed (unplugged) nectors and the PCB.
  • Page 9 The two ground Fig. 9: FA-VA5 Main Printed Circuit Board: fully assembled (6-pin header is obsolet) pins are to be soldered on the underside of be carefully checked and reworked if nec- the board with a 100 W soldering iron to essary.
  • Page 10 M3 peat rate that is sufficient for the measure- screws are screwed in at the corners of the Please note the FA-VA5 is a sensitive mea- ment in question. These parameters can Cautions No RF energy should board and gently tightened.

  • Page 11: Directions For Use

    Directions for use Although the FA-VA5 has a relatively change is measured to determine the or right buttons. At any time, the available large range of functions, the operation is impedance relative to known component functions are displayed on the display quite intuitive.
  • Page 12 (0 Ohm = start of measurement scale) the FA-VA5 will provide acceptable accu- and of an open circuit (Infinity Ohms = racy up to about 100 MHz. You can easily After switching-on power on the FA-VA5, Power Switch-on end of measurement scale) as well as the...

  • Page 13: Basic Calibration

    VNWA software. After completion of the calibration, the correction values are auto- matically stored in the analyzer so that the correct impedance is determined on sub- sequent measurements of the test object. Three different calibration methods are Basic Calibration available for each measurement mode of the analyzer: Fig.
  • Page 14 Once Use the left button to enter the menu FA-VA5 menu system: Master calibration has been performed mode (long 2-second button press). Then measurements can be made at any time there are choices according to Table 2 without new calibration.
  • Page 15 Table 2: Selection options in FA-VA5 operating mode Menu item Meaning Return Return to the previous measurement mode Single frequency modes SWR, Impedance or Reflection coefficient measurement at current frequency, SWR measurement with sound signal, current calibration Multifrequency modes SWR, Impedance or Reflection coefficient measurement within a...
  • Page 16 SWR is measured. Measurement Options with the The actual measuring frequency can be The Operating mode allows you to select FA-VA5 set using the three buttons. Use the left the most commonly used measurement button ( ) to select the point of the and display settings in practice.
  • Page 17 menu item SOL 5 Band is also possible for this mode (Fig. 24). Prior to perform- The Multi Frequency Modes menu item Multifrequency measurements ing Current calibration, however, the five allows the SWR to be measured on five required measuring frequencies must have frequency bands.
  • Page 18 Mode 2: this mode is indicated by char- acter > and provides an overview of marker values and changing of the setting of the frequency span. Again the SWR is displayed above the centre frequency. In addition, the small rectangle on the SWR curve indicates the position of the marker (see sub-mode M).
  • Page 19 again when a measuring parameter is changed on the device, it is also possible to select the cyclic measuring run (Con- tinuous Sweep run). This is automatically restarted by the Analyzer again and again. Changes in the measured values are there- fore relatively quickly visible.
  • Page 20 USB and transferred to the PC for documentation purposes (see corresponding section). Fig. 33: In the mode LCR meter, the FA-VA5 displays the measured values in a large and 18 • BX-245 © Box 73 Amateurfunkservice GmbH 2019...
  • Page 21 Measurement values, saved as a Dataset, memory locations are displayed empty. Fig. 38: A saved screenshot is displayed with- sets cannot be displayed on the FA-VA5 and The left button allows you to return in a surrounding frame. Error is shown instead.
  • Page 22 ter confirmation of the last frequency, the analyzer returns to the previous measuring The following Setup options are located in Setup mode mode. a separate menu as they are less frequently used in practice. They are accessible via Operating mode Setup (Fig.
  • Page 23 Table 3: Available Options in Setup mode of the FA-VA5 Menu item Meaning Return Return to operating mode Language Selection of the menu language 5 Band Frequencies Definition of the frequency values for 5-band measurement Clock Setup of time and date...
  • Page 24 In the multi-function Sweep DSP Mode If you want to personalize your FA-VA5, DSP Setup Callsign you can use this menu item, e.g. to save menu, DSP settings can be made for mul- your call sign (maximum 9 characters). ti-frequency measurements (Fig. 42). The options are Fast, Standard and Precise.
  • Page 25 (Fig. 46). menu After connecting to a Personal Computer USB Auto Mode (PC) via USB cable, the FA-VA5 will be automatically powered from the PC. Whether it also automatically switches to USB mode or has to be switched manually is selected in this menu.
  • Page 26 Correction Frequency menu item, first press the left button. Then the value for df is set to the determined difference The FA-VA5 can display the impedance in using the middle and right buttons (mea- Impedance Model either of the corresponding measurement sured frequency minus 26.000000MHz).
  • Page 27 FA-VA5. This is done as follows: SWR minimum for multi-frequency With SWR multi-frequency measurements, – Connect the FA-VA5 to the PC via USB, measurements the marker can be automatically set to dis- read and note the assigned virtual COM...
  • Page 28 Any exist- use different memory addresses. This is ing values of the master calibration must done by resetting the FA-VA5 to the facto- be enabled again. To do this, under Oper- ating mode Setup SOL option “On”...
  • Page 29 When making antenna results are obtained. legs. If there is an impedance with nega- measurements note that the FA-VA5 is an tive reactance (capacitive), the antenna is “active” analyzer which generates and too short. On the other hand, if the Anten- outputs RF to the antenna under test.
  • Page 30 measurement object is connected directly a clear SWR minimum. It is not always length can be roughly estimated using the to the selected measurement setup and the easy to find this minimum because it can method of the next section. A slightly capacitance or inductance at the target fre- be very narrow in high-quality resonant longer cable should then be shortened...
  • Page 31 VNWA Windows PC Software The VNWA Windows software developed tions of interest in the FA-VA5 (all one- & LPT should show that the Silicon Labs by Thomas Baier, DG8SAQ, for the SDR- port measurements) are easily identified. driver is installed. In the example of Kits VNWA vector network analyzer can Fig.
  • Page 32 USB mode. If this has not already been → → report that no VNWA hardware has been your own taste. changed by the user in the FA-VA5 menu → (go to Setup USB Auto Mode), the ana- lyzer will automatically switch to USB →...
  • Page 33 FA-VA5 to the VNWA software. Incidentally, the VNWA application “re- members” all settings after closing the program. For this reason, the next time the FA-VA5 is put into operation, it is neces- sary to plug the VA5 in the same USB port on the Computer before using the VNWA program next time.
  • Page 34 Fig. 63. Click on Add Frequency The following example copies the data to the clipboard to the VNWA memory. The the clipboard. After a double click, the VN- memory relevant for the FA-VA5 should Marker Normal. The first frequency 32 • BX-245 ©...
  • Page 35 marker is then displayed, shown as a small triangle with an associated digit 1 above. The marker can be moved by left-clicking and holding the mouse button whilst mov- ing the mouse cursor along the trace. In the upper left corner of the main window, among other things, the corresponding fre- quency and the associated value of the as- sociated SWR are displayed in the same...
  • Page 36 (instead of the time. VNWA calculates the resulting time In simple terms, the FA-VA5 in this case locally fixed 100 points) can be specified for the multi-frequency measurement. The 34 • BX-245...
  • Page 37 FA-VA5. After its window can be closed here with the de- fault values and all measurement parame- connection and confirmation, a measure- ters are now defined. ment cycle starts, the circle turns green, with red M in the middle. Similarly, the...
  • Page 38 according to Fig. 67 apply. Only the value for the SWR calculated from S11 should be displayed in blue. The reflection coef- ficient is displayed as a red curve in the Smith chart. With regard to the extensive further possibilities, reference is again made to the VNWA Help document [2].
  • Page 39 MHz of the DUT (the imaginary part of the reflection coefficient is zero here). The VSWR at this frequency is s = 1.45. We wish you great success and fun in set- ting up and operating the FA-VA5 Antenna Analyzer. shop@funkamateur.de info@sdr-kits.net Fig.

  • Page 40: Scattering Parameters

    BX-245-SOL www.box73.de www.box73.com for the VNWA-3 Vector Network Analyzer The FA-VA5 Kit and the 600MHz BNC Calibra- → hardware, which has a signal output (with re- tion Kit are also available from SDR-Kits, Office flection sensor) as well as a separate signal in- 11, Hampton Park West, Melksham, SN12 6LH put.

  • Page 41: Version History

    Appendix Parts List Abbreviation Component Number Comment Version history Ver E 1.0 1st edition BNC socket Ver E 1.1 table 1, page 11, 12 S2 … S4 pushbutton Ver E 1.2 6-pin header obsolet (S2 … S4) Button for push button switch slide switch Ver E 1.3 New menu functions...
  • Page 42 SHORT-Element OPEN element BX-245 Slide the centre pin with the soldered wire until it clicks into place. Not needed Not needed soldered Carefully soldered Scrape surface metal Slide the centre pin with the wire until it (2 x 2 mm) clicks into place.
  • Page 44 Order no. BX-245 When disposing of this product, please Box 73 Amateurfunkservice GmbH observe the regulations for the handling Majakowskiring 38 of electronic waste. Electronic devices, 13156 Berlin batteries and components do not belong Germany in household waste. For further informa- 6th August 2019 tion please check www.box73.de or Please report problems to support@funkamateur.de...