Measure Capacitance and Inductance with a NanoVNA
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- Опубликовано: 7 фев 2025
- 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!
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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.
Great point John, I actually have a video showing how to do that 👍
Yet another great video Ape! If it were 2003 I would buy your complete DVD box set. Please keep them coming.
lol, thanks man!
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.
Also consider the LiteVNA 64. Especially if you are into microwaves.
Pat ... we call Ape the "enabler"! Don't expect to hold onto your cash when Ape gets "explain'n"! 😛
73 - KF6IF
Everyone should own a NanoVNA 😮
I will own one on Thursday 😎 I'm also going to order a TinySA
@@patthesoundguy nice, get the TomySA Utral 👍
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.
Yeah, that’s exactly what I am hoping for 👍
Thanks for the video Ape! As usual, a very clear and concise talk through which I understand and will use for reference. 👍
Thanks Ace, glad you liked it 👍
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
Glad you liked it EA 👍
My use/knowledge of the NanoVNA is still limited, but I’ve always liked how it’ll do VHF and UHF frequencies.
It’s been the best thing I ever bought for understanding how antennas work
Another good one. Thanks for your continued efforts to make our investments benefit us more.
Thanks Marc, glad you liked it 👍
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.
The Proster? C’mon man…
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.
Groovy ! Thanks for sharing !
Thanks for checking it out SC 👍
Cool video Ape!
Thanks BA 👍
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
Yeah, I had been playing with it for a little while and figured I would share. Thanks for watching Robert 👍
Good job.
Thanks Lee 👍
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?
Hey Riccardo. I’m not sure why they did that, hopefully they will be compiling them in the next release 👍
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.
I need to get back to working on the BPFs
Fantastic video Ape! How in the world do you figure this stuff out?
Thanks SF, I sit in my basement soaking in Miller Lite playing with NanoVNAs 😮
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.
Hey Tom! Yeah, the tests in the VHF/UHF range are super difficult. I might have an idea for that 🤔
Can I test my antenna impedance to make an appropriate beta match for a direct feed yagi?
Sure can 👍
How would you find resonance of bigger size toroidal inductor and capacitor tank circuit using nanoVNA? Pls explain
I think I cover it here: ruclips.net/video/l4YxcU-6kM4/видео.html
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?
Yes, I agree but I think most will do this unless it’s a quality non-inductive resistor 👍
@@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.
I’m interested to see how it goes 👍
I'm a knuckle dragging caveman. I have the nanovna and the BNC test leads, but every video about measuring inductance assumes that the viewer already knows how to set up the nanovna. I can measure SWR but I have no idea how to actually measure inductance of a component. Like, how do you know what frequency to start and stop? What smith chart display setting? How do you calibrate it? If you made a step-by-step video, it would be the only one on youtube. That I know of.
This might help: NanoVNA Playlist
ruclips.net/p/PLm8ROkpFeqornjIRLKS0RJqSrUl_lr5lv
@TheSmokinApe awesome. Thank you for the reply!
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?
Scroll down to the July 31, 2023 you will see a compiled binary for Windows.
Just curious, how far off was the L/C meter in comparison to the East thing?
It was close and in reality probably fine, I’m just a belly acher
@@TheSmokinApe That is a prerequisite for our hobby, also I'd like to thank autocorrect for allowing me to spell prerequisite correctly.
+1 for autocorrect
Hey Ape, What attenuator values would you use to test harmonics on a 20 watt handheld with a TinySA Ultra?
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?
Yes, 20w and s 43dbm. You really want the in input signal to be about -20dbm for best results.
@@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?
Yeah. I’d make sure the power coming from the radio goes into the 25w attenuator first 👍
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.
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?
@@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.
I have a big 100w 50 ohm dummy load thar could pressed into service. Didn’t think that would be needed.
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.
@@sandyjohnston9457 awesome, glad you got it sorted 👍
Why does the nanovna swr not match my g90 swr on the same antenna
How far off are they? The VNA is calibrated right?
@@TheSmokinApemore than a point. yes vna is calibrated. someone online told me the nanovna doesn't actually measure swr only something approximating it?
It measures SWR, they are mistaken. You using the exact came test conditions? Adapter and connectors and transmission line?
@@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?
I got to get me a Nano VNA or tiny SA 😊
They are very helpful tools, I’d start with the VNA 👍
Great video Ape 🦧. I have been wondering if I can measure nano Henrys with the van saves me getting another meter. Good job dude. 73
Thanks man, glad it was helpful 👍