[Elecraft] Antenna Analyzer

Michael Walker va3mw at portcredit.net
Fri Dec 1 13:40:23 EST 2017


Hi Ronnie

The TDR is a must have.  Once you start sweeping all your feedlines you
will know they are not as good as you might have thought.  :)

Twice I tossed an entire roll of heliax and twice 2 unique runs of RG213.


If anyone has feedlines older than 10 years, you might want to consider the
investment.

Mike va3mw


On Fri, Dec 1, 2017 at 12:31 PM, Ronnie Hull <w5sum at comcast.net> wrote:

> Yes SMALL and PORTABLE is what I am interested in. I never wanted a TDR.
> Rig experts are fine analyzes but out of the league of what I want which is
> something to toss in my "go" bag
>
> Ronnie W5SUM
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On Dec 1, 2017, at 11:19 AM, George Thornton <
> gthornton at thorntonmostullaw.com> wrote:
> >
> > The Time Domain Reflectometer (TDR) is a hugely important feature, and
> is now available with other brands, including some of the RigExpert models.
> >
> > I do a lot of field work with both HF and VHF/UHF.  In my experience
> most of the problems I have encountered have been traced to cable defects
> of one kind or another.  The TDR function allows you to quickly and
> reliably test the integrity of cabling, allowing you to identify the exact
> location of the defect.
> >
> > I am partial to the RigExpert models, which have been reliable and
> accurate, and very easy and intuitive to use.
> >
> > My only quarrel with RigExpert is that they do not offer water resistant
> sealed cases.   These can get damaged in a wet environment.
> >
> >
> >
> > T-----Original Message-----
> > From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-bounces@
> mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jim Sheldon
> > Sent: Friday, December 1, 2017 5:39 AM
> > To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Antenna Analyzer
> >
> > I was introduced to the SARK-110 several years ago and besides being an
> excellent antenna analyzer, it had one feature that nobody else had (when I
> bought the SARK) and that is called a "Time Domain Reflectometer".  This
> allows you to find breaks, impedance bumps and other anomalies in cable
> runs.
> >
> > During my 20 years in the Army, I was introduced to a hugely expensive
> HP-140A oscilloscope with a TDR plug in.  We used it to find cuts in our
> buried coax where the local people were digging it up for the copper (back
> in 1967).  From that point on, I always wanted a TDR but they were way too
> expensive (even used) for a poor ham to even consider until I was
> introduced to the SARK by a good friend at the "OzarkCon" QRP convention.
> It paid for itself quickly by finding where a gopher (or
> > mole) had chewed mostly through some buried coax I had going to a
> vertical in the back yard.  The SARK's TDR pinpointed the break within a
> foot and it was probably more accurate than that as my measurements when
> following the cable were somewhat sloppy.
> >
> > It also makes a pretty decent signal generator as well, can be
> calibrated against WWV with not too much effort, but the minimum signal you
> can output is 50 microvolts (S9) so a good external step attenuator is
> needed along with double shielded cables to minimize feedthrough of
> > the SARK's output signal.   Oh yes, I did mention, it's an excellent
> > antanna analyzer as well and it will do Smith Chart plots and other
> stuff too.  You can control it with a computer via USB too.
> >
> > No financial interest in the company, just a very happy user.
> >
> > Jim - W0EB
> >
> > ------ Original Message ------
> > From: "John Oppenheimer" <john at kn5l.net>
> > To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> > Sent: 12/1/2017 7:23:20 AM
> > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Antenna Analyzer
> >
> >> The SARK 110 is very small with many features:
> >>
> >> http://www.sark110.com/
> >>
> >> John KN5L
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