Survey: Help us design a VNA for hobbyists and professional users - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: xythobuz
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 30, 2022, 04:51:35 pm
content: Do you use Vector Network Analyzers (VNA) on the job or for fun? If so, we would like to invite you to participate in our survey.We are a team of young engineers and want to further develop an open VNA. By participating in our survey you help us to get a first impression about the market requirements.You can participate via this link:https://survey.feldlabor.eu/index.php/714679The survey will take between 3 and 5 minutes.

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2022, 04:58:39 pm
content: If the survey is anonymous, why do you require to accept your privacy policy? I stopped before i started.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2022, 05:34:45 pm
content: Did you read the policy? It sounds like a standard form used by the company that hosts the survey, it's pretty benign stuff. Doesn't look like you have to give them any actual personal information, at least not for this particular survey.

author: xythobuz
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 30, 2022, 05:45:15 pm
content: This is a valid question of course, thanks!Even though all data is anonymized, we still want to have consent for the data that we do store, like the responses.

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2022, 10:44:55 pm
content: Ofcourse i did not read the policy. Why should i ? It makes no sense to ask people to agree to something while Asking for Help, doesn't it.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2022, 11:00:28 pm
content: Quote from: Bud on March 30, 2022, 10:44:55 pmSure it does. If they didn't show you their privacy policy then some other grumpy person would be bitching about that.Mountain out of a mole hillTotal nothing-burger, you're complaining about something you didn't even bother to read.

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2022, 11:09:19 pm
content: "Please help me, but I won't allow you to help me."

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2022, 11:17:16 pm
content: Quote from: Bud on March 30, 2022, 11:09:19 pmAbsolute nonsense. Nobody is stopping you from helping them, you are throwing a virtual tantrum over a stupid privacy notice. If you don't want to help them then don't, but this is all a big stink about nothing. It's literally just a statement of what they're doing with any answers you give them and how long they're holding onto the data. Since you couldn't be bothered to read it you have no idea what you're even complaining about.

author: CatalinaWOW
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2022, 02:49:59 am
content: I agree. It is a nothing burger. BUT! It is another irritating reminder of our over litigated life. Where every I must be dotted and every T crossed to do even the most mundane thing.And the vibe is kind of like asking a first date to read and sign a terms and conditions document before you can proceed beyond a greeting. Technically it could protect you against some kinds of problems and given some reasonable contents it really doesn't make any difference. But I would be surprised if a lot of people didn't decline the opportunity to go on the date.

author: 2N3055
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2022, 06:52:28 am
content: Quote from: Bud on March 30, 2022, 10:44:55 pmIt is standard GDPR bullshit..They have to inform you what they will do with your data.If they don't collect your data they have to inform you.Stupid, I know... But it is what it is...

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2022, 01:22:14 pm
content: i agree on both side and the legal SOP bullsheet... but if its open source project, why dont just ask and give here? others may benefit too, esp the developers who have made progress on this, such as Nano/LiteVNA project... i never heard someone get sued by giving opinion in an open forum... for me, i want a built-in data-based cal kit standard along with the traditional polynomial based modelling, and please add Arbitrary Standard to the polynomial modelling, instead of just a Load Standard...

author: paul@yahrprobert.com
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2022, 05:03:25 pm
content: Not really responding to your survey here but I just want to throw an idea out: I've been thinking about how I could use my bladeRF SDR to make a VNA and it seems it would be really cool for someone to write a library of GnuRadio blocks to implement a "soft" VNA that could be ported to whichever SDR a person wants to invest in. That way you don't have to specify what the upper limit of your frequency range is going to be.

author: alm
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2022, 11:59:21 pm
content: Given the title "for hobbyists and professional users", why are the only options educational and professional use, and if it is for a university, hackerspace, etc. No option for "just my home lab".

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 02, 2022, 02:38:37 pm
content: The first question was if it was for hobby or professional use, select one. I didn't make it past that.Of all the sub $200 VNAs I have looked at, my favorite has been theLiteVNA.I looked at the PICO VNA but the lower frequency was too limited. The CMT would have been my choice but the cost was more than I was willing to pay. In the end, I continue to buy used equipment.https://coppermountaintech.com/vna/s5085-compact-2-port-vna/

author: ralphrmartin
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 02, 2022, 05:13:21 pm
content: Q: Help us design a VNA for hobbyists and professional usersA: Add all the features a professional would expect, at a price hobbyists are prepared to pay. Problem solved?

author: tv84
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 02, 2022, 05:52:45 pm
content: Quote from: ralphrmartin on April 02, 2022, 05:13:21 pm.........................................................................Solution not found!

author: PartialDischarge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 02, 2022, 06:00:20 pm
content: The market for RF VNA it is already taken by Siglent and Rigol and maybe RS in some models.However, make something like the OMICRON VNA Bode 100, withgood software, starting at 10Hz up to maybe 100MHz or 200MHz, low noise, for people to measure transformers, capacitors, inductances, and you WIN.