Tips on choosing a Vector Network Analyser - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: olorenzen
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 31, 2023, 01:24:11 pm
content: Hi guys,I am doing an internship in the RF department of a university right now and got the task to search for a possible Vector Network Analyzer the university could buy. It should be able to do measurements to 26 GHz or even better to 40 GHz. The problem is I have only little experience in this field (why I wanted to do an internship). Does anyone can recommend a specific VNA or a company(I heard Keysight and R&S are pretty good)? I would be very thankful for any tips on which characteristics are important or some experience, because these things seem to be soo expensive and I dont want to make any crucial mistakes with my recommendations.

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 31, 2023, 01:39:26 pm
content: What's going to be your budget? People can recommend a lot of things but if they are outside your budget then you can't obtain it ...

author: DaJMasta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 31, 2023, 03:04:42 pm
content: At 26 GHz, you're not going to find a lot of inexpensive options nor a lot of companies with the capability to even make them. The big players are Keysight, Rode & Schwarz, and Anritsu, and any of them likely could deliver something that did what you want - but what do you want? How many ports? Do you need multiple sources? And maybe most importantly: do you have personnel trained to use them? If you're looking at 40GHz, even individual calibration standards and cables will be north of $1k USD, so you really need someone leading the lab that both knows how to handle the equipment properly and knows how to train people to do it. If you've got that person or people, while no offense to you, it's probably a decision they should be making.That said, they know you're an intern, maybe they're looking for you to scout around for potential options, possibly finding options they haven't already considered. In that case, maybe taking a look at some RF trade shows or information from them could help you find potential alternative vendors (though if you're getting a VNA for a lab and you don't already have one, I don't know if I would go with an upstart, honestly.)

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 31, 2023, 04:23:47 pm
content: Quote from: olorenzen on October 31, 2023, 01:24:11 pmWelcome to the forum.Yes expensive items these, even good rated cables are $1k+ each.Just delivered SNA5032A to a Uni Physics dept which could also be a cost effective solution for you.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 31, 2023, 04:33:56 pm
content: Quote from: DaJMasta on October 31, 2023, 03:04:42 pmI agree. At this level you really need to know what you are doing in order to make meaningful measurements. Having someone around to guide you through making the measurements and help avoid all pitfalls and mistakes is crucial. This also goes for the equipment itself. I'd go for something from Anritsu, Keysight, R&S or Tektronix if the measurements need to be absolutely correct; these companies have been doing RF for decades. Pedigree is key. Choosing a B-brand can make you chase your own tail for months only to find out the equipment is measuring something wrong. In the end that will end up costing more money.Recently I spoke to somebody who spend 6 months longer on his PhD because he was doing measurements to wrong way. Nobody explained what the correct procedure was. Fortunately his results where third party verified so no invalid data ended up in the thesis.

author: olorenzen
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 01, 2023, 07:58:40 am
content: Thank you all for your input! I talked to my supervisor, summarized all your responses and he will look into the the companies himself regarding the features he needs.