Rig Expert arrives!

Oooh!  The delivery man just appeared with my new AA-230 Zoom!  

From the outset, I'm impressed with this unit.  Good, strong packaging, containing a set of 'AAA' batteries (not such a great power option, but it also works off USB), a plastic case and strap, a USB cable, and - very usefully - a N-type to SO239 adapter.  

Even better, it has a real, physical user's manual!  That really does make the difference.  Just open the booklet and get going with large images and well-written instructions (if you really need them).

There are a fair few things to learn yet, but it's easy enough to calibrate and get going; using a N-to-SMA adapter for Amphenol calibration caps.   

Here's the first test: my vertical 14MHz delta, 300 Ohm twin to a 6:1 homebrewed voltage balun (yes, I know current baluns are better, but this one gave the best 'what I had available' match), and a short length of RG-213 direct to the rig.  Note: the rig is within its plastic protective cover:

Good old delta! Even better, when I measured the system without an antenna switch in place, the match fell to 1.03:1, or a return loss of 38dB, equiavalent to 0.001dB mismatch loss, or 0.015% of the input power!

That meter-style SWR output looked gimmicky to me before I bought the analyser.  But now I have it in my hand, it's really very good indeed - much better and easier to read than just a graphical plot that you have to scroll a cursor or index line along, which is of course also available.  You can just press frequency up or down, and see the SWR changing.  Very nice touch, that!

So it's a big thumbs up from me!  Oh, and yes, it does show the sign of the complex impedance!