Rigexpert AA-230 Zoom antenna analyzer review 

The Calibration tool is used in conjunction with Precision Calibration Loads. One of the places these can be purchased is MFJ. They are item MFJ-252N . The N designation is for the N connector used on the Rig Expert. They are not meant to calibrate the meter. They are used to determine the exact impedance of the Load at the end of a transmission line. It is a 3 step process and, when completed, the parameters of the transmission line will be subtracted from the measurement results and the analyzer will display the "true" parameters of the Load. With this information you can design a very accurate impedance matching network at the Load if needed.

If you zoom in on the swr chart and rescan it will give you a more accurate reading around the freqs you are zoomed in on. Just a tip if you haven’t figured it out yet!

Good video is very helpful on getting to understand the big rig vs the MFJ. I am falling in love with the Big Rig being that it is user friendly. Thank you for your work. It is greatly appreciated.

Dig it. Just bought one of these to help with lots of antenna work at the station. Selling off my trusty MFJ 259B.

Hi. I own the AA-54 and just ordered the AA-54 Zoom. We in HFedz antennaas use them to tune and test our antennas and they are great analyzers. As a recommendation... dont adjust your antenna on any band other than 80m because your antenna is a half wave dipole on 80m and any change in lenght will affect all other bands... just be sure to get the best match on 80m and all other the other bands should be ok (SWR < 2:1). Im very exited about our new analyzer that is suppost to arrive this weekend. Thanks for your time doing this nice video and keep doing more like this one. 73 de WP4MLX

Multi SWR - thats awesome - imagine how easy it would be to tune a cobwebb with that thing :)

Eric you have sold me it , Great vlog 👍

You can adjust your OCFD to move the resonance areas in each band.

Thanks! Great video. Im thinking of the AA-600 though. Just a bit more money for 440.

Very good explanation, thank you very much Sir.

Eric, I have an 230-zoom, all was great but for some reason it will not start up on batteries. It will run on batteries but only after I start it with USB power, then remove USB cable. The batteries are new Duracell's and I even tried rechargeable, it shows full charge but still will not start on batteries. Any ideas? Is there a setting I am missing?

Thanks for the vid. Are you gonna try to get a hold of a Comet Antenna CAA-500 Mark II? I am also researching the Comet before I decide what to get.

these are nice antenna analysers, if you own one don't do as in the video and let the RF adaptor centre pin rotate as you connect to it - think of it as a precision connector and only let the outer shell rotate.

Had mine two days and had to send it back. It would freeze on the odd screen. Didn't seem to matter what. I would have to take the back off and pop a battery to get it unfrozen. Have now ordered my 2nd. I could find no other example, via google, of anyone that had had the same problem. Here's hoping for AA-230 #2.

Great job on the demo. Thanks, de KU3X

Very nice video to get a ball park of this marvelous device. tks es 73

Hold down F while pressing 4 to get to the return loss plot.

Great video, thanks for your thorough review!! It helped me a lot in going for the AA-230 Zoom. Your feedback on the following please: I want to test my feed lines - including fittings - that go out of my portable station for any irregularities. I am more concerned about those fittings than the line itself (which is Messi & Paoloni "M&P"). Given that it is easier to connect the analyzer on the antenna end of the line (as opposed to the station end), will I damage my station if I run the analyzer on the antenna end of the line whilst the line is connected to my station? Some context: Reason I am considering to do this is because the transceiver is fitted inside a go box, so I would have to take everything out to run the analyzer on the end of the line out of the transceiver. More context on how my Yaesu FT-857D is connected to a number of lines: V / UHF jack: T-fitting, splitting the exit in two. One goes into a Diamond Antenna duplexer (*) specific to the Yaesu FT-857, the other one goes in a 30cm M&P line that connects onto a panel PL259 fitting. The latter connects onto the line reaching the V / UHF antenna(s). HF / 50 MHz jack: T-fitting, splitting the exit in two. One goes into a Diamond Antenna duplexer (*) specific to the Yaesu FT-857, the other one goes in a 30cm M&P line that connects onto a panel PL259 fitting. The latter connects onto the line reaching the HF / 50MHz antenna(s). (*) Duplexer: This is used to combine the V / UHF and HF / 50 MHz output jacks out of the radio onto a single jack that feeds a Yaesu ATAS-120A multi-band screw antenna. The setup above delivers at the back plate of my go box 3 antenna jacks: One for V / UHF, one for HF / 50 MHz, and one for the ATAS-120A (that combines the V / U and the HF / 50 MHz). With my analyzer I would like to test all lines incl. fittings for irregularities. Comments welcome!

Continuous, meaning prior to a trip, I could use it to check the CB antenna?

You can not scan from freq to some other. You need to enter a center freq with +/- range.

If I didn't know the resonant frequency of an antenna, is there an option to easily display that? Opposed to entering the desired frequency and seeing if you are resonant.

Just got one of these with the Bluetooth add on. Seems to work ok but the PC software is giving me grief, so I would like a video about it. Seems when hooked to the pc it can lock up the analyzer and the only way out is pull the battery and try again. We're still on the learning curve, so maybe there is a reason for the lockup.

very nice 73 greets from Belgium

10-80 voice center is 16.650 +/- 13.050 for a sweep of 3.600 to 29.700 or am I missing something?

Thanks. Did you ever make a video on your OCFD?

How do I get service for my AA-230Zoom? I have emailed the US/Canada office several times and no answer. I have also emailed the Ukraine office and no answer. My RigExpert needs service and I can't get ant response from Rigexpert.

Hey Eric, Just subscribed...like Rob said...waiting for your RU-vid video on that OCFD you spoke about on this video... Vry 73 de Me

In comparison to price the aa230 to others in its specs what do you think?

How do you short the cable for testing, tie the wire together at the end of the cable?

Sorry SWR frequency top number is center of sweep and bottom number is +/- frequency to sweep. Totally Wrong. If you would have done a sweep you would actually show the error but you move between features quickly and provide a wrong impression.

quisiera mejor retornarlo

Hm

You go so fast that I can't even follow.

no tiene idioma en español

Dead after firmware update !

I was thinking of getting one until you opened up the battery compartment - it seems like the case is really cheap plastic. Doesn't inspire confidence in the product. I also noticed the other models have a sturdy metal plate where the coax attaches. The new Zoom models are just plastic. Seems like they cheaped out on the construction for some reason. I'll wait for your Comet CAA-500 Mark II review.