TinySA Spectrum Analyzer Calibration and Firmware Update 

Excellent lucid presentation. +10!

I take it after you opened the box and played with it for a while you realized all it could easily do for you and you no longer leave it sitting in a corner in the box anymore. :) At this point in my amateur radio career my major tools are a CW key, a microphone, my multimeter, my TinySA, and my NanoVNA. Oh, and a soldering iron. (I haven't even touched my 'scope for a year.) This set of tools does everything. I already have 2 versions of the NanoVNA and I'm waiting for the TinySA ULTRA to arrive. With this small set of inexpensive tools I now feel like I have a functional and effective RF electronics lab on my desktop, or in my pocket, and can easily do all sorts of troubleshooting, fine-tuning and design work that I never could do before. I can optimize all sorts of antenna characteristics, align IF filters, characterize preamps and mixers, even build crystal filters. Along with the help of a few RU-vid videos it's as if I went almost immediately from being a noobie ham to being an RF engineer. Hamming is now better than ever.

Good stuff Ape, can't wait to see it in action!

Thank you for a good play-by-play explanation. Very helpful.

Thanks for posting. Very informative video. I just ordered one less than 10 minutes ago. I have a Rigol DSA815TG spectrum analyzer but this little guy is very portable. I have two uses for it. One is for mobile antenna testing with the use of a pickup antenna mounted about 100 feet away and the second use is for RF sniffing. It's great for a pocket size RF sniffer whether it's for small issues around the house or hot spots like in power line issues. Barry, KU3X

Very helpful thanks. I gotta buy one of those.

Nice job!

Very good video.

Based in this video I bought one for my use in my Ham shack ... and I am pleasantly surprised ... thank you!!

This is going to open up a huge can of worms... looking forward to more in the series!

I hope you go into some of the use cases and demonstrate it abilities.

Thank you !

Great little unit, if your using modulation in signal tests particularly if you are doing Sinad tests check the modulation on a scope first because my 1khz tone produced by the tinysa was off by some margin and you don't need to go off much when measuring SINAD, I set the unit for 0.95 khz and I get 1khz tone out, your mileage may vary of course, it's also worth hooking the output up to a frequency counter, I found it more stable and on frequency when operating powered from the usb c port, it's fine for hobbyists but I wouldn't ditch your hp, thandar etc just yet.

Back to work you go. The TinySA Ultra is out now. Time to make another video. I just received mine and it's great. I love the 4 inch screen. Barry

For anyone out there using a computer with USB 3.0 it will take about 2 days to reprogram the tiny sa! You need to use a computer with USB 2.0! You might get away with using a USB 2.0 extension cable and attaching it to your USB 3.0 port and plug the other end of the extension cable to the tiny sa. Many, Many people all over the Internet have had the same problem and not just me on my Windows based computer with a USB 3.0 port. The USB 2.0 extension cable is supposed to prevent the USB 3.0 handshake thus defaulting it to USB 2.0. I got my tiny sa yesterday and immediately started to update it (around 8pm?) (I update everything!) it was taking forever to erase the tiny sa. I waited 20 minutes and it was only at 3% and I pulled the plug which white-screened the device. I then had to open it up and jump 2 contacts together while turning it on to get it into DFU mode. (Because the screen is completely white!) It took around 10 hours to finally erase. Then it started to upgrade. It is now 4:30pm the following day and I am only at 29% on a 104K file! I didn’t even get a chance to play with it yet! I found the USB 2.0 extension cable trick (that should work?) somewhere on the internet. I quickly ordered a USB 2.0 extension cable that should arrive tomorrow. (when the tiny sa is hopefully already programmed!) (But at least I will have the 2.0 extension cable for next time)

These spectrum analyzers have a lot of capability but you can only use 1 function at a time. I bought 5 of them so I can use all the functions at the same time. I love these little analyzers.

I especially like doing IF alignment with this gadget.

For me, seems like "Actual Power" under expert config is no longer an option on these devices in the way you show here from a year ago. Any suggestions on the new way to config this setting would be greatly appreciated. tinysa version 1.3.338. Your tutorials btw are among the best on youtube. You speak clear and to the point and show only the necessary things to get the job done.

Am I supposed to keep the High/Low cable connected (as when the self test was ran)? Frankly, something is all wrong because in the first place; even though the self-test passed, when I did the operation to set the -25 frequency, I clicked the "Expert Config" but there was no "Actual Power" option to select. In fact, I went through every selection I could and there is no selection that says "Actual Power". I tried a few alternative choices that I thought may work but they didn't even come close. So, I figured the firmware update may be needed to get the same screen options that you had. However, After I tried the Windows 64 bit installation of the STM32 Cube, it installed just fine but it couldn't 'see' the TinySA. Even after I set it to "USB". It just kept saying DCU not connected, (or something like that). At this point, I'm getting a little pissed off. I tried removing and reinstalling the ST32Cube, and of course, I tried connecting the TinySA unit with and without the High/Low cable connected. I used the program's "Reset" and finally uninstalled it for the 3rd time. Please note that I'm very familiar with computers and computer software, (I've been building my own 'super-computers' for over 12 years). However, I think the Unit may be bad. I'm almost convinced that the unit was opened by another buyer before I got it, (even though I paid for an unused, brand new one). I'm going to try installing the 32 bit version of the ST32Cube software, use my own USB cable, (which is of a much higher quality than the one supplied), and then I'll give that update process one last try. What is frustrating, (aside from the convoluted way that they came up with updating the firmware in a relatively simple device as this), is that the update steps in the manual, (and yes, even in this video), aren't carefully instructing what the TinySA's physical configuration should be BEFORE the update process is to be followed. An important point (as I asked about in the beginning of this rant), would be to mention whether the cable link between High and Low connections, should remain. Of course, there should always be some reference in the instructions among the steps/procedures, that says something like, "if the ST32Cube software still doesn't 'see' the unit, check to be sure you: A, xxxx, B, xxx, C, xxxx etc., etc." Then if all that doesn't help, they should instruct you to place the TinySA carefully back in the box, neatly repackage all the accessories, and then place the box 'gingerly' on a 20-ton punch-press receiver plate. Then apply maximum pressure to the PP's release as you step on the PP's trigger pedal, (of course, safety first! Always wear safety glasses). FWIW, Rich

I bought one with the hope of identifying RFI noise but then I heard that you could overload the Tiny SA and I got concerned about it. Love to see some videos focused on hunting down RFI. I know it has been covered in great detail but I have not seen any one use it for RFI hunting. Also wondering how effective it is using the little antenna for HF.

Next buy...

Can you give some information about the sensitivity values? What are the lowest measurable values? For example db.

UPDATE: When I tried again with the 32 bit version of the ST32Cube software, (and used a high-end USB cable), IT WORKED!! However, now the contradictions between your video and the TinySA Firmware manual go ballistic! At about 8:15 in the video, you install the ST32Cube but the screen that opens doesn't look anything like the one you're showing! It does look like the one in the PDF manual, though. So, in the TinySA Firmware Update Manual, Step & (PDF page 8), it says: "Step 7. Click on the “Erasing and Programming” icon:" Now that's what it says should be done, which is right after the previous page, (Step 6) says to click on the "Connect" button. I have no choice but to follow the manual because the video version is just too different. But I have to say that I'm worried about clicking that "Erase" button. I'll leave you alone now but just so that you know, I wrote this before I followed Step 7 and clicked on that Erase button. If the unit gets lost as a result, I'll just send it back along with pictures documenting my every move, LOL. Rich

(Always Nurvouse When I do this also) -- But .. If it aint broke don't fix it is my atitude .. However I see that they are many versions ahead for mine (after these many years).. I guess it's time to be Nurvouse. I Appreciate this video.. (Gives me Convidence) to procede with a firmware update.. Thanks 73s 👍👍

my version of tinysa does not have actual power it has input level and output level?great??

a 4 inch screen would help... love my nano vna H4

low range is? is gmrs in the low or high range

Stupid question. Can you do a harmonic test with a network vna I think the answer is no but wanting to check.

From April 21 till now (April 23) the Tiny SA page has changed a lot. I can't find the links you describe in the firmware update section. They are on differnet places. Plus, even though I did find the "DFU_LOAD_BIN.bat", the "dfu-util-static.exe" and the "tinySA_v1.4-83-gbe4f4d6.dfu", which I suppose is the latest, I am unable to start the procedure, even though I turn the unit to the DFU mode as described at their page. When I plug the USB cable in my laptop, it makes that specific sound and the COM 4 port is enabled. I have all the above files in one folder, but so far I haven't found a way to make them work. If there is a way, please give me some help. Thanks in advance.

DFU Demo didn't work. I tried different versions. It did not find the Tinysa. The STM32cube version 10 programmer had a DRP level 1 error and killed it with a White Screen of Death. After a collective 8 hours of frigging around I switched computers from Windows 7 to a new install Windows 10. Even then I was getting errors but managed eventually to upload the firmware by trying different sequences of connecting to the USB port. To whoever tries a firmware upgrade beware there is a 50/50 chance it will work.

Hands keep getting in the way

Jog knob otherwise known as a rotary encoder for us Amateur electronics engineer types ☺️

Helpful video as usual. By my thinking, the tinySA should read "0" when receiving no signal. But mine and this one read like -95 I believe.

I just tested my fengs with this thing and all the 5s are clean the 2 17s are not so much.....I kid you not the the 5 uv5 i tested show no harmonic spikes even the 2 8 watt ones..go figure

I ordered mine from Zeenko Dec 24 2020. Firmware was patched . CLONE

lol by "in my shack for SOME TIME" you mean like 6 months right????? LOL :-D I am with the others, show some in use cases, hook that thing to an antenna and lets see what you get.

I was considering buying one of these devices. However after the painful experience with the RTL-SDR , I am hesitant to buy any Chinese electronics garbage. Ill watch this video for reference.

Apparently V0.3 is a clone. Yes confirmed. My FW was 1.1-52 (patched to pass) flashed up to 1.33 now fails self test 7. CLONE !!

honestly it's toy, not a spectrum analyzer, have you seen rigol SA? this one it not even a toy