Ok, I am done. Watched all videos on this channel, put thumb up everywhere. It took about 2 months but I am absolutely satisfied. Thank you for your work)
I just bought one of these for amateur use, and your video was a great way to see what some of the less basic functions do. Many thanks for your efforts in this.
Thanks for the great video, same as always. I actually just ordered this. I was learning about it in all the usual ways and when I discovered you'd reviewed it, and liked it, that was it - I ordered it on the spot. I will be sure to let Siglent know that as you requested.
Great presentation and fantastic content. I do have one of these, I got the VNA licence included in the base price. All the other functions are subject to 128 hours trial use, which is substantial. I've had to use the DTF function just once - I had a bad match on a 1296Mhz antenna. The DTF took me right to a kink in the feeder. Really good piece of kit. I had hoped you might have commented on the noise floor of the VNA function, but maybe another time. Thanks for a great video.
Well, the mouse support is a pretty nice touch. ;) I really like to see that you can use an instrument with all buttons or touchscreen or mouse and keyboard. That way everybody can decide for themselves which they want to use.
Dear Shahriar may I please ask you what the différance is between a vector signal analyzer and a vector network analyzer? I have used several weeks to try to find out, but it does not look like anyone is writing about it. I hope to start learning about component and board impedance and what does what and what it means for the signal. :-)
It measures the RF input and attempts to configure the analyzer such that the signal is displayed clearly. It is a quick way to get the signal on screen.
Did I get it correctly? The output of the TG is switched back and forth to an internal 50 Ohm load and the DUT on the connector, and the difference of the two measurements is the reflected part?
If you have the Rigol VSWR bridge from your 1030A days does it fit the input ports of the Siglent? I'd hate to have to buy that accessory all over again!
Being a VNA much reduces the need for a RLB however pics I've seen of the Rigol RLB suggests it's exactly the same as the Siglent one. I've never used my Siglent RLB on the SVA1015X that I've had for a year or so. Anyways you can check it out here: siglentna.com/product/reflection-vswr-measurement-kit/
at 35:05, the flat line in Smith chart is a low frequency responce, and interpolated to origin point. Because the AMP is a 10M -2.7G while you used 100k start, then from 100k to 10M almost OPEN, so the first few points went to a flat line.
Dear Signal Path, please do a review of the NanoVNA-f or the NanoVNA-SSA2N (N-Connector version). We need someone with professional instruments to get an exact idea of limitations and performance. Thank you in advance.
This is a very small comment, not important at all, but it’s really easy to hide the toolbar in Windows when you’re capturing your screen. Might increase your production value the smallest amount for very little effort. But if you think “who cares”, that’s cool too. 🙂
i love your videos but sometimes I find it hard to track the explanations. May I suggest using a bigger mouse cursor and perhaps the magnifier function in Windows. The best option would be to set a tracking viewport of 720p in which to do the tracing, but the magnifier option is easier to use. Looking forward to seeing more great analysis videos!
Using such a tiny little dot to point out around the board during you excellent explanation results in having to concentrate on "find the dot" rather than what you are saying. Lines OK but dots not.
HAHA, i just did a curious Teardown of my rigol dsa 1000 and this Siglent is almost a complete rip of! Just a view differences but overall the same components and signal flow. Nice job Signal Path!
Or the opposite, but the way to make the PCB of a frequency analyzer is pretty much identical, it can pretty much only be done in one way and the most optimal way might two companies very well figured out by them self and thus very similar to each other.
Thanks for this interesting and extended review. What is your general opinion on these combined instruments? Are there major drawbacks compared to separate instruments? Of course, keep in mind the same price class. Would similar price class Siglent VNA have better specifications? Cheers
When the amplifier gets saturated during the EVM / demodulation measurement ( ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ToVJTKCyIU8.html ) the constellation points start to move OUTWARDS instead of INWARDS. It looks like the I and Q components become larger then what they are during non compression. For me this is counter intuitive. I thought the low energy symbols remain (more or less) intact and the high energy symbols at the perimeter of the constellation diagram can't reach their nominal location so their distance from the origin is smaller then during non-compression. Please tell me why did the instrument displayed what it displayed!
It looks like there's either no AGC in the modulation analysis, it got maxed out, or it's based on the level after the amplifier that is saturating. Once that happened, as the input amplitude went up, the higher power outside points can't move any further out, while the inner points aren't compressing, so they continue outwards. It's kind of a perspective thing, as they were staying intact, just getting bigger while the outer bands compressed together.
The line on the smith chart is because the 1032 is measuring a very poor RL of the amp at very low freq. The first sample is at 100kHz and is poor. The freq steps are large and so the second sample is closer to the middle of the chart, and the 1032 just draws a line between the two samples. It is just visible on the S11 return loss graph at the extreme left, close to 100kHz, where the trace turns sharply upwards. Perhaps it is a limitation of the 1032X at that freq.
Nice! just Nice! looks like the SVA1032X is basically a modified or enhanced SSA3012X where the modification is the reflection bridge on the TG an, of course, the receiver board modified accordingly. I really like your tutorials... on the spot, easy to listen to, not too much information but just enough to stay connected to the subject. hence very good to follow. Thank you very much for the time you take to share your findings. It really helps a lot. Thank you! P.S.
Thanks for this great video! Unfortunately, I burnt the RF input of my SSA1032x. I suspect the input switch HMC1118, but may be also the other IC's U3 and/or U5 marked 959Q. Impossible for me to find the relevant datashhet. Do you know what are these IC's and their commercial reference? Thank you in advance.
Can you do a video on the operating principle of this tuner and how to use it to find the L and C to match your amp? Also, is it possible to use it to match over a wider frequency? That seems to be just for one frequency.
Sadly I cannot afford this "low-cost" SA at this time but I picked up a NanoVNA-F last week and it's been quite fun to use. I don't have a true reference comparison but the NanoVNA-F seems very accurate relative to its cost. If you have time to check one out I'd love to hear your review!
Thank you for the very informative review (as ever). It does help a lot on the purchase decision. I did know about all the features of this instrument, looks nice. Once again congratulations!
Thx for the review, solid as always. What is your opinion comparing SVA1032x vs R&S FPC1500. Officially optioned up (w/ current R&S offer) current pricing does not differ that much.
Apologies if this comes up later in the video, but why are we upconverting to above 3.2GHz? Simply because it's easier to filter such high frequencies (in which case I guess because of the smaller capacities and inductances, making the distributed element filters take less space)? Or something else entirely?
You mentioned you can measure S(1,2) and S(2,1). Can you also get S(1,1) and S(2,2)? Would be great to have for measuring the port impedances, e.g. the mismatch.
At 27:11, we see the noise figure degrade (noise floor goes up), the harmonic tones are still almost at the same power, it is probably not the VNA which produced it.
@@Thesignalpath it decreases a bit, that was noticable. I will take your word for it. Please keep making these videos, they're very very helpful and good!
Yes it's the same form factor and physical UI but the menu structure is deeper to allow for the greater capabilities of a VNA. FYI the SSA3000X series has recently been updated to Plus models that now also feature touch display and keyboard/mouse support and the Modulation Analysis the SVA range has. It's a bit of a shame Siglent didn't add an additional rear USB-A port or 2 to accommodate a mouse or keyboard.
@@tautech8196 That I understand, but looking at both RF boards, you can see strong similarities. Definitely looks like a update of the old SSA3000X series.
@@Thesignalpath I meant from the view, you used different drawing tool before, made it bit easier to watch. But I see the challenge here, board is square and does not quite fit the usual aspect FHD aspect ratio of the monitor. The explanations and analysis are top notch as usual.
@@Thesignalpath It was hard to see the LO and TG path drawings while I was viewing it on my phone. I realize that it would be easier from a PC, but zooming in to the particular section that you're describing would help significantly, too.
The source output is fixed? So this means it can't do amplitude sweeps, so no IP or compression measurements? It would also be interesting to see if or how the impedance of port 2 changes during the internal switching during a sweep.
I wonder if RF labs all over the world will be getting rid of some of their older but better specked analyzers when 5G race will force them to make room for a new hardware ;)
Thanks again I do have issues with your showing the board , I would like to see a closer up view for 2 reasons . I would frequently loose you curser when jumping to other points , very frustrating . And would also like to see the components closer up . Better than anyone else , just my issues ;)
Hello, You produce very good video topic, with devices measuring always very good .. but you speak far too fast I have a lot of trouble understanding you, I'm French, and even the automatic translator does not understand everything. Can you speak less quickly thank you.