RigExpert AA-30 - HF Antenna Analyzer (0.1 to 30 MHz)

RigExpert AA-30 is a powerful antenna analyzer designed for testing, checking, tuning or repairing antennas and antenna feedlines.

Mainly, these are SWR (Standing Wave Ratio) and impedance measurement instruments (vector impedance analyzers).

Easy-to use measurement modes, as well as additional features such as connection to a personal computer (to plot Smith diagrams, etc.), make RigExpert AA-30 attractive for professionals and hobbyists. It is quite important that graphical display of various parameters over a wide frequency range is a key feature of these analyzers which significantly reduces the time required to adjust an antenna.

The following tasks are easily accomplished by using RigExpert AA-30:

• Rapid check-out of an antenna
• Tuning an antenna to resonance
• Antenna SWR and impedance measurement and comparison before and after specific event (rain, hurricane, etc.)
• Making coaxial lines or measuring their parameters
• Cable testing and fault location
• Measuring capacitance or inductance of reactive loads

For the latest software updates, please refer to the manufacturer's website

The following items are included with each RigExpert AA-30 order:

• RigExpert AA-30 analyzer
• USB cable
• User's manual
• CD with drivers and software
• 2 x 1.5 Volt, alkaline batteries Type AA

RigExpert AA-30 Specifications

Frequency range: AA-30: 0.1 to 30 MHz

Frequency entry: 1 kHz resolution

SWR measurement range: 1 to 10 SWR measurement for 50 and 75-Ohm systems

SWR display: numerical or easily-readable bar

R and X range: 0…1000, -1000…1000 in numerical mode, 0…200, -200…200 in graph mode

Display modes:

• SWR at single frequency
• SWR, R, X, Z, L, C at single frequency
• SWR graph, 100 points
• R, X graph, 100 points

RF output:

• Connector type: UHF (SO-239)
• Output signal shape: rectangular, 0.1…10 MHz (AA-30).
• Output power: about + 13 dBm (at 50 Ohm load)

Power:

• Two 1.5V, alkaline batteries, type AA
• Two 1.2V, 1800…2700 mA•h, Ni-MH batteries, type AA *
• Max. 3 hours of continuous measurement, max. 2 days in stand-by mode when fully charged batteries are used
• When the analyzer is connected to a PC or a DC adapter with USB socket, it takes power from these sources

Interface:

• 133x64 graphical backlit LCD
• 6x3 keys on the water-proof keypad
• AA-30:menus and help screens in English language
• USB connection to a personal computer

Dimensions: 22 x 10 x 3.6 cm

Operating temperature: 0-40 °C

Weight (including batteries): 400g

* Ni-MH batteries are not included with the analyzer. Users can purchase these batteries with a corresponding charging adapter.

How it works?

Structure diagram

The structure diagram of the RigExpert AA-30 Antenna Analyzer is located below:

The "brain" of the analyzer is Atmel 8-bit RISC microcontroller. It controls two AD9833 DDS chips running at 25 MHz and generating two sinusoidal signals. Both signals are low-pass filtered and then put through pulse shapers, producing two rectangular signals with CMOS levels. Resistive brigde was chosen to measure parameters of a load because of its simplicity and good frequency response. The switch commutates two outputs of the bridge. After the switch, the signal is mixed with the second channel output to produce audio frequency of 1.7 kHz. A variable attenuator is used to maintain the audio signal level in the desired range. This signal is then filtered and fed into the 10-bit ADC of the microcontroller. There is a simple relationship between the measurement frequency, DDS frequencies and attenuator division ratio:

The 133x64 graphical LCD and the 6x3 keys keypad are connected directly to the CPU. Also, the AA-54 is equipped with 128K of external Flash memory to store measurement results. The USB interface chip allows connecting the analyzer to the PC.

Close look at the bridge

This is a diagram of the resistive bridge and its connection to the mixer:

The switch which is controlled by the CPU feeds the signal from the certain side of the bridge to the mixer chip. When the load is totally active and its resistance is 50 Ω, the bridge is balanced and the switch outputs the same signal in both positions. This eliminates the need of calibration of the analyzer, also giving very good precision near SWR=1.

Download Manual

• RigExpert AA-30 User's manual