I recommend the NanoVNA, which is about $50.
It’s definitely not top of the line, and it does take a bit of playing with to get used to. However it has a heck of a lot of features for the price point.
I’ll second this. I opted for the more expensive version to get the larger screen and N connectors (instead of SMA) and have been very happy with it.
Ohhhh type N connectors! I have to check that out.
I’ll pile on and recommend this as well. The same device can also do time-domain reflectometry (which will tell you where there’s a break in the line - great for problems with buried or hidden cables). And you can also do signal-loss analysis… I had water leak THROUGH a cable - it got in by the antenna, and was dripping on my freaking desk inside. I was about to throw out the cable, but I decided to test it for loss while wet (… it was bad) and then put it in a vacuum oven for a few days and test it again (… it came back!). I think just with that one run of cable that little thing paid for itself!
I will check it out! Thanks!
There is also the TinySA. Which is a similar idea as the NanoVNA, but it’s for spectrum analysis instead of an antenna analysis.
With the Ultra you can see the WiFi in the room ;)
Very cool!
I have an RTL-SDR that lets me do that too. I also have aircrack-ng on one of my Linux installs, for research purposes.
Yes…reasearch…haha
In my defense, it hasn’t been used in a long time.
But the best way to learn is by doing. And I had interest in ethical hacking/penetration testing
does RTL-SDR reach all the way up to 2.4ghz? i thought it tops at 1.7ghz, unless you’re using downconverter?
I thought it did. Ill have to ask @Micromarine5216@lemmy.ko4abp.com to test his and see what it’s limits are.
I use a nanoVNA. It’s not exactly an antenna analyzer, but if your just trying to check for resonance/SWR, it’s fine.
