ARRL has just posted a copy of a review of
Antenna Analyzers in May QST for members only at:
http://www.arrl.org/members-only/prodrev/pdf/pr0505.pdf
The analyzers covered are the Autek VA1, the Kuranishi
Instuments BR-210, the MFJ-269B and the Palstar ZM-30.
For Topband, there are a few features of the
Autek VA1 that I like:
1. It covers down to 0.5 MHz which can be handy
for checking parasitic element resonances, or
velocity factor measurements of long Beverages.
2. It includes polarity in R+jX, which only the new
$349 Palstar does. I find it very useful to be able
to see transition points of reactance for determining
exact resonances (e.g when checking that parasitic
elements are tuned to the same frequency).
3. For $200, overall measurement accuracy appears
to be excellent according to ARRL's Table 3.
I also have an MFJ-259B which is probably
my favorite all-around analyzer, but the Autek may
be a better value. I also have an AEA Complex
Impedance Analyzer which is extremely useful
for checking Beverages, since it can give you a
swept display of SWR over frequencies of interest.
73, Bill W4ZV
P.S. I wish both MFJ and Autek would make a
more positive power switch...it's too easy to
accidentally turn the power on with either one.
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