I’ve been using a NanoVNA-H4 for some time but find it fiddly with variable results. I thought I’d dip my toe into Rig Expert and liked the idea of a lower-cost start with upgradeability. So I got the base model. I’m glad I did. It is mostly very intuitive and soon sorted out a simple long-wire with UNUN, choke and counterpoise (via multiple adjustments) so that previously dead bands are now alive more often! The amateur bands are clear with shaded markers on wideband SWR scans.

The base model is advertised as 0.1 to 70Mhz and on the box too but mine quite clearly goes to 75Mhz so it checked my 4M dipole between 65 and 75 Mhz OK too.

I think the common advert picture with the coloured squares is a bit of a put-off. A picture with the main menu, SWR curves or the 5 SWR frequencies (user selectable) might be more compelling to techies. No doubt the marketeers like the colours. The squares only come on briefly at the start anyway and they soon switch via a licence screen (which says Basic – 75Mhz) to the main menu.

The manual is a bit clunky: for instance the “Basic Operation” section in mine is a repeat of “Unpacking and Inspection”. Nowhere did it say how to get back to the main menu – it’s actually via the “X” key (the main not very intuitive bit). The Registration was a bit convoluted too – you need the serial number which is on the box or on the midway opening screen but not on the outside of the device. It’s not the same as the number on the Registration Card in the box. I’m still not sure if I registered it as there was no confirmation email. But I did get a password change email – so who knows?

It’s got an N type connector so also order a M&P SO239 to N type adapter and/or a RG316 50cm patch lead N-type Male to SO239 from this efficient and friendly supplier. The N-type connector seems to be robustly anchored to the device so unless you have a very inflexible co-ax cable the adapter should do fine for most applications.

It’s a lovely thing to use. I’m going to try the first upgrade next – it says its Mac and Linux friendly too so we’ll see. Antscope is on the Apple App Store but not the required Antscope2 which is downloadable from the Rig Expert site.

G3PWB

As a long term (12 years+) user of RigExpert analysers, I had high hopes for this new product. I was not disappointed. The only reason for the purchase was the need to have an analyser covering 70cm as my RigExpert AA-230 Zoom does not. Highlights of the Match: superb clear screen, easy upgrade from base model to 500MHz RSE firmware, easy to learn user interface, TDR function invaluable for cable measurement and fault-finding