[TowerTalk] AEA VIA or CIA?

[Jim Brown]

On Mon, 12 Apr 2004 09:47:32 -0400, Tom Rauch wrote:

>Jim,
>
>Before you do anything you better look into this closely and be sure you
>know what point of the Smith chart you are starting from.
>
>I'm not going to name names but most analyzers only *guess* at the sign of
>reactance, and none of them self-calibrate. None of them have internal
>selective receivers, so they are all influenced by external signals.
>
>They are, whether $199.95 or $1999.95, not that much better than each other
>for resolution and other problems. You largely are buying an interface
>difference, not corrections in basic shortfalls.
>
>That's why I buy, repair, and calibrate new MFJ 259B's. With a few hours
>labor I have something better than 1000 dollars would buy, and it doesn't
>waste my time by guessing at the sign of reactance. I keep a quarter in my
>pocket instead, and it is right half the time.

Thanks, Tom. Yes, I'm well aware of that ambiguity. Tell me more about
the repair/calibration of the 259B. I've downplayed that unit, not
because of its design, but because of the less than stellar QC
reputation of the mfr.  Also, the earlier 259 that I played with did
not provide complex data. Does the B-version? And is the 269 worth
considering?

73,

Jim