RigExpert AA-230 ZOOM
$$$$·
| Frequency | 0.1-230 MHz (100 kHz to 230 MHz), 1 kHz resolution |
| Bands | HF (1.8-30 MHz), 6m, 2m, 0.1-230 MHz analysis |
| Power | An antenna and cable analyzer, not a transmitter. Its test signal is a low-level square wave at -10 dBm into a 50-ohm load; it measures rather than transmits. |
| Modes | antenna/cable analysis (SWR, R, X, Z, return loss, Smith chart, TDR) |
| Weight | 236 g (8.3 oz) |
| rf output | N-type (50 ohm) RF connector; an N-male to SO-239-female adapter is included for PL-259 cables |
| usb | USB to a PC (runs the free AntScope2 software and powers the unit) |
| bluetooth | Bluetooth BLE 4.0 on the Option BLE version, for Android 6.0+ (not Windows/AntScope2) |
| power req | Four AAA batteries (1.5 V alkaline or 1.2 V Ni-MH), about 4 hours of continuous measurement and 2 days standby; also powered over USB from a PC or DC adapter. |
A capable, portable analyzer that covers 0.1-230 MHz and reads far more than SWR: return loss, R, X, Z, L, C, Smith charts and a TDR for finding cable faults, with selectable 25/50/75/100 ohm references and 100 memory slots. The color screen is clear, it runs on AAA cells or USB, pairs with the free AntScope2 software, and the Option BLE version adds Bluetooth. An N-to-SO-239 adapter is in the box.
It is discontinued, so it is end-of-life even where still stocked, and the RF connector is N-type (an adapter is included, but native PL-259 users need it). Battery life is a modest four hours, the Bluetooth works only with Android (not Windows/AntScope2), and at around $480 it costs much more than a basic SWR meter, which is the trade for the analysis features.
The RigExpert AA-230 ZOOM is a full-featured handheld antenna and cable analyzer for 0.1-230 MHz, going well beyond SWR to R/X/Z, Smith charts and TDR cable fault-finding, with a color screen, multiple impedance references and AntScope2 software. It suits anyone building or maintaining HF-through-2 m antennas and feedlines who wants real measurements rather than a simple meter; now discontinued, it competes with the newer RigExpert Zoom models and low-cost VNAs.
The RigExpert AA-230 ZOOM is a handheld antenna and cable analyzer that covers 0.1 to 230 MHz, which spans HF through the 2 meter band. Where a simple SWR meter only tells you the standing-wave ratio while you transmit, an analyzer like this measures a connected antenna or cable directly, with no transmitter needed, and reports far more: SWR, return loss, resistance, reactance, impedance, inductance and capacitance, against a choice of 25, 50, 75 or 100 ohm reference systems.
It shows results on a color screen as numbers or as charts, including SWR, R/X, Smith and return-loss plots of 20 to 500 points, and it includes a Time Domain Reflectometer and cable tools for locating faults and measuring cable loss and characteristic impedance. Optional open-short-load calibration improves accuracy, and 100 memory slots store results. It runs about four hours on four AAA cells or from USB, connects to a PC for the free AntScope2 software, and the Option BLE version adds Bluetooth for Android devices.
For connections, the RF port is N-type on 50 ohms, and RigExpert includes an N-male to SO-239-female adapter so ordinary PL-259 cables connect without extra parts. The unit is pocket-sized at about 82 by 182 by 32 millimeters and 236 grams, made in Ukraine. It is now discontinued, though some dealers still stock it at around $480.
It is the wide-range member of RigExpert's analyzer line. The smaller AA-55 ZOOM covers HF to 60 MHz, and for a low-cost alternative the NanoVNA offers vector network analysis at a fraction of the price, with a steeper learning curve.