Electronics - Lessons

High-Precision SOLT (OSLT) Calibration A Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) is a precision instrument whose readings directly depend on calibration. Without calibration, the VNA displays not the parameters of the measured antenna or filter, but the characteristics of the entire measurement line (including the parasitic capacitance and inductance of the connecting cables and connectors). The OSLT Calibration Procedure To perform the calibration, a set of calibration standards from the kit is used: OPEN (open connector, infinite impedance), SHORT (short-circuited connector, 0 Ohms), and LOAD (matched 50-ohm non-inductive load). It is vital to perform the calibration exactly at the end of the cable to which the Device Under Test ( DUT ) will be directly connected. Crucial Interpolation Rule: When changing the frequency range ( START/STOP ), the device automatically interpolates the calibration matrix, and the calibration status is disp...

Configuring the Interface, Traces, and Markers The graph displayed on the screen may seem cluttered due to the abundance of information. Properly setting up the display area is the first crucial step toward accurate measurements. Device Screen Elements At the top of the screen, the status lines for each active trace are displayed (channel, format, vertical scale, and the value at the marker point). On the left side of the screen is the calibration status column (e.g., C0...C4, D, R, S, T, X). At the bottom, the current start ( START ) and stop ( STOP ) sweep frequencies are displayed, along with the frequency grid step. Layout of information zones on the NanoVNA LCD screen. Managing Measurement Traces The analyzer supports the simultaneous display of up to 4 independent traces (labeled TRACE 0 , TRACE 1 , TRACE 2 , TRACE 3 ). Each trace has its own unique color (e.g., yellow, blue, green, purple). Select...

Analog Filters Simulator RC & LC Calculator with Interactive Bode Plots How to use this tool: Select Filter Type: Choose between 8 topologies of Low-Pass, High-Pass, and Band-Pass filters. Real-Time Sliders: Drag the sliders or type values. The graph and cutoff frequency update dynamically in real time. Bode Plot: Displays Amplitude Response (Gain in dB) across an absolute frequency scale (10 Hz – 1 MHz). The Red Marker marks the cutoff/resonant frequency. Filter Architecture RC Low-Pass Filter RC High-Pass Filter RC Band-Pass (Cascade Series) RC Band-Pass (Wien Parallel) LC Low-Pass Fil...

Dipole Antenna Simulator Interactive E-Field, Current & Impedance Visualizer How to use this simulator: Custom Input: Type your exact Operating Frequency or Physical Length into the input boxes, or use the sliders to experiment dynamically. Visualizing Standing Waves: The wire in the diagram takes up the full width for clarity. The RED graph shows Current (I) magnitude, and the BLUE graph shows Voltage (V) magnitude along the wire. Notice how Current is always zero at the antenna tips! Experiment: Increase the length beyond 1 wavelength (1.0 λ) and watch how the radiation pattern splits into multiple lobes. Auto Tune: Click the green button to instantly calculate the perfect resonant half-wave length (0.48 λ) for your chosen frequency. ...

SWR & Return Loss Simulator Interactive RF Transmission Line Visualizer How to use this simulator: In a real radio system, the SWR (Standing Wave Ratio) depends on how well the antenna is tuned, not on transmitter power. Adjust Antenna SWR to simulate antenna matching and observe reflected power. Change Forward Power to test different transmitters — SWR remains constant while reflected power scales automatically. SWR METER 1 1.5 ...