RF View for Ham Radio Applications
Amateur radio operators increasingly use low-cost VNAs (NanoVNA) for antenna measurements. RF View on Android is the ideal companion: load .s1p/.s2p files from NanoVNA companion apps and get full S-parameter analysis — Smith chart, VSWR, matching network design — on your smartphone in the shack or field.
Common Ham Radio Use Cases
| Task | S-Parameter File | RF View Analysis |
|---|---|---|
| Verify antenna resonance | Antenna .s1p (S11) | S11 dB → find deepest dip frequency |
| Check VSWR across band | Antenna .s1p | VSWR view → BW Marker at 2:1 |
| Design loading coil match | Antenna .s1p | Auto Match → synthesize L or C |
| Verify coax cable | Cable .s2p | S21 dB → check cable loss per band |
| Compare antenna designs | Multiple .s1p | Multi-file overlay → compare SWR |
NanoVNA + RF View Workflow for Antenna Analysis
- Connect NanoVNA Port 1 to antenna feed (with short coax jumper)
- Calibrate NanoVNA at the end of the jumper (OSL calibration)
- Measure antenna S11 across desired frequency range (e.g., 1–30 MHz for HF)
- Export .s1p file via NanoVNA companion app
- Open in RF View → S11 / VSWR / Smith chart view
- Find resonant frequency (deepest S11 dip)
- If resonance is off: use Auto Match to design loading coil or cap to tune
Typical Ham Antenna S-Parameter Benchmarks
| Antenna Type | SWR Target | S11 Target |
|---|---|---|
| Dipole at resonance | 1.2:1 (matched) | −20 dB RL |
| Dipole at band edge | <2:1 | >−9.5 dB RL |
| End-fed half-wave (with tuner) | <2:1 after tuner | >−9.5 dB |
| Yagi (50 Ω design) | <1.5:1 | >−14 dB RL |
RF View + NanoVNA: Measure with NanoVNA, export .s1p to Android, open in RF View for full VSWR profile, Smith chart analysis, and Auto Match for loading coil design. Free on Google Play.