Friday, March 8, 2019

Release Firmware CEC Version 0.21 for Antenna Analyzer(EU1KY) from KD8CEC AMATEUR RADIO

Version 0.2 has been added with some improvements and some simple features.
A brief introduction is given below. This document contains a description of how to use the LC meter included in 0.21.
The LC meter is portable and easy to use, or fun to use when working with antennas.


The CEC Firmware V0.21 Linke is at the bottom of this article.

1.Introduction - http://www.hamskey.com/2019/02/faa-450-antenna-analyzer-eu1ky.html
5.Principle of Antenna Analyzer
6.Antenna Analyzer Firmware Improvement - http://www.hamskey.com/2019/02/release-firmware-cec-version-01-for.html
7.Release Firmware CEC Version 0.21 for Antenna Analyzer (EU1KY) - this article

1.Improvements or Changed
-  Tracking scope name changed  S21 Gain.


 - Remove% from battery indicator
 -  Fixed a delay in battery check when I went to another menu


 - Added continuous measurement function in S21 Gain (before name is tracking scope)


 - Memory-Related Optimization : Reducing memory usage, fixing misused memory jobs, etc.
 - etc: Correct spelling, correct beeps and more

 -  Added LC Meter function



2.LC-Meter
  The EU1KY Antenna Analyzer already measures L and C values. I just worked a little bit.
  Low-cost LC meters sold on eBay or AliExpress can only measure very high capacitors or Inductors. I also have a handheld meter that can measure LC, but the measurement range is quite high. so, It is generally available, but it is not usable when we make an antenna or make a filter.
Fortunately, the EU1KY Antenna Analyzer was able to measure the capacitance in pF and the Inductor in uH units.
  (The added function can measure 300pF or less for a capacitor and 20uH or less for an inductor)

Simply create a probe and use it for just fun. The better the probe, the better the measurement. You can easily make a probe with a coaxial cable and a connector.
This should not be used for precision purposes. It is just a hobby or just for fun.

Below is a simple probe I made for testing.


It can be used conveniently if you make a probe for each use purpose.

2.1 Calibration for LC-Meter
LC-Meter Probe Calibration is performed independently for other calibration data and quickly, so you can do it at any time. If you have several types of probes, you can calibrate each probe individually.
LC-Meter Probe Calibration is very simple and quickly. To create an LC-Meter Calibration Kit, you need one 50-ohm resistor.

The calibration video is at the bottom of this chapter. You can see the entire calibration process in the video.

Connected LC-Meter Probe


Short the two lines of probe. then touch the 'SET SHORT' button on Antenna Analyzer


Probe Connect a 50 ohm resistor between two wires. then touch 'the 'SET LOAD' button on Antenna Analyzer


Do not connect anything to the probe. then touch the 'SET OPEN'
(If you want to get a little more accuracy, I recommend making short, load, and open calibration kits of the same length for accurate probe calibration.)


Finally, Touch the 'Apply & Save' button. The calibrated probe will be stored the name LC-Probe A.


When the save is complete, the color of the button changes to blue. Probe-A means calibrated.


I touched the 'Probe Next' button to register another probe with AA. On the screen, 'LC-Probe A' has been changed to 'LC-Probe B'.
The buttons Color changed back to yellow. This means that LC Probe B has not yet been calibrated.


Perform the calibration procedure in the same way as Probe-A.


Probe-B is registered to AA



Calibration Video


2.2.How to LC-Meter
The LC-Meter should be used for hobby and fun purposes only because of the error.
(Capacitors of 300pF or less, Inductor of 50uH or less)

Touch the 'L/C Meter' button on AA


Connect the probe to AA.
Use the 'Probe Next', 'Probe Prior' buttons to select a name for the probe.AA remembers the last used probe, so you do not have to choose if you have not changed the probe.


Use the 'Mode L / C' button to select a function. (Inductor or Capacitor)
Connect the part to be measured to the probe.

Below is an example of measurement. All parts used in the experiment are of the common lead type with a 5% or 10% error rate.

Inductor 0.22 uH connected.


Inductor 0.1 uH connected.


Inductor 0.15 uH connected.


Mode Change (L -> C), (Touch the 'Mode L/C' button on AA)



Capacitor 56pF connected.


Capacitor 22pF connected.


Capacitor 10pF connected.


Capacitor 100pF connected.


I removed Probe-A and installed Probe-B. My Probe-B was included when I purchased the Signal Generator. (I do not recommend it. If you look at the video, you can see that the frequency is lowered because it is not precise measurement)


Connected 0.22uH Inductor to Probe-B

The error rate is too high. The error rate is displayed as 'E:' at the bottom of the screen. If the error rate is too high, the measurement result will be displayed in red.
The smaller the error rate, the better.

Decrease the frequency one by one. Touch the frequency on the screen.


The value is output when measuring at 15Mhz. The error rate is about 16


Connected 0.15uH Inductor to Probe-B


Connected variable capacitor to Probe-B.


Watch videos related to measurement below.


If the error rate is too high, 'Out of Range' error will be displayed on the screen.

The guess values for L and C are displayed in small letters at the bottom of the screen. If you want to ignore the high error rate and see the result, you can look at the guess value.

3.Download
Download Link
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1pUqBFFbjmnjKjnKcJv93SEAn1OKGhhGC

How to update the Firmware - http://www.hamskey.com/2019/02/3-antenna-analyzereu1ky-how-to-update.html


4.conclusion
I simply added the L / C meter to the AA. This may be of some help when creating antennas and filters. But please use this for hobby and fun.

I had a low-cost portable L / C meter, but it was impossible to measure the small value I needed. Because of this, it could not be used when fabricating antennas and filters.

This feature is may be useful to us because we can measure a range that can not be measured on a low cost LC meter.

Again, this feature is only available for hobby and fun because of the error rate.

Antenna analyzers made by EU1KY and improved by DH1AKF are already excellent as antenna analyzers. Firmware updates are not required unless absolutely necessary. Just update those who need it.


Thanks for reading

73, Ian KD8CEC

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