Practical NanoVNA guides

Start with calibration, then use your NanoVNA to investigate antennas, impedance and filters. Every guide is available without an account.

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How to calibrate a NanoVNA: open, short and load

Calibrate your NanoVNA at the cable end, check the result with a known load and learn when to repeat calibration for S11 and S21 measurements.

Antennas

Measure antenna SWR with a NanoVNA, choose the calibration plane and distinguish a good impedance match from resonance and antenna efficiency.

Impedance

Understand resistance, reactance and the 50-ohm centre of a NanoVNA Smith chart, with worked examples and an explanation of cable effects.

Filters

Set up an S21 filter measurement, calibrate the through connection and read insertion loss, bandwidth and stopband attenuation on a NanoVNA.

See the waves as well as the numbers. Explore our interactive reflection and phase demonstration to connect S11 with forward and reflected waves.