I have only one comment which applies to most if not all of the amateur
level products, as well as a very high quality HP impedance meter I used
years ago.

I live about 15 miles from hilltops where the local AM, FM, and TV
broadcast towers are. The signals from those stations are strong enough
to overwhelm the broad bandwidth detection circuitry in the analyzers
(and HP vector impedance meter) I've used, resulting in meaningless
readings when connected to an antenna. I find that I grab my MFJ antenna
analyzer for a host of jobs like measuring a ferrite core impedance,
checking the length of a piece of coax, and so forth. But for me it's
just about useless for the job of analyzing actual antennas. When I need
to measure antenna impedance I dust off an old GR bridge and use a
portable receiver for the detector in order to reject the strong ambient
signals.

Of course this isn't a problem for everyone, but it sure is for me and I
don't think my situation is unusual for an urban environment. I've had
to put common mode chokes on my thermometer thermocouple wire, my light
meter connecting wire, scope leads, and even in audio circuitry to keep
the RF out. But even one strong local station might be enough to upset a
typical antenna analyzer.

Roy Lewallen, W7EL

On 8/23/2010 11:15 AM, Peter O. Brackett wrote:
Antenna Newsgroup Denizens:

Apart from the professional 'lab grade' (and undoubtedly very expensive)
devices made by the likes of Agilent, there are on the amateur market
several antenna analyzers that are more reasonably priced.

I'm currently considering the purchase of such a device, and so...

I'm interested in hearing opinions, pro-con arguments, and/or receiving
pointers to reviews of such devices.

All thoughts and comments will be appreciated, unbiased or not.

Thanks!

-- Pete k1po
-- Indialantic By-the-Sea, FL