Rig Expert AA-1000 Review
2 User reviews
Editors rating
* carrying case and strap;
* rechargeable batteries WITH charger;
* N-connector to SO-239 adapter; and
* USB cable for connecting to a PC.
Some of my favorite features are the multi-SWR, Time Domain Reflectometer (TDR) and PC connectivity. The multi-SWR mode made it so easy to tune my multi-band Diamond CR8900 on the vehicle because it showed all four bands at the same time. As I tuned for 10 meters, it showed me how the change affected the other three bands. I don’t have to do each band and then go back through them again to see what their values are like I would with most other analyzers. The TDR is great to test a length of feed line to see if you have any shorts or opens in the coax, like at a barrel, or a cut/splice. To use the AA-1000 with a PC, you simply download the software directly from the manufacturer’s website, go through the easy installation process and connect the analyzer to your PC with the supplied USB cable.
A couple of other useful features include Smith chart/Polar chart and the ability to test resonant coils. It also allows you to make and tune your own matching stubs for various antenna designs.
The Rig Expert AA-1000 has nearly every feature you would look for in an antenna analyzer and is great for testing any antenna on any frequency up to 1GHz including:
- Vehicle mounted antennas (VHF, UHF, or HF);
- Multi-band trapped verticals;
- Beam/Yagi antennas; and
- Multi-band wire antennas like the G5RV, Windom and off-center fed dipoles.
Whether you’re building your own antenna, installing a manufactured antenna or maintaining your existing setup, I consider a good antenna analyzer an essential tool for serious amateur and commercial radio operators and the AA-1000 is one of the few that will cover HF through 1.4GHz
Function | Specification |
Frequency range | 0.1-1,400 MHz |
Frequency entry step size | 1 kHz |
Min. sweep range | 10 kHz |
SWR2AIR™ mode | Yes |
MultiSWR™ mode | Yes |
Reactance sign measurement | Yes |
Antenna connector type | N-connector (SO-239 adapter included) |
Output power | -10 dBm |
Output amplifier | CML logic chip |
Output signal shape | rectangular |
Reference impedance for SWR measurement | 25, 50, 75, 100 Ohm |
Analog-to-digital converter | 16-bit |
Batteries | three 1.5V alkaline or three 1.2V Ni-MH, AA size |
Battery voltage sensor | Yes |
External battery charger | Yes |
Operation with external power supply (without battery) | from USB |
LCD | Color TFT, 320×240 |
Time Domain Reflectometer mode | Built-in |
Flash memory for storing graphs | 90 R/X or SWR memory slots, 10 TDR memory slots |
Multilingual support | Yes |
Presets for radio amateur bands | Yes |
Is this device useful for tuning duplexers?
Yes, a Rig Expert antenna analyzer could be useful for tuning duplexers. Here’s an article you may find useful:
http://vk4zxi.blogspot.com/2015/02/tuning-commercial-uhf-duplexer-with.html