[time-nuts] Flood of low end priced VNAs on FleeBay

[jimlux]

J. Forster wrote:
> VNAs are very expensive toys. I have an HP 8753 and was just outbid on a 6
> GHz source assembly.  :((
> 
> Mine has a very complex multi-chip RF Hybrid that has a partial failure,
> so it only goes to 3 GHz. That's a serious problem with modern high-end
> microwave gear, if anything dies, you're prettry much screwed.
>

Even something as old as an 8510 has the same problem.  It's not like 
you can get spare boards, assuming you can even figure which board is 
dead. Or, replace parts on the boards/modules.

OTOH, for <3GHz, less than a kilobuck buys you a pretty impressive PC 
peripheral style VNA.  Yeah, not the performance of a modern PNA, but 
probably better than sweeper/141T or even an 8510 class box in some cases.