Using a nanoVNA to determine unknown inductance value

Using a nanoVNA to determine unknown inductance value.

Excel calculation spreadsheet may be downloaded here:

[jbammi]

Thanks very useful. Just a suggestion, if you display the S11 return loss, then at the resonant point you get the deep dip and its easier and less subjective as to where to position the marker to read off the frequency.

[JimbobandJo]

Built a 110uH air coil for my EFHW from a calculator. Chucked it on my NanoVNA as described and ended up at 110.6uH. Close enough for me. Thanks for the guide

[kpmd]

Thanks for this video. Please also consider that such a capacitor may vary up to 20% from its marked value, a typical tolerance for low cost capacitors. So the calculated value of inductance may also vary within that margin of error

[XGP]

You didn't mention it, but you should do a calibration with the cable and adaptor you are using first. But here is another issue: the permeability of the toroid material varies with frequency. So you have measured the inductance at 37 MHz, which is not where it will be used in the QCX! To use your method, you should select a larger capacitor in order to get the resonant frequency closer to the operating frequency.

[joeshmoe]

Measured my homebrew inductor coils directly with nanovna. Matched calculated. S11, in series.
Edit: antenna loading coils. Large inductors. 5" × 9".

[acestudioscouk-Ace-GACE]

Really useful thanks! It would have be good to see how the Nano compared with your dedicated LCR meter but I see from the comment below, it was the same. Good work!

[engineereuler]

aren't you adding the unknown frequency responses of another component now, and kind of doubling the size of the problem?

[migalito]

Sweet.

I am about to build a receiver & all my testers for L & C had crapped out when fired up.

I do have a working Nano Vna & of course it came without any manual but I figured it could do the job but how. Now we know.

Another guy read L directly but he did not share where in the vna's menu settings he was. This on the other hand is a simple indirect means to get what is needed.

I even sent away for a $20 tester today. Well, it does not hurt having back up....

[WRMD]

Great video! Thanks for showing. Is that VNA the H 2.8 inch screen or H4 with the 4" screen?

[zembalu]

The underlying formula is f = 1/(2π*(L*C)^(1/2)), where f = frequency, L = inductance, C = capacitance. Please mind, that the values are given in Hz, H, and F. So you must adjust for M, µ and p.

[JohnVKJAK]

How is the terminal strip connect to the SMA connector. Are the centre and shield both connected?

[SierraEcho]

Good job! I have to try and compare results with digital capacitance&inductance meter.

[Johnwinter.soilder]

What value did you get with your LCR meter? Also did you get the QCX on the air?

[robertg]

The measurement adapter should be mounted on the SMA socket and not at the end of the cable. Calibration of SOL (Short, Open, Load) must be done on the adapter. Use two 100 Ohm SMD resistors with 1% tolerance (in parallel) as LOAD. After calibration, OPEN measurement and delay compensation (Phase equal to ZERO degrees) But this calibration is not 100% accurate anyway.

[MunnaKumar-scqo]

Can we sweep from 1khz to higher value. Basically I want to know. We are able to sweep from low frequency or not. Because i want to buy

[h.sapienstechnologicus]

Tried this with different inductors and the all ended up ~3uH +/- 0.2, even if i removed the inductors and measured just the capacitor. That can't be true, one of the inductors was wire coil, and other two were different torroids. What I suspect, I measured is the phase shift on "antenna" which was made up by the wires leading up to LC circuit. Also - phase shifts multiple times across broad frequency range, which one do we use for calculation?

[MarcusPocus]

can’t to use the excel file less to pay for it on windows 7.. but yes, it’s a helpful way to find the value.. thanks!!