NanoVNA Series by NanoRFE
The original NanoVNA, still made by the team that designed it.
A NanoVNA is a handheld vector network analyzer with two ports, a touchscreen and a battery. It measures amplitude and phase, so SWR, return loss, impedance on a Smith chart, filter response and cable faults come from the same instrument. Coverage is 50kHz to 4.4GHz on the V2 Plus4 and 50kHz to 6GHz on the VNA6000.
- Designed by the engineers behind the S-A-A-2 and VNA6000 architectures.
- 90dB dynamic range on the V2 Plus4, up to 110dB on the VNA6000-B.
- Sold direct and supported by the developers, with firmware and software updates.
What is a NanoVNA?
The NanoVNA measures how much of a signal reflects back from a device and how much of it passes through. That is what a vector network analyzer does, and one instrument covers antenna tuning, filter sweeps and cable fault finding. Because it sweeps rather than reading a single frequency, the Smith chart, complex impedance, filter response and TDR distance all come from one pass on a 4 inch screen.
Key Applications
SWR, return loss and impedance across the HF, VHF and UHF amateur bands, and on WiFi and IoT antennas.
Filters, attenuators, amplifiers and duplexers. The VNA6000-B has 110dB of dynamic range, enough to see the stopband of a narrow filter.
Find a fault in a run of coax, or measure its length and velocity factor, without a bench instrument.
Many hams now use a NanoVNA instead of a separate antenna analyzer. It fits in a pocket and plots SWR and a Smith chart across the whole band.
Common Measurements with a NanoVNA:
- SWR & Return Loss (antenna tuning)
- Smith Chart (impedance matching)
- Filter Characterization (bandpass and notch)
- Coax Cable Loss (insertion loss)
- Cable Length (using TDR)
- Crystals and Resonators (testing)
Which NanoVNA should I buy?
- Amateur radio operators: the NanoVNA V2 Plus4. It measures on the fundamental from 50kHz to 4.4GHz, which covers every amateur band you are likely to tune, and it is the model we sell the most of.
- WiFi & IoT developers: 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz work needs coverage to 6GHz, so the VNA6000-A.
- Professional RF labs: the VNA6000-B. 110dB of dynamic range at 5.8GHz, and the repeatability to trust a narrow filter measurement.
What the clones leave out
The copies look the same from the outside. Inside, ours have:
- Every RF stage is shielded, so a nearby FM broadcast transmitter does not end up in your trace.
- The mixers have headroom to spare, so a strong signal does not push them into compression.
- NanoVNA-QT works with it, including data export and firmware updates.
Compare NanoVNA Models
The current lineup, with the legacy designs included for comparison. Dynamic range figures are calibrated measurements; the exact conditions are listed in the specifications on each model page.
| Series / Model |
Frequency Range |
Dynamic Range |
Shielding | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NanoVNA V2 Series (S-A-A-2 Architecture) | ||||
| NanoVNA V2 Plus4 | 50k - 4.4GHz | 90dB | Full metal shielding | The standard 4.4GHz model. USB streaming, TDR, 4 inch touchscreen. |
| NanoVNA V2 Plus4 Pro | 50k - 4.4GHz | 90dB | Full metal shielding | Adds adjustable IFBW, so crystals and narrow filters can be measured. Lower trace noise than the Plus4. |
| NanoVNA V3 Series (VNA6000 Architecture) | ||||
| VNA6000-A | 50k - 6GHz | 95dB | Inner & outer |
6GHz coverage, intended for WiFi 6 and the 5.8GHz ISM band. |
| VNA6000-B | 50k - 6GHz | 110dB | Inner & outer EMI Shielding | Flagship. 110dB dynamic range, temperature compensated, lowest trace noise we build. |
| Generic NanoVNA Clones (V1, NanoVNA-H, H4) | ||||
| Generic NanoVNA | 300MHz (fundamental) 900MHz (harmonics) |
~30dB | Unshielded | Unshielded, noisy. Usable for rough HF and VHF work if you already own one. |
NanoVNA V2 Series
The 4.4GHz model. Antennas, filters, duplexers and cable loss, measured on the fundamental from 50kHz up.
NanoVNA V2 specifications ▸
VNA6000 Series
6GHz, and the lowest noise floor we make. Every sub-module sits in its own shield.
VNA6000 specifications ▸Accuracy, Measured Against Lab Instruments
We do not publish our own comparison charts. The traces below are from independent engineers who ran their own NanoVNA against reference instruments:
vs. Keysight FieldFox
AE5X compared the V2 Plus4 against a Keysight FieldFox between 1GHz and 3GHz and got comparable dynamic range and linearity.
No Harmonics
The V1 NanoVNAs, and the clones that copy them, reach 900MHz by using harmonics of a 300MHz signal. The trace turns noisy well before that point and the readings cannot be trusted above it. The V2 Plus4 and VNA6000 measure on the fundamental across the whole range.
- 90dB or better of dynamic range on the V2 Plus4, enough to see a deep notch in a duplexer.
- VNA-R temperature compensation holds a calibration for months. Other low cost VNAs lose theirs in under an hour.
- Trace noise is about 90% lower than the generic clones.
NanoVNA Resources & Getting Started
For Beginners
Professional SOLT Calibration
The SOLT (Short, Open, Load, Through) calibration kit in the box uses proper SMA standards, and every unit is verified by the original designers before it ships. Calibrating at the end of the test cable moves the reference plane to the connector of the device under test, so the loss and electrical length of the cable are corrected out.
Official NanoVNA Software: VNA View
Plug the NanoVNA into a PC or Mac over USB. NanoVNA-QT (also known as VNA View) is the official client: live traces, high resolution sweeps, remote control and data export. NanoVNA Saver, by Rune Broberg, is the community favorite, and it will stitch together sweeps of more than 10,000 points.
Getting Started with your NanoVNA
- Set your range. Start and stop frequencies, for example 140 to 150MHz for the 2m band.
- Calibrate. Full SOLT, on the range you just set. If you change the range later, calibrate again.
- Connect. Antennas go on Port 1 (S11). For filter loss, feed the input from Port 1 and read the output on Port 2 (S21).
NanoVNA Frequently Asked Questions
What is a NanoVNA?
A handheld vector network analyzer. It measures amplitude and phase across a swept range, so SWR, return loss, complex impedance and transmission all come from the same instrument.
Is the NanoVNA V2 a good antenna analyzer?
Yes, and it is the model most hams buy for antenna work. It sweeps the whole band and plots the match, so you see where the antenna resonates and how wide the dip is without keying the radio.
Which NanoVNA is best for ham radio?
The V2 Plus4. 50kHz to 4.4GHz covers every amateur band up to 70cm.
What is the frequency range of the NanoVNA?
50kHz to 4.4GHz on the V2 Plus4 and Plus4 Pro, and 50kHz to 6GHz on the VNA6000 series.
What is the difference between NanoVNA-H and NanoVNA V2?
The H is a 300MHz design that reaches 900MHz on harmonics, and we stopped selling it in 2020. The V2 (S-A-A-2) is a separate design, with shielding and a receiver built for 4GHz.
Who makes the official NanoVNA now?
NanoRFE, the group the original NanoVNA developers formed in 2020 with a team of RF hardware engineers. The V2 Plus4, Plus4 Pro and VNA6000 all come from that team.
Where can I buy an original NanoVNA?
Directly from us in the official store, or through an authorized dealer.
Hardware Generations
Three generations of hardware, and what each one is still good for.
Generation 1 (Legacy)
Models: NanoVNA-H, H4 (edy555)
Frequency: 300MHz (900MHz harmonics)
Status: Discontinued / Outdated
SA612 mixers, long discontinued. Accuracy falls off above 300MHz.
Generation 2 (Standard)
Models: NanoVNA V2 Plus4 / Pro
Frequency: 4.4GHz (Fundamental)
Status: Actively Supported
S-A-A-2 architecture, 90dB of dynamic range.
Generation 3 (Next-Gen)
Models: VNA6000 Series
Frequency: 6GHz (Professional)
Status: Current Flagship
110dB on the B model, in a 300g enclosure.
Timeline
-
2019: The edy555 NanoVNA-H
The first NanoVNA was a 50kHz to 300MHz analyzer built around a single SA612A mixer stage, reaching 900MHz on harmonics. edy555, a radio amateur in Japan, designed it after seeing the idea discussed by a couple of Texas hams. He wrote the firmware that made it usable and put the first kits together, all of it open source. The open license is why the H, H4 and F were mass produced, and why so many of them are still in use. It is also where the reputation for noise came from: harmonic mixing, an audio codec doing the detection, and nothing shielding the RF path. -
2020: NanoRFE & the NanoVNA V2 (S-A-A-2)
The V1 had run out of headroom, so the second generation was a new design. NanoRFE was set up to carry the project forward: the original NanoVNA developers together with a group of RF hardware engineers, who thought measurement at these frequencies should not have to cost four figures. The result was the NanoVNA V2 (S-A-A-2), which shares no circuitry with the V1: an ADF4350 synthesizer and an AD8342 mixer, measuring on the fundamental up to 3GHz.
Note on clones: the V2.2 design was open sourced, and clone makers picked it up within months, usually dropping the shielding and substituting cheaper parts. Since we cannot control what somebody else's copy will measure, later NanoRFE designs are proprietary. The V2 Plus4 carries the shielding, calibration and firmware work of the original team. -
2022: The V2 Plus4 & Plus4 Pro
The V2 Plus4 was the model that reached 90dB of calibrated dynamic range. Getting there took the proprietary VNA-R switched RF bridge and adjustable IF bandwidth, both of which exist to bring the noise floor down. Satellite work and duplexer tuning that used to need a bench instrument became possible on something you can carry in one hand. -
2024+: The VNA6000 Series (Next Gen)
The VNA6000 (NanoVNA V3) is a new architecture, not a refinement of the V2, with every sub-module in its own shield. That shielding is what makes narrowband devices and high rejection filters measurable from 50kHz to 6GHz. The B model reaches 110dB with built-in temperature compensation, at 300g. Most are bought for WiFi 6, the 5.8GHz ISM band and RF research.