Hello ,

For several days now , I have been venturing into the jungle of Nano VNAs , and I still don't understand anything about hardware platforms , firmwares , versions , names , prices , specs , etc.

Now, I see that Bangood is offering the NanoRFE NanoVNA V2 Plus4 for €150 (https://www.banggood.com/fr/NanoRFE-NanoVNA-V2-Plus4 -Vector-Network-Analyzer-High-Precision-4GHz-Frequency-Range-Fast-Scanning-Speed-Full-Aluminum-Alloy-Design-Low-Thermal-Drift-p -2010145.html?cur_warehouse=CN&rmmds=search), whereas it costs €256.54 at Tindie, the official store (https://www.tindie.com/products/hcxqsgroup/nanovna-v2-plus4/).

Is Bangood selling clones? Is this a pricing error on the websites? Has this model been discontinued ?

Please enlighten me.

73,
Jeff, F5BCB

Hi Jeff,

I have the NanoVNS V2 Plus 4 Pro and it is an extremely good instrument
- bought from the official Tindie store. Yes it costs more but at least
it is Genuine. If you can afford it buy from the official store. If you
try to update the firmware of these clones with the official firmware
some of these clones  may cease to work permanently.

73's

Jeremy (VK5WJ)




On 22/08/2025 06:42, Jeff5bcb via groups.io wrote:Greetings Jeff,

> Hello,
>
> Forseveraldaysnow,IhavebeenventuringintothejungleofNanoVNAs,andIstilldon'tunderstandanythingabouthardwareplatforms,firmwares,versions,names,prices,specs,etc.
>
> Now, I see that Bangood is offering the NanoRFE NanoVNA V2 Plus4 for
> €150 (https://www.banggood.com/fr/NanoRFE-NanoVNA-V2-Plus4
> -Vector-Network-Analyzer-High-Precision-4GHz-Frequency-Range-Fast-Scanning-Speed-Full-Aluminum-Alloy-Design-Low-Thermal-Drift-p
> -2010145.html?cur_warehouse=CN&rmmds=search), whereas it costs €256.54
> at Tindie, the official store
> (https://www.tindie.com/products/hcxqsgroup/nanovna-v2-plus4/).
>
> Is Bangood selling clones? Is this a pricing error on the websites?
> Hasthismodelbeendiscontinued?
>
> Please enlighten me.
>
> 73,
> Jeff, F5BCB
>
>

Checkout this:

https://groups.io/g/nanovna-users/topic/nanovna_v2_plus_4/89732500

Jeremy.

On 22/08/2025 06:42, Jeff5bcb via groups.io wrote:

>
> Hello,
>
> Forseveraldaysnow,IhavebeenventuringintothejungleofNanoVNAs,andIstilldon'tunderstandanythingabouthardwareplatforms,firmwares,versions,names,prices,specs,etc.
>
> Now, I see that Bangood is offering the NanoRFE NanoVNA V2 Plus4 for
> €150 (https://www.banggood.com/fr/NanoRFE-NanoVNA-V2-Plus4
> -Vector-Network-Analyzer-High-Precision-4GHz-Frequency-Range-Fast-Scanning-Speed-Full-Aluminum-Alloy-Design-Low-Thermal-Drift-p
> -2010145.html?cur_warehouse=CN&rmmds=search), whereas it costs €256.54
> at Tindie, the official store
> (https://www.tindie.com/products/hcxqsgroup/nanovna-v2-plus4/).
>
> Is Bangood selling clones? Is this a pricing error on the websites?
> Hasthismodelbeendiscontinued?
>
> Please enlighten me.
>
> 73,
> Jeff, F5BCB
>
>

Hi Jeff,
It has been said before, you get what you pay for. And believe me, I went down the path of buying less expensive ones only to find they would not upgrade FW or performed poorly.

Now if all you want to do is measure SWR or can live with what you get, no Software updates, then buy a cheap one. But if you want a nice piece of test equipment then stick with the Tindie, buy it directly from them and you won't be disappointed. The Plus 4 will take care of 90% of the users out there. Unless you plan to measure crystals. Then buy the Plus 5 for $100 more, yes I am in the US. I did end up with the Plus 5 and really enjoy it.

73s mark

I just bought a NanoVNA V2 Plus4 Pro which is one model feature up from
the one that you are looking at. It has the ability to test crystals and
some other things.

There is only one "official" place to get these and not get a clone and
that is the Tindie site.

If you look here there is details on the models and a link to the
official Tindie site:

https://nanorfe.com/nanovna-v2.html

I ordered from Tindie and it came as expected in a few weeks, no
tariffs, and it was packed well. I'm happy with the case and the design
of the unit too. I was able to get a non-protected battery (they can't
ship the battery) at a local smoke shop, though the first shop was
clueless to what I needed. The second had a knowledgeable clerk and he
walked me through the choices for Ah capabilities for the batteries he
stocked, and that works very well.

I also tested with the two official software applications that can talk
to the VNA and all are working well too.

Hope that helps.

Rick Kunath, K9AO

I cannot speak to whether the bangood is a clone or not, but I would certainly question it, the same as you.   Regardless of where you buy it, I would not expect support of any sort.    Just hope it works when you receive it.

I cannot speak as to whether or not it has been officially discontinued either.  However there does not appear to be an active community of users for the V2Plus4 which suggests it is not very popular.   I suspect many are not willing to pay the increased price for its lower noise floor.   Hams are notoriously cheap, and that is who the NanoVNA products seem to appeal to mostly.

I do one of the units.  I purchased it from the official store.  Despite the official store information, it did not come with a battery, and it would not run without one, even when connected to USB, so anticipate the need to purchase the battery separately.

I bought my v2Plus4 in part because of the metal case but mostly for the lower noise floor which enables me to do some low-end duplexer tuning, something that the mainstream NanoVNAs cannot do.    That said, the features , functionality, and flexibility of the lesser expensive units far surpass the V2Plus4. Consequently, I use my V2Plus4 only when I need its low noise floor, otherwise the NanoVNA H4 is my go-to model for everyday tasks in the shack.   I keep a couple of them around.

I am unaware of any official firmware upgrades from the developers of the V2Plus4 in all the years I have owned mine, whereas there has been active development, feature additions and new firmware released from the community for the  H4 units.

My perception is that the V2Plus4 is effectively a dead product, even if one can still purchase a new one somewhere.  I have zero expectation of bug fixes or feature enhancements to ever materialize for the product.   I am just glad mine continues to function adequately.

Hi, we can only guarantee the authenticity of VNAs bought from our store on Tindie:
https://www.tindie.com/products/hcxqsgroup/nanovna-v2-plus4/

Although there are currently no clones of the V2 Plus4, other stores may sell old or refurbished units.

The V2 Plus4 is actively supported and you can find the latest firmware updates here:
https://nanorfe.com/nanovna-versions.html
The only version that is discontinued is the V2_2, which all clones are based on.

Thanks,
NanoRFE Support

The Plus 4 Pro is the v5 now.

They changed the name.

As was mentioned there is an active community and it is not indeed
"dead", far from it.

Rick Kunath, K9AO

Hello Jeff
I think the decision pivots on your use-case.
I have used my (Tindie-bought) NanoVNA V2 Plus4 to assist in the build
and optimisation of a HB Dish feed for 13cm (2320MHz), optimisation of
a WiFi Grid Antenna for the same band and also to tweak a 3-band dish
ring feed for 23, 13 and 9 cm where all adjustments interact - quite a
tricky compromise.
Setup of Gamma(or T) matches on VHF antennas is a breeze.
And sure, you can fiddle about with a random wire (4and feeder for 20
Metres too if that's what you want to do.

Suffice to say V2 Plus4 ( "4" = 4GHz) seriously comes into play on
V/U/SHF and as Michael points out, its lower noise is a valuable
factor for complex jobs anywhere on the spectrum.

I would not buy a branded instrument from anywhere but the legitimate outlet.
73
Dave, G1OGY

On Sat, 23 Aug 2025 at 10:29, Jeff5bcb via groups.io
<jeff5bcb=gmail.com@groups.io> wrote:

>
> Hello,
>
> For several days now, I have been venturing into the jungle of Nano VNAs, and I still don't understand anything about hardware platforms, firmwares, versions, names, prices, specs, etc.
>
> Now, I see that Bangood is offering the NanoRFE NanoVNA V2 Plus4 for €150 (https://www.banggood.com/fr/NanoRFE-NanoVNA-V2-Plus4 -Vector-Network-Analyzer-High-Precision-4GHz-Frequency-Range-Fast-Scanning-Speed-Full-Aluminum-Alloy-Design-Low-Thermal-Drift-p -2010145.html?cur_warehouse=CN&rmmds=search), whereas it costs €256.54 at Tindie, the official store (https://www.tindie.com/products/hcxqsgroup/nanovna-v2-plus4/).
>
> Is Bangood selling clones? Is this a pricing error on the websites? Has this model been discontinued?
>
> Please enlighten me.
>
> 73,
> Jeff, F5BCB
>
>

Hello ,

Thank you all for your advice.

I realize that it is virtually impossible to know whether a seller on Aliexpress / Bangood / Temu , etc. is official or not , and that purchasing this type of device is extremely risky.

Since there is no urgency, as I have a homemade low-bands VNA that is suitable for now, I will wait until the situation with the nano VNA becomes clearer.

Thanks again.

Jeff

On 26/08/2025 17:20, Jeff5bcb via groups.io wrote:
> Hello,
>
> Thankyouallforyouradvice.
>
> IrealizethatitisvirtuallyimpossibletoknowwhetheraselleronAliexpress/Bangood/
> Temu,etc.isofficialornot,andthatpurchasingthistypeofdeviceisextremelyrisky.
>
> Since there is no urgency, as I have a homemade low-bands VNA that is suitable
> for now, I will wait until the situation with the nano VNA becomes clearer.
>
> Thanks again.
>
> Jeff
>

Purchasing from the Official Store for a device should be OK.

Cheers,
David
--
SatSignal Software - Quality software for you
Web: https://www.satsignal.eu
Email: davidtaylor@writeme.com
BlueSky: @gm8arv.bsky.social, Twitter: @gm8arv

The situation is clear Jeff. As clear as it will ever be.

The folks that manufacture the NanoVNA have said that the *only*
official source to get the real deal is via Tindie. This is their
official outlet.

Aliexpress, Bangood, Temu are likely going to all be clones since
NanoVNA itself does not distribute through any of these.

Just purchase the VNA from the official source, Tindie, as listed on the
official NanoVNA site and you are safe and good.

It came pretty fast for me and exactly as represented. It is the
official and genuine device so firmware updates and software all work
flawlessly too.

Here is the official site:

https://nanorfe.com/nanovna-v2.html

And from within the above site here is the official Tindie site to order
the NanoVNA:

https://www.tindie.com/products/hcxqsgroup/nanovna-v2-plus4/

Order from there and you are good to go. You are getting the real deal.

73,
Rick Kunath, K9AO

Personally, I don’t trust any of those for ANY products

Frank

KA2FWC

I second this Rick Tindie where I had mine from the V 2 plus 4 2 years ago
Dave 2E0DTB 73

On Wed, 27 Aug 2025, 08:59 Rick Kunath via groups.io, <k9ao=
yahoo.com@groups.io> wrote:

> The situation is clear Jeff. As clear as it will ever be.
>
> The folks that manufacture the NanoVNA have said that the *only*
> official source to get the real deal is via Tindie. This is their
> official outlet.
>
> Aliexpress, Bangood, Temu are likely going to all be clones since
> NanoVNA itself does not distribute through any of these.
>
> Just purchase the VNA from the official source, Tindie, as listed on the
> official NanoVNA site and you are safe and good.
>
> It came pretty fast for me and exactly as represented. It is the
> official and genuine device so firmware updates and software all work
> flawlessly too.
>
> Here is the official site:
>
> https://nanorfe.com/nanovna-v2.html
>
> And from within the above site here is the official Tindie site to order
> the NanoVNA:
>
> https://www.tindie.com/products/hcxqsgroup/nanovna-v2-plus4/
>
> Order from there and you are good to go. You are getting the real deal.
>
> 73,
> Rick Kunath, K9AO
>
>
>
>
>
>

Ciao a tutti, possiedo un NANOVNA V2 plus4 acquistato dal sito ufficiale e, come riportato sul sito, non misura i cristalli e tende ad avere problemi con la misurazione dei filtri a cristallo a banda stretta (SSB e CW).
Ho trovato online questo software che dovrebbe risolvere il problema:
v2plus4-ojisankoubou.bin.
È disponibile sul sito giapponese dello sviluppatore:
https://ojisankoubou.web.fc2.com/index.html
e anche in questo gruppo:
https://groups.io/g/NanoVNAV2/topic/v2_plus4_ojisankoubou/83997806.
DOMANDE:
Qualcuno l'ha provato?
È affidabile?
Pensate che possa caricarlo senza problemi o lo sconsigliate?

There must be a reason my credit union (credit card) will not do business
with Aliexpress. Therefore, I will not do business with them, either!

I just ordered the V4 from Tindie. Exceptionally professional handling of
my order and good feedback on the progress of the package. In my
experience, they're a good outfit, unlike many of the other Chinese
distributors.

Dave - WØLEV

On Wed, Aug 27, 2025 at 7:59 AM cocopuppy via groups.io <ka2fwc=
bellsouth.net@groups.io> wrote:

> Personally, I don’t trust any of those for ANY products
>
> Frank
>
> KA2FWC
>
>
>
> *From:* NanoVNAV2@groups.io <NanoVNAV2@groups.io> *On Behalf Of *Jeff5bcb
> via groups.io
> *Sent:* Tuesday, August 26, 2025 12:20 PM
> *To:* NanoVNAV2@groups.io
> *Subject:* Re: [nanovnav2] NanoRFE NanoVNA V2 Plus4
>
>
>
> Hello,
>
> Thank you all for your advice.
>
> I realize that it is virtually impossible to know whether a seller on
> Aliexpress/Bangood/Temu, etc. is official or not, and that purchasing this
> type of device is extremely risky.
>
> Since there is no urgency, as I have a homemade low-bands VNA that is
> suitable for now, I will wait until the situation with the nano VNA becomes
> clearer.
>
> Thanks again.
>
> Jeff
>
>
>
>

--

*Dave - WØLEV*

On 2025-08-27 08:03, W0LEV via groups.io wrote:

> There must be a reason my credit union (credit card) will not do
> business with Aliexpress. Therefore, I will not do business with
> them, either!
>
> I just ordered the V4 from Tindie. Exceptionally professional
> handling of my order and good feedback on the progress of the package.
> In my experience, they're a good outfit, unlike many of the other
> Chinese distributors.
>
> Dave - WØLEV
>
> On Wed, Aug 27, 2025 at 7:59 AM cocopuppy via groups.io [1]
> <ka2fwc=bellsouth.net@groups.io> wrote:
>
>> Personally, I don’t trust any of those for ANY products
>>
>> Frank
>>
>> KA2FWC
>>
>>

Then as one of the leading Cyber Engineers for weapon systems, do not use your car, appliances or cell phone either as the same c om ponents used therein as in our own products are the same.



Until we again manufacture for ourselves, globalization and New World Order socialism resulted in these Cybersecurity risks.





Joseph D. Yuna (LCDR USN/ret.)

W4JDY / EM79XR

There is no formal US or international standard for vetting manufacturers or their suppliers.

If so, we would not be hammering out for SCRM in the USG and DoD.

All of these IoT use the same designs, boards and components if not firmware.

And since the Chinese government owns the laborers and factories, hard to say which vendors or product is legitimate; and if so, let us know who work with these similar problems for weapon systems.


Joseph D. Yuna (LCDR USN/ret.)
W4JDY / EM79XR

Not so as firmware is the same for the same microelectronic ASICs.



Buying anything from overseas is pot luck regardless of Tindie or any other marketing ploy claims.



Joseph D. Yuna (LCDR USN/ret.)

W4JDY / EM79XR

But they will do business with Ebay where all the same scammers also sell
their junk.

On Wed, 27 Aug 2025 at 18:59, W0LEV via groups.io <davearea51a=
gmail.com@groups.io> wrote:

> There must be a reason my credit union (credit card) will not do business
> with Aliexpress. Therefore, I will not do business with them, either!
>
> I just ordered the V4 from Tindie. Exceptionally professional handling of
> my order and good feedback on the progress of the package. In my
> experience, they're a good outfit, unlike many of the other Chinese
> distributors.
>
> Dave - WØLEV
>
> On Wed, Aug 27, 2025 at 7:59 AM cocopuppy via groups.io <ka2fwc=
> bellsouth.net@groups.io> wrote:
>
>> Personally, I don’t trust any of those for ANY products
>>
>> Frank
>>
>> KA2FWC
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* NanoVNAV2@groups.io <NanoVNAV2@groups.io> *On Behalf Of *Jeff5bcb
>> via groups.io
>> *Sent:* Tuesday, August 26, 2025 12:20 PM
>> *To:* NanoVNAV2@groups.io
>> *Subject:* Re: [nanovnav2] NanoRFE NanoVNA V2 Plus4
>>
>>
>>
>> Hello,
>>
>> Thank you all for your advice.
>>
>> I realize that it is virtually impossible to know whether a seller on
>> Aliexpress/Bangood/Temu, etc. is official or not, and that purchasing this
>> type of device is extremely risky.
>>
>> Since there is no urgency, as I have a homemade low-bands VNA that is
>> suitable for now, I will wait until the situation with the nano VNA becomes
>> clearer.
>>
>> Thanks again.
>>
>> Jeff
>>
>>
>
> --
>
> *Dave - WØLEV*
>
>
>
>
>

Hello everyone, I own a NANOVNA V2 plus4 purchased from the official website, and as reported there, it doesn't measure crystals and tends to have problems measuring narrow-band crystal filters (SSB and CW).
I found this software online that should solve the problem:
v2plus4-ojisankoubou.bin.
It's available on the developer's Japanese website:
https://ojisankoubou.web.fc2.com/index.html
and also in this group:
https://groups.io/g/NanoVNAV2/topic/v2_plus4_ojisankoubou/83997806.
QUESTIONS:
Has anyone tried it?
Is it reliable?
Do you think it can charge without problems, or do you not recommend it?

Funny as my credit card still works there and any foreign site albeit in Italy there is a delay.



Joseph D. Yuna (LCDR USN/ret.)

W4JDY / EM79XR