< Back to NanoVNA V2

Frequently asked questions

What is the relationship between NanoVNA and V2 (S-A-A-2)?

S-A-A-2 is a new design not based on the original NanoVNA by edy555. The hardware architecture is different and based on 2 ADF4350 synthesizers and one SI5351 synthesizer to cover low frequencies. See Appendix I – Hardware architecture in the User Manual.

How accurate is the V2 compared to professional VNAs?

There is an accuracy comparison between NanoVNA V2 and HP-8753E by DD1US here:
https://www.dd1us.de/Downloads/Brief comparison of NanoVNA V2 with a professional VNA HP-8753E.pdf

How to avoid a bad clone?

Look for V2 Plus4 and V2 Plus4 Pro (V2.4) hardware versions only, with images resembling the below: Original NanoVNA V2
  • It is recommended to buy from our official store on Tindie. Resellers will typically be more expensive than buying direct even with import duties considered.
  • These are unauthorized clones of the V2 design that may perform badly: LiteVNA, TinyVNA, SAA-2, SAA-2N
  • Amazon and Aliexpress listings are mostly clones, if you wish to buy from Amazon or Aliexpress look for V2 Plus4 versions, as this is the only version with no clones.
  • After receiving your device please update the firmware and check CONFIG > VERSION in the menu.
  • See Hardware Versions.

The following stores have sold at least one bad clone:

  • Banggood
  • R&L electronics
  • Eleshop
  • Nooelec

Why are there so many versions of the V2?

Only 3 hardware versions are official.
There are many unofficial (clone) variants with varying performance and firmware support.
See Hardware Versions.

Can I produce and sell V2 devices?

You need to obtain specific permission every 3 months. Please email OwOwOwOwO123@outlook.com.

What is the specified frequency accuracy of the V2?

The V2 design specifies a 10ppm crystal oscillator instead of a TCXO because the clock input of the ICs driven is not specified to work with the low output amplitude of a TCXO. Since the ADF4350 step size is 10kHz, at 500MHz the frequency error is at least 20ppm, so this is the dominant source of frequency error. Clones that claim 2ppm or better frequency accuracy can not achieve that in practice because of the ADF4350 step size.

Additionally, the V2 is not suited to very narrowband measurements (coherent bandwidth <1kHz) because of the fast switching of the transmit and receive paths. In practice this only becomes a problem when measuring crystals (does not affect SAW or any other filters).

Where to get support?

It is recommended that you contact the seller you ordered from for general order inquiries and after-sales support.

On Tindie, go to the product page, and click Contact Seller on the right side of the page.

On Aliexpress, go to "My Orders", and click Contact Seller on the order.

For technical support please use the forums below. The hardware and firmware developers are most active on Discord.

Discussion forum
https://groups.io/g/NanoVNAV2

Discord
https://discord.gg/DUH5Xk5

When will my order ship?

We guarantee to dispatch orders within 5 business days, but TNT and HK DHL are handled by a shipping agent and during holiday times there can be up to another week of delay.

When will my order arrive?

This depends on the shipping method you selected. Express shipping (TNT, UPS, HK DHL) typically deliver within 2 weeks, while postal shipping services (SF eParcel, ePacket, Aliexpress Standard Shipping, China Post) can take 30-90 days depending on country.

Please pay attention to the shipping method selected when placing an order.

For SF eParcel shipping, the package is considered lost if not delivered in 90 days.

What we know:

  • SF eParcel shipping is fast to US, Germany, UK, France, and most of Europe (30-45 days typical). It is slower to East Europe (Poland, Czechia, Croatia, Russia, ...) and takes 45 days typical.
  • SF eParcel is very slow to India, Mexico, and Phillipines (60+ days typical).
  • TNT and UPS usually take a week to deliver once it is shipped out by the shipping agent, but can take a few days of waiting at the warehouse. You will see a tracking number only after it leaves the shipping agent's warehouse.
  • HK DHL takes up to 2 weeks to ship out because the shipping agent needs to send the package to Hong Kong and clear customs there. After it is shipped out it usually delivers in 1 week.
  • During holiday times, all shipping methods are slower. TNT had an overflowed warehouse in December and packages took over a week to ship out.
  • Some exceptional situations, like logistics shortage due to COVID, can cause the shipping time estimates to be completely outdated. In April 2020 there was a major problem with ePacket shipping that caused many packages to take over 100 days to arrive. While we quickly removed ePacket shipping for the affected countries as soon as we became aware of the issue, it was sudden and impossible to predict.

If you see any abnormal tracking (like tracking stuck for more than one month for postal shipping or more than one week for express shipping), please Contact Seller on the site you ordered from. For SF eParcel, ePacket, Aliexpress Standard Shipping, and China Post, it is normal for the tracking to appear to be stuck for 2-3 weeks.

If you are satisfied with the product, please do give us a 5-star rating, because we have had plenty of customers that choose slow shipping methods, and then give us a low rating because it was slow to arrive.