A nanoVNA-H4 Question: How to find what I am looking for?

[Facsimile]

I'll be the first to admit that antenna theory is scary to me. I was going to attempt some soon so I thought I'd ask for advice. I have a handful of receive-only antennas that I would like to test to rank them based on gain and appropriate listening frequency range. I have a nanoVNA-H4 and have been looking for tutorials on YouTube and elsewhere to find my answers but I don't think I am searching using the correct terms. I'll bullet point the questions to try to make it as understandable as possible. If you have any guides you could recommend, I'd appreciate it!

• When selecting a receive-only antenna, what parameter is used to measure if an antenna should be used at the particular tuned frequency? Is this measurable on a nanoVNA-H4?
  • Does SWR relate in any way or does SWR have more impact on transmit as well as receive?
• When selecting a receive-only antenna, is it possible to measure antenna gain at a tuned frequency? Is this measurable on a nanoVNA-H4?

Thank you

 

[krokus]

SWR is a good indicator, and crucial for transmitter antennas.

As for gain, that is beyond using a NanoVNA. It requires calibrated equipment & cables, to feed a known signal to the antenna, and receive field strength of radiated signal. (Or the inverse of that arrangement.)

 

[nd5y]

There is no test equipment that you can connect to an antenna to measure gain.
The only way you can actually measure antenna gain and radiation pattern is on a test range by comparing with a (usually expensive) reference antenna of known gain.

 

[dave3825]

I have a handful of receive-only antennas that I would like to test to rank them based on gain and appropriate listening frequency range. I have a nanoVNA-H4 and have been looking for tutorials on YouTube and elsewhere to find my answers but I don't think I am searching using the correct terms.

Not sure about the gain but for freq, but I believe resonate is the term you're looking for. I swept a radio shack sputnic to see where it would perform good.

All my RX path questions

Would this work https://lavasat.com/shop/hdtv-antennas/outdoor-hdtv-antenna/omnipro-hd-8008-omni-directional-hdtv-antenna/

forums.radioreference.com

Here are some videos

where does my antenna resonate nanovna - Google Search