On this page I will gradually publish information- how and use MAX6 with a PC and Android 
and new functions ... please click on links below some important tips and "problems" >> Touch Ground More on Bluetooth and Android on link ... >> about upgrade and latest version info find on bottom of page ... If You not find interesting info ... just write email > jarek@sp3swj.com Few "pictures" about MAX6 :-) BASIC INFO MAX6 can work in three mode with measure electrical circuit and antenna:  VNA - Reflection measurement - Vector Network Analyzer SNA - Transmission measurement - Scalar Network Analyzer SVNA - Both together :-) - Vector & Scalar Network Analyzer 
 Connecting optional accessory ( external RF probe) to ACC port - MAX6 can work as three channel wobuloscope. RF probe can be 50 ohm or 10 kohm ... for steal the signal in RF paths .... Current firmware of MAX6 support this function ;-) ... but PC software will be available soon... Version of MAX6 There is available two version of MAX6 - 180 ... working up to 180 MHz ... DDS internal clock work on 400 MHz - 500 ... working up to 500 MHz ... DDS internal clock work on 400 M More info about small differences soon.... but remember check dds clock on IMPORTANT SAFETY INFO !! Always discharge antenna before measure, just short center pin with cable shield Antenna shield and PC ground must be connected together before measure.  But when You use MAX6 in LCD standalone mode work from buildin battery (separate from PC ) connected to nothing except antenna cable :-) Coaxial cable shield must not be connected to the ground station. Always discharge antenna before measure Remember .. all type of antenna analyzer transmit some small RF signal
FIRST SWITCH ON - work with LCD SWITCH ON - just press & hold ON button - please hold about 4 seconds..... SWITCH OFF - just press & hold ON button ... if we forgot about us MAX6... auto power off switch off MAX6 after about 5 minutes :-)  MAX6 is microprocessor controlled - if any problem happend with "hang-up" ... just press RESET for one second and release. Use for this thin wire What is on the LCD in top line in VNA mode...  Pressing and hold MODE button we change backlit.... in this same time wee see help about LCD top line... We don't need this info is on LCD ;-) FUNC button - change function of UP DOWN arrow MODE button - change mode of current function REMOTE CONTROL  All MAX6 is equipped with IR remote receiver. Any function can be fast call from remote control :-) IR receiver is hidden under keyboard or under red glass close BNC connector - depend on model... SD CARD Working in LCD mode we can save our measurement to SD card to file. Available is three format; - ZPLOT ( VNA ) - S2P - touchstone ( SVNA ) - for example to use with RFsim99 to calculate match for antenna - TXT - simple TXT file to read in Notepad or any "Excell" On field You can save file and later open using Your PC ;-) SMART SCAN SWR Just long press FUNC button...  and use keys below LCD to chose function 1M - scan from 1 MHz 100M - scan from 100MHz  When "dip" is to wide or to thin ... SmartScan sometime can not stop... but always we can mannualy STOP scanning BEFORE CONNECT TO USB Before the first connection to the computer it is recommended to install the serial port driver. WARNING !!! please not use latest driver version 2.12 from FTDI Please use version 2.10 .... The file should be downloaded to your computer and run the driver, when installation is complete, Firs connection ... take sometime long driver detection, please first switch on MAX6 in LCD mode - and then connect cable. It is recommended that you install the latest firmware version for MAX6 - read on bottom of page. CHARGING ... and supply Before connecting to the computer it is recommended to fully charge MAX6, but of course you can also use the uncharged supplying only the USB port. You can charge while working MAX6 computer via the USB port. MAX6 is not charged via USB cable MAX6 is charged by PSU 12V (> 200mA) stabilized !! ( both model 180 and 500 MHz ) Possible is charging from CAR cigarette lighter :-) with hombrewed cable :-) Supply socket is protected from reverse polarity (center pin is + ) Charging process is fully automatic and internal LI-ION battery can by charged any time and finish automatically. You can charge anytime You need. MAX6-180 work on battery about 4 hour continuous use .. MAX6-500 work on battery about 1,5 hour continuous use ... but in future will be extended by software upgrade to 4 hour... :-) If You have MAX6-500 MHz and You plan using long time on desktop with LCD mode MAX6-500 must be supplied from 9V_1000mA supply. MAX6 is software protested from supply from higher voltage. CONNECTING TO PC (... if MAX6 blink and not switch on - that mean driver in Your PC is not properly installed ... ) After connection MAX6 to USB will be hear sound "tik tik" every second - this is OK - "heartbeat". In new model (MAX6 version >2,50) LCD blink instead of make sound "tick" and count up... in first 10 second waiting for PC communication MAX6 is additionally powered from the internal battery. After 10 seconds of inactivity power goes only with USB and expects to communicate with the program. If Your windows don't have preinstalled USB drivers for FTDI ... you can find here : - local FTP - for win XP RUN FIRST PROGRAMM For first start i recommend use simple and fast program written by PA7N. First download program and save to some place - can be DESKTOP after download program is ready for use - no install - just EXE file Just run program - write to RL value 0 ( zero) and press START button (program automatically find proper COM ) Antenna - VNA  Left and right mouse button over program window change MARKERS and press ZOOM button New version of PA7N with support MAX6-500MHz. Beta versions.... just download and run & use :-), any problem - please report by email Please set RL offset value: - connect MAX6 to PC - run program - leave ANTENA port with nothing connected - set marker to freq about 10 MHZ - read R.L. value dB ... for example " - 0.3 " - write this value to RL offset with reverse sign .... for example " 0.3 "  Antenna - VNA   SECOND PROGRAM - IG miniVNA Download program IG miniVNA After downloading program just run EXE file for unpacking archive, chose location for file and confirm saving unzipped files. After unpacking run file IG_miniVNA.exe When we first time run program - wee see message about calibration "Please calibrate ...." - CONFIRM Next... we have message on unknown COM port just IGNORER .. Before use MAX6 we must CONFIGURE >> COMport >> and chose our COM and OK Now we should calibrate CONFIGURE >> miniVNA >> Calibrate Reflection ... don't connect anything to MAX6 ports and press OK .. Now program is ready for measurement. Just connect some antenna do ANTENNA port and start. Antenna - VNA  For using MARKER please switch on all needed marker. If we need big readout, switch on on right side of tablle. ...as you can see from the two programs have similar charts Shortcut: SPACE = start 1 scan F12 - start sweep ESC - stop sweep Filter - SNA  With this program Transmission mearuremet works - but dB scaling is not fullu correct but shape of characteristics is OK for accurate measurement - please use DL2SBA vnaJ described below preconfigured for MAX6-180MHz IG_niniVNA_v_2010.06.11.exe preconfigured for MAX6-500MHz IG_miniVNA dla MAX6-500 (MAX6 works - but suportet range only up to 180 MHz) to be continued... to be continued... to be continued... to be continued... OTHER PROGRAMS Antenna - VNA  Filter- SNA  Antenna - VNA  Filter- SNA   (first must be installed VNA230, decimal point must be DOT in regional settings) Antenna - VNA  Filter - SVNA (first must be installed VNA230, need MS EXCEL and allowed MACRO and remove "kill bit" in registy) Antenna - VNA    Filter - SNA  Xtal - SNA  vnaJ DL2SBA web page Just download : JAR file ... You must have installed JAVA for work this programm on PC all version vnaJ http://download.dl2sba.com/vnaj/ 2.8.6c last tested by me :-) 2.8.6d not yet tested .... Before first use:
This program work on Macintosh too :-) FOUR Cursor... just left mouse over plot and... SHIFT CTRL SHIFT+CTRL Antenna - VNA   Antenna MULTI PLOT SWR  Designed specially for multiband anttena Filter - SVNA   Android APK NEWS !!! NEWS !!! NEWS !!! NEWS !!! NEWS !!!  More on android on left side... >> NEWS !!! NEWS !!! NEWS !!! NEWS !!! NEWS !!! MAX6 with Android APK need firmware version 2-69 or higher ONLINE MANUAL to MAX6.APK APK on phone Samsung SGS2  APK on tablet Overmax Sttelcore 10+ - USB connection  APK on tablet Overmax Sttelcore 10+ - Bluetooth connection  Antenna - VNA  Filter - SNA  Fixed marker and automatic marker  MENU  :-) connecting by USB cable and wireless by Bluetooth Automatic detection of type MAX6 - 180 MHz or 500 MHz :-)  MAX6 firmware upgrade ... For new firmware please write to jarek@sp3swj.com , latest version for 8 button keyboard is v2-70 Please email me Your serial number and HAM call. For read serial number use one of method: - from LCD - press ON button after switch on ....release and again press ON and hold, - from Android - read number on application start screen - from vnaJ DL2DBA - find on window from menu Analyser>Info Process of upgrade MAX6 is shown on Youtube and is extremely easy to perform... just save MAX6.HEX file to SD card and press FUNC while switch ON MAX6. More on film :-) (remember on name of HEX file must be MAX6.HEX )
... please remember - file name must be max6.hex .... more info on current upgrade on left menu >> UPGRADE ... or ask by email ;-) last news... change type of usage buttons :-) and new functions ... please click on links below Jarek SP3SWJ Any question... sp3swj@gmail.com or on skype: SP3SWJ © 2014 by sp3swj |
