The NanoVNA comes with attenuators, test/calibration loads, and a couple of (admittedly poor quality) cables. Adding to that, SWR+power meters are pretty important (I have both the HF and VHF versions of these for that).
I'd also recommend learning how to make your own cables and obtaining the equipment to do so. Aside from the much better quality and durability you'll gain, it'll also let you build any cables you need (good for getting away from adapters).
I usually stick with old-fashioned UHF connectors, but the NanoVNA forced me to become comfortable with SMA connectors. (More recently, I'm starting to explore N connectors instead of BNC.)
@deepfryed Butting in a bit, sorry: the most important advice of all is implicit in the original post: know your gear and how to self-check it. Be skeptical of cables (especially inexpensive ones), because they're what get the most wear.
Speaking of wear, get "port savers" for any SMA test gear. They're just a consumable male/female "adapter" that goes on the port once and take all the wear. Decent ones aren't cheap, but you _will_ wear out the SMAs on cheap test gear after a few years.
Neil E. Hodges
in reply to Neil E. Hodges • •deepfryed
in reply to Neil E. Hodges • • •Neil E. Hodges likes this.
Neil E. Hodges
in reply to deepfryed • •The NanoVNA comes with attenuators, test/calibration loads, and a couple of (admittedly poor quality) cables. Adding to that, SWR+power meters are pretty important (I have both the HF and VHF versions of these for that).
I'd also recommend learning how to make your own cables and obtaining the equipment to do so. Aside from the much better quality and durability you'll gain, it'll also let you build any cables you need (good for getting away from adapters).
I usually stick with old-fashioned UHF connectors, but the NanoVNA forced me to become comfortable with SMA connectors. (More recently, I'm starting to explore N connectors instead of BNC.)
deepfryed
in reply to Neil E. Hodges • • •jbm
in reply to deepfryed • • •@deepfryed Butting in a bit, sorry: the most important advice of all is implicit in the original post: know your gear and how to self-check it. Be skeptical of cables (especially inexpensive ones), because they're what get the most wear.
Speaking of wear, get "port savers" for any SMA test gear. They're just a consumable male/female "adapter" that goes on the port once and take all the wear. Decent ones aren't cheap, but you _will_ wear out the SMAs on cheap test gear after a few years.
Neil E. Hodges likes this.
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deepfryed
in reply to jbm • • •