- 300 kHz to 6 or 8.5 GHz operation
- High speed, up to 5500 dual-port S-parameters per second
- Quad RX four-receiver architecture for best accuracy
- Up to 124 dB dynamic range at 10 Hz bandwidth
- 0.005 dB RMS trace noise at maximum bandwidth of 140 kHz
- Half-rack, small-footprint, lightweight package
Once the domain of an elite few, microwave measurement has encroached into the lives of scientists, educators, surveyors, inspectors, engineers and technicians alike. Today’s microwave measurements need to be straightforward, portable, accurate, cost-effective, easy to learn and as fast and automated as possible. PicoVNAs are all-new, UK-designed, professional USB-controlled, laboratory grade vector network instruments of unprecedented performance, portability and value for money. The PicoVNA 106 and PicoVNA 108 are low cost, small footprint, USB controlled Vector Network Analyzers that offer up to 8.5 GHz of bandwidth with performance that punches well above their weight.
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| Receiver characteristics |
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| Parameter | Value (PicoVNA 106) | Value (PicoVNA 108) | Conditions |
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| Measurement bandwidth | 140 kHz, 70 kHz, 35 kHz, 15 kHz, 10 kHz, 5 kHz, 1 kHz, 500 Hz, 100 Hz, 50 Hz, 10 Hz | |
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| Average displayed noise floor | Band (MHz)
0.3 to 10
10 to 4000
> 4000 | Typical (dB)
–110
–118
–110 | Max. (dB)
–100
–108
–100 |
| Band (MHz)
0.3 to 1
1 to 6000
> 6000 | Typical (dB)
–100
–124
–120 | Max. (dB)
–90
–110
–100 |
| Relative to the test signal level set to maximum power after an S21 calibration.
Ports terminated as during the isolation calibration step. |
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| Dynamic range | See dynamic range in the product datasheet. Excludes crosstalk. | 10 Hz bandwidth
Maximum test power:
PicoVNA 106: +6 dBm
PicoVNA 108: 0 dBm
No averaging |
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| Temperature stability, typical | 0.02 dB/°C for F < 4 GHz
0.04 dB/°C for F ≥ 4 GHz | Measured after an S21 calibration |
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| Trace noise, dB RMS | Bandwidth
10 kHz
70 kHz
140 kHz | Typical
0.0008 dB
0.003 dB
0.005 dB [106]
0.006 dB [108] | Max.
0.002 dB
0.005 dB
0.01 dB |
| 201-point sweep covering 1 MHz to 6 GHz or 8.5 GHz.
Test power set to 0 dBm. |
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| Spurious responses | –76 dBc typical, –70 dBc max. | | The main spurious response occurs at close to (2 x RF + 1.3) or (3 x RF + 2.6) MHz, where RF is the test frequency in MHz. For example, when testing a bandpass filter with a centre frequency of, say 1900 MHz, an unwanted response will occur around 632.47 or 949.35 MHz. In all known cases the levels will be as stated. |
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| Measurement uncertainty - value |
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- Test level of -3 dBm.
- No averaging.
- Bandwidth 10 Hz.
- Ambient temperature equal to the calibration temperature.
A 12 error term calibration is assumed carried out with a good quality SMA or PC3.5 mm calibration kit capable of achieving the performance specified. | PC3.5 test port interfaces |
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| Reflection measurements | Transmission measurements |
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| Freq. range | Magnitude | Phase | Freq. range | Magnitude | Phase |
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| –15 dB to 0 dB | 0 dBm to +6 dBm | | < 2 MHz | 0.7 dB | 8° | < 2 MHz | 0.4 dB | 6° | | > 2 MHz | 0.5 dB | 4° | > 2 MHz | 0.2 dB | 2° | | –25 dB to –15 dB | –40 dB to 0 dB | | < 2 MHz | 0.8 dB | 6° | < 2 MHz | 0.2 dB | 2° | | > 2 MHz | 1.0 dB | 10° | > 2 MHz | 0.1 dB | 1° | | –30 dB to –25 dB | –60 dB to –40 dB | | < 2 MHz | 3.0 dB | 20° | < 2 MHz | 0.5 dB | 8° | | > 2 MHz | 2.5 dB [106]
3.0 dB [108] | 15°
20° | > 2 MHz | 0.3 dB [106]
0.2 dB [108] | 4° | | | | | –80 dB to –60 dB | | | | | < 2 MHz | 2.0 dB | 15° | | | | | > 2 MHz | 1.5 dB | 12° | | SMA test port interfaces |
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| Reflection measurements | Transmission measurements |
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| Freq. range | Magnitude | Phase | Freq. range | Magnitude | Phase |
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| –15 dB to 0 dB | +0 dBm to +6 dBm | | < 2 MHz | 0.99 dB | 11.3° | < 2 MHz | 0.57 dB | 8.5° | | > 2 MHz | 0.71 dB | 5.7° | > 2 MHz | 0.28 dB | 2.8° | | –25 dB to –15 dB | –40 dB to 0 dB | | < 2 MHz | 1.13 dB | 8.5° | < 2 MHz | 0.42 dB | 2.8° | | > 2 MHz | 1.41 dB | 14.1° | > 2 MHz | 0.14 dB | 1.4° | | –30 dB to –25 dB | –60 dB to –40 dB | | < 2 MHz | 4.24 dB | 28.3° | < 2 MHz | 0.71 dB | 11.3° | | > 2 MHz | 3.54 dB | 21.2° | > 2 MHz | 0.42 dB | 5.7° | | | | | –80 dB to –60 dB | | | | | < 2 MHz | 2.83 dB | 21.2° | | | | | > 2 MHz | 2.12 dB | 17.0° | These values are supplied with our Check Standard on USB memory stick as uncertainty data file: PC3.5 mm:- 'Instrument Uncertainty with Premium PC3.5 leads 106.dat', or
- 'Instrument Uncertainty with Premium PC3.5 leads 108.dat'
SMA:- 'Instrument Uncertainty with Pico Standard SMA leads 106.dat', or:
- 'Instrument Uncertainty with Pico Standard SMA leads 108.dat'
PicoVNA 3: Uncertainty files are installed with software. | Test port characteristics |
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| Parameter | PicoVNA 106 | PicoVNA 108 | Conditions |
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| Load match | Uncorrected:
Corrected: | 16 dB, typical [106]
15 dB, typical [108]
46 dB, typical
40 dB, min |
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| Source match | Uncorrected:
Corrected: | 16 dB, typical [106]
15 dB, typical [108]
46 dB, typical
40 dB, min |
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| Directivity | | Corrected: | 47 dB, typical
40 dB, min |
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| Crosstalk | Band
< 2 MHz
2 M to 4 GHz
4 to 6 GHz | Typical
–100
–110
–100 | Max
–90
–90
–90 |
| Band
< 1 MHz
2 M to 6 GHz
6 to 8.5 GHz | Typical
–100
–110
–100 | Max
–90
–90
–90 |
| Corrected.
Both calibrated ports terminated in short circuits.
After isolation calibration. |
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| Maximum input level | +10 dBm, typical | 0.1 dB compression |
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| Maximum input level | +20 dBm | +23 dBm | No damage |
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| Impedance | 50 Ω | |
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| Connectors | Type N(f) | |
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| Bias-T input characteristics |
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| Parameter | PicoVNA 106 | PicoVNA 108 | Conditions |
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| Maximum current | 250 mA | |
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| Maximum DC voltage | ±15 V | |
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| Current protection | Built-in resettable fuse | |
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| DC port connectors | SMB(m) | |
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| Sweep I/O characteristics |
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| Sweep trigger output voltage | Low: 0 V to 0.8 V
High: 2.2 V to 3.6 V | |
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| Sweep trigger input voltage | Low: –0.1 V to 1 V
High: 2.0 V to 4 V | |
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| Sweep trigger input voltage | ±6 V | No damage |
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| Sweep trigger in/out connectors | BNC(f) on back panel | |
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| Measuring functions |
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| Measuring parameters | S11, S21, S22, S12
P1dB (1 dB gain compression)
AM-PM conversion factor (PM due to AM)
Mixer conversion loss, return loss, isolation and compression (PicoVNA 108 only) | |
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| Error correction | 12 error term full S-parameter correction (insertable DUT)
12 error term full S-parameter correction (non-insertable DUT)
8 error term full S-parameter unknown thru correction (non-insertable DUT)
S11 (1-port correction)
De-embed (2 embedding networks may be specified), impedance conversion
S21 (normalize, normalize + isolation)
S21 (source match correction + normalize + isolation)
Averaging, smoothing
Hanning and Kaiser–Bessel filtering on time-domain measurements
Electrical length compensation (manual)
Electrical length compensation (auto)
Effective dielectric constant correction | |
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| Display channels | 4 channels | |
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| Traces | 2 traces per display channel | |
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| Display formats | Amplitude (logarithmic and linear)
Phase, Group Delay, VSWR, Real, Imaginary, Smith Chart, Polar, Time Domain | |
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| Memory trace | One per display channel | |
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| Limit lines | 6 segments per channel (overlap allowed) | |
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| Markers | 8 markers | |
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| Marker functions | Normal, Δ marker, fixed marker, peak / min. hold, 3 dB and 6 dB bandwidth | |
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| Sweep functions |
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| Parameter | PicoVNA 106 | PicoVNA 108 | Conditions |
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| Sweep type | Linear sweep
CW sweep (timed sweep)
Power sweep (P1dB utility) | |
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| Sweep times | | Bandwidth | S11, S21, S11+S21 calibration | Full 12 or 8-term calibration |
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| 140 kHz | 19 ms [106]
20 ms [108] | 37 ms [106]
38 ms [108] | | 10 kHz | 37 ms | 72 ms | | 1 kHz | 0.21 s | 0.42 s | | 100 Hz | 1.94 s | 3.87 s | | 10 Hz | 19.2 s | 38.4 s | | LF Adder (For each low frequency point <2.5 MHz) | 1.25 ms/pt | 2.5 ms/pt |
| 10 MHz to 6 GHz or 8.5 GHz, 201-point trace length. For other lengths and bandwidths, sweep time is approximately:
TSWP (s)= N x (TMIN + FBW / RBW) + TARM
where N = number of frequency points,
TMIN (s)= minimum time per point (s2p: 167 μs; s1p: 85 μs),
FBW = bandwidth settle factor (s2p: 1.91; s1p: 0.956),
RBW = resolution bandwidth (Hz).
For sweep repetition period add software rearm time:
TARM = average 6.5 ms or worst case 50 ms. For markers on, increase TARM by 39 ms. |
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| Number of sweep points, VNA mode | 51, 101, 201, 401, 801, 1001, 2001, 4001, 5001, 6001, 7001, 8001, 9001, 10001 | |
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| Number of sweep points, TDR mode | 512, 1024, 2048, 4096 | |
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| Signal source characteristics |
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| Parameter | PicoVNA 106 | PicoVNA 108 | Conditions |
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| Frequency range | 300 kHz to 6.0 GHz | 300 kHz to 8.5 GHz | |
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| Frequency setting resolution | 10 Hz | |
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| Frequency accuracy | 10 ppm max | With ambient of 23 ±3 °C |
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| Frequency temperature stability | ±0.5 ppm/ºC max | Over the range +15 °C to +35 °C |
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| Harmonics | –20 dBc max | With test power set to < –3 dBm |
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| Non-harmonic spurious | –40 dBc typical | |
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| Phase noise (10 kHz offset) | 0.3 MHz to 1 GHz: –90 dBc/Hz
1 GHz to 4 GHz: –80 dBc/Hz
> 4 GHz: –76 dBc/Hz | |
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| Test signal power | | F < 10 MHz: | –3 to –20 dBm | | 10 MHz < F < 4 GHz: | +6 to –20 dBm | | F > 4 GHz: | +3 to –20 dBm |
| ≤ 6 GHz: | +10 dBm to –20 dBm | | > 6 GHz: | + 6 dBm to –20 dBm |
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| Power setting resolution | 0.1 dB | | |
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| Power setting accuracy | ±1.5 dB | | |
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| Reference input frequency | 10 MHz ±6 ppm | | |
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| Reference input level | 0 ±3 dBm | | |
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| Reference output level | 0 ±3 dBm | | |
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| Miscellaneous |
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| Controlling PC data interface | USB 2.0 |
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| Support for third party test software | DLL included in user interface software |
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| External dimensions (mm) | 286 x 174 x 61 (L x W x H)
Excluding connectors |
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| Weight | 1.9 kg |
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| Temperature range (operating) | +5 °C to +40 °C |
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| Temperature range (storage) | –20 °C to +50 °C |
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| Humidity | 80% max, non-condensing |
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| Vibration (storage) | 0.5 g, 5 Hz to 300 Hz |
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| Power source and current | +12 to +15 V DC, 22 W (PicoVNA 106) / 25 W (PicoVNA 108) |
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| Power source connector | 5.5 mm diameter hole, 2.1 mm diameter centre contact pin.
Centre pin is positive. |
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| Safety | Conforms to EN61010-1 and EN61010-2-030 |
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| Host PC requirements (2 GB RAM or more) |
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| Operating System, Platform and Display | PicoVNA 3 | PicoVNA 5 Current release |
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| Supported Operating Systems | Windows 7+ Only | Linux, Windows 7+, macOS 11 (Big Sur)+ (Linux test distributions Debian 8 'Jessie' , Ubuntu 18.04 (LTS), Mint Cinnamon 'Vera', openSUSE Leap 15.0, Fedora 28, Arch Linux. No problems anticipated on other distributions) |
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| Supported Controllers | PC Only | PC, Mac (Intel/Arm), Linux AArchh64 onwards, Pi 3 onwards 64 bit |
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Download PicoVNA 5 here: PicoVNA 5 Game-changing new software for PicoVNA - Intuitive, and direct menu-lite interface Plotted parameters, sensitivities, offsets, reference positions and sweep or time-domain parameters and plot type (e.g. cartesian, Smith or polar; logarithmic, linear, delay or angle) are all directly editable within each displayed plot channel. There are helpful on-trace cursor readouts under mouse, hover, or touch and you can simply click to drop on a trace marker and then drag it to the feature or position that you need. Most of your frequent instrument operations fully covered without a need to find an off-plot menu! 
Multiple viewports and traces PicoVNA 5 allows you to display multiple traces on multiple graphs at once. Taking advantage of the high resolution of modern computers, you can clearly see every measurement. You can display memory traces across all plots at once if you need. You can zoom on portions of your waveform (including in Smith charts) so you can focus right in on the detail, or expand one plot to fill the screen. The layout is highly customizable to meet your requirements. And if you regularly switch between different types of tasks, the workspace can be saved and recalled later. 
Frequency or time segment zoom and magnify plot detail 
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