Five Antenna Measurement Methods

Antenna measurements are performed to determine various parameters such as radiation pattern, directivity, gain, input impedance, efficiency, Effective Isotopically Radiated Power (EIRP), antenna noise temperature, Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR), and polarization. Antennas are the lifeline of wireless communication systems, and faulty antennas can cause major connection issues in wireless networks. That is why it is critical to make antenna measurements before installing them in wireless systems.

Antenna measurement requires some setups which include Antenna Under Test, source antenna and transmitter, receiver system, and positioning system. There are various antenna-measurement methods available to characterize antennas. Generally, most antenna-measurement methods require the aforementioned subsystems. Here are a few methods that can be used to carry out antenna measurements:

1. With a Spectrum Analyzer (SA)
2. With a Vector Network Analyzer (VNA)
3. With a Field or Walker method
4. Measurement in a normal space
5. Measurement in an anechoic chamber

A necessary condition for any antenna-measurement method is to reduce the errors in measured parameters to acceptable levels. Antenna measurements performed in the anechoic chamber provide fairly good and accurate measurements when compared to other antenna-measurement methods exposed to the reflective environment. For more information, please click here.

Team SimTech  

Cadence Design Systems