is there any low cost method to measure radiation pattern?

[geppei]

Hi all~

Anyone could share a low cost method to measure radiation pattern?
Since the chamber is very expensive. In our school, we got only VNA and Spectrum ana. We dont have enough budget to set up a full RF development lab.

Please help~, thx

 

[vfone]

Re: is there any low cost method to measure radiation patter

Ideal is to use anechoic chamber.
OATS (Open Area Test Site) usually is used for EMI test but I used successfully for Antenna measurements. In Japan are a lot of companies that are using only Open Sites for antenna measurements.

 

[plasma]

Re: is there any low cost method to measure radiation patter

Hi geppei

You can buy big light positioner of disco club. it controlled by pc switch the light
with antenna under test. Make yourself horn as transmit source. Buy few absorbing plates of SPY9 from Emerson Cumming put them on the floor and behind the transmit antenna. and then Write little program that move the positioner and in the same time read the VNA amplitude and phase.

Now that have 3 columns of data 1.position 2.amplitude 3.phase you can draw in excel amp pattern or phase pattern.

pl

 

[geppei]

thx for giving some suggestions
for the open site measurment, i am afraid that there are lots of interference from outdoor GSM signals. As we are conducting projects with 1.8-1.9 GHz..