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Cost-effective testing techniques to characterise UHF antennas
Author(s)
Bryant, Casey James Niels Monde
Date Issued
2022
Type
Thesis
Publisher
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Abstract
Engineers require the ability to measure and characterise the reflection coefficient, gain and
gain patterns of unknown antennas. Due to the cost of antenna measurement facilities and the
associated equipment, many tertiary educational institutes do not have these facilities available.
The purpose of this research was to investigate the use of a sports field as a testing
range with cost-effective equipment. Measurements were conducted at two commercial ranges
and a sports field. The first range was an open area test sight (OATS) where a cost-effective
vector network analyser (VNA) (≈R3000) was compared to a commercial VNA (≈R1.5 million).
The antennas under test were two identical log-periodic dipole arrays with a frequency
range from 180 MHz - 3 GHz. Altair FEKO was used to model the antenna and compare
results from different ground plane responses. An anechoic chamber was used to make baseline
measurements which were then compared to the FEKO simulation, OATS and sports field
measurements. The sports field results had close correlation with the anechoic chamber and
OATS measurements. The study finds that by using the two antenna method an antenna can
be cost-effectively and reasonably accurately characterised for boresight gain to within 1.7 dB
on a sports field. The gain pattern was also achieved on the sports field to within 3 dB of an
anechoic chamber measurement. The results enable students and engineers to take antenna
measurements at tertiary institutions for under R10,000.
gain patterns of unknown antennas. Due to the cost of antenna measurement facilities and the
associated equipment, many tertiary educational institutes do not have these facilities available.
The purpose of this research was to investigate the use of a sports field as a testing
range with cost-effective equipment. Measurements were conducted at two commercial ranges
and a sports field. The first range was an open area test sight (OATS) where a cost-effective
vector network analyser (VNA) (≈R3000) was compared to a commercial VNA (≈R1.5 million).
The antennas under test were two identical log-periodic dipole arrays with a frequency
range from 180 MHz - 3 GHz. Altair FEKO was used to model the antenna and compare
results from different ground plane responses. An anechoic chamber was used to make baseline
measurements which were then compared to the FEKO simulation, OATS and sports field
measurements. The sports field results had close correlation with the anechoic chamber and
OATS measurements. The study finds that by using the two antenna method an antenna can
be cost-effectively and reasonably accurately characterised for boresight gain to within 1.7 dB
on a sports field. The gain pattern was also achieved on the sports field to within 3 dB of an
anechoic chamber measurement. The results enable students and engineers to take antenna
measurements at tertiary institutions for under R10,000.
Additional information
Thesis (MEng (Satellite Systems & Applications))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2022
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