Open-Source Low-Cost Antenna Measurement Setup for Rapid Echoic Measurements

Wagih, M. and Moody, T. (2021) Open-Source Low-Cost Antenna Measurement Setup for Rapid Echoic Measurements. In: 2021 IEEE Conference on Antenna Measurements & Applications (CAMA), Antibes Juan-les-Pins, France, 15-17 Nov 2021, pp. 98-101. ISBN 9781728196978 (doi: 10.1109/CAMA49227.2021.9703629)

Abstract

With the massive growth in wireless systems and the internet of things vision, low-cost and rapid antenna measurements in echoic lab environments have attracted significant research, commercial, and educational interest in the last decade. In this paper, we present a low-cost antenna positioning system based on open-source positioning hardware, for in-situ 3-dimensional radiation pattern measurements. The positioner is an off-the-shelf Arduino robotic arm and can perform azimuth and elevation measurements over a hemisphere using different rotation mechanisms. The positioning system is used in conjunction with a commercial Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) and wire λ/2 antennas for the second VNA port. The measured radiation patterns of a flexible microstrip patch antenna using the proposed setup are compared to 3D full-wave simulations as well as anechoic chamber measurements. The measurement setup, excluding the VNA, costs less than $300, and does not require calibrated reference antennas, rotary connectors, or specific PC peripherals. The open-source design library is publicly from an updated online repository.

• Item Type: Conference Proceedings
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Wagih, Dr Mahmoud
• Authors: Wagih, M., and Moody, T.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Systems Power and Energy
• ISSN: 2643-6795
• ISBN: 9781728196978
• Published Online: 11 February 2022
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2021 IEEE
• First Published: First published in 2021 IEEE Conference on Antenna Measurements & Applications (CAMA): 98-101
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy