AlllDE bSnST

NATL INST OF STANDARDS & TECH R.I.C.

A1 11 02621 959

Icamell, D. G/NBS calibration procedures IqCIOO .U5753 NO.1309 1987 V198 C.I NBS-P

NBS

PUBLICATIONS

•*'»CAU O* * NBS TECHNICAL NOTE 1309

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE/National Bureau of Standards
TM he National Bureau of Standards' was established by an act of Congress on March 3, 1901. The Bureau's overall JL. goal is to strengthen and advance the nation's science and technology and fiacilitate their effective application for public benefit. To this end, the Bureau conducts research to assure international competitiveness and leadership of U.S

uidustry, science aiid technology. NBS work involves development and transfer of measurements, standards and related science and technology, in support of continually improving U.S. productivity, product quality and reliability, innovation

and underlying science and engineering. The Bureau's technical work is performed by the National Measurement

Laboratory, the National Engineering Laboratory, the Institute for Computer Sciences and Technology, and the Institute for Materials Science and Engineering.

The National Measurement Laboratory

Provides the national system of physical and chemical measurement;

coordinates the system widi measurement systems of other nations and

furnishes essential services leading to accurate and uniform physical and

chemical measurement throughout the Nation's scientific community,

industry, and commerce; provides advisory and research services to other Government agencies; conducts jAysical and chemical research; develops,

produces, and distributes Standard Reference Materials; provides

calibration services; and manages the National Standard Reference Data

System. The Laboratory consists of the following centers:

• Basic Standards^

• Radiation Research

• Chemical Physics

• Analytical Chemistiy

The National Engineering Laboratory

Provides technology and technical services to the public and private sectors

to address national needs and to solve national problems; conducts research

in engineering and applied science in support of these efforts; builds and

maintai ns competence in the necessary disciplines required to carry out this research and technical service; develops engineering data and measurement

capabilities; provides engineering measurement traceability services; develops test methods and proposes engineering standards and code

changes; develops and proposes new engineering practices; and develops

and improves mechanisms to transfer results of its research to the ultimate

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Conducts research and provides scientific and technical services to aid Federal agencies in the selection, acquisition, application, and use of

computer technology to improve effectiveness and economy in Government

operations in accordance with Public Law 89-306 (40 U.S.C. 759),

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managing the Federal Information Processing Standards Program,

developing Federal ADP standards guidelines, and managing Federal

pjarticipation in ADP voluntary standardization activities; provides scientific and technological advisory services and assistance to FedCTal agencies; and

provides the technical foundation for con^uter-related policies of the Federal Govenmient. The Institute consists of the following divisions:

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Systems and Software

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The Institute for Materials Science and Engineering

Conducts research and provides measurements, data, standards, reference

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fundamental to the processing, structure, properties and performance of

materials; addresses the scientific basis for new advanced materials technologies; plans research around cross-cutting scientific themes such as nondestructive evaluation and lAase diagram development; oversees Bureau-wide technical programs in nuclear reactor radiation research and

nondestructive evaluation; and broadly disseminates generic technical information resulting from its iMX)grams. The Instimte consists of the following Divisions:

• Ceramics

• Fracture and Deformation'

• Polymers

• M^allurgy

• Reactor Radiation

'Headquarters and Laboratories at Gahheisburg, MD, unless otherwise noted; mailing address

Gaitherxbuig. MD 20899.

*Scmt. divisions within the certer are located at Boulder, CO 80303. toctted at Boulder, CX). with some elements at Gaithersburg, MD
Research Inforiuatlon Center y^h^'^^C

National Bureau of Standards dClnD

Gaithersburg, Alarylaad 20899

NBS Calibration Procedures for IHorizontal '^^^ Dipole Antennas (25 to 1000 IVIHz)

'^

D.G. Camell

E.B. Larsen

J.E. Cruz

Electromagnetic Fields Division

Center for Electronics and Electrical Engineering

National Engineering Laboratory

National Bureau of Standards

Boulder, Colorado 80303-3328

.i^^*' " %X

^m.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, Malcolm Baldrige, Secretary

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS, Ernest Ambler. Director

Issued April 1987
National Bureau of Standards Technical Note 1309

Natl. Bur. Stand. (U.S.), Tech Note 1309, 48 pages (Apr. 1987)

CODEN:NBTNAE

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON: 1987

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Governnnent Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402
CONTENTS

Page

List of Tables ' v

List of Figures v

Abstract 1

1. Introduction 1

2. Standard Receiving Antenna Method 3

2.1 Description of the Equipment 3

2.2 Test Procedure 4

2.3 Theoretical Basis of the Test 7

2.4 Estimate of Calibration Uncertainty 9

3. Standard Field Method 15

3.1 Description of the Equipment 15

3.2 Test Procedure 16

3.3 Theoretical Basis of the Test 18

3.3.1 Gain of Open- Ended Guides, 200 to 500 MHz 19

3.3.2 Gain of Pyramidal Horns, 450 MHz to 1 GHz 20

3.3.3 Net Power 21

3.4 Estimate of Calibration Uncertainty 22

4. References 29

5. Appendix A: Sample Test Report for Standard Antenna Method ... 33

6. Appendix B: Sample Test Report for Standard Field Method .... 37

iii

List of Tables

Page

1. List of equipment used for the open-field site test 10

2. Pyramidal horns and OEGs for the anechoic chamber 23

3. List of equipment for the NBS anechoic chamber 23

List of Figures

Page

1. Field site instrumentation for calibrating horizontal dipoles,

at frequencies of 25 to 1000 MHz 11

2. Standard receiving dipole mount with diode detector, filter,

and resistive transmission line 12

3. Instrumentation for measuring V versus V, of the NBS

oc dc standard dipole 13

4. Typical calibration curve of a standard dipole mount, showing

the dc voltage versus rf voltage relation 13

5. Sample data sheet for dipole measurements at the NBS

open field site 14

6. Side view of the NBS anechoic chamber 24

7. Geometry of open-ended rectangular waveguide 25

8. Sketch of a pyramidal horn showing the dimensions 25

9. Instrumentation for generating a standard field in an anechoic chamber 26

10. Automated system for the NBS anechoic chamber 27

11. Graph of WR-2100 OEG gain versus distance at 500 MHz 28

12. Graph of SA 12-0.5 horn gain versus distance at 500 MHz 28

NBS Calibration Procedures for Horizontal Dipole Antennas

(25 to 1000 MHz)

D. G. Camell, E. B. Larsen, and J. E. Cruz

Electromagnetic Fields Division

National Bureau of Standards

Boulder, Colorado 80303

This publication describes the theoretical basis and test

procedures for horizontally polarized dipole calibrations at the

National Bureau of Standards. Two different techniques and two

different test sites are used. The standard antenna method

uses the calculation of a field strength level, from the

response of a simple half -wave dipole, to calibrate an antenna.

This method is used at an open field site in the frequency range

of 25 to 1000 MHz. The standard field method applies the

theoretical gain equations of waveguides to determine the field

strength level. This latter method is used in an anechoic

chamber in the frequency range of 200 to 1000 MHz . Procedures

for both techniques are explained and measurement setups are illustrated. Measurement uncertainties are discussed. Sample

reports are included for both methods.

Keywords: anechoic chamber, calibration, dipole antenna, electromagnetic field, open field site, standard antenna, standard

field.

1. Introduction

The purpose of this Technical Note is to provide documentation for the

methods, equipment, and facilities employed by the National Bureau of

Standards (NBS) for the calibration of horizontally polarized dipole

antennas over the frequency range of 25 to 1000 MHz. The facilities are located in the Dept. of Commerce, Boulder Laboratories, Boulder, Colorado.

The references cited are in the open literature and are available from such sources as libraries maintaining collections of scientific and technical
books and archival journals, and from the National Technical Information

Service, which maintains archival collections of U. S. Government

publications. Thus the material presented in this Technical Note in

conjunction with the cited references provides the information necessary for

the replication of the calibration procedures.

Two methods are used at NBS for horizontally polarized dipole

calibrations. The standard receiving antenna method is used to calibrate

continous wave (CW) field strength levels with half-wave dipole receiving

antennas at the NBS open-field site. This measurement site is used over a frequency range of 25 to 1000 MHz. The standard field method is used to

establish reference CW field strength levels in an anechoic chamber. The

anechoic chamber can be used over the frequency range of 200 to 1000 MHz.

At the NBS open-field site, two sets of standard half -wave dipole

antennas are used to measure the CW electric field strength. The field

strength is calculated from the open-circuit induced voltage in the standard

antenna, the transmission frequency, and the dimensions of the standard

receiving dipole.

In the NBS anechoic chamber, a series of standard- gain open-ended

guides (OEGs) and pyramidal horns is used for transmitting known CW electromagnetic (EM) fields. The field level is calculated from the gain of the

transmitting antenna, net power delivered to the transmitting antenna, the

distance from the transmitting antenna to the field point, and the effect of

chamber reflections. Most of the test equipment used is commercially

available. A computer-aided system can be used to automate the data

collection process.

This paper presents a description of the equipment, the test method,

theoretical basis of the test, and estimated errors for these standardantenna and standard- field calibrations.
2. Standard Receiving Antenna Method [1-11]

2.1 Description of the Equipment

The NBS open-field site has two facilities for calibrating dipoles

.

One of these is located on a flat area of unimproved rocky soil adjacent to

the wood building used for calibrating loop antennas. The other facility is

designed around a grounded flat screen mesh on a slab of concrete 30 m wide

and 60 m long. A tunnel under this slab leads to an underground room,

approximately 3 m by 3 m, where the rf source and receiving equipment are located. Several small (15 cm diameter) tunnels leading from this room to

various locations on the ground screen convey rf transmission cables and ac power cords to devices operating on or above the ground screen. The cables,

being underground, do not interfere with the EM fields. The transmitting

antennas are (1) horizontally polarized half -wave dipole antennas for the

frequency range of 25 to 80 MHz, and (2) a horizontally polarized logperiodic antenna for frequencies from 80 to 1000 MHz. A wooden ladder with

a maximum height of 6 m is used to mount the standard receiving dipole or the antenna under test (AUT) above the ground screen. Figure 1 shows the

open-field site with the common locations of the transmitting and receiving

antennas

.

The NBS standard receiving antennas are self -resonant , half -wave dipoles with a high- impedance balanced voltmeter built across the center gap

of the dipole antenna. The filtered output of the shunt-diode detector is a dc voltage that is measured by a high- impedance dc voltmeter. A photo of

one of the antenna mounts (frequency range of 25 to 300 MHz) is given in

figure 2. The Schottky semiconductor diode used has a low turn- on voltage

and a high peak-reverse voltage rating of 70 V [5]. This type of diode

provides a very high shunt impedence (>100 Mf2) for the signal levels used in

NBS calibrations. The filter consists of four resistors and two capacitors.
The high- resistance lines below the filter in figure 2 are made of carbonimpregnated plastic, coated with a nylon jacket. Each line has a resistance

of about 600 r2/cm.

The transmitted signal is produced by a combination of signal

generators, amplifiers, low-pass filters, low- loss transmission lines, and a transmitting antenna. Figure 1 shows the equipment used for a measurement

test at the open field site. The rf voltmeter is used to monitor the level

of the transmitter voltage. A generic list of equipment used on the ground

screen is given in table 1. The cables are 50 Q coaxial with type N

connectors

.

The open- circuit rf voltage of the standard dipole can be determined if

the relation of input rf voltage to output dc voltage is known. The rf-todc voltage curve of a standard dipole antenna is obtained by injecting known

rf voltages across the dipole mount at 50 MHz and measuring the detected dc

responses from the output of the mount. The response of each dipole mount

is essentially independent of frequency over the frequency range used. The

frequency of 50 MHz was chosen because it is high enough to give the correct

calibration, yet low enough to avoid error caused by transformation of

voltage in the short "transmission line" between the modified tee connector

and the dipole mount (see figure 3). Also, 50 MHz is the frequency of the

internal calibrating source used in the 50 Q power meter shown for measuring

rf voltage at the tee connector. Figure 3 shows the test setup for this

measurement. The equation for the curve of rf input voltage to dc output

voltage is used to calculate the open circuit rf voltage across the center

gap of the standard dipole. A typical curve is given in figure 4.

2.2 Test Procedure

NBS tests dipoles and other field strength measuring devices at

specified frequencies, field strength levels, heights above ground, and

distances between transmitting and receiving antennas. When a device to be
tested arrives, the serial numbers are logged, a test number is assigned,

and a test folder is issued. The unit is inspected to see if it is

operating correctly. Before the actual testing is done, a review of the

anticipated data and the procedure details are decided upon. The test data

are usually reported in terms of the antenna factor or antenna output, such

as detected dc voltage.

An EM field is generated by a transmitting antenna at the open field

site. An NBS standard dipole antenna is used as the receiving antenna, and

the detected dc voltage is measured with a high impedance (100 MQ)

voltmeter. The transmitter voltage level is monitored with an rf voltmeter

to ensure that it does not change during the test. The AUT is then

substituted at the same position as the NBS standard dipole. The rf output

of the AUT is measured with a calibrated 50 Q, spectrum analyzer or 50 Q

power meter. Data for the rf-to-dc curve of the standard dipole mount are measured before and after each test. The insertion loss of the cables used

is also measured before and after each test to insure that the cable and

connector losses are repeatable. The antenna factor is determined from

these measurements, as described in section 2.3.

The transmitting antenna is mounted on a tripod and the height set to a specified value, usually 3 m. The vertical wooden ladder for supporting the

receiving antennas is mounted directly over the underground room. If the

distance between the transmitting and receiving antennas is not specified,

the distance is usually set between 15 and 20 m. In order to produce a uniform wavefront at the receiving antenna, this separation distance should

be at least two wavelengths at the operating frequency. If the antenna

height above ground is not specified, the height of both receiving antennas

(standard dipole and AUT) is set to 3 m. This height is usually sufficient

to reduce calibration errors caused by impedance changes in the AUT, which

are due to the proximity of the natural ground or conducting ground screen beneath the antenna [2-3]. If the AUT is adjustable in length, its length
is set to the value specified by the customer (usually an electrical half

wavelength)

.

The equipment used is connected as shown in figure 1. The power meters

with their appropriate sensors are calibrated by the NBS power calibration

services. The spectrum analyzer is calibrated by the NBS microwave

calibration service (test 61190S) [40] , and verified before each test by

means of calibrated power meters.

All of the serial numbers on the AUT and equipment used are recorded,

and a sketch is made of the calibration setup. If the test requires an unusual arrangement, a photograph of the system is taken. Header titles are written for each column of data to be taken (along with units) , and any

other pertinent information is noted on the data sheet. A sample data sheet

is given in figure 5

.

The NBS standard dipoles ^ used to measure the incident field (E. ) lack

mc

frequency selectivity, so it is not possible to perform a calibration in the

presence of strong interfering signals. Therefore the detected ambient

signal level is recorded. That is, the level of the dc voltage output of

the standard dipole with no NBS test signal applied is noted on the data

sheet. This level is usually less than 5 mV. The range of dc output

voltages used at NBS for field strength calibrations is normally 0.5 to 1.5

V, which is sufficiently high to avoid calibration uncertainty caused by

ambient signals and noise or by changes in ambient temperature. The rf-todc calibration of the dipole mount depends slightly on the diode

temperature, especially at low signal levels. This uncertainty is

negligible for detected voltages greater than 0.5V, if the temperature is

within ± 10 C of that for which the diode was calibrated.
2.3 Theoretical Basis of the Test

An NBS standard half-wave dipole is used to determine the calibrating

field strength level from the relation

V

E. = -^

(1) mC L r-r- eft

where E. = electric field strength of the locally generated field, V/m, mc

V = open- circuit rf voltage induced in the standard dipole, V, and

L __= effective length of the standard dipole, m.

The theoretical effective length of an infinitesimally thin half-wave

dipole in free space is given by

Leff = ^ / - (2)

where A = free space wavelength, m.

The NBS standard dipoles have a cylindrical shape. An approximate

solution for their effective length and required shortening for self

resonance was derived by Schelkunoff [1]. The required length depends on

the dipole length- to -diameter ratio, and is given approximately by

Required L ~ (~) ^ 0.2257

ln(A/D)-l (3)

where Required L = length of the cylindrical standard dipole

required for self resonance, m, and

D = diameter of the standard dipole, m.

The NBS standard dipoles consist of a center mount, as shown in figure

2, to which extension rods are attached. One pair of rods is available to
achieve a self -resonant length at each calibration frequency [2-4]. The

effective length of a thin cylindrical dipole having a length near self

resonance is given by

L ^^ = (-) tan (7rL/2A) (4) err tt

where L ^^= effective length of the dipole, m, and

L = measured tip -to -tip length of the dipole, m.

The open-circuit rf voltage of the NBS standard dipole is determined

from the measured dc voltage by applying the equation

V = M(V ) + B (5) oc det

where V = open-circuit rf voltage across the dipole center gap, V,

M = slope of the rf input to dc output curve, measured over the

voltage range of 0.5 to 2 V (see figure 4),

V, = detected dc voltage of the standard dipole, V, and det ° r . . B = y intercept of the rf-to-dc calibration curve.

The value of the calibrating° electric field, E. is now obtained from mc

eq (1) using the solutions of eqs (4) and (5). Once the electric field

strength is known, the antenna factor of the AUT is calculated from the

expression

where K = antenna factor of the AUT, dB,

E. = calibrating field strength level, dBmV/m,

V = AUT voltage pickup, dBmV, and

A = cable attenuation between the AUT and the 50 Q receiver,

dB.
2.4 Estimate of Calibration Uncertainty [6,7]

For calibrations at the NBS open field site, at frequencies of 25 to

1000 MHz, the following statements give the possible errors of a measurement

(1) One source of error in the calibration is uncertainty of the

calibrating field value at the open field site. This is due mainly

to uncertainty in the dc-to-rf voltage transfer. Also, signals

from radio stations and 2 -way radio communications may cause extra

errors. The estimated error is ± 0.4 dB.

(2) Another source of error is uncertainty in the disturbance of

the field caused by interconnecting cables and nearby

buildings. This error is estimated to be less than ± 0.2 dB

.

(3) Other sources of uncertainty are associated with antenna

alignment, measurement of antenna separation distance, and

NBS calibrations of the various instruments used. These

include spectrum analyzers , rf voltmeters , and power

monitors. The error due to these last sources is estimated to be

less than ± 0.4 dB.

The overall worst -case uncertainty of an antenna calibration is the

simple sum of those listed, or ± 1 dB.
Table 1. List of equipment used for the open-field site test.

synthesized signal generator, +3 dBm maximum output,

10 kHz -1000 MHz

amplifier, 1-1000 MHz, 50 W output

amplifier, 1-1000 MHz, 3 W output

ac voltmeter, with coaxial tee connector

dc voltmeter, high input impedence (100 MO)

calibrated power meter, single sensor capability

power sensors: 100 mW capacity

calibrated spectrum analyzer, covering the frequency range

of 25 to 1000 MHz

assorted filters, attenuator pads, and low loss cables

with type N connectors

.

10
Transmitting

antenna

Balun

N6S standard

receiving

dipole

Antenna

under

test (AUT)

Balun

Coax

cable

Ground

Diode and

filter

I

n

i

Resistive

twinlead

Coax cable,

perpendicular

to E field

LOW

f

PASS

T

RLTER

RF SOURCE

20-1000 MHz

RF VaiMETER

(monitor)

DC VOLTMETER

HIGH IMPEDANCE

^"^ "

Left

50XIRECEIVER

OR SPECTRUM

ANALYZER

K =

•inc

50ft

Figure 1. Field site instrumentation for calibrating horizontal

dipoles, at frequencies of 25 to 1000 MHz.

11
^~*i *-r-»^,>««iMi l^

Figure 2. Standard receiving dipole mount with diode detector, filter

and resistive transmission line.

12
Modified

type N tee

RF SOURCE

50 MHz — LOW-PASS

RLTER

50 a POWER METER

OR SPECTRUM

K. ANALYZER

1

Standard dipole

mount measure

DC out vs. RF in.

0.01 /xF —I 50 kn^I O.VF|50kil

II *

1 50 kn;

1

: 1 50 kii

II r..r. . ni'p 250 kn

DC VOLTMETER

R line 250 kn Zin= 100 M n

Figure 3. Instrumentation for measuring V versus V of the NBS

standard dipole. ^

1.5

O

O)

CD

a:

1.0

0.5

I 1 I I

h o®® - «.®® ^®®

fill

III!

^

£^

I I I I

I I i I

^0^v0 H

^

.0

o^

<^

I

I I I » » I « 0.5 1.0

DC Voltage, Volts

1.5 2.0

Figure 4. Typical calibration curve of a standard dipole mount,

showing the dc voltage versus rf voltage relation.

13
LOG »HErr U. S. TEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

MATIOMAL BUREAU OF STANOAIBTS

DATX.

ICUCD or ttttASimCMtMT

,

MirnuiMCirr Tom

,

ivd^

X y 2 CoKvpgKv

»v\ hft- 3 (i\s+g ^Q i>v

MBnEHB

3oAo

CA««>«|««^^

Figure 5. Sample data sheet for dipole measurements at the NBS open

field site.

14
3. Standard Field Method [7-39]

3.1 Description of the Equipment

The NBS anechoic chamber is constructed within a metal shielded room

5 m high, 6.7m wide, and 8.5m long. The chamber is lined with absorbing

material on all of the inside walls, ceiling, and floor. An equipment cart

placed on a precision track is movable over the entire length of the

chamber. The cart is 1.9 m wide by 0.75 m deep, with pieces of absorber

mounted on the front side. The cart is driven by a stepping motor that

steps in minimum increments of 2 mm. A rotator/positioner can be placed on

the cart for axial rotation and positioning of the AUT . A doorway 1.2m

wide, in line with the track, provides access into the chamber. Figure 6 shows a side view of the anechoic chamber, cart, and doorway.

Fiber optic cables are connected from the equipment cart through the

chamber doorway to a computer in the laboratory. The fiber optic lines are essentially transparent to the rf energy and provide negligible interference

with the generated fields. On the cart is a single-board computer which is

used to process and transfer information through the fiber optic lines.

This information consists of data from the AUT, instructions for movement of

the cart, and instructions for turning the rotator.

A pyramidal horn or rectangular OEG is used as a transmitting antenna,

and positioned near the chamber entry region on the measurement axis. A

series of two pyramidal horns and two OEGs is available to establish known

EM fields in the chamber. These horns and OEGs cover the frequency range of

200 to 1000 MHz. A sketch of an OEG is given in figure 7 and a sketch of a horn is given in figure 8. Table 2 lists each horn or OEG with its

frequency range and dimensions.

The transmitted signal is produced from a combination of signal

generators, amplifiers, low-pass filters, and low-loss transmission lines.

15
Figure 9 shows the equipment used for a measurement test in the anechoic

chamber. Measurement of the net transmitting power is done with a dual

directional coupler and two power meters with thermistor sensors. When

measurements of high power are done, calibrated attenuators can be inserted

in the coupler secondary ports to assure the power level is within the

sensors' range. A generic list of equipment used in the anechoic chamber is

given in table 3. The cables are 50 Q coaxial with type N connectors.

3.2 Test Procedure

For anechoic chamber measurements, the AUT is mounted on the movable

cart and aligned along the center axis of the transmitting antenna.

Dielectric supports are used to mount the AUT in line with the axis of the

transmitting antenna. A laser alignment system located outside the chamber

is used to align the AUT and transmitting antenna on the measurement axis.

If a rotator/positioner is used, it is placed on the cart and the AUT is

mounted on the rotator and aligned on axis of the transmitting antenna.

The following steps are used to align the transmitting horn or OEG with

the AUT

(1) The laser system is leveled and placed on the

measurement axis

.

(2) The AUT is placed on the cart and the laser is used to

align the AUT on axis.

(3) The appropriate transmitting horn or OEG is placed on a cart outside of the chamber doorway.

(4) The transmitting antenna is aligned using the laser,

with the AUT positioned in the chamber.

The equipment for each frequency is connected as shown in figure 9.

The power meters and appropriate sensors are calibrated units, having been

calibrated by the NBS microwave calibration service (test 61190S) [40] . All

16
of the serial numbers on the AUT and the equipment used are recorded and a sketch is made of the setup. If the test is an uncommon arrangement,

photographs are taken.

There are two techniques available to test the AUT. One is to set the

field strength at a prescribed level and then record the response of the

AUT. The output of the AUT is recorded as a function of applied field

strength. Most of the tests performed at NBS are done using this first

technique. The other technique is to adjust the field level until the AUT

is at the desired response and then record the field level necessary to

achieve that response. The level of the standard EM field necessary for

this indication is calculated with the help of a computer in terms of the

known gain of the transmitting horn and the net delivered power, as described in section 3.3. To determine the value of the net power, the

incident and reflected power are measured at the secondary ports of the dual

directional coupler. The calibrated values of the coupler losses are also

used to calculate the net power, as described in section 3.3.3.

The measurement data can be collected and processed automatically.

Figure 10 shows the NBS system that is under computer control. Frequency

and field level are selected as needed for the test. The computer controls

the movement of the cart and rotation of the rotator. The amplifiers and

filters are selected by a series of rf switches. The IEEE-488 bus is used

for most of the data and command transfer. The computer is also used to

print out the data and all pertinent information. The amount of automation

used depends on the amount of data and the format in which the data is

requested. If only a few data points are needed, the manual method may be

more efficient.

The manual method of collecting data uses the computer to calculate the

power necessary to create a desired field strength level in the anechoic

chamber at the AUT, as described in section 3.3. The operator connects the

17
system as shown in figure 9. Power is applied at the test frequency as calculated by the computer. The response of the AUT is recorded from the

appropriate metering unit. The metering unit may be a dc voltmeter,

spectrum analyzer, power meter, etc. depending on the output of the AUT.

On completion of the test, the data are compared with theoretical

computations, the data history of the AUT (if any), and/or the data history

of the anechoic chamber. If the data do not agree with anticipated results,

the AUT and/or the NBS measurement system are checked. If the AUT is

suspected of being defective, arrangements are made to check and repair it,

if possible. Most data are plotted with graphic routines available on the

computer system. A sample of an NBS test report is given in appendix B. Different report formats are written for each type of calibration depending

on the requested type of measurement.

3.3 Theoretical Basis of the Test

The standard field method used at NBS in the anechoic chamber involves

calculating the radiated intensity in the near zone of standard gain

antennas. This method consists of generating and computing the desired

component of a field in terms of the dimensions and shape of a transmitting

antenna, net delivered power, the distance from the transmitting antenna to

the AUT, and the effect of chamber reflections. A set of two rectangular

OEGs is available to cover the 200 to 500 MHz frequency range, while a set

of two rectangular pyramidal horns is used from 450 to 1000 MHz.

The on-axis field intensity is calculated in terms of the net power

delivered to the transmitting antenna and the calibrated gain of the'

pyramidal horn or OEG "launcher". The field intensity in the center of the

beam is calculated, at each frequency, using power equation techniques. All

of the instrumentation is readily available commercially except for the

18
large OEG launchers. These OEGs were made of sheet metal to the dimensions

specified in table 2. The value of standard field is given by [32]

E = ^^^

(7) a

where E = on- axis magnitude of the radiated field, V/m,

P = net power delivered to the transmitting horn or OEG, W,

G = calibrated gain of the transmitting antenna, including

appropriate near-zone correction factors, and

d = distance from the horn or OEG aperture to the calibrating field

point (center of dipole) , m.

The effects of multipath reflections in the anechoic chamber have been

analyzed and taken into account for each setup and frequency [32,34],

3.3.1 Gain of Open-Ended Guides, 200 to 500 MHz

Early work to determine the field pattern and gain of OEG radiators,

both theoretically and experimentally, is described in [6], and later

derivations are given in [20]. An equation giving the gain of an openended waveguide as a function of frequency and aperture dimensions has been

determined experimentally at NBS . The original data for this equation came from a two-antenna calibration technique using two "identical" open-ended

guides [13]. Further calibrations have been made with the two speciallyfabricated OEGs, each having a length of about 2 m. All of the OEGs used at

NBS have a 2-to-l aspect ratio. In this case, the equation for calculating

the antenna gain is [32]

GAIN = 21.6 Fw, or (8a)

GAIN, dB = 10 log (Fw) + 13.34, (8b)

19
where F = frequency, GHz, and

w = width (larger side) of the 2-to-l OEG , m.

Equation (8) is accurate to ± 0.5 dB if the distance, d, from the OEG

aperture to the field point is greater than double the width, w. Figure 7 shows the dimensions used in the equation. Figure 11 is a plot of the

theoretical gain from eq (10) and the measured gain values in the anechoic

chamber as a function of distance from the OEG aperture.

3.3.2 Gain of Pyramidal Horns, 450 MHz to 1 GHz

Standard fields above 450 MHz are produced in the anechoic chamber by a series of standard-gain pyramidal horns. A complication known as near-zone

gain reduction applies to the calculation of field strength when the AUT is

very close to a transmitting antenna. Simple polynomial expressions have

been derived at NBS to determine the near-zone gain-reduction factors, R^

and R , for pyramidal horns [29,32]. The pertinent horn dimensions used in

E

the equations are shown in figure 8. The procedure involves a computation

of the intensity produced by an in-phase aperture and then applying two

near-zone correction factors. The values of these gain- reduction factors

depend on frequency, horn dimensions, and distance to the on-axis field

point. The two gain- reduction factors, R^ and R , are given by

R^= (O.Ola) (1 + 10.19a + 0.51a^ - 0.097a^), (9a)

R = (O.lyS^) (2.31 + 0.053)9), (9b)

where a = [^] [\^ + ^j and = [^] [^^ + ^j .

a,b,l and 1 = horn dimensions of table 2, m, n E

F = frequency, GHz, and

d = distance from the horn aperture to the field point, m.

20
The theoretical gain of the horn, near zone or far zone, is given by

GAIN = (113.3 a b F )[10^ ^ ]

, or (10a)

GAIN, dB = 10 log (ab) + 20 log F + 20 . 54 - R^ - R^. (10b)

These equations have been checked experimentally using several

different standard- gain horns covering the frequency range of 450 MHz to

4 GHz. The horns were also calibrated at NBS by the three-antenna method

[18,23,26,28,30,39] and these gains were compared with that given by eq

(10). For distances greater than 0.5 m, the difference between the

experimentally calibrated gain and the value calculated from eq (10b) was

less than 0.5 dB. A plot of horn gain vs. distance is shown in figure 12,

comparing the theoretical curve with measurements made in the NBS anechoic

chamber

.

3.3.3 Net Power

The calculation of the net power delivered to the pyramidal horn or OEG

depends on the values of incident power and reflected power measurements in

the dual -directional coupler secondary ports. This net power is given by

C./IO C /lO

P ^ = P. [10 ^

] - P ^, [10 ^ ] (11) net mc'- ' refl

where P = net power delivered to the transmitting horn or OEG, W, net ^ b > ' P. = power measured in the incident arm of the coupler, W, mc ^ f ' ' C. = coupling ratio from the output port to the incident

arm of the coupler, dB

,

P j-T = power measured in the reflected arm of the coupler, W, and refl *^ r . . C = coupling ratio from the output port to the reflected

arm of the coupler, dB.

21
3.4 Estimate of Calibration Uncertainty

For frequencies from 200 to 1000 MHz, horizontally polarized dipoles can be calibrated in the NBS anechoic chamber. The following statements

give the possible errors of a measurement

(1) The largest source of error is caused by uncertainty in the near- zone gain value of the transmitting antenna. The estimated

possible error is ± 0.5 dB.

(2) Another source of error is uncertainty in the magnitude of multipath reflections within the anechoic chamber. Possible errors caused by chamber reflections are estimated to be less than ± 0.2

dB.

(3) Other sources of uncertainty are associated with antenna alignment,

measurement of antenna separation distance, and NBS calibrations of

the various instruments used. These include directional couplers,

and incident and reflected power monitors . The overall error due

to these latter sources is estimated to be less than ± 0.3 dB

.

The overall worst -case uncertainty of the measurement is the simple sum

of those listed, or ± 1 dB.

22
Table 2. Pyramidal horns and OEGs for the anechoic chamber

(200 to 1000 MHz)

ANTENNA FREQUENCY RANGE a b

^H ^E

(MHz) (m) (m) (m) (m)

WR-3600 OEG 180 to 310 9144 0.4572 NA NA

WR-2100 OEG no to 530 5334 0.2567 NA NA

SA 12-0.5 #48 450 to 750 1 2250 0.9075 1.420 1.213

SA 12-0.75 #57 700 to 1100 8278 0.6118 0.943 0.812

Table 3. List of equipment for the NBS anechoic chamber.

computer with disk drives

synthesized signal generator, +3 dBm maximum output, 100-1000 MHz

amplifier, 1-1000 MHz, 50 W output

amplifier, 1-1000 MHz, 3 W output

dual directional coupler, 0.1-2 GHz, 50 W capacity

calibrated power meter, single sensor capability

calibrated power meter, dual sensor capability

power sensors: 10 /iW, 100 mW, 3 W, maximum capacity

calibrated spectrum analyzer, covering the frequency range of 200

to 1000 MHz

assorted filters, attenuators, and type N cables

23
OEG or horn

^

5 m

Figure 6. Side view of the NBS anechoic chamber.

24
/71

Figure 7. Geometry of open-ended rectangular waveguide,

Figure 8. Sketch of a pyramidal horn showing the dimensions

25
1 RF SIGNAL ! ADJUSTABLE

SOURCE JAnENUATOR

*

CD

s

Iv^//-

fV^^

[

Coax to

waveguide

adapter

CALIBRATED

50n RECEIVER

POWER

AMPLIFIER

(if required)

LOW PASS

FILTER

ATTENUATOR

(it required)

POWER METER

fine

POWER METER

Prfl

Anechoic chamber

"—

1 to 6 mReceiving

Transmitting antenna

antenna

Coax cable

Figure 9. Instrumentation for generating a standard field in an anechoic chamber.

I

26
COMPUTER

IEEE /^

Std.488

BUS

IEEE-488

FIBER OPTIC

INTERFACE

/

Fiber optic lines

#- RBER OPTIC TO

IEEE488

INTERFACE

k

IEEE Std. 488 BUS

IEE-488 BUSO0NTR0Li£D

MEASUREMENT

INSTRUMENTATION

SWITCH

CONTROLiER

rt^

MICROPROCESSOR

INTERFACE hrl

IEEE-488

BUS^ONTROLLED

MEASUREMENT

INSTRUMENTATION

SWrrCHING SYSTEM

NUMBER 1

SWITCHING

SYSTEM

NUMBER 2

CART

CONTROLLER

ROTATOR

CONTROLLER

I

Figure 10. Automated system for the NBS anechoic chamber,

i

27
CD

O

O

UJO

16

14

12

rlO

S

6

4

2

measured gains in NBS anechoic

chamber

\

theoretical gain

measured gains

I ! I L

1 2 3 4 5

Distance from OEG Aperture, Meters

Figure 11. Graph of WR-2100 OEG gain versus distance at 500 MHz,

16

14

12

CD

•o 10

10wo e O O —

6

4

2

— 1 1 1 1 — — ^^

—

.

Z. i(

^

^measured gains in NBS

anechoic chamt)er —

I

- theoretical gain —

rf

1 1 i 1 — 12 3 4

Distance from Horn Aperture, Meters

Figure 12. Graph of SA 12-0.5 horn gain versus distance at 500 MHz

28
4. References

[I] Schelkunoff, S.A.; Friis, H.T. Antennas, theory and practice. Wiley;

306 p; 1952.

[2] Greene, F.M. NBS field- strength standards and measurements (30 Hz to

1000 MHz). Proc. IEEE 55(6); 970-981; 1967 June.

[3] Taggart, H.E.; Workman, J.L. Calibration principles for field

strength meters (30 Hz to 1 GHz). Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.) Tech. Note

370; 151 p; 1969 March.

[4] IEEE standard methods for measuring electromagnetic field strength

for frequencies below 1000 MHz in radio wave propagation. IEEE no.

302; 15 p; 1969 August.

[5] Anand, Y. X-band high burnout silicon Schottky barrier diodes.

Microwave Journal; 56-61; 1979 March.

[6] Stubenrauch, G.F. International comparison of electric-field strength

at 100 MHz. IEEE Trans. Instr. and Meas .

; IM-32(1); 235-237; 1983

March

[7] Nahman, N.S.; Kanda , M. ; Larsen, E.B.; Crawford, M.L. Methodology for

standard electromagnetic field measurements. IEEE Trans. Instr. and

Meas.; IM-34(4); 490-503; 1985 December.

[8] Kanda, M. ; Larsen, E.B.; Borsero, M. ; Galliano, P.G.; Yokoshima, I.;

Nahman, N.S. Standards for electromagnetic field measurements. Proc.

IEEE 74(1); 120-128; 1986 January.

[9] Larsen, E.B. Calibration and meaning of antenna factor and gain for

EMI antennas. ITEM 1986; Interference Technology Engineers Master;

R & B Enterprises; 384 p; 1986.

[10] FitzGerrell, R.G. Linear gain- standard antennas below 1000 MHz. Nat.

Bur. Stand. (U.S.) Tech. Note 1098; 39 p; 1986 May.

[II] Ma, M.T. ; Kanda, M. Electromagnetic compatibility and interference

metrology. Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.) Tech Note 1099; 176 p; 1986 July.

[12] Barrow, W.L.; Greene, F.M. Rectangular hollow-pipe radiators. Proc.

IRE, 26(12); 1498-1519; 1938 December.

[13] Slayton, W.T. Design and calibration of microwave antenna gain

standards. Naval Research Lab., Wash., DC; NRL Report 4433; 39 p;

1954 November 9.

29
14] Chu, T.S.; Semplak, R.A. Gain of electromagnetic horns. Bell Syst.

Tech. J.; 527-537; 1965 March.

15] Beatty, R.W. Discussion of errors in gain measurements of standard

electromagnetic horns. Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.) Tech. Note 351; 45 p;

1967 March.

16] Rumfelt, A.Y. ; Elwell, L.B. Radio frequency power measurements. Proc

IEEE 55(6); 837-850; 1967 June.

'17] Bowman, R.R. Field strength above 1 GHz : measurement procedures for

standard antennas. Proc. IEEE 55(6); 981-990; 1967 June.

18] Bowman, R.R. Absolute gain measurements for horn antennas (2nd

edition). Rome Air Dev. Center Tech. Report RADC-TR-68-349 ; Griffiss

AFB, NY; 83 p; 1968 November.

19] Bowman, R.R. Transmitting and receiving formulas for antennas and

field intensity meters (2nd edition). Rome Air Dev. Center Tech.

Report RADC-TR-68-445; Griffiss AFB, NY; 48 p; 1969 April.

20] Woods, D. Standard intensity electromagnetic field installation for

calibration of radiation hazard monitors from 400 MHz to 40 GHz. Nonionizing Radiation; 1(1); 9-17; 1969 June.

21] Edited by Hollis, J.S.; Lyon, T.J.; Clayton, L. , Jr. Microwave

antenna measurements; Scientific Atlanta, Inc.; Chapter 8;

"Measurement of Gain"; 8-1 to 8-29; 1970 July.

22] Jull , E.V. Finite -range gain of sectoral and pyramidal horns.

Electronics Letters; 6(21); 680-681; 1970 October 15.

23] Newell, A.C.; Baird, R.C.; Wacker, P.F. Accurate measurement of

antenna gain and polarization at reduced distances by an extrapolation technique. IEEE Trans. Ant. & Prop. AP-21; 418-431;

1973 July.

^24] Bowman, R.R. Calibration techniques for electromagnetic hazard

meters: 500 MHz to 20 GHz. Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.) NBSIR 75-805;

37 p; 1976 April.

[25] Edited by Love, A.W. Electromagnetic horn antennas. IEEE Press; New

York, NY; 1976.

[26] Bassen, H.I.; Herman, W.A. Precise calibration of plane-wave

microwave power density using power equation techniques. IEEE Trans.

Mic. Theory & Tech. MTT-25 (8); 701-706; 1977 August.

30
[27] EMC antennas and antenna factors : how to use them. Soc. of

Automotive Engineers, Inc. AIR 1509; Prepared by SAE Committee AE-4;

22 p; 1978 January.

[28] Kummer , W.H.; Gillespie, E.S. Antenna measurements - 1978 . Proc . IEEE

66(4); 483-507; 1978 January.

[29] Larsen, E.B. Techniques for producing standard EM fields from 10 kHz

to 10 GHz for evaluating radiation monitors; Proc. Symp . Electromag.

Fields in Biolog. Systems; Ottowa, Canada; 96-112; 1978 June.

[30] IEEE standard test procedures for antennas. ANSI/IEEE Std. 149-1979;

153 p; 1979.

[31] Hunter, J.D. Final report on the international comparison of power

density at 2.45 GHz (72-11). CIPM Consultative Committee on

Electricity, Radio Frequency Working Group; 7 p; 1980 October.

[32] Larsen, E.B.; Ries , F.X. Design and calibration of the isotropic

electric-field monitor (EFM-5), 0.2 to 1000 MHz. Nat. Bur. Stand.

(U.S.) Tech. Note 1033; 103 p; 1981 March.

[33] American national standard, recommended practice for the measurement

of hazardous electromagnetic fields-rf and microwave. ANSI C95.5-

1981; Amer. Nat. Stand. Inst.; Inst, of Elec. & Electronics Engrs .

,

Inc. ; 35 p; 1981.

[34] FitzGerrell, R.G. Using free-space transmission loss for evaluating

anechoic chamber performance. IEEE Trans. EMC EMC-24(3) ; 356-358;

1982 August.

[35] Yaghjian, A.D. Approximate formulas for the far fields and gain of

open-ended rectangular waveguide. Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.) NBSIR 83-

1689; 37 p; 1983 May.

[36] Ma, M.T.; Kanda, M. ; Crawford, M.L.; Larsen, E.B. A review of

electromagnetic compatibility/interference measurement methodologies.

Proc. IEEE 73(3); 388-411; 1985 March.

[37] Kanda, M. ; Orr , R.D. A radio -frequency power delivery system:

procedures for error analysis and self -calibration. Nat. Bur. Stand.

(U.S.) Tech. Note 1083; 24 p; 1985 August.

31
38] Clark, R.F. The microcalorimeter as a national microwave power

standard. Proc IEEE 74(1); 102-104; 1986 January.

39] Kanda, M. ; Orr , R.D. Near-field gain of a horn and an open-ended

waveguide; comparison between theory and experiment. IEEE Trans.

Ant. and Prop.; to be published; 1987 Febuary.

^40] NBS calibration services users guide 1986-88. Nat. Bur. Stand.

(U.S.) Spec. Publ. 250, 1986 Ed.; 204 p; 1986 July.

32
APPENDIX A : Sample test report for standard antenna method.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS

NATIONAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY

Boulder, Colorado 80303

SPECIAL TEST

DIPOLE ANTENNA

Manufacturing Company Name

Model , Serial No.

Submitted by:

Requesting Company/Agency Name

City, State, Zip code

I. Introduction

The tunable dipole antenna from the requesting company is for measuring horizontally polarized electric fields. The antenna. Model , is intended for use in the 20 to 300 MHz frequency range. The calibration data given in this

report are not necessarily applicable to measurement of impulsive fields.

II. Description of the Tests

At 300 MHz and lower frequencies, horizontally polarized dipole antennas are calibrated at the ground screen site using the standard antenna method

described by Taggart and Workman [1].

The calibration is performed by radiating a horizontally-polarized field of

convenient magnitude from a dipole or log periodic antenna. A standard

receiving antenna capable of accurately measuring the magnitude of this field

is placed in the far-field at a fixed height above the ground, and the magnitude of the electric field is measured. The transmitting antenna power is

held at a constant level, and the antenna being calibrated is substituted in

place of the standard antenna. Figure 1 (see figure 1 in this Tech. Note)

shows a diagram of the instrumentation used.

The NBS standard receiving antenna consists of a self-resonant, half-wave

dipole antenna with a high impedance balanced voltmeter built into the center

of the antenna. The balanced voltmeter is composed of a diode detector and an R-C filter network. The dc output of the filter is measured with a high

impedance voltmeter. The antenna voltmeter dc-to-rf voltage transfer function

is measured, and from the dc output of the antenna the rf voltage at the

essentially open-circuit dipole terminals is determined.

Page 1 of 4

Test No.

Date of Test:

33
Dipole Antenna

Manufacturing Company Name

Model , Serial No.

The resulting incident field strength at the measurement location is obtained

using the following two equations:

Lg^f = (X/t;) tan {irL/2x) (1)

^inc= V-eff (2)

where

Lg^f = dipole effective length, m,

X = free-space wavelength, m,

L = length of standard dipole, m,

Vq^ = open-circuit standard dipole voltage, V,

Ejp^. = calibrating incident field strength, V/m.

The antenna factor is the ratio of the field strength to the rf voltage from

the antenna being calibrated, delivered to a 50-ohm receiver. Note that a lossless 50-ohm transmission line to the antenna being calibrated is implied

in this definition of antenna factor.

III. Experimental Data

An electric field strength can be determined with the calibrated dipole

antenna by measuring the output voltage of the antenna when connected to a 50-

ohm impedance and using the following equation:

E = K + V (3)

where

E = unknown electric field strength, dBV/m,

K = antenna factor, dB, and

Page 2 of 4

Test No.

Date of Test: »,34
Dipole Antenna

Manufacturing Company Name

Model , Serial No.

V = output voltage of the antenna, dBV.

Note: Units of dByV/m and dByV may also be used in the above equation

for E and V, respectively, if desired.

The measured values of antenna factor for the dipole antenna are given in the

following table. These values are for the antenna alone, independent of any

interconnecting cable loss. Ttie height above ground was 3 meters.

Table 1. Antenna Factor for Dipole Antenna, Model , SN •

Frequency Antenna Factor

MHz dB

25 9.0

30 10.5

40 12.0

50 14.0

60 15.5

70 17.0

80 18.2

90 19.3

100 21.1

125 22.4

150 23.1

175 24.3

200 25.7

250 26.4

300 27.0

IV. Calibration Uncertainties

For frequencies up to 300 MHz, the dipole antenna is calibrated at the ground

screen site. The electromagnetic field levels are sufficient to indicate the

requested calibrating field strength at the antenna.

1. The largest source of error in the calibration is uncertainty of the

standard field value at the ground screen site. This is due partly

to uncertainty in the dc-to-rf voltage transfer. Also, signals from

radio stations, CB's, and 2-way radio communications may cause extra errors. The estimated possible error is ±0.4 dB.

Page 3 of 4

Test No.

Date of Test;

35
Dipole Antenna

Manufacturing Company Name

Model , Serial No.

2. Another source of error is uncertainty in the disturbance of the

field caused by interconnecting cables and nearby buildings. This error is estimated to be less than ±0.3 dB.

3. Other sources of uncertainty are associated with antenna alignment,

measurement of antenna separation distance, and NBS calibrations of

the various instruments used. These include spectrum analyzers, rf

voltmeters, and power monitors. The error due to these latter sources is estimated to be less than ±0.3 dB.

The overall worst-case uncertainty of the calibration is the simple sum of

those listed, or ±1 dB,

When an antenna is used in an actual measurement situation, an additional error may occur. The value of K is measured for the antenna at a specified

height above ground. Use of the calibrated antenna later at a different

height or over ground having different constants may cuase an error, for

heights less than about Ix. This is because the source impedance of the

customer's antenna depends on its height above ground, which may lead to

measurement error for the usual case where the antenna is loaded by a 50-ohm

receiver. A change of impedance doesn't affect the measurement of Vq^. by the

open-circuit standard dipole, but it changes the mismatch between the

customer's antenna and 50-ohm receiver. This error is generally less than

0.5 dB for heights greater than x/2.

V. References

[1] Taggart, H. E. and Workman, J. L., "Calibration Principles and Procedures

for Field Strength Meters (30 Hz to 1 GHz)," NBS Technical Note 370,

National Bureau of Standards, Boulder, Colorado (March 1969).

For the Director,

National Engineering Laboratory

Motohisa Kanda, Ph.D.

Group Leader, 723.03

Fields Characterization Group

Electromagnetic Fields Division

Page 4 of 4

Test No.

Date of Test:

Reference: P. 0. No. 36
6. APPENDIX B : Sample test report for standard field method.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COWERCE

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS

NATIONAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY

Boulder, Colorado 80303

SPECIAL TEST

DIPOLE ANTENNA

Manufacturing Company Name

Model No. , Serial No.

Submitted by:

Requesting Company/Agency Name

City, State, Zip code

I. Introduction

The tunable dipole antenna from the requesting company is for measuring

horizontally polarized electric fields. The antenna. Model , is intended

for use in the 200 to 1000 MHz frequency range. The calibration data given in

this report are not necessarily applicable for measurement of impulsive

fields.

II. Description of the Test

The response of the tunable dipole antenna was calibrated in a standard field

In the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) anechoic chamber. This field was generated by a transmitter and calibrated standard-gain antenna. The radiated

electric field in the center of the beam was calculated, at the requested

frequencies, in terms of the measured value of net transmitted power and the

known value of the antenna gain. The effects of multipath reflections within

the anechoic chamber have been analyzed and taken into account.

The tunable dipole antenna was mounted on a movable cart in the anechoic

chamber and located on the axis (beam center) of the transmitting horn. A

block diagram of the instrumentation used is given in figure 1 (see figure 6

in this Tech. Note). The value of the standard field used in the calibration

was calculated from the equation

E=^^10I (1)

Page 1 of 4

Test No.

Date of Test: 37
where E = on-axis magnitude of the radiated field, volts/meter

P = net power delivered to the transmitting horn or OEG, watts

G = calibrated gain of the transmitting antenna, including appropriate

near-zone correction factors, and

d = distance from the horn or OEG aperture to the calibrating field

point (center of dipole) meters.

The antenna factor is the ratio of the field strength to the rf voltage from

the antenna being calibrated, delivered to a 50-ohm receiver. Note that a lossless 50-ohm transmission line to the antenna being calibrated is implied

in this definition of antenna factor.

The value of an unknown electric field strength can be determined with the

calibrated tunable dipole antenna by measuring the output voltage of the

antenna when connected to a 50-ohm impedance and using the following equation:

E = K + V (2)

where E = electric field strength, dBV/m

K = antenna factor, dB, and

V = 50-ohm output voltage of the antenna, dBV.

Note: Units of dBpV/m and dByV may also be used in the above equation

for E and V respectively, if desired.

III. Experimental Data

The measured values of antenna factor for the dipole antenna are given in

table 1. As requested, the antenna was calibrated in both the horizontal and

vertical polarizations in the anechoic chamber. The measurements are normally

done with horizontal polarization and those data are more reliable. The

values given are for the antenna alone, independent of any interconnecting

cable loss.

Page 2 of 4

Test No.

Date of Test: 3g
Table 1. Antenna factor for horizontal and vertical polarizations for

Tunable Dipole Antenna, Requesting Company /Agency Name,

Model , Serial No. .

Frequency Antenna Factor (dB)

(MHz) horizontal vertical

200 14.0 14.3

250 16.0 15.9

300 17.5 17.7

400 20.0 19.9

500 22.0 22.2

600 23.6 23.5

700 24.9 25.0

800 26.1 26.0

900 27.1 27.3

1000 28.0 28.0

IV. Overall Calibration Uncertainty

For frequencies equal to or greater than 200 MHz, the dipole antenna was calibrated in an anechoic chamber. The electromagnetic field level was sufficient to determine the antenna factor of the antenna.

1. The largest source of error is uncertainty in the near-zone gain

values of the transmitting antennas. The estimated possible error

is ±0.5 dB.

2. Another source of error is uncertainty in the magnitude of multipath reflections within the anechoic chamber. Possible errors

caused by chamber reflections are estimated to be less than ±0.2 dB,

Page 3 of 4

Test No.

Date of Test: 39
3. Other sources of uncertainty are associated with antenna alignment,

measurement of antenna separation distance, and NBS calibrations of

the various instruments used. These include directional couplers,

and incident and reflected power monitors. The overall error due to

these latter sources is estimated to be less than ±0.3 dB.

The overall worst-case uncertainty of the calibration is the simple sum of

those listed, or ±1.0 dB.

For the Director,

National Engineering Laboratory

Motohisa Kanda, Ph.D.

Group Leader, 723.03

Fields Characterization Group

Electromagnetic Fields Division

Page 4 of 4

Test No.

Date of Test:

Reference: ^q
NBS-n4A IREV. 2-8C) U.S. DEPT. OF COMM.

BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA

SHEET (See instructions)

1. PUBLICATION OR

REPORT NO.

NBS/TN-1309

2. Performing Organ. Report No. 3. Pub! ication Date

April 1987

4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE

NBS Calibration Procedures for Horizontal Dipole Antennas (25 to 1000 MHz)

5. AUTHOR(S)

D.G. Camell, E.B. Larsen, and J.E. Cruz

6. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION (If joint or other than NBS. see instructions)

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20234

7. Contract/Grant No.

8. Type of Report & Period Covered

9. SPONSORING ORGANIZATION NAME AND COMPLETE ADDRESS (Street. City. State. ZIP)

10. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES

I I Document describes a computer program; SF-185, FIPS Software Summary, is attached.

11. ABSTRACT (A 200-word or less factual sumnnary of most si gnificant Information. If document includes a si gnificant

bibliography or literature survey, mention it here)

This publication describes the theoretical basis and test procedures

for horizontally polarized dipole calibrations at the National Bureau of

Standards. Two different techniques and two different test sites are used.

The standard antenna method uses the calculation of a field strength level,

from the response of a simple half-wave dipole, to calibrate an antenna.

This method is used at an open field site in the frequency range of 25 to

1000 MHz. The standard field method applies the theoretical gain equations

of waveguides to determine the field strength level. This latter method

is used in an anechoic chamber in the frequency range of 200 to 1000 MHz.

Procedures for both techniques are explained and measurement setups are illustrated. Measurement uncertainties are discussed. Sample reports are included for both methods.

12. KEY WORDS (Six to twelve entries; alphabetical order; capitalize only proper names; and separate key words by semicolons)

anechoic chamber; calibration; dipole antenna; electromagnetic field; open field

site; standard antenna; standard field

13. AVAILABILITY

[X] Unlimited

I I For Official Distribution. Do Not Release to NTIS

[X] Order From Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.

20402.

\2Z\ Order From National Technical Information Service (NTIS), Springfield, VA. 2216 I

14. NO. OF

PRINTED PAGES

48

15. Price

USCOMM-DC 6043-P80 U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1987-0-775-45 6/65148

NBSTechnical Publications

Periodical

Joumal of Research—The Journal of Research of the National Bureau of Standards reports NBS research and development in those disciplines of the physical and engineering sciences in which the Bureau is active. These include physics, chemistry, engineering, mathematics, and computer sciences. Papers cover a broad

range of subjects, with major emphasis on measurement methodology and the basic technology underlying

standardization. Also included from time to time are survey articles on topics closely related to the Bureau's

technical and scientific progrjims. Issued six times a year.

Nonperiodicals

Monographs—Major contributions to the technical literature on various subjects related to the Bureau's scientific and technical activities. Handbooks—Recommended codes of engineering and industrial practice Oncluding safety codes) developed in cooperation with interested industries, professional organizations, and regulatory bodies.

Special Publications—Include proceedings of conferences sponsored by NBS, NBS annual reports, and other

special publications appropriate to this grouping such as wall charts, pocket cards, and bibliographies.

Applied Mathematics Series—Mathematical tables, manuals, and studies of special interest to physicists,

engineers, chemists, biologists, mathematicians, computer programmers, and others engaged in scientific and

technical work.

National Standard Reference Data Series—Provides quantitative data on the physical and chemicjil properties

of materials, compiled from the world's literature and critically evaluated. Developed under a worldwide pro- gram coordinated by NBS under die authority of the National Standard Data Act (Public Law 90-396).

NOTE: The Journal of Physical and Chemical Reference Data (JPCRD) is published quarterly for NBS by

the American Chemical Society (ACS) and the American Institute of Physics (AIP). Subscriptions, reprints,

and supplements cue available from ACS, 1155 Sixteenth St., NW, Washington, E>C 20056.

Building Science Series—Disseminates technical information developed at the Bureau on building materials,

components, systems, and whole structures. The series presents research results, test methods, and perfor- mance criteria related to the structural and environmental functions and the durability and safety

characteristics of building elements and systems.

Technical Notes—Studies or reports which are complete in themselves but restrictive in their treatment of a

subject. Analogous to monographs but not so comprehensive in scope or definitive in treatment of the subject

area. Often serve as a vehicle for final reports of work performed at NBS under the sponsorship of other government agencies.

Voluntary Product Standards—Developed under procedures published by the Department of Commerce in Part 10, Tide 15, of the Code of Federal Regulations. The standards establish nationally recognized re- quirements for products, and provide all concerned interests with a basis for common understanding of the

characteristics of the products. NBS administers this program as a supplement to the activities of the private

sector standardizing organizations.

Consumer Information Series—Practical information, based on NBS research and experience, covering areas of interest to the consumer. Easily understandable language and illustrations provide useful background

knowledge for shopping in today's technological marketplace.

Order the above NBS publications from: Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office,

Washington, DC 20402. Order the following NBS publications—FIPS and NBSIR's—^from the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161.

Federal Information Processing Standards Publications (FIPS PUB)—Publications in this series collectively constitute the Federal Information Processing Standards Register. The Register serves as the official source of

information in the Federal Government regarding standards issued by NBS pursuant to the Federal Property

and Administrative Services Act of 1949 as amended, Public Law 89-306 (79 Stat. 1 127), and as implemented

by Executive Order 1 1717 (38 FR 12315, dated May 11, 1973) and Part 6 of Tide 15 CFR (Code of Federal

Regulations).

NBS Interagency Reports (NBSIR>—A special series of interim or final reports on work performed by NBS

for outside sponsors (both government and non-government). In general, initial distribution is handled by the sponsor; public distribution is by the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161, in paper copy or microfiche form.
U.S. Department of Commerce

National Bureau of Standards

Gaithersburg, MD 20899

Official Business

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