A New Planar Near Field Measurement Facility at the Georgia Tech Research Institute

The Georgia Tech Research Institute has implemented a new 10 × 12 foot, planar near field range which is based on an accurate mechanical scanner. The system includes provision for active probe position correction to maintain planarity to ± 0.002 inches. The Rf instrumentation is based on the Hewlett Packard 8510B network analyzer which provides a good combination of measurement accuracy, speed, and dynamic range. Probe position is driven by micro-stepper motors under PC control. In the near future, control of the positioner, RF instrumentation, and graphics output will be under the control of a single PC-based 386 CPU system. Experience gained with this new range will assist in advancing practical applications for near field testing, such as on-site testing using a portable facility.