Precision antenna measurements employing an outdoor cylindrical near-field test facility

A state-of-the-art cylindrical near-field antenna test facility has been described which exhibits the performance of an indoor facility but is located outdoors. This facility has been developed to fully characterise a wide variety of large, complex antennas both in the far-field and at the aperture. The acceptance test philosophy has also been discussed, and a brief summary of the current status given. The development of this facility is a significant step forward for near-field testing of antennas, and helps to demonstrate the potential of this technique