Antenna efficiency determination in a reverberation chamber: From the relative to the E-field method

A relative method for antenna efficiency measurement in a reverberation chamber (RC) is presented. It is then applied to the measurement of antenna efficiency without the use of a reference antenna, but with the data acquisition of the electrical field strength (E-field). This new E-field method is to the RC what the gain/directivity radiation pattern method is to anechoic chambers. The paper is primarily intended to lab engineers operating RC, because the efficiency values are obtained from measurements done with equipment used for EMC immunity testing, like E-field meter, spectrum analyzer and power meter. But, it is useful too, for mobile antenna designers who have to characterize their antenna efficiency in multipath and stochastic environments.