High-precision outdoor cylindrical near-field antenna test facility

A new antenna test range is described. Although the facility is located outdoors, it allows precision probing of the cylindrical near-field of large and very complex antenna systems, with turning diameters up to 20 m and frequencies up to 20 GHz. The facility includes a 36 m high concrete scanner tower with low radar cross-section. Other significant features of the facility are the comprehensive air-conditioning system for all accuracy-dependent components, a permanent auto-alignment system, which ensures precision cylindrical measurements, and an interleaved high-speed data collection system, which delivers high-speed data collection within a minimum time frame. Test results, including a comparison with the patterns of a reference antenna measured on two other ranges, demonstrate the measurement integrity of the new facility