A modified radiometric method for measuring antenna radiation efficiency

Author

McEwan, Neil J. ; Abd-Alhameed, Raed A. ; Abidin, M. Nasir Z

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electron. & Telecommun., Bradford Univ., UK

Volume

51

Issue

8

fYear

2003

Firstpage

2099

Lastpage

2105

Abstract

Radiation efficiency of antennas is shown to be measurable by a modified radiometric technique where the antenna´s physical temperature is varied, rather than the noise temperature of its surroundings. The method is accurate, flexible and much more convenient for routine use. A means of avoiding errors caused by temperature-dependent antenna impedance is described. The accuracy of the method is verified by measuring the radiation efficiency of a horn antenna with a 3 dB attenuator to simulate a 50% efficient antenna, and by using microstrip patch antennas, whose measured efficiencies compared well with values computed from a transmission-line model.

Keywords

antenna radiation patterns; antenna testing; horn antennas; microstrip antennas; noise; radiometry; temperature; antenna physical temperature; antenna radiation efficiency measurement; attenuator; electrically small antennas; horn antenna; microstrip patch antennas; miniaturized antennas; modified radiometric method; modified radiometric technique; noise temperature; temperature-dependent antenna impedance; transmission-line model; Antenna measurements; Attenuation measurement; Attenuators; Horn antennas; Impedance; Microstrip antennas; Noise measurement; Radiometry; Temperature; Transmitting antennas;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Antennas and Propagation, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-926X

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TAP.2003.815407

Filename

1219623