A NEW IMPLEMENTATION OF ANSI C.63.

5 FOR
1 METER ANTENNA CALIBRATION

Bahattin TÜRETKEN Ersan BARAN

TUBITAK-UEKAE P.O.Box:74 41470 Gebze, Kocaeli, Turkey

e-mail: bahattin@uekae.tubitak.gov.tr

ABSTRACT

Determining the antenna factor (AF) is a major step in making field strength measurements accurately for EMC
compliance. There are well-established antenna calibration methods [1] to calculate these antenna factors in Open
Area Test Sites (OATS). However, alternative methods utilizing different test setup and sites, like Gigahertz
Transverse Electromagnetic (GTEM) Cell [2-3] and Compact Full Anechoic Chamber (CFAC), [4] are also brought
forth in recent years.

In this study, a new method of antenna factor measurement for 1m calibration has been introduced (Fig.1).
Calculation with standard and alternative methods are performed. Standard site method has been improved for
obtaining antenna factors (1m) in OATS. The reliability of these methods are discussed.

Antenna factors of two UK NPL calibrated antennas (biconic and small-size log periodic) are first determined on
TÜBİTAK – UEKAE premises using standard methodology. Antenna factors of biconic and log-periodic antennas
have been obtained by using two different methods. Resultant data are compared with original (NPL) and user
(TÜBİTAK-UEKAE) data. A good agreement between the NPL measurement and TUBITAK-UEKAE
measurement have been presented.

METHODS OF ANTENNA FACTORS MEASUREMENTS

Antenna factors can be accurately obtained using different methods. The methods are, Standard Site Method (SSM),
Reference Antenna Method (RAM) and Equivaent Capacitance Substitution Method (ECSM). Measurements at 1m
distance from the equipment under test (EUT) is called for in MIL-STD-461D [1], which stipulates that ARP958
procedure [4] is to be used for 1 m calibrations.

SAE ARP 958

This method provides methods for determining antenna factors (AF) when measuring a source 1m from the antenna
in a shielded room versus a source at a greater distance (far field). AF of two identical antennas is given by;
9.73 V
AF = 20 log10 − 10.98 + 10 log10 (λ ) − 10 log10 R (1)
λ VT
λ : wavelength in meters
VR : voltage across the receive antenna terminals
VT : voltage across the transmit antenna terminals
After some mathematical manipulations (1) can be reduced to,
VR
AF = 8.7 − 10 log10 (λ ) − 10 log10 (2)
VT
ANSI C.63.5-1998

The SSM requires three insertion loss measurements under identical geometries (antenna height, h and distance, R)
using three different antennas taken in pairs, as shown in Figure 1.
The insertion loss is given by
max
AF1 + AF2 = A 1 + 20log (f) − 48.92 + E D (3)
max
AF1 + AF3 = A 2 + 20log (f) − 48.92 + E D (4)
max
AF2 + AF3 = A 3 + 20log (f) − 48.92 + E D (5)
where;
E Dmax is the maximum received field at separation distance R from the transmitting antenna , AF1, 2,3 are the
antenna factors of antennas 1,2 and 3 in dB(1/m), A1,2,3 are the measured insertion losses in dB. f is the frequency
in MHz.
For 1m calibration setup where the ground reflection is non-existent or is not picked up by the antenna being
calibrated so E Dmax can be given by
max
ED = 16.9 − 20 log R, dB ( µV / m) (6)
Substituting (6) into (3),(4) and (5) yields,
 V V V 
AF1 = 8.7 − 10 log(λ ) − 10 log( 1R ) + 10 log( 1R ) − 10 log( 2 R ) (7)
 V2T V3T V3T 
 V V V 
AF2 = 8.7 − 10 log(λ ) − 10 log( 1R ) + 10 log( 2 R ) − 10 log( 1R ) (8)
 V2T V3T V3T 
 V V V 
AF3 = 8.7 − 10 log(λ ) − 10 log( 1R ) + 10 log( 2 R ) − 10 log( 1R ) (9)
 V3T V3T V2T 

It is clear that the analytical expressions of two methods are approximately the same. Swept frequency method have
been applied by means of a computer programme (Fig 1.) The results are given in Fig. 2-3.
Transmit Receive
Antenna Antenna
Attenuator
(6dB)
Attenuator
(6dB)

h1=3m
h2

Ground Plane

HP8447F HP(8591E) Antenna

Preamplıfıer SpectrumAnalyzer Controller

GPIB

Computer

Fig. 1. Antenna measurement setup

 Fig. 2. Antenna Factor (dB/m) – Biconical Antenna (Schwarzbeck BBA 9106)

Fig. 3. Antenna Factor (dB/m) – Log Periodic Antenna (SchwarzbeckUHALP 9108-A)

CONCLUSION

Three biconical antennas covering the frequency range 30 MHz-300 MHz and three log-periodic antennas
covering frequency range 300 MHz-1000 MHz were calibrated by using standard-site method at 1m-
measurement distance.
The requisite site attenuation measurements were made over 20mx17.3m metal ground plane. Site
attenuation measurements were made using the swept frequency method described in [1,5].
For accurate antenna calibration, the antenna separation distance R must be big enough to insure that near-
field effects and antenna-to-antenna mutual –coupling effects are negligible. To minimize antenna-to-
ground plane mutual impedances and to insure negligible contribution from the surface-wave component
of the ground plane, the antenna heights must be big enough. For 1m antenna calibration ARP 958
 proposes the method of using two identical antennas in a shielded room. But the deficiencies of this
method can be given as follows:
• The same antenna calibration is given for two identical antennas.
• Discrete measurement method is used so that anomalies in the antenna factors readily
apparent could be completely missed omitted with discrete measurements.
A new implementation of ANSI C.63.5 has been inroduced for one-meter antenna calibration. The antenna
factors determined by this method are plotted in Figures 2-3. Also shown are the NPL antenna factors
measured by using SAE ARP 958 (1m) and ANSI C.63.5 (free space) methods. Generally, the results are
very close to each other. Also the fluctuations on some frequencies on this method plotted in Fig 2-3
illustrate the advantage of using “swept” rather than “discrete-frequency” measurements. In Figure 3 the
antenna factors determined by using Gigahertz Transverse Electromagnetic (GTEM) have been compared
with ANSI C.63.5 (NPL and TUBITAK) and very good agrement has been presented.

ACKNOWLEDMENT

The authors wish to thank F.USTUNER and A.I.YUREKLI for their helpful discussions and B.KILIC for his
assistance in making the open field measurements.

REFENCES

[1] ANSI C63.5-1998 American National Standart for Electromagnetic

Compatibility-Radiated Emission Measurements in Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) Control-
Calibration of Antennas (9kHz-40 GHz)
[2] Branaugh E.L, Osburn J.D.M “Measuring EMC Antenna Factors in TheGHz Transverse Electromagnetic
Cell,”IEEE 1992
[3] B.TÜRETKEN, A.İ.YÜREKLİ,. “Measuring EMC Antenna Factors: Comparision of Antenna Calibration
Methods” EMC 2001 pp.316-319, 19-22 June 2001 Stpetersburg – Russia
[4] SAE ARP 958 The Engineering Society For Advancing Mobility Land Sea Air and Space 1999,
[5] A.SMITH, JR “Standart Site Method for Determining Antenna Factors” IEEE Transactions on EMC, vol.
EMC-24, No.3, August 1982.