Precise Cable and Antenna Measurement Techniques in the Field
应用文章
This application note introduces the practical aspects of cable and antenna testing, interpreting measurement results, and instrument operation. It looks at calibration options such as CalReady and QuickCal using a Keysight FieldFox handheld analyzer configured as a cable and antenna analyzer. Measurement examples show techniques for measuring insertion loss, measuring return loss, and locating faults in a transmission system.
Cable and antenna measurements are often necessary to verify and troubleshoot the electrical performance of radio-frequency (RF) and microwave transmission systems and antennas. In RF and microwave communications industries, measurements are often made along the coaxial cable connecting a transmitter to its antenna or between an antenna and its receiver. This process, called line sweeping, results in the measurement of the signal attenuation and return loss as a function of frequency. Line sweeping may also help estimate the physical location of a fault or damage along the transmission line using the distance-to-fault (DTF) measurement available on many RF and microwave analyzers, including FieldFox.