The Desi gn of an Economi cal Antenna-Gai n

and Radi ati on-Pattern Measurement System

Brandon C. Brown, Frederic G. Goora, and Chris D. Rouse
Universi ty of New Brunswi ck, Department of El ectri cal and . computer Engi neeri ng
Frederi cton, New Brunswi ck, E3B 5A3 Canada
Tel . +1 -506-453-4561 ; Fax +1 -506-453-3589
Emai l : {brandon. brown. f. goora. chri s. rouse}@unb. ca
http: //W. ee. unb. ca/
Abstract
The desi gn of a system capabl e of maki ng antenna-gai n and radi ati on-pattern measurements at 2.4 GHz i s presented.
System performance based on component specificati ons is summari zed and compared to measured data. Antenna
measurements taken usi ng the system were compared to those obtai ned usi ng commerci al l y avai l abl e test equi pment
i n an anechoi c test chamber. The accuracy of the system was found to be 0. 5 dB wi thi n a dynami c range of 1 3 dB pl us
the gai ns of the antennas i n use. The system was shown to be capabl e of maki ng hi gh qual ity antenna radi ati on-pattern
measurements in an anechoi c test chamber. For a total cost of l ess than $1 300, the system presents an economi cal
al ternati ve to more-sophi sti cated mi crowave measurement systems, and i s wel l suited for use i n a l earni ng envi ronment.
Keywords: Antennas; antenna measurements; antenna radi ati on patterns; antenna theory; el ectri cal engi neeri ng
education; I EEE student desi gn contest; I soTropi c Thunder
1 . I ntroducti on
D
eveloping an understanding of antenna properties i s
essential for anyone hoping to pursue a career i n wireless
systems. Perhaps the most important property is antenna gain,
as it strongly impacts the range of a wireless link. Antenna gain
is achieved by directing radio-fequency (R) energy more
favorably in some directions than others. Consequently, an
antenna-gain specifcation is ofen accompanied by a radiation
patter. Due to the prohibitive costs associated with commercial
antenna test equipment, it is impractical for large groups of
students to gain hands-on experience in making antenna
measurements. This motivates the development of a system that
is capable of making such measurements with an accuracy of
0. 5 dB and that can be easily reproduced for less than $ 1 500
in cost.
This paper presents the design of a system that is capable
of measuring the gain and radiation patter of an antenna in
accordance with these specifcations. Commercial of-the
shelf (COTS) components have been specifed such that the
system can be easily reproduced. The antenna radiation-patter
measurement is flly automated, and antenna gain is measured
using the three-antenna method [ 1 ] . A graphical user interface
(GUI) accessed on a laptop provides user control over the
system. The system was used to characterize a set of commercial
of-the-shelf antennas, as well as an antenna that was custom
built using a Pringles can. This form of antenna is colloquially
referred to as a "cantenna," and is reported to exhibit upwards
of 1 2 dBi of gain [2] .
2. System Overvi ew
A block diagram of the antenna measurement system is
shown in Figure 1 . The R source consists of a dual-outut
fequency synthesizer. One of the outputs is connected directly
to a transmitting (Tx) antenna. Filtering is not required, since
the transmitting antenna is assumed to be narrowband and is
designed for operation at 2. 4 GHz. The other output is passed
to the detector in the receiver stage via fxed R attenuation.
The signal received by the antenna under test (AUT) is
amplifed by a low-noise amplifer (LNA) and is bandpass
fltered (BPF). Signal detection is achieved using a gain
detector. This device generates an analog voltage proportional
to the gain in dB of the signals present at its two inputs.
The voltage outut of the detector is digitized by a micro
controller for processing. The microcontroller provides a
1 88 IEEE ... .1 t,.,. +.,... Vol. 53, No. 4, August 201 1
Tx AUT
the fequency is swept fom 2. 4 GHz to 2. 45 GHz i n ten discrete
steps: see Section 3 . 7. 1 for details.
RF Source LNA BPF
Gai n
Mi crocontrol l er
Attenuator
Frequency Control
Figure 1. A block diagram of the system.
Figure 2. The system hardware as mounted on a 12 in x
20 in MDF board.
graphical-user interface that can be accessed via Etheret con
nection to a laptop. In response to user commands, the micro
controller exercises control of the R source and a stepper
motor, which is used to rotate the AUT by means of a belt-drive
assembly.
3. Hardware Descri pti on

A photograph depicting the hardware associated with

the system is shown in Figure 2. The following subsections
describe the R and electrical details associated with each
hardware component.
3. 1 RF Source
The R source consists of an Analog Devices ADF4360-0
evaluation board. The ADF4360-0 is an integrated fequency
synthesizer and voltage-controlled oscillator, capable of
generating crystal-referenced complementary microwave
signals over a fequency range of 2.4 GHz to 2. 725 GHz [3] .
Both the fequency and power levels o f the 5 0 L outputs are
adjusted by updating control registers serially fom the
microcontroller. Upon startup, the fequency is set to 2. 4 GHz
and the power level is set to -3 dBm. During a measurement,
3. 2 Transmi tti ng Antenna
One of the outputs of the ADF4360-0 i s fed t o the trans
mitting antenna via 2. 8 m of RG-3 1 6 coaxial cable. The loss
associated with this length of cable is approximately 4 dB.
Consequently, the transmitted power is -7 dBm. The antenna is
mounted 0. 9 m above the table top on a fxed wooden stand to
minimize perturbation of the electromagnetic felds. The
transmitting antenna should exhibit an input VSWR of 2: 1 or
less fom 2.4 GHz to 2. 45 GHz. It should also exhibit 5 dBi to
1 0 dBi of gain, in order to improve the dynamic range of the
detector.
3. 3 Antenna Under Test (AUT)
The AUT is mounted 0. 9 m above the table top on the
antenna-positioning system. In order to ensure that all meas
urements are made in the far feld, the AUT is placed at least
1 . 25 m fom the transmitting antenna. At this distance, the fee
space path loss is approximately 42 dB. Neglecting antenna
gains, the received power is -49 dBm. The AUT should exhibit
an input VSWR of 2: 1 or less fom 2. 4 GHz to 2. 45 GHz.
3. 4 Low-Noi se Ampl i fi er ( LNA)
The output of the AUT is fed to the low-noise amplifer via
2 m of RG-3 1 6 coaxial cable, which results in a loss of
approximately 3 dB. The Mini-Circuits ZX60-272LN+ low
noise amplifer operates from 2.3 GHz to 2.7 GHz, and provides
a gain of 1 4 dB. Consequently, the output power of the amplifer
is approximately -38 dBm with 0 dBi antennas.
3. 5 Bandpass Fi lter ( BPF)
The input to the bandpass flter is connected directly to the
output of the low-noise amplifer. The Mini-Circuits VBF-2435+
bandpass flter operates with a center frequency of 2. 435 GHz
and a bandwidth of 1 90 MHz. The insertion loss at 2. 4 GHz is
approximately 2 dB, resulting in an output power level of
approximately -40 dBm with 0 dBi antennas. The output of the
bandpass flter is fed to one input of the gain detector through a
short length of coaxial cable.
3. 6 Attenuator
The other output of the ADF4360-0 is connected to an
atenuation stage through a short cable exhibiting 0. 5 dB of
loss. The attenuation stage consists of a 6 dB attenuator (Mini
Circuits VAT-6+), followed by a 20 dB attenuator (Mini-Circuits
VAT-20+). As a result, a -29. 5 dBm signal is fed to the other
input of the gain detector.
IEEE ... .1 t,.,. +.,... Vol. 53, No. 4, August 201 1 1 89
3. 7 Detector
The detector consists of the Analog Devices AD8302
evaluation board. The AD8302 is an RFIIF gain and phase
detector, which is capable of operating up to 2. 7 GHz and ofers
a nominal gain sensitivity of 30 mY/dB [4] . Note that the gain
is measured between inputs INPA and INPB. The power at
INPB acts as the reference level for the gain calculation. The
device responds to signals between 0 dBm and -60 dBm.
Consequently, the optimum reference power level at INPB is
-30 dBm, which coincides with the -29. 5 dEm delivered fom
the attenuation stage. The linearity error at 2. 2 GHz is specifed
as 0. 5 dB for a dynamic range of 5 1 dB [4] . Consequently, the
power level appearing at INPA should range between -4 dBm
and -55 dBm. For antennas with 0 dBi of gain, the power level
at INPA is -40 dBm, setting the minimum dynamic range at
1 5 dB. Choosing a relatively high-gain transmitting antenna
results in a fexible system, capable of measuring many diferent
types of AUTs with accuracy.
The output voltage of the AD8302 is fed to a 1 0-bit ana
log-to-digital converter (ADC) on the microcontroller. Since
the analog-to-digital converter uses a 3 . 3 V reference voltage,
the expected equation relating the gain between INPA and
INPB and the analog-to-digital converter result is shown in
Equation ( 1 ), where D is the value repored by the analog-to
digital converter between 0 and 1 023, and G is the gain meas
ured between INPA and INPB in dB:
G = 0. 1 075D-3 0 . ( 1 )
3. 7. 1 Phase Sensi ti vi ty
Gain measurements made by the AD8302 are highly
phase sensitive. Since the ADF4360-0 produces phase-coher
ent and fequency-locked signals, the detector output fuctu
ates sinusoidally about the true gain measurement as a fnc
tion of the electrical-path-Iength diference between signals
fed to INPA and INPB. The fequency of the ADF4360-0 is
therefore swept fom 2.4 GHz to 2. 45 GHz in ten discrete steps
during a measurement, efectively sweeping the electrical
path-length diference. Averaging the set of results suppresses
the phase sensitivity of the detector, and yields a proper gain
measurement.
3. 8 Mi crocontrol l er
The microcontroller consists of the Making Things Make
Controller Kit (MCK). The MCK features a l O-bit analog-to
digital converter with a 3. 3 V reference, which is used to digi
tize the output voltage fom the AD8302. There are eight high
current digital outputs: four outputs are confgured to drive the
stepper motor in a bipolar configuration, three outputs are used
to communicate serially with the ADF4360-0, and one remains
as a spare. The MCK also features both mini-USB and Etheret
interfaces. An Etheret cable is connected fom the Etheret
port on the MCK to the laptop to enable graphical-user-interface
access.
3. 9 Stepper Motor
The Portescap 42L048D 1 U stepper motor is used to drive
the antenna-positioning system. The motor is powered by 5 V
and features an angular resolution of 7. 5. An exteral gear
ratio of 7. 5 increases torque and results in an angular resolu
tion of 1 0. Although the motor is unipolar, it is driven by the
microcontroller in a bipolar confguration to reduce current
requirements.
3. 1 0 Power Consi derati ons
The Power One MPB1 25-4350G switching power supply
provides power to the system. The supply is rated for 1 25 W,
and ofers a variety of dc voltage oututs: 3. 3 V, 5 V, and 1 2 V.
The 5 V line powers the low-noise amplifer, microcontroller,
and gain detector, while the RF source is powered by the 1 2 V
line. The other lines are available for fture expansion.
The power supply requires a minimum load of 5 W in
order to achieve proper load regulation. While a simple power
resistor would be sufcient, a small light bulb was chosen for
both aesthetic and practical reasons: anechoic test chambers
tend to be poorly lit, and the light bulb proved helpfl when
making measurements.
3. 1 0. 1 Poweri ng the Mi crocontrol l er
Both the stepper motor and the microcontroller run fom
the same power source. The stepper motor is intended to be
driven with 5 V; however, the frst stage of regulation on the
MCK specifes an input voltage of 6 V to 24 V to operate
properly. In order to power both devices fom the regulated 5 V
output of the power supply, the frst regulation stage is bypassed
by directly connecting the power-supply lines to the power pins
of the mini-USB interface on the MCK (refer to Section 6. 5 for
details).
4. Sofware Descri pti on
The MCK i s open-source and has the ability to r
feeRTOS, which is an open-source real-time operating system.
The following subsections summarize sofware development.
4. 1 Devel opment Envi ronment
The "mcbuilder" integrated development environment
(IDE) is feely available and used for compiling and uploading
the proj ect to the MCK. The MCK uses the c programming
1 90 tttt :.. .1 t,.,. +.,-. Vol. 53, No. 4, August 201 1
language. All of the code required to compile the )..etos is
hidden by the integrated development environment to simplif
sofware development.
4. 2 Graphi cal User I nterace (GUI )
Since the operating system includes an Interet protocol
(IP) stack, the MCK has the ability to send data over any IP
based network. With the fnctionality of a simple Web server
provided by Making Things, a Web page was created and is
stored on the microcontroller. The MCK serves the Web page
to a laptop or Web-enabled device upon request.
Although the controller is programmed in c the Web page
was written using the ....s., CSS, andHTM programming
languages. A Web site was chosen over a dedicated application,
as Web sites have better portability across many operating
systems. By using :,.. ....s., and XM,:.(
data is able to be loaded in the background without causing a
page reload, which results in a user interface with the feel of
an application. In addition, the use of the HTML5 specifcation
allows the radiation patter to be generated algorithmically
using ....s,
Upon request by the Web-enabled device, the Web server
on the microcontroller responds by transmitting a character
array containing the Web page. Due to the limited resources
of the microcontroller, the number of characters used to imple
ment the Web site was minimized. The user can begin taking
measurements once the Web page is displayed. When a button
is pressed on the Web site, a special fnction makes a back
ground request for other Web pages. The microcontroller
will take action based on which background Web page was
requested. When the controller closes the connection afer
transmitting the requested data, the Web client detects that
the transfer is complete. Actions such as displaying data, per
forming calculations, or drawing the radiation patter are then
completed by the Web client. An example of the user interface
afer a fll set of measurements is shown in Figure 3 .
4. 3 Functi onal Descri pti on
Upon startup, the MCK programs the synthesizer to pro
duce a 2. 4 GHz tone using a customized serial communication
protocol. The Web server routes corresponding to the various
user-input commands are then defned. Each route defnes an
action that the MCK is required to take. Once initialization
is complete, the microcontroller enters its normal mode
of operation, and waits for a page request. When the user
accesses the graphical user interface, the MCK will respond by
sending a large static character array that holds all the required
information. When a measurement is requested by the user,
the Web server determines which fnction handler to call. The
following subsections discuss the Web-server route-fnction
handlers.
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Figure 3. A screenshot of the user interface, showing a
complete set of measurements.
4. 3. 1 Websi teHandler ( e e e )
When called, this fnction simply returs a static charac
ter array containing the Web site. The MCK no longer takes any
action; the graphical user interface is initialized and rendered
by the Web-enabled device.
4. 3. 2 da taQuery ( e e e )
When a gain measurement is requested, the MCK initi
ates a sweep of the synthesizer's output fequency. At each
discrete fequency point, 32 analog-to-digital converter read
ings are averaged. The resulting ten measurement results are
then averaged to produce the phase-insensitive result: refer
to Section 3. 7. 1 for further details. The measurement result
is converted to a gain value in accordance with Equation (2)
(given in Section 8 . 1 ), and is retured to the graphical user
interface. The graphical user interface is responsible for any
frther calculations, such as compensating for fee-space path
loss and computing antenna gains.
4. 3. 3 reCalibrate ( e e e )
Pressing the calibrate button on the graphical user inter
face will trigger this fnction. The MCK assumes that a 20 dB
attenuator is connected between the antenna feed cables and
adjusts the ofset term in Equation (2) accordingly.
IEEE :.. .1 t,.,. +.,... Vol. 53, No. 4, August 201 1 1 91
4. 3.4 radiationTest ( . . . )
This fnction is similar to dataQuery . . . ) , with the
addition of tiggering the stepper motor between each succes
sive measurement. Data are retured to the graphical user
interface as they are taken, which eliminates the need for a large
storage aray in the MCK and ensures continuous data transfer.
Once the MCK has completed the tests, the socket connection
to the user is closed, which indicates to the graphical user
interface that the measurement has fnished. The graphical user
interface then displays the radiation patter, while the MCK
rotates the antenna-positioning system in reverse to unwind the
antenna feed cable.
4. 3. 5 moveHandler ( . . . )
A Web route has been defned that accepts an argument
that allows the user to specif how many degrees (and in which
direction) the antenna positioning system is to be rotated: see
Section 7. 6 for operation instructions.
5. Antenna Posi ti oni ng System
The primary considerations associated with the design of
the positioner were ease of manufacturing; assembly and inte
gration with a motor and belt-drive assembly; minimal impact
on the quality of R measurements; and low cost. Based on
these criteria, a positioning system of primarily wooden con
struction was selected.
The positioner requires a turtable such that the base
remains static while the platform above it is capable of rotation.
This is accomplished through the use of a lazy Susan bearing
(LS). A threaded-rod shaf is fxed to the upper platform, and
extends through the middle of the lazy Susan and the lower
platform. A large timing pulley is fxed to the end of the shaf,
allowing the turtable to be driven by a stepper motor via a belt
drive assembly (BDA). A photograph of the completed belt
drive assembly installed on the underside of the lower platform
is shown in Figure 4.
The belt-drive assembly uses a single timing belt to cou
ple the threaded-rod shaf to the small timing pulley on the
motor shaf. Due to challenges associated with attaching the
drive shaf to the upper platform at its exact center of rotation, a
tension assembly was required. The belt-drive tension assembly
(BDTA) ensures that sufcient tension is applied to the timing
belt, which mitigates slip in the belt-drive assembly. The entire
assembly is mounted undereath the . lower platform: refer to
Section 6 for assembly instructions.
Due to variations in antenna geometries, a universal
mounting solution was not practical. A slot was cut into the tops
of the antenna stands to permit insertion of PCB-type antennas.
Other antennas may be mounted through the use of clamps
and/or nonmetallic adhesive tape. Note that the antennas must
Figure 4. A photograph of the underside of the lower plat
form.
not be so large or heavy that the antenna-positioning system is
overloaded. Due to the dynamic nature of the positioner, the
user must not permit the antenna feed cable to become snagged
by the rotating platform.
6. Assembl y
For practical reasons, all structural dimensions i n this
section are given in imperial units.
6. 1 Antenna-Posi ti oni ng System
The antenna-positioning system is comprised of a static
lower assembly and a rotating upper-platform assembly. A lazy
Susan is used as the rotary joint between the two platforms.
6. 1 . 1 Upper Pl atform
A 1 f x 1 f x 1 in piece of wood forms the base of the
upper platform. Note that the use of a drill press for all required
drilling is recommended to ensure that holes are square to the
assembly. Drill the holes as indicated in Figure 5. Note that the
middle 3/8 in hole is at the center of the base.
Cut a 1 14 in threaded rod to a length of approximately
3. 5 in. Screw a nut to one end of the rod. Place a washer on the
center hole on the base and feed the threaded rod through it.
Install a washer and two nuts on the bottom of the base. Tighten
the frst nut against the base; then tighten the second nut against
it. This ensures that the frst nut will not loosen during use.
Cut a piece of 2 in x 3 in wood to approximately 3 1 . 5 in
in length. Using the dimensions shown in Figure 5, drill
5/8 in holes, as opposed to those indicated. DriIl to a depth of
approximately 3/4 in. In each of the two outer holes, screw in a
1 14 in plain insert nut. The purose of the center hole is
1 92 IEEE :.. .1 t,.,. +.,... Vol. 53, No. 4, August 201 1
D|A 3/8*
D| A3/0 D| A
1i4-- 3/4
Figure 5. The locations of the drilled holes for the upper
platform.
1---6"--
~6 1 12"
6"
9 1 12"
l '
6 1 12"
2 1/2"

Figure 6. The bottom platform, showing mitered edges,
stepper-motor notch, and eyelet screw location.
support structure on which the positioner will rest. Notch two
of these pieces such that when they are installed, they do not
interfere with the stepper motor. Afx the mitered edges to the
bottom platform using two 1 . 75 in wood screws per edge. Refer
to Figure 4 and Figure 6 for guidance.
Use a hacksaw to increase the gap on a 1 14 in eyelet screw
(near the end of the eyelet). Install the eyelet on the inside ofthe
mitered edge, as shown in Figure 6.
Install four 1 12 i n rubber feet on the bottom of the mitered
edges, as shown in Figure 4.
The lower platform is now assembled.
6. 1 . 3 Posi ti oner Assembl y
Center the lazy Susan on the base of the lower platform
and mark the mounting holes. Drill these mounting holes using
a 1 /8 in drill bit.
Center the lazy Susan on the bottom of the upper platform
and secure it using four #4 x 1 12 in wood screws.
Install wood screws through each of the pre-drilled
mounting holes on the lower platform and secure it to the lazy
Susan. The upper and lower platforms are now connected
through the lazy Susan.
Using a clamp, glue, or a set screw, install the small tim
ing pulley onto the shaf of the stepper motor. Install two nuts,
a washer, and the large timing pulley onto the threaded rod.
Position the two bottom nuts and washer such that the large
timing pulley is at the same height as the motor-shaf timing
pulley. Tighten the two nuts in place when the correct position
is obtained. Place a washer above the timing pulley and tighten
the assembly with another nut.
Cut a piece of 1 18 in-thick aluminum into a rectangle of
approximately 2- 1 12 in by 3/4 in. Drill a 1 12 in hole centered
1 12 in fom each end of the aluminum rectangle. Drill a 1 14 in
hole in the center of the rectangle. Fold the rectangle into a
channel such that the edge with the 1 14 in hole is centered and
is approximately 1 12 in long. Refer to Figure 7 for a graphical
representation of the channel, which is used for the belt-drive
tension assembly.
Connect a 1 in spring to a 1 in machine-screw eyelet.
Thread a nut onto the eyelet and insert the threaded portion into
the end of the assembly shown in Figure 7. Secure the eyelet to
the channel with another nut, and tighten the assembly. Install a
timing belt onto a medium-sized timing pulley. Place a washer
onto the 1 14 in x 1 . 5 in bolt and insert it through one end of
the channel, through the medium timing pulley, and through
the opposite end of the channel. Install a washer and secure
loosely into place with a nut. Wrap the belt around the small and
large timing pulleys. Connect the opposite end of the spring to
the eyelet screw as previously installed (refer to Figure 6). The
result should resemble Figure 4.
The antenna positioner is now complete.
6" 2 Transmi tti ng Antenna Stand
Drill two holes through a 1 f x 1 f x 1 i n piece of wood
in accordance with the outer holes depicted in Figure 5.
Figure 7. The belt-drive tension-assembly timing-pulley
channel.
IEEE :.. .1 t.,.,.. +.,... Vol. 53, No. 4, August 201 1 1 93
Cut a 2 in x 3 in piece of wood to 35 in in length. Drill
5/8 in holes to a depth of 5/8 in into one end of the 2 in x 3 in
piece of wood, using the outer holes shown in Figure 5. Install
1 14 in plain insert nuts into these drilled holes. Install washers
onto the 1 . 25 in hex bolts, and insert them through the platform
into the plain insert nuts installed into the 2 in x 3 in piece of
wood. Secure both bolts and install four 1 12 in rubber feet onto
the four comers of the bottom of the platform.
The transmitting antenna stand assembly is now complete.
6. 3 Pri ngl es Cantenna
The Pringles cantenna was built using instructions avail
able on the Interet [2] . Note that the length of the antenna
feed was adjusted until an input VSWR of less than 2: 1 from
2. 4 GHz to 2. 45 GHz was obtained.
6.4 System Mounti ng
All individual system components were installed onto a
1 12 in thick piece of wood that was cut to 1 2 in x 20 in. As
shown in Figure 2, the components were raised on hex stand
ofs and installed using machine screws. The placements shown
in Figure 2 are not critical and may be modifed as required. The
terminal block for mounting the light bulb was installed using
hot glue. A custom aluminum platfor was fabricated to mount
the low-noise amplifer.
6. 5 El ectri cal I nterconnecti ons
A detailed diagram, showing all of the required power
connections, is shown in Figure 8. The light-bulb and stepper
motor connections were completed used 20 American Wire
Gauge (AWG) wire. All other connections were completed
using 24 AWG wire.
As shown in Figure 8, 5 V is applied to the MCK through
the dc plug mounted on the board. As stated in Section 3 . 1 0. 1 , a
custom connection between the input voltage pads to the mini
USB connector is required on the MCK. This is accomplished
through the modifcation of a mini-USB cable, in accordance
with the electrical connections shown in Figure 8.
The MCK provides screw terminals that are used t o con
nect the MCK to the stepper motor. Using these screw terminals,
output 0 and 1 are connected to one of the coils of the stepper
motor, and outputs 2 and 3 are connected to the other coil of the
stepper motor. The center taps of each coil are not connected,
and must be electrically isolated fom all other connections.
The MCK is also used to program the ADF4360-0 over a
custom serial interface. Note that 5 . 1 k resistors are required
on the communication lines. Refer to Figure9 for a detailed
diagram outlining the electrical connections between the MCK
and both the frequency source and the stepper motor.
Figure 8. A diagram of the interconnections for the power
system.
RF
S
ource
Lul
Lul
Lul 5
Lul 4
LN
V0ul
Coi l A
S
tepper
r Lul 3
Lul
Lul T
Lul
LNL
V0ul
Motor
Coi l B
NK
N| C|DCDRl|Dl l |
Figure 9. The microcontroller-to-RF-source and stepper
motor interface.
An SMA cable is connected to the GAIN output of the
detector. The opposite end of the cable had to be cut such that
the inner conductor is exposed and the outer shield is grouped
into a pigtail connection. The shield and inner conductor are
connected to the pins labeled GND and AINO on the MCK
board, respectively.
The light bulb terminal block is connected to the 5 V power
supply output, as shown in Figure 8. Stranded wire was soldered
to the terminal block and covered with heat-shrink tubing. The
terminal block was hot glued to a convenient location on the
1 2 in x 20 in wood. A light bulb was installed into the screw
terminals such that the bulb could be easily replaced in the
event of a filament failure.
From the ADF4360-0, RFOUT is connected to the trans
mitting antenna using a 2. 8 m length of RG-3 1 6 coaxial cable.
RFOUT is connected directly to the VAT-6+. The VAT-6+ is
connected to the VAT-20+ using a 0. 3 m length of coaxial cable.
The VAT-20+ is connected directly to INPB on the AD8302.
1 94 IEEE :.. .1 t,.,. +.,... Vol. 53, No. 4, August 20 I I
The AUT is connected to the input of the ZX60-272LN+
using a 2 m length of coaxial cable. The VBF2435+ is connected
directly to the output of the ZX60-272LN+. The VBF2435+
is connected to INPA on the AD8302 using a 0. 3 m length of
coaxial cable.
7. Operati on
7. 1 Basi c Setup
An Etheret cable is connected fom the MCK to a com
puter with a wired Etheret connection. The computer network
settings are modifed as follows: the IP address is set to a static
address of 1 92. 1 68. 0. 21 0, with a subnet mask of255. 255. 255. 0.
The default gateway does not need to be specifed.
A Web browser is opened, and navigated to URL
http: /1 92. 1 68. 0. 200. The browser will display the graphical
user interface, as per Figure 3. It should be noted that the Web
browser needs to have the latest HTML5 specifcation imple
mented. As of . , +.) t.. t.,. is inca
pable of rendering the fll graphical user interface; a browser
such as Mozilla t.). is preferable.
7.2 Cal i brati on
To calibrate the system, a 20 dB attenuator is connected
between the antenna
'
s feed cables. The "Calibrate" button is
clicked. A message is displayed, indicating that calibration was
successflly completed. The system can be recalibrated by
repeating this procedure; however, note that the only way to
clear the calibration is to power-cycle the MCK.
7. 3 Antenna Gai n Measurements
Antenna gain measurements are accomplished using the
three-antenna method. Three suitable antennas are identifed, and
designated as numbers 1 , 2 and 3 . In accordance with the "Gain
Measurement" block featured in the graphical user interface,
antenna 1 is mounted on the transmitting antenna stand, and the
appropriate coaxial cable is connected. Antenna 2 is mounted
on the antenna-positioning system, and the appropriate coaxial
cable is connected.
It must be ensured that the antennas are pointing directly at
one another, and that they are polarization aligned. The distance
between the two antennas is measured, and the value in meters
is entered into the appropriate feld. Note that for best results,
it is recommended that the antennas be at least 1 . 25 m apart.
The "Capture" button is clicked. A number that refects the sum
of the two antenna
'
s gains in dB should appear in the "Result"
feld.
This procedure is repeated for the two remaining antenna
combinations. Once all three measurements have been com-
pleted, the individual antenna gains will be displayed in dBi in
the "Gain Results" block.
7. 4 Radiati on Pattern Measurements
An antenna with 5 dBi to 1 0 dBi of gain is mounted on
the transmitting-antenna stand, and the appropriate coaxial
cable is connected. The AUT is mounted on the antenna-posi
tioning system, and the appropriate coaxial cable is connected.
Polarization alignment between the two antennas must be
ensured, along with an appropriate separation distance for
far-feld measurements. In the "Radiation Patter" block, the
"Measure Patter" button is clicked. The antenna-positioning
system should begin to rotate the AUT. It must be ensured that
the coaxial cable feeding the AUT does not interfere with the
operation of the antenna-positioning system. The radiation
patter will be displayed once a fll rotation has been com
pleted. The antenna-positioning system will execute a fll
reverse rotation to unwrap the coaxial feed cable.
The raw measurement data can be accessed by clicking
the "Show raw data" link. This data can be selected and copied
fom the browser window for use in an exteral application. A
copy of the radiation patter may also be saved as an image in
the Portable Network Graphics (PNG) format by clicking the
"Save Graph" link.
7. 5 Opti onal Network Mode
The frmware on the MCK sets the default IP address to
1 92. 1 68. 0. 200, but this can be dynamically reassigned should
the user decide to connect the device to a network that has
DHCP enabled. A limitation of the device is that there is no
feedback to indicate the assigned IP address; it is lef to the user
to determine.
7. 6 Additi onal Functi onal i ty
To determine the calibration value used by the MCK, the
user can navigate his or her Web client to the "/recal" subdi
rectory, which will trigger a recalibration and will display the
value of the variable .. this variable modifes the ofset of
Equation (2).
The user can manually rotate the antenna-positioning
system by navigating to the "/m?m=" directory and appending
the number of degrees of rotation to the address of the graphi
cal user interface. This argument can be negative. Note that a
leading zero is required for rotations of less than 1 0 .
8. System Eval uati on
The complete system, set up for measurements i n the
anechoic test chamber, is shown in Figure 1 0. The following
sections report the evaluation of the performance of the system.
tttt :.. .1 t,.,. +.,-. Vol. 53, No. 4, August 201 1 1 95
Figure 10. The complete system set up for measurements in
the anechoic test chamber.
0 3
-t 0
-2O

.30
0
o
~0
L|nea
o Wase0ata
_.. _ .... LineEro
.
/1
/
0
Figure 11. The system's linearity performance.
8. 1 Gai n-Measurement Accuracy
The ability of the system hardware to accurately measure
the gain between the antenna feed cables was tested using an
S-band variable attenuator. The performance of the attenuator
was characterized in 5 dB steps, fom approximately -1 0 dB to
-60 dB using a calibrated Agilent performance network
analyzer (PNA). The attenuator was then connected between
the antenna feed cables and the analog-to-digital converter
outputs were recorded as a fnction of attenuation. The rela
tionship between gain and analog-to-digital converter output
was determined using linear regression. This is shown in
Equation (2), where c is the gain between the antenna feed
cables in dB, and D is the analog-to-digital converter output:
c = 0. I 1 1 7D- 67 . (2)
In Section 3 . 7, the nominal slope relating the gain between
INPA and INPB to the analog-to-digital converter result was
determined to be 0. 1 075. The experimental slope was 0. 1 1 1 7,
representing a 4% relative eror. The ofset changed since the
gain was no longer being measured between INPA and INPB.
The linearity performance of the system is depicted in
Figure 1 1 . Specifcally, the linearity error associated with
Equation (2) is presented. Based on the accuracy specifcation
of 0. 5 dB, the dynamic-range performance of the system
could be determined. The absolute error remained below 0. 5 dB
for gain values beteen -1 3 dB and -55 dB, resulting in a
maximum dynamic range of 42 dB. For a free-space path loss
of 42 dB and 0 dBi antennas, the minimum dynamic range was
1 3 dB. These results showed that the complete system had
reduced dynamic-range performance relative to the AD8302.
This was expected, as additional linearity error was introduced
by each hardware component in the system, coupled with
quantization erors introduced by the analog-to-digital converter
and subsequent microcontroller calculations. As mentioned in
Section 3 . 2, it is recommended that the transmiting antenna
exhibit 5 dBi to 1 0 dBi of gain in order to improve dynamic
range performance.
8. 2 Antenna Gai n Measurements
Three commercial of-the-shelf antennas were acquired
in order to evaluate the performance of the system prior to
characterizing the cantenna. A 2. 4 GHz monopole antenna
was purchased, due to its relatively constant H-plane radiation
patter. A 2. 4 GHz printed circuit board (PCB) Yagi antenna
was purchased, due to its relatively high forward gain, and a
PCB log-periodic dipole (LPD) antenna, which operated over
900 MHz to 2. 6 GHz, was borrowed from UNB for testing
purposes. The input VSWR of each of these antennas was con
frmed to be less than 2: 1 between 2. 4 GHz and 2. 45 GHz, using
the performance network analyzer.
The three-antenna method was carried out for the
commercial of-the-shelf antennas inside an anechoic test
chamber, using both the system and the performance network
analyzer. The results are summarized in Table 1 . The system
was confrmed to meet accuracy specifcations, as the absolute
error associated with the antenna gain measurements was less
than 0.5 dB.
The three-antenna method was repeated using the Yagi,
monopole, and cantenna. The antenna gains were measured
to be 5. 6 dBi, 0. 2 dBi, and 5. 5 dBi, respectively. Despite a
somewhat legendary status among R hobbyists on the Inter
net, the Pringles cantenna fell short in its promise of providing
upwards of 1 2 dBi of antenna gain. However, at a cost of less
than $ 1 5 in parts, the cantenna ofered 5. 5 dBi of gain, which
rivals the gain ofered by a commercial of-the-shelf PCB Yagi
antenna sold at over double the price. Also, unlike the Yagi, the
Pringles cantenna includes a delicious snack.
8. 3 Antenna Radi ati on-Pattern
Measurements
H-plane radiation-patter measurements were made for
the Yagi and monopole antennas using the system inside an
anechoic test chamber, and were compared to results obtained
1 96 IEEE :.. .1 t,.,. +.,... Vol. 53, No. 4, August 201 1
Table 1. Antenna gain measurements.
Antenna
PNAResuits isoTropic Thunder Absolute Error
(dBi)
Yagi 5. 6
Monopole 0. 3
LPD 4. 7
using the UNB Antenna Positioning System with the perform
ance network analyzer. Figures 1 2 and 1 3 show the results.
Note that the angular resolution for each measurement was 1 ,
and the data was normalized such that the patter maximum
was 0 dB.
While the UNB system had greater accuracy and dynamic
range performance, there was strong agreement between
the pater results. As the measurements were taken using
diferent measurement hardware and with diferent feeding
cable arrangements, some variation in the measured patters
was expected. Nevertheless, it was clear that the system was
capable of making high-quality automated radiation-patter
measurements.
The H-plane radiation patter of the Pringles cantenna
was measured using the validated system, and is shown in
Figure 1 4. As expected, the cantenna patter was qualitatively
similar to that of a Yagi antenna, with a font-to-back ratio of
approximately 1 1 dB. It should be noted that since the cantenna
feed was unbalanced and lacked a proper ground connection,
the radiation-patter results were very sensitive to feeding
cable orientation.
8.4 Budgetar Consi derati ons
A bill of materials is included in the Appendix. The total
cost to reproduce the system was $1 240. 64 (CAD), which was
in compliance with the maximum specifed budget of $ 1 500.

1 8
I
..
..
PN Patrn
1
-iTro Thunr Pat
Figure 12. The radiation-pattern measurements for the
Yagi antenna.
Results (dBi) (dB)
5. 4 0. 2
0. 2 0. 1
4. 6 0. 1
1 80
PNPater
-m1q1aaaoeanea
Figure 13. The radiation-pattern measurements for the
monopole antenna .
180
Figure 14. The radiation-pattern measurement for the can
tenna.
9. Concl usi on
The motivation for this proj ect was t o design and build a
system capable of making antenna-gain and radiation-pater
measurements with an accuracy of 0. 5 dB for less than $ 1 500
in cost. Due to the fact that many of the specifed components
were commercial of-the-shelf, the system presented here can
be easily reproduced, and met budgetary constraints at a cost of
$ 1 240. 64. It has been shown to achieve a gain measurement
accuracy of 0. 5 dB over a dynamic range of 1 3 dB plus the
combined gains of the two antennas in use. Antenna-gain and
radiation-patter measurements made inside an anechoic test
chamber were validated through comparison with results
obtained using a commercial performance network analyzer
IEEE :.. .1 t,.,. +.,... Vol. 53, No. 4, August 201 1 1 97
and the UNB antenna-positioning system. The fexible nature
of the graphical user interface allows for system access and
control independent of operating system or hardware platform.
The system has been used to measure the gain and radia
tion patter of a homemade Pringles cantenna. Despite claims
fom Interet R hobbyists that the cantenna is capable of
achieving a gain of 12 dBi, measurements made by the system
indicate a gain of 5. 5 dBi .
In summary, the system presented here is accurate,
economical, robust, and easily reproducible. With minor
enhancements, the system would be suitable for use in a
leaing environment such as an undergraduate laboratory.
1 0. Acknowl edgements
The authors would like to thank Dr. Bruce Colpitts,
Dr. Brent Petersen, Ryan Jennings, Michael Wylie, and Lars
Woodhouse for their support and guidance throughout the
course of the project.
1 1 . Appendix
The bill of materials is summarized in Table 2. Note that
all prices are in Canadian dollars.
Table 2. Bill of materials.
Quantity
Cost
Vendor Part
($)
AD8302 Evaluation Board 1 21 2. 99 Analog Devices
ADF4360-0 1 1 21 .44 Analog Devices
2 m SMAcable 1 26. 70 Assemble / Digi-Key
2. 5 m SMA cable 1 30. 33 Assemble / Digi-Key
0. 3 m SMA cable 5 53. 05 Digi-Key
2 Position Terinal Block 1 0. 32 Digi-Key
42L048DI U 1 24. 00 Digi-Key
9 V Battery Snap Connector 1 0. 35 Digi-Key
DB9 Female 1 3 . 94 Digi-Key
Etheret Cable 1 3. 50 Digi-Key
Heat Shrink 1 6. 00 Digi-Key
Molex Headers and Pins 1 5 . 00 Digi-Key
Monopole Antenna 1 5 . 1 9 Digi-Key
Power Cord (5. 2mm barel jack) 1 2. 37 Digi-Key
Power Cord (AC with Ground) 1 5 . 00 Digi-Key
Power Supply 1 94. 5 1 Digi-Key
Resistors 3 1 . 00 Digi-Key
Ring Connector 1 0. 35 Digi-Key
SMA Barrels 3 1 4. 1 3 Digi-Key
Standofs 20 5 . 00 Digi-Key
USB A to mini B Cable 1 4. 1 3 Digi-Key
Wire, 20 AWG 1 25. 70 Digi-Key
Wire, 24 AWG 2 34. 80 Digi-Key
Cantenna Parts 1 1 5 . 00
Grocery/Hardware
Store
Belt Drive Tension Parts 1 8. 50 Hardware Store
1 I4xl - 1 I2" Hex Bolts 4 2. 00 Hardware Store
2"x2"x8' Wood Stud 1 1 . 50 Hardware Store
2"x3"x8' Wood Stud 1 2. 50 Hardware Store
Dowel (3/8"O. D. x4' ) 1 3. 48 Hardware Store
Large Lazy Susan 1 6. 1 9 Hardware Store
Light bulb 1 1 . 50 Hardware Store
1 98 IEEE :.. .1 t,.,. +.,... Vol. 53, No. 4, August 201 1
Table 2. Bill of materials (continued).
MDF ( 1 ' x 4' ) 1 5. 00 lardvare Store
Nuts (#8) 1 2 1 . 80 lardvare Store
Nuts (3/8") 6 1 . 50 lardvare Store
Plain Insert Nut 4 2. 50 lardvare Store
I " D. D. Screv-in Rubber Feet 1 2 1 2. 00 lardvare Store
Scrap Aluminum 1 5. 00 lardvare Store
Screvs (#4) 36 3. 00 lardvare Store
Screvs (#8) 1 2 2. 79 lardvare Store
1 " Thick Wood 1 1 0. 00 lardvare Store
Threaded Rod (3/8") 1 1 2. 00 lardvare Store
Washers (#4) 26 1 . 82 lardvare Store
Washers (#8) 1 2 1 . 08 lardvare Store
Washers (3/8") 6 2. 00 lardvare Store
Wire Clamps 1 4 5 . 00 lardvare Store
Wood Screvs (pack) 1 3 . 1 8 lardvare Store
Make Microcontroller 1 1 20. 00 Making Things
VAT-20+ 2 29. 60 Mini-Circuits
VAT-6+ 3 1 4. 80 Mini-Circuits
VBF2435+ 1 43. 06 Mini-Circuits
ZX60-272LN+ 1 49. 95 Mini -Circuits
Yagi Antenna 1 32. 95 Ramsey Electronics
Belt (A 6B 6M1 93060) 1 4. 47 Stock Drive Products
Timing Pulley
1 3. 27 Stock Drive Products
(A 6M 6M1 0DF06003)
Timing Pulley
1 3. 37 Stock Drive Products
(A 6M 6M25DF06008)
Timing Pulley
1 7. 29 Stock Drive Products
(A 6M 6M75DF06008)
Tax

1 42.4
Total
$
(CAD) 1240.64
IEEE :.. .1 t,.,. +.,.. Vol. 53, No. 4, August 201 1 1 99
1 2. References
1 . C. A. Balanis, :.. t.- :., .. t., t.
t. New York, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. , 2005.
2. R. Flickenger, "Antenna on the Cheap (er, Chip), " July, 2001 ,
July; available at http: //www. oreillynet.com/cs/weblog/ view/
wlg/448.
3. Analog Devices, ADF4360-0 Datasheet Rev. A, Norwood,
MA, 2004.
4. Analog Devices, AD8302 Datasheet Rev. A, Norwood, MA,
2002.
I ntroduci ng the Authors
Brandon C. Brown was bor in Kitchener, Ontario, in
1 983. He received a Bachelor of Applied Science (Computer
Engineering) fom Queen
'
s University in 2006. Afer spending
a short time working in industry, he enrolled at the University
of New Brunswick (UNB) and received his Masters in 2007.
Currently, he is enrolled at UNB and is working toward a PhD
degree. His research interests include wireless systems, signal
propagation, and various aspects of networking.
Frederic G. Goora was bor in Sydney, Nova Scotia,
in 1 977. He received a Bachelor of Science in Engineering
(Electrical Engineering) and a Master of Science in Electrical
Engineering from the University of New Brunswick (UNB)
in 2000 and 2003, respectively. Afer more than six years of
industrial experience, he retured to UNB and is curently
pursuing a PhD degree in Electrical Engineering. His research
interests include magnetic-resonance imaging and microwave
systems. He is registered as a Professional Engineer in New
Brnswick.
Chris D. Rouse was bor in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1 986.
He received a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (Electrical
Engineering) fom the University of New Brunswick (UNB)
in 2009, and is currently pursuing a PhD degree in Electrical
Engineering at . His research interests include wireless
systems, communications, and fber optics. @
200 tttt :.. .. t,.,. +.,... Vol. 53, No. 4, August 201 1