Antenna Testing Rates

RF testing at RTCE will normally be much less than most national test laboratories. Our lab is a "small" operation with relatively low overhead costs. Although the chamber and lab equipment costs have exceeded $250,000, our rates for RF testing are kept reasonable. A typical “pattern” cost is $450 for either one of the two basic options outlined below:

"Option 1 Basic": 3D Spherical Data (10 Degree Resolution, $450.00)

Our 3D Basic Spherical antenna test is recommended for all new and un-proven antennas. The 3D plot allows unparalleled visibility in to an antenna's true pattern, and often shows features that are impossible to visualize with just 2D polar cuts. Because spherical data covers all directions, our test software can also calculate and include antenna radiation efficiency numbers for each test frequency. Spherical antenna patterns frequently surprise first time designers, and distortions from the expected or simulated results are due to real-life disturbances such as feed line attachment. Deliverables for a Basic Spherical 3D antenna test are:

  • Vertical/Horizontal/Total gain in dBi, at 10 degree spherical resolution (703 Theta/Phi points or "directions")
  • Each "direction" at up to 100 frequencies of interest
  • Spreadsheet numeric results for easy post processing by the customer, for custom plots like "efficiency vs frequency", "forward gain vs. frequency", front-to-back ratios and much more
  • Excel spread sheet template for plotting individual polar plots of any extracted data, although extracted "cuts" will be 10 degree angular resolution
  • Spheroid plots (supplied as JPEG files) made by RTCE software at three customer selected frequencies
  • Photographs of the test setup in the anechoic chamber
  • Billed at $450, with each additional antenna or sample at an additional $300 during the same lab session (assuming the same frequency range)
  • Higher resolutions and special requests for post processing, graphing, or analysis are almost always available for an additional fee. Example results can be found here.

"Option 1 High Res" 3D Spherical Data (5 Degree Resolution, $750.00)

This higher resolution version of "Option 1" provides everything from "Option 1" above, but at an increased angular resolution of 5 degrees. The results will contain 2701 Theta/Phi points or "directions".

  • Billed at $750, with each additional antenna or sample at an additional $600 during the same lab session (assuming the same frequency range)

 

"Option 2 Basic": 2D Polar Cut Data (2 Degree Resolution, $450.00)

Our Basic Polar Cut Data is for those who want traditional polar plots on the prime axes of their antennas. Numeric data is supplied along with an Excel template for plotting the data. This allows the customer to annotate or format graphics as they wish. Deliverables for the Basic Polar Cut Data antenna test are:

  • Vertical/Horizontal/Total gain in dBi, at 2 degree resolution (180 angular "directions" per cut)
  • Two cuts, normally covering the E&H planes, or primary axis orthogonal planes (totalling 360 "directions")
  • Each data point at up to 100 frequencies of interest
  • Spreadsheet numeric results for easy post processing by the customer, for custom plots like "forward gain vs. frequency", front-to-back ratios, beamwidth, and much more
  • Photographs of the test setup in the anechoic chamber
  • Billed at $450, with each additional antenna or sample at an additional $300 during the same lab session (assuming the same frequency range or "band")
  • Higher resolutions and special requests for post processing, graphing, or analysis are almost always available for an additional fee. Example results can be found here.

"Option 2 High Res": 2D Polar Cut Data (1 Degree Resolution, $600.00)

This higher resolution version of "Option 2" provides everything from "Option 2" above, but at an increased angular resolution of 1 degree. The results will contain 720 Theta/Phi points or "directions".

  • Billed at $600, with each additional antenna or sample at an additional $450 during the same lab session (assuming the same frequency range or "band")

 

Other Considerations:

Size: To be tested spherically, items should be less than 24 x 24 inches with a depth of 24 inches or less (table top-items for polar cuts can be larger and heavier), and GSM/CDMA cellular products have notes here

Antennas must have a coaxial feed port and instructions for the desired routing of the feed line. Customers may attach ferrites to supplied feed lines for isolation.

Live (modulated) transmitters, can add additional billed time. Devices must have firmware operating modes that allow continuous transmission. In many cases, live transmitters do not add addition test time over and above an equivalent antenna test.

 

Lab Contact Information:

Contact Glenn Robb at...

+1.919.200.0292 (voice) +1.772.619.8262 (fax), or email at...
 

 

Services are invoiced monthly to established net-30 customers by our corporation. RTCE maintains the professional liability and general liability insurances your company probably requires.

Service Summary

Antenna Gain Patterns
EIRP, TRP, Efficiency
RF Design and Debug
RSE and Harmonics
Failure Mitigation
GSM/CDMA Cellular