PRACTICAL IMPLEMENTATION OF HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE COMPLEX FOR PLANAR MEASUREMENTS OF ANTENNA CHARACTERISTICS IN THE NEAR ZONE

Directional patterns measurement of antennas is carried out by the methods of far and near zone. Measurements in the far zone are straightforward; however they have a number of disadvantages. Near zone measurement methods are free from measurement shortcomings in the far zone, but it requires complex and expensive equipment for its implementation. Earlier, the authors have developed a concept of hardware and software modular design complex to determine antenna system characteristics as per measurements in the near zone. This concept assumes creation of a universal measuring complex to investigate various types of antenna systems with any type of measurement surface (plane, cylinder, sphere) in order to solve a wide range of applied problems. The purpose of this work lies in practical implementation of a variant of this measuring complex for measurement along the plane and determination of its metrological (hardware and software) capabilities. A working experimental sample of hardware and software complex for measuring the characteristics of antenna systems that realizes a radio-holographic method for measuring along a plane has been developed, created and practically tested. A preliminary estimation of errors in amplitude and phase measurements in the dynamic range of 45 dB and a comparison of the characteristics of several types of antennas measured in far and near zones have been made. Algorithms have been developed, a software for processing, storing and graphical display of measurement results has been created.