ANTENNA TESTING ENCLOSURES AND METHODS FOR TESTING ANTENNA SYSTEMS THEREWITH

Antenna enclosure apparatus are provided that may be used to verify the signal path integrity, amplitude and/or phase of a single antenna or multiple antennas of direction finding (DF) antenna array and associated electronics without interference of external signals such as ground interference signals present when an aircraft-based antenna is tested on the ground. An individual antenna test enclosure may in one embodiment be provided as an antenna hood having a cavity dimensioned for internally receiving an antenna, such as an aircraft external blade antenna. The cavity of the antenna enclosure may be lined with a RF absorbing material inside the enclosure to allow for RF path testing with substantially no "ringing", so that accurate phase and gain testing of a received antenna and its RF signal path may be accomplished.