Antenna tests

To evaluate an antenna's standalone performance in a device, passive tests, such as antenna radiation pattern and basic antenna parameters over the operational bandwidth are performed. The radiated field of the antenna is measured in an anechoic chamber by varying the measurement angle to cover all directions with a certain angle step. From a three-dimensional field data, antenna parameters, such as efficiency and maximum gain, can be calculated. This applies also for different polarizations.

In passive antenna tests, the antenna is disconnected from the nRF9160 antenna pin (ANT) and connected to a test connector or test cable. Preserving space in the device layout for soldering a measurement cable is recommended.

Note: Due to the many design and environment related factors impacting the antenna, antenna performance must be measured in the device’s final assembly.

Note: If the internal antenna is not tested by the antenna vendor or on a standalone reference board, it is important to measure the antenna characteristics as well as perform Over-the-Air (OTA) testing once the first prototype of the device exists to guarantee performance and minimize the need for design changes in the certification phase.