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.