The nRF9160 module is calibrated and verified for conductive performance. Conductive tests may be required in the development phase of the device or, for example, to verify a successful soldering of the pins in production. To be able to test the device in conductive mode, a test connector or RF cable needs to be connected to the nRF9160 antenna port (ANT).
To enable conductive tests in the development phase, reserving space in the layout for soldering a test cable is recommended. Adding a jumper in the antenna path may also be convenient. The jumper can be soldered in two positions. One is for connecting the nRF9160 ANT pin to the antenna, and the other one is for connecting the ANT pin to the test cable. This test option is included in Antenna presence test using GPIOs and Layout of antenna presence test using GPIOs. Regardless of the test mode or layout options included in the device design, the 50 Ω impedance requirement in the nRF9160 ANT pin must be met.
A test connector can be used in the antenna RF transmission line. It is recommended to place it close to the nRF9160 ANT pin. Microwave coaxial switch connectors can be used for this purpose. In conductive tests, a test RF cable connects the nRF9160 ANT pin to the tester instead of the antenna. In actual use or radiated testing, the ANT pin is connected to the antenna. The layout for the connector must be designed to fulfill the 50 Ω requirement. For information on designing the connector layout for 50 Ω, see the connector datasheets. An antenna interface with an RF test connector is shown in Antenna presence test using MAGPIO and Layout of antenna presence test using MAGPIO .