Feature: Aerospace/defence
Figure 4: Outdoor range setup As we have seen before, the antenna
systems operating in NTN Ka-band links and/or 5G FR2 should also be characterised before fi nal deployment. Here the test scenarios are at least two: indoor OTA in anechoic chamber and outdoor antenna range test solutions. In both cases, using traditional VNAs to test antennas generally requires long test port cables. T ese cables introduce insertion loss and phase instability into S-parameter
measurements, especially at microwave frequencies and above. As distances grow, the cable issues become so signifi cant that additional test hardware is required to overcome them. T is signifi cantly raises the cost and increases the complexity of the antenna test solution. Anritsu has addressed these roadblocks
with its new ShockLine ME7869A – a unique chassis-less 2-port VNA with portable port modules covering the
1MHz-43.5GHz range. Its groundbreaking architecture allows physical placement of the VNA ports up to 100m apart with the same functionality as traditional single chassis VNA solutions, and at a signifi cantly lower cost. See Figure 4 that shows an example of how a typical outdoor test range can be simplifi ed. T e distributed modular two-port
VNA is also a valuable tool for accurate RCS measurements of drones and other small objects, especially in the Ka-band, where dynamic range is of paramount importance. With Anritsu’s PhaseLync technology, true RCS bi-static measurements were shown in setups where an FR2 refl ective intelligent surface (RIS) was characterised without requiring any coaxial cables between the VNA ports and antennas. Similar RCS measurements were done
in collaboration with primary educational and research partners across Europe, such as University of Tor Vergata in Rome for characterising other RIS, with the aim to use them non-line-of-sight propagation of 5G FR2 signals. Channel impulse response (CIR) and
Figure 5: Channel impulse response on a 27GHz RIS for new 5G FR2 data link
channel sounding analysis were also performed directly on the PhaseLync VNA, thanks to the embedded time domain analysis function; see Figure 5.
24 May 2026
www.electronicsworld.co.uk
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