Solutions for Anechoic Chambers

One of the problems that crop up when testing radio frequency devices, machines, or vehicles in open-air environments is the large number of potentially interfering RF signals from radars, cellphones etc.

Mobile applications such as smartphones and tablets use high-speed connections, for example, to display or save steady high-resolution videos. The antennas that let these devices connect to a base station are increasingly broadband, which makes them more sensitive to electromagnetic interference.

The best way to test these devices is to place them in an isolated space called a low-reflection or anechoic chamber. Then intrinsic interference or interference radiation can be measured, coexistence tests can be carried out, or antenna characteristics can be verified. RF test chambers are also used to measure radiated spurious emissions (RSEs) or antenna characteristics in an over-the-air (OTA) space.

Equipment development is usually concluded with measurements for certification known as the “first-time pass”. But what about RF signals when the test equipment is outside a chamber? How can signals be routed in and out without large losses and additional interference?