Practical aspect of spherical near-field measurement

A special custom-tailored near-field range is described. The test range is a large radome (typically 68-foot diameter) and is used to host the antenna under test (AUT) and the circular track which carries the scanning probe. The scanned surface encloses the AUT completely, thereby distinguishing itself from other near-field techniques where only partial scan coverage is possible. Alignment of reflector panels may be accomplished by holography or optical instruments such as theodolites. The spherical near-field results can also be synthesized analytically.<>