Production testing of slotted arrays-how much is enough?

Discusses whether its always necessary to perform pattern tests on standard slotted array antennas if other tests (VSWR for example) are satisfactory. Recently a large manufacturer of radar systems requested help with an apparent production problem with an X-band slotted array. The array has been in production for years and several hundred per year were being produced with satisfactory system performance. However, field reports of false radar echoes pointed to a possible problem with high sidelobes or grating lobes. For diagnostic testing of planar arrays, near-field testing can rapidly pinpoint the physical location of the problem. Once the physical location is known, the solution can usually be found quite rapidly