Calibration of monitoring antennas and instruments

Mr.Song Keping
Engineer of Management of station and network Division State Radio Monitoring Center songkp@srrc.org.cn +8610-68318264 Radio Monitoring and Spectrum Management Training (China,23-31,May,2005)
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Calibration of monitoring antennas and instruments

General considerations Calibration of frequency Calibration of measuring or monitoring receivers Calibration of the measuring antennas Calibration of fixed monitoring recording instruments
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General considerations
General considerations Calibration of frequency Calibration of measuring or monitoring receivers Calibration of the measuring antennas Calibration of fixed monitoring recording instruments
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General considerations
Calibration: -Ensure the accuracy of the technical parameters -Ensure the value is within the specified uncertainty Technical parameters of the equipment -Change over time

-Influenced by many factors

General considerations
Regular calibration of the equipment -Decrease the risk of error -Find the equipment need to be repaired -Traces the technical parameters to standards Parameters most frequently calibrated -Frequency -Signal level -Antenna gain -Values of legal significance
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General considerations
Calibration documents -Accompany with equipment -Calibration report -Indicate calibration status -Incorporated in the equipment file Calibration interval

-No generally applicable period

-Be chosen from a technical viewpoint
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General considerations
High expense of calibration
-Because of the high demand of equipment used -Make calibration in monitoring station more difficult Calibration can be provided -By service and support centers of manufacturer -By external calibration lab

Calibration of frequency
General considerations Calibration of frequency Calibration of measuring or monitoring receivers Calibration of the measuring antennas Calibration of fixed monitoring recording instruments
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Calibration of frequency
Calibration of frequency -Check the accuracy of crystal oscillator -Correct the error

Calibration task in monitoring station

-Exactly know the uncertainty of equipment -Find the equipment need to be maintained

-Take action to avoid error

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Calibration of frequency
Methods of check the accuracy of frequency -Receive a HF standard frequency signal -Receive a television signal as standards -Use a GPS system -Use a high accuracy frequency source

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Calibration of frequency
Receive a HF standard frequency signal -Standard frequency signals at 2.5, 5, 10MHz -Other standard frequency signals -Accuracy of 10-9 or better -Receiving these signal -Comparing the frequency to these signal

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Calibration of frequency
Receive a television signal as standards -High accuracy of television transmitters -Accuracy of 10-11 or better sometimes -Not all television signal are usable -Receiving these signal -Comparing the frequency to these signal

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Calibration of frequency
Use a GPS system -Caesium clocks on GPS satellites -Time accurate of better than 1s -Frequency accurate of better than 1011 -Signal is available everywhere -Coded signals at 1575.42 MHz and 1227.60 MHz

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Calibration of frequency
Use a high accuracy frequency source -Calibrated frequency generator -Caesium clock -Rubidium clock -Frequency accurate of better than 1011 -High cost of atomic clock

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Calibration of measuring or monitoring receivers

General considerations Calibration of frequency Calibration of measuring or monitoring receivers Calibration of the measuring antennas Calibration of fixed monitoring recording instruments
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Calibration of measuring or monitoring receivers

Calibration a receiver -With a CW standard signal generator -With a impulse generator or a random noise generator -Tunable over the desired frequency range -Same impedance of output and input -Using calibrated attenuators for adaptation output power to input level
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Calibration of measuring or monitoring receivers

Series test of calibration
-For different frequency in tuned frequency ranges -For different signal level in amplitude range

-To avoid error in practical use

Built-in self-calibration function in modern equipment -Provide calibration procedure over full frequency and level range for all functions and bandwidth -Provide early detection of hardware errors
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Calibration of the measuring antennas

General considerations Calibration of frequency Calibration of measuring or monitoring receivers Calibration of the measuring antennas Calibration of fixed monitoring recording instruments
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Calibration of the measuring antennas

Antenna factor -A part of calibration factors that determined by the antenna system characteristics -Gain, cable losses, adaptor losses -Varies with frequency Three basic method of calibration an antenna: -Standard field method -Standard antenna method -Standard distance (standard site) method
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Calibration of the measuring antennas

All method deliver the antenna factors -Valid for free space under far field conditions -Avoid influence of nearby object

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Calibration of the measuring antennas

Standard field method -Derived from the definition of the antenna factor -Direct calibrate in an accurately known field -Limited to loop antennas

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Calibration of the measuring antennas

Standard antenna method (substitution method) -Measure a plane wave of unknown field-strength

-Using an antenna with known factor

-Replace it by antenna to be calibrated -Determine antenna factor from the difference -3 limitation

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Calibration of the measuring antennas

Standard distance (standard site) method
-Mount 2 identical antennas at different distance -Measure the attenuation between 2 antennas

-Compare with calculated value

-Normally for directive antennas -Distance should be far enough to avoid mutual coupling

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Calibration of fixed monitoring recording installations

General considerations Calibration of frequency Calibration of measuring or monitoring receivers Calibration of the measuring antennas Calibration of fixed monitoring recording instruments
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Calibration of fixed monitoring recording instrument

Initial calibration under controlled conditions
-Compare with calibrated field-strength meter and antenna

-Only valid when conditions remain unchanged

-Periodic calibration checks -Calibration curve in the frequency range of interest

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Calibration of fixed monitoring recording instrument

General calibration procedure
-Field-strength meter with a shielded loop antenna below 30MHz

-Field-strength meter with a dipole beyond 30MHz

-Substitute the recording antenna with the calibrate antenna

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Thank you!

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