ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a guide on the understanding, operation, design, performance and interpretation of results associated with very high frequency and ultra high frequency antenna test range measurements. Antenna measurements are extensively conducted throughout the television industry with the purpose of measuring the free space far zone performance. Antenna radiation patterns are graphical representations of the distribution of radiated energy as a function of direction about the antenna and are an important tool for both the antenna designer and end user. Three-dimensional representations of antenna patterns are often complex and hard to translate into coverage, especially for high-gain antennas. The ideal far-field test environment for determining antenna performance would provide for a plane wave of uniform phase to illuminate the antenna's aperture under test. At this point the field distribution is essentially independent of the distance from the antenna. Antenna measurement ranges can be categorized as outdoor ranges and indoor ranges.
