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IWR6843AOP: Radiation pattern test method with custom radome

HOGYUN RYU
Intellectual 330 points
Part Number: IWR6843AOP

Hello,

I leave a question the way to test RF performance with a radome.
I guess I will need to test to get a radiation pattern with casing after completion of customization.

Usual antenna test method is used on an nonechoic chamber environment with some equipments(such as network analyzer).
I tested in this condition with custom DUT board(one port fed single antenna board with SMA connector).

But, I cannot think of the measurement method with IWR6843AOP, because T/Rxs are integrated in the package.

Is there a way to test with usual test condition?
The radiation pattern information is only offered Tx-Rx pair charactoristic in all datasheet.

  • +1
    TI__Expert 4330 points

    Hi,

    There are multiple ways that you can measure this. One of the simplest, is to take an "in situ" measurement. Placing your DUT (AOP + radome) in a clutter free environment and then placing a corner reflector at angles/locations critical to the operation of the system. Taking measurements with and without the radome will allow you to understand the impact your radome has on your application. 

    Another way would be to place a corner at a known and fixed distance, and measure the returns, one TX at a time and build a TX-RX array similar to the one found in the EVM datasheet. You can then rotate the EVM along its azimuth to get a measurement of angle. You could download the raw data from the EVM using the DCA1000 and process it to create the aforementioned TX-RX pairs. 

    If you want to take these measurements as CW, you would need to use vector modulation to shift the transmitted tone by a few MHz so that the signal is not mixed to DC. 

    It is not recommended to take TX EIRP and RX gain measurements like those seen in the IWR6843AOP datasheet pages 33 and 34. Taking this type of measurement is extremely time consuming, labor intensive, and costly, as a very specific anechoic lab environment and equipment is needed to ensure a good noise floor and clean RF measurements. 

    Let me know if you have any more questions. 

  • 0 in reply to Blake Kisshauer
    Intellectual 330 points

    Thanks for your answer.

    I have expected there is no easy way.

    AOP type makes its development easier, but I have to lie on the manufacturer for the performance.

    I understand the limitation even though It doesn't make me ensure about total product performance.

    I hope some function will be included for RF test, such as radiation pattern test mode in a future ES edition.

  • 0 in reply to HOGYUN RYU
    TI__Expert 4330 points

    I understand and will feed that back internally. 

    I think that the best way to understand and validate performance of the system with the radome will be the first option mentioned. You can take measurements of a corner reflector placed a critical locations in the FOV and download the raw data using a DCA1000. Repeating this experiment with and without the radome will allow you to understand the interaction of the transmitted and collected signal. A link budget analysis can be used to correlated the experiment and provide additional confidence. Many customers have found success with this. 

    A simpler method would simply be to compare the range profile as processed by the device, both with and without the radome. This is how most of our customers have built confidence in their radomes.