Q & A with Vaunix: Antenna Testing using Lab Brick Phase Shifters

In our Q & A blog series, we’ve addressed some of the most important and technical questions about our Lab Bricks. We hope these answers give you a better understanding of how our products work.

Q. We would like to use Lab Brick phase shifters to measure the radiation pattern of a four-element antenna array in a beam forming configuration. The set-up would include one signal generator, one 1-to-4 splitter, four phase shifters, and a four-port antenna. Vaunix specifies phase shift accuracy as +-2.5 deg., so in our scenario using four phase shifters does each one apply a phase shift with an error of +-2.5 deg. or will all have the same error (that is, all having +1.3 deg.)? Also, is phase stable over time or does it oscillate around the programmed value by +-2.5 deg., and will all four oscillate equally? Finally, does the phase shifter introduce a delay? If so, is it the same for all devices?

A. We rate the phase accuracy of our Lab Brick phase shifters very conservatively at +/- 2 deg. but it is typically much better. Measured data for an LPS-802 represents typical performance at 5.8 GHz: Error is often less than +/-1 deg. at this and other frequencies. Although there is some variation from unit to unit, error is always very similar (but not guaranteed). Phase accuracy is also very stable over time assuming constant environmental conditions, and the phase shifters will not oscillate over time. The delay through the phase shifters will be the same from unit to unit.

If you have any questions about operating or programming Vaunix products or other topics, please contact our technical support team.