Implementación de un sistema de caracterización del patrón de radiación de antenas en las bandas L, S, y C a través de un módulo DAQ.

Abstract

The main objective was the implementation of an antenna system using a data acquisition module (DAQ) that operates in the frequency bands L, S and C. A study was made of the necessary equipment and the specific characteristics of each one, with the purpose of creating an antenna characterization design that allows working from 1 to 8 GHz. A positioning structure was implemented that consisted of three degrees of freedom allowing to move the test radiant element on the horizontal, vertical axis, and on its own axis varying the azimuth, all these movements were controlled through NI 9512 card; the structure of the positioner was placed inside of an anechoic chamber to eliminate electromagnetic interference. A spectrum analyzer was connected to the test antenna which allowed to extract the information from the signal received to the computer, with a separation of 1.98 meters, a signal generator was located which, through a standard antenna, constantly emitted a wave that would be received by the test antenna. An application was designed in LabView that executed the synchronized actions of storing the amount of power received as the azimuth of the antenna varied, generating a vector of magnitude of power as a function of the reception angle, with these extracted values the radiation pattern was graphed in polar and rectangular coordinates that was shown to the user through a graphical interface. The results obtained were satisfactory since the generated radiation pattern was compared with the theoretical scheme of the element under test, obtaining minimum variations between both diagrams. It is recommended to improve the accuracy of the positioner and study the interferences that can be found inside the anechoic chamber to obtain a more accurate result.