Antenna Anechoic Chamber

Location: Bldg 4, Room 113
Coordinator: Dr. Dean Arakaki

Description

The Cal Poly EE Department has developed an Antenna Anechoic Chamber to complement undergraduate courses in the electromagnetics, RF, and antennas area. The wireless communications area has experienced explosive growth in recent years. Cell phones, personal data assistants, and wireless internet connections (wireless fidelity or WI-FI) are now commonly used, and further wireless system advancements are imminent. Consequently, there is a shortage of qualified wireless communications, RF/microwave, and antenna engineers.

In response to the call for wireless engineers, the Antenna Chamber was developed on-campus to provide students entering the wireless area with a practical working knowledge of RF, microwave, and antenna systems.

A view of the Chamber The chamber and a computer

The new chamber will be used to provide an opportunity to apply theoretical concepts presented in antennas and electromagnetics courses. Foundation courses in this area were traditionally taught as theoretical lectures. In keeping with Cal Poly's 'Learn By Doing' principle, a laboratory component--a series of experiments utilizing the chamber--is being developed. Use of the antenna chamber for radiation pattern measurements will also support future antenna research.

The Chamber outside A Chamber in various positions

The Cal Poly Antenna Chamber will support development activities of other on-campus programs including Cal Poly’s PolySat program and courses involving RF/antenna systems including EE 533 (antennas), EE 502 (microwave systems), and EE 440 (wireless communications). Courses outside the EE department will also be able to utilize the Anechoic Chamber to complement course concepts including AERO 448 (spacecraft design), PHYS 256 (electrical measurements laboratory), and MATH 212 (computational mathematics II).

A 3D view of the PolySat satellite

PolySat Program, Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo:
http://www.polysat.calpoly.edu/

The development of the chamber itself served as two senior projects and six MS theses, as this project involved extensive planning and construction, RF material characterization, and the development of calibration and operating procedures.

Absorber foam Positioner

Absorber Foam and Positioner Donations

Narda 644 Gain Horn Atlanta Scientific Gain Horn

Standard Gain Horns

The Cal Poly EE Department has provided support in terms of RF absorbers (2' height pyramid shape, 240 ft2), foam adhesive (15 gallons), and student labor. The Antenna Anechoic Chamber measures 20'(L) x 10'(W) x 9'8"(H) and is capable of characterizing antennas in the range of 2.4GHz to 20GHz. Photos of the completed chamber appear below.

Side view of completed chamber View of the completed chamber

Completed Antenna Anechoic Chamber

For More Information

Dean Arakaki
darakaki@calpoly.edu

Current Equipment

Support for the chamber development has been in the form of equipment and material donations from industry totaling over $100k. Donations have included over 300 panels of anechoic chamber absorber foam (both pyramid and wedge shape from Raytheon Systems Company), RF test equipment, antenna azimuthal positioners and controller instrumentation and software (Deskin Research Corp), and several pairs of standard gain horns spanning the range 2GHz to 26GHz (Deskin Research Corp).

Through support from Cal Poly's C3RP program, three positioners and corresponding controllers have been acquired from Sunol Sciences.

Equipment Needs

RF instrumentation including network and spectrum analyzers are currently being sought. To help support continued development of the Cal Poly EE Department Antenna Anechoic Chamber, please contact Dean Arakaki at darakaki@calpoly.edu.