Microwave Journal
www.microwavejournal.com/articles/35848-emite-releases-antenna-carrousel-for-5g-gnodeb-ota-catr-testing

EMITE Releases Antenna Carrousel for 5G gNodeB OTA CATR Testing

April 20, 2021

EMITE has made another big step forward in 5G over-the-air (OTA) testing by releasing a unique fully‐automated feed antenna carrousel for standardized 3GPP 38.141 5G gNodeB OTA testing using a 1.8 m compact antenna test range (CATR) in the EMITE F100 anechoic chamber. The novel antenna carrousel is capable of providing fully automated measurements for the frequency range from 1 to 220 GHz, and for both vertical and horizontal polarizations. With an embedded mmWave hardware module, several antennas are rotated to the CATR focal point position, and when in combination of automated vector signal analyzer and vector signal generator (VSG) test algorithms the user saves several days of manual changes.

With full support for chapters 6 and 7 of 3GPP TS 38.141, the novel antenna feed carrousel brings automation to un unheard‐of level in gNodeB OTA testing. Several RF paths with different signal levels, in combination to mmWave oscillators, switches, amplifiers, multipliers, mixers and combiners, set the pace for world‐wide first OTA tests up to 220 GHz with the push of a button. The system is currently in use at two customer sites, leading manufacturers of gNodeB.

The EMITE‐unique fully‐automated graphic user interface software suite allows testing of all key performance indicators in chapters 6 and 7 of 3GPP TS. 38.521‐1/2/3. The novel antenna carrousel can be combined to a barbeque‐type device under test positioner, allowing automated loading‐unloading of very heavy gNodeBs at the chamber flushed entrance. The automation is also capable of operating overnight without human supervision.

“Witnessing a full TS 38.141 test with hundreds of test instrument interactions, feed carrousel movements and for diverse frequency chunks and test instruments frequency segmentations, allowed by the unique 1‐200 GHz antenna carrousel, and doing it within a couple of hours is something one could only imagine a few years ago. Once more, EMITE has brought automation to a new level. Standardized gNodeB OTA testing can now have light speed,” said David A. Sánchez‐Hernández, CEO of EMITE.