Measurement of Antenna Efficiency in Reverberation Chambers – Effect of Antenna Positioning and Chamber Loading

Efficiency is an important parameter of antennas, particularly when they are used in reverberation chambers (RCs) for electromagnetic compatibility immunity and emission testing. We show here that measurements of antenna efficiency (both total and radiated) by using the two-antenna approach exhibit appreciable dependence on antenna positioning and on loading of the chamber. Results of the analysis suggest that both antennas should be placed inside the working volume of the RC and that the loading of the RC should be carefully considered when evaluating antenna efficiency.