A simple setup to measure the realized gain of miniaturized antennas in the HF band

This paper describes a method of measurement of miniaturized antenna gain in the HF band based on a parallel plate cell. Compared to a free space outdoor approach this method offers two advantages: the use of a well-defined environment and time efficiency. For the same external dimensions, it also has an advantage compared to TEM/GTEM cells designs in terms of the useful antenna under test (AUT) space. This space is of a major importance in the HF band since even miniature antennas can have considerable proportions. The proposed structure is composed of a parallel plate cell, which construction is simple, not expensive and offers an accurate measurement with respect to simulated and certified gains.