Antenna Measurement Services
Test the performance of your antenna in the iEMSL’s state-of-the-art anechoic chamber.
Photo credit: Kayla Sidik, 2025
The iEMSL offers precision antenna radiation pattern measurements using our state-of-the-art Fully Anechoic Chamber for a variety of antenna types. Visualize your antenna’s performance in both 2D and 3D, and gain valuable insights into beamwidth, gain, and directional coverage.
2D Pattern Measurements
Get fast, high-resolution insight into your antenna’s performance with 2D radiation pattern measurements in our state-of-the-art anechoic chamber for two orthogonal polar cuts (typically elevation/azimuth or E-plane/H-plane cuts)
Evaluating beam direction, sidelobe levels, and beamwidth in the E- or H-plane, our 2D scans provide the data you need to fine-tune designs or validate specs at two orthogonal cuts—without the time commitment of a full 3D sweep.
3D Pattern Measurements
For when two slices just aren’t enough—our 3D antenna radiation measurements capture gain and coverage in all directions. Using precision rotary positioning inside our anechoic chamber, we deliver detailed spatial maps of your antenna’s true radiation shape.
Ideal for high-performance systems, custom designs, and advanced wireless applications, our 3D service provides the gold standard in antenna characterization, nothing is missed by exploring the entire sphere!
Technical Specs and Capabilities
| Anechoic Chamber Frequency Range | 400 MHz – 140 GHz |
| Frequency Sweeps | Standard: 400 MHz – 10 GHz 2 GHz – 18 GHz 10 GHz – 40 GHz Custom: >40 GHz (up to 140 GHz) |
| Chamber Internal Dimensions | 24′ x 10′ x 6.5′ |
| Far Field Distance | 16′ |
| Max AUT weight | 34.0 kg (75.0 lb) |
| Scan Geometry | Two-axis, full spherical geometry |
| Scan Range | Up to ±180° pattern coverage |
Measurement Precision Packages and Pricing
We can measure your passive antenna’s gain patterns in 3D spherical, 2D polar, or even 1D single-direction plot from 400 MHz to 40 GHz.
You will receive a pattern file for each AUT, This makes the 3D Spherical plots and 2D Polar plots renderable on your machine using the EMQuest Viewer, free software for visualization. You will also receive a spreadsheet that includes Vertical, Horizontal, and Total gain in dBi. This enables easy post-processing and quick creation of custom plots, such as Radiation Efficiency versus frequency, forward gain versus frequency, front-to-back ratios, and more. You will also receive photographs of your antenna in the iEMSL Anechoic Chamber.
The iEMSL offers different levels of measurement precision to suit your needs and budget. Choose from one of the packages below for a fixed price or contact the iEMSL to receive a quote for customized measurement precision.
2D Gain Pattern Measurements
| Standard Precision | Advanced Precision | |
|---|---|---|
| Step Size (degrees) | 2 | 1 |
| Number of Frequencies within the standard ranges | Up to 5 | Up to 10 |
| Number of Slices | 2 | 2 |
| Absolute Gain Pattern (dBi) requires Range Calibration | Yes | Yes |
| Lab-provided data export | Spreadsheet + Pattern Files + Photographs | Spreadsheet + Pattern Files + Photographs |
| Price/pattern | $500 First + $300 add’l TAMU: $100 First + $50 add’l | $825 First + $500 add’l TAMU: $150 First + $100 add’l |
3D Gain Pattern Measurements
| Standard Precision | Advanced Precision | |
|---|---|---|
| Step Size (degrees) | 10 | 5 |
| Number of Frequencies within the standard ranges | Up to 5 | Up to 10 |
| Absolute Gain Pattern (dBi) requires Range Calibration | Yes | Yes |
| Lab-provided data export | Spreadsheet + Pattern Files + Photographs | Spreadsheet + Pattern Files + Photographs |
| Price/pattern | $500 First + $300 add’l TAMU: $100 First + $50 add’l | $825 First + $500 add’l TAMU: $150 First + $100 add’l |
Mounting Your Antenna
You’ll want to ensure that your antenna can be properly and securely mounted to the positioning system in the Anechoic Chamber. While the iEMSL does have several mounting accessories, not every antenna is the same. Please view the specifications of our antenna mounts.
Non-standard Mounting:
A setup fee of $450 ($100 for TAMU users) will be applied for each unique antenna design with different overall dimensions that do not include one of our specified mounting hole patterns. This fee covers the engineering of a new mounting solution and can add approximately one week to your project timeline.
This charge is applied per unique design and not per individual antenna within a batch.
To avoid both the fee and the delay, simply ensure your antenna includes one of our specified mounting hole patterns.
Additional Measurements
We provide additional measurements including Return-Loss and VSWR (with S1P touchstone file provided), as well as extra orthogonal polar cuts in 2D tests. It also possible to obtain more frequency points than what the aforementioned packages offers.
Custom Measurements
We offer a comprehensive suite of custom antenna and electromagnetic measurements. This includes highly precise 3D radiation patterns, captured with a maximum resolution of a 1-degree step size. For active antennas, our testing services cover transmitter patterns, as well as the measurement of both Total Radiated Power (TRP) and Equivalent Isotropically Radiated Power (EIRP) in dBm.
For custom tests, users are charged $500 Setup fee in addition $450/hour and TAMU users are charged $100 Setup fee in addition $100/hour. Fees for hourly use is in addition to membership fee. Minimum 1-hour charge per use. Use over one hour will be rounded to the nearest 15-minute increment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get started testing an antenna in the Anechoic Chamber?
Start by making sure your antenna is within our chamber’s testing capability. We can accommodate passive antennas with frequencies between 400 MHz and 40 GHz. If you think your antenna is a good fit, request a measurement by clicking the button at the top or bottom of this webpage.
Who operates the Anechoic Chamber?
After undergoing an extensive training program, the iEMSL employs staff to operate the Anechoic Chamber for testing antennas. Interested in joining the Antenna Measurement Team? Reach out to the iEMSL to find out more!
What kind of information can the iEMSL tell me about my antenna?
We can give you reliable an accurate measures of your antenna’s SWR (standing wave ratio), beam width, directivity, gain, efficiency, and front-to-back ratio. We can also plot your antenna’s radiation pattern as polar (2D) or spherical (3D) plots, and we can even assist in exporting your data to other file formats such as STL or OBJ for better visualization.
How long do the tests take to perform?
Tests vary in duration based on the level of precision needed, and we can provide more information once we learn about your antenna and what kind of tests you’d like to perform. Are you interested in a very basic understanding of the general shape of your antenna’s radiation pattern? A Standard Precision 2D Measurement will only take about 30 minutes from start to finish. If you need high granularity and extremely precise measurements in three dimensions, a Maximum Precision 3D Measurement can take up to 5 or 6 hours to complete.
The level of precision I want is not listed above. What do I do?
Not a problem! Our team is happy to work with you directly to set up customized and specific tests to suit your precision needs. Please request a measurement by clicking the button at the top or bottom of this page to get started!
Ready to Measure?
Whether you’re fine-tuning a prototype or validating a final design, the iEMSL is here to help. Click the button below to submit a request to have your antenna measured in our Anechoic Chamber!