Multitaper-Based Post-Processing of Compact Antenna Responses Obtained in Non-Anechoic Conditions

Abstract

The process of developing antenna structures typically involves prototype measurements. While accurate validation of far-field performance can be performed in dedicated facilities like anechoic chambers, high cost of construction and maintenance might not justify their use for teaching, or low-budget research scenarios. Non-anechoic experiments provide a cost-effective alternative, however the performance metrics obtained in such conditions require appropriate correction. In this paper, we consider a multitaper approach for post-processing antenna far-field characteristics measured in challenging, non-anechoic environments. The discussed algorithm enhances one-shot measurements to enable extraction of line-of-sight responses while attenuating interferences from multi-path propagation and the noise from external sources of electromagnetic radiation. The performance of the considered method has been demonstrated in uncontrolled conditions using a compact spline-based monopole. Furthermore, the approach has been favorably validated against the state-of-the-art techniques from the literature.