Two-Tier Vector-Network-Analyzer Calibrations for Uncertainties in Laboratory-Based Over-the-Air and Channel Measurements

Published

October 23, 2025

Author(s)

Paritosh Manurkar, Sudantha Perera, Catherine Remley, Dylan Williams, Mohamed Hany, Joshua Kast, Robert Horansky

Abstract

We present a straightforward and systematic approach for identifying the dominant uncertainties related to vector network analyzer measurements of chambers utilized for free-field test of wireless devices. We assess the uncertainty related to long cable runs and discuss the tradeoffs between the ease of calibration due to the choice of calibration location and the resulting measurement uncertainty. We illustrate these concepts by assessing the combined uncertainty in the power-delay profile and angle-of-arrival of reflected signals within a hybrid anechoic/reflective chamber for three common calibration locations. The framework presented here allows users to quantitatively consider the tradeoffs between uncertainty and ease-of-measurement that are uniquely important to over-the-air chamber-based measurements.

Citation

IEEE Open Journal of Instrumentation and Measurement

Volume

4

Pub Type

Journals

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.1109/OJIM.2025.3619249

Local Download

Keywords

Channel measurement, measurement uncertainty, over-the-air (OTA) test, vector network analyzer (VNA), wireless system.

Citation

Manurkar, P. , Perera, S. , Remley, C. , Williams, D. , Hany, M. , Kast, J. and Horansky, R. (2025), Two-Tier Vector-Network-Analyzer Calibrations for Uncertainties in Laboratory-Based Over-the-Air and Channel Measurements, IEEE Open Journal of Instrumentation and Measurement, [online], https://doi.org/10.1109/OJIM.2025.3619249, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=960004 (Accessed February 15, 2026)