Compact antenna range performance evaluation using simulated pattern measurements

A user of a compact antenna test range (CATR) is primarily interested in the accuracy to which the radiation pattern of the antenna can be measured in a given facility. By employing both a three-dimensional and computationally fast two-dimensional model of the coupling between a given test antenna and a single offset CATR, the paper demonstrates that error curves showing peak and RMS pattern error as a function of the CATR edge taper can be derived. It is shown that these error curves are applicable to a wide range of test antenna aperture distributions, making them practical alternatives to specifying CATR quiet-zone amplitude and phase ripple.