Verifying the Performance of a Correlation-Based Channel Sounder in the 3.5 GHz Band with a Calibrated Vector Network Analyzer

We verified the performance of a correlation-based channel sounder in the 3550 MHz to 3650 MHz band with a calibrated vector network analyzer (VNA) by comparing measurements in a stable, coaxial environment at the same reference planes. The purpose of this experiment was to focus on the performance of the channel sounder's hardware, as opposed to antenna effects or channel variations. Two conducted propagation channels were utilized - one consisting of a length of cable and an attenuator to simulate a line-of-sight channel, and another with a pair of splitters joined by cables of different lengths to simulate a multipath environment. Performing repeated measurements and estimating the components of uncertainty due to random effects, we found that the channel sounder and VNA measurements agreed to within 0.25 dB for values of path gain, and the peaks in the power delay profile agreed to within 2 dB.