Two primary factors that reduce the signal power transferred between a source and load, such as in a transceiver and antenna system, are signal reflections and power-dissipation losses. A similar process can be used for many other kinds of impedance matching needed to maximize power transfer between components in a system with high-frequency signals, or to check transmission-line design or characteristic impedance.
In this article, we’ll present a straightforward process for antenna matching using a portable VNA. However, the advent of low-cost, portable VNAs coupled with intuitive PC software has made it easier and more affordable to perform antenna matching to improve the performance of wireless devices.
SMITH CHART NETWORK ANALYZER HOW TO
In fact, some have not been trained on how to use them. Until recently, many engineers tasked with integrating an antenna into a wireless device had limited or no access to a VNA due to the historically high cost of these instruments. But the best tool to make the impedance measurements needed to effectively design a matching network is a vector network analyzer (VNA). A spectrum analyzer with a tracking generator can check an antenna match by looking at the voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR). According to the inverse square law of radio waves, only a 6-dB improvement in path loss from improved matching results in a device that transmits and receives at twice the range. Properly matching an antenna to a transceiver is one of the easiest ways to extend the signal range and battery life of a smartphone, laptop, or any other wireless device.
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