5G Over-the-Air (OTA) testing with User-friendly 5G Network Testing Equipment and tools, 5G Speed Tests Tools, and User-friendly RF Drive test tools is introduced to test antennas for MIMO (multiple input multiple outputs) with LTE. OTA testing is needed to characterize the performance of receive and transmit antenna.
Over-the-Air (OTA) testing needs different antenna tower setups for 5G FR1 (Frequency range 1, FC at or below 7.125 GHz) and FR2(Frequency range 2, FC at or above 24.25 GHz). Thus, OTA testing is essential. For validation and calibration of OTA, testing temperature plays a very significant factor.
OTA (over the air) measurement is also known as radiated measurement, it is also used in multiple applications, but it is pretty new to the cellular world.
It is particularly relevant for 5G’s frequency range 2 (FR2), which occupies the spectrum between 24.25 GHz and 52.6 GHz.
Engineering wireless services makes better use of OTA testing due to the massive utilization of MIMO and multimeter-wave (mmWave) spectrum, which is spatial to distribute the indication.
A MIMO OTA system is unidirectional, which means only downlink signals are faded, where MIMO OTA stresses the device receiver.
MIMO OTA is the only way to test a device comprehensively. MIMO over-the-air testing (OTA) allows the engineers to assess a suitable in a controlled and careful environment by subjecting it to a practical propagation that includes sequential and three-dimensional sprinkling.
MIMO OTA is categorized into two main FR1 (Frequency range 1, FC at or below 7.125 GHz) and FR2 (Frequency range 2, FC at or above 24.25 GHz).
5G NR FR1 OTA test is consistent with the 4G test. The only essential variance is that the investigation layout is a 2D ring using 16 dual-polarized probes in a circle, whereas 4G MIMO OTA uses double differentiated probes in a 2D sphere.
In 5G NR FR2, the probe format is dissimilar due to the project everywhere a different FoM called control angular gamut similarity percentage (PSP), which communicates the beamformer’s capability to estimate the reasonable control angular spread.
FoM is a function of angular spread and antenna array element orientation and separation.
PSP characterization can be accomplished in an ample minor footmark and fallouts in the configuration of a 3D wall enhanced to support two-channel replicas from the fair flag distribution in the apartment.
MIMO OTA testing consists of the following components on both of these cases. Frequency converters, anechoic chamber, power amplifiers.
So far, there has not been a standard created for calibrating a measurement system for the OTA test. Such a standard would go a long way toward making a difference in metrology labs and test engineers worldwide within the process of conducting exact, repeatable estimations of 5G signals.
All MIMO OTA test systems need software. The software takes care of the simulating cases and considers calibration, validation, progress monitoring, reporting test results, and informing the user of any failures.