Accelerated Lifetime Testing for Antennas

=BDI've got

nts

I would check the back covers (ads) of the following publications, as a start:

IEEE Transactions, Broadcast Technology Society. IEEE Transactions, Microwave Theory & Techniques Society (IEEE Microwave Magazine) Microwave Journal (You might also poke around mwjournal.com?) IEEE Publication - Antennas & Propagation Society

Try searching for HALT HASS testing.

Look for a copy of MIL-HDBK-2164A "Environmental Stress Screening Process for Electronic Equipment." It has the nice advantage that it's a government document that's freely available (although you can find some places that sell dead tree copies) and it presents a standardized approach to the screening process.

I would also be concerned with passive intermodulation (PIM) if you are installing these on multi user/multi carrier towers. If these are really cheap antennas with dissimilar metals at the "joints" and junctions, you may be in for a surprise.

Wiley Labs used to do some of this kind of work; don't know if they are still around.

Hmm. Volume installation. I would add salt spray to the requirements. Look for mil specs for general environmental testing. Telco, ANSI and ISO standards also exist. Where will they be deployed?

FYI these are "panel" antennas operating @ ~900 Mhz.,the elements (usually 6 to 12 itty-bitty dipoles) are arrainged vertically inside a radome in either vertical, horizontal, or occaisionally, two sets of elements crossed at 90 degrees both 45 degrees off the vertical (or it you are a person of that sort of persuasion, 45 degrees off the horizontal :)) These things are designed to mount with the long axis vertical, flipping them over on thier side just isn't in the game plan. it's how the diploes are actually constructed, connected togeter & secured backplane thats potentially problematic.

H.

Maybe, maybe not. There is also circular polarization.

Not fer what we're a'doin-

H. :)