A Portable and Low-cost RF Measurement System for Instructional Use

In this work, we develop a RF measurement system that consists of portable transmitter and receiver modules operating at the 2.4GHz band using Wi-Fi technologies. Originally designed as a hands-on lab tool for antenna radiation pattern measurements, this system can be a viable tool for multiple instructional tasks such as providing demos in lectures and serving as a measurement tool in labs for various Electrical Engineering (EE) and Electronic Engineering Technology (EET) courses. Relevant courses include those that cover antenna theory, RF signal propagation modeling, and communication systems which are fundamental in upper-division EE/EET curriculum. The system renders several promising features: portable, low-cost, simple, and compact in size, to name a few. In this paper, we first introduce the components and the mechanism of the RF measurement system. We then present a laboratory exercise that designed for an antenna radiation pattern study using the developed system. Detailed lab procedures and results collected from a recent upper-division communication systems course in an EET program are provided. The lab results demonstrate the effectiveness of the developed system. Additional assessment data from students’ feedback further show that the lab experience using the measurement system has been engaging. The proposed system provides a feasible solution for programs which are not equipped with complex and expensive lab facilities and resources for RF and antenna measurements instructional needs.