Pre-construction evaluation modeling of open area test sites (OATS)

Abstract

The construction of open area test sites (OATS) for commercial EMI testing for FCC and CE radiated emission requirements is at an all-time high. The demand for test facilities to meet the amount of testing required for computer, consumer, medical and other products has forced many test laboratories to turn away business due to a lack of test capacity. Semi-anechoic rooms are sometimes used to perform radiated emissions testing, but these sites are very expensive and usually limited to large companies doing internal product testing. Therefore the construction of OATS facilities is rising to try and fulfill the test capacity demand. This paper discusses some pre-construction OATS analysis methods using numerical modeling techniques (in this case, the method of moments). Comparison between various ground plane sizes and shapes, and nearby metal objects, are made to a perfect site.