A method for interlaboratory stripline susceptibility test calibration

A method is presented for correlating susceptibility tests between two different electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) laboratories using stripline antenna test methods by utilizing similar test antennas. A controlled test antenna is used along with swept frequency techniques to gather data rapidly which are then used to correlate results from two or more laboratories or to locate and eliminate the causes of variation between laboratories. If differences in the two sets of measurements cannot be eliminated, these results can be used to provide a quantitative prediction of the differences between the test results to be expected between the two laboratories. The advantage of this approach is that the device under test in this case is passive, uniform, and easily duplicated in different laboratories and does not have many of the disadvantages associated with transporting a generic active device under test from one laboratory to another. The method can be used as a periodic check on the performance of the test system since each laboratory can easily possess its own standard antenna.<>