The pioneers in Compliance Magazine

As current owners of Comtest Engineering and Dutch Microwave Absorber Solutions, Bas de Groot and Rik de Groot pay respect to their father, pioneer and founder of Comtest, in the current Founders Edition of In Compliance Magazine.

Since 1980, Hein de Groot has been selling RF measuring equipment for Eaton Corporation’s AILtech division, but the sales volume has been too small to support the operation. His first challenge was finding complementary product lines interesting to the same customer base: ESD test equipment, power amplifiers, and T&M equipment. This journey has been guided by his unwavering commitment to technical expertise.

In 1988, Comtest built one of the first semi-anechoic chambers in Europe using ferrite tiles and hybrid absorbers. Just before the turn of the millennium, we started manufacturing shielding, and that’s when Bas joined the company, followed by Rik in 2017. Like their father, Hein, they learned by getting involved hands-on. The advantage is that they know every detail of our products, how they are built, and what they do. The LUF1000 on the right page of the advertisement is a recent testament to this commitment to our products.

The LUF1000 is a compact reverberation chamber designed to meet EN61000-4-21/RTCA-DO160 G criteria and is a testament to our unwavering commitment to user-friendly solutions. With a ‘lowest usable frequency’ (LUF) of 1GHz, it’s ready to meet your testing needs. Its plug-and-play setup, including antennas and RF cables, sets it apart. All you need to do is find a socket to power it up, and you’re ready for worry-free testing, just like Hein had imagined 44 years ago.

Our two-page advertisement can be viewed in the August edition of In Compliance Magazine. The cover story ‘It’s All About the People: The Pioneers of Today’s EMC Society’ (see link in comments) highlights the stories of some of these engineering professionals and their contributions to the engineering solutions practised by today’s EMC engineers.

Young EMC engineers often wonder where some of the EMC rules originated. The answer is frequently found in the history of the EMC Society and the early work of a cadre of intelligent and active engineers who spearheaded its formation.

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More To Explore

Upgrading an EMC chamber with new absorbers on old tiles

Can you upgrade an EMC chamber and keep the old, glued ferrite tiles? “It’s possible”, says Uliana Trucchi, one of our technical consultants. “Say you want to replace your old absorbers because you need to meet performances over 1GHz, and you wish to keep the ferrite tiles because they are glued to the chamber’s walls and ceiling. That is exactly what the people from Nemko in Germany asked us for the chamber upgrade in the photo.”

The number of stirrer positions vs power

Testing time is valuable, so this post provides tips on optimising the number of stirrer positions in your reverberation chamber to fit your budget and test requirements. “There is a delicate balance between the number of stirrer positions and the amplifier power for a given reverberation chamber,” explains our R&D Consultant, Dimitrios Barakos. By collaborating with EMC test solution provider Rohde & Schwarz, we aim to find the most efficient solution for our clients. “

Our services include maintenance and validated testing. We recommend that both are executed by authorized personnel only. Our expert teams can perform preventive maintenance on RF-shielded doors, mode-stirrer systems, and positioning equipment such as turntables. We also offer validation services to see if your EMC test chamber or RF-shielded room still functions within its intended limits and avoiding unexpected down-time or product recalls at the same time.

Our services include maintenance and validated testing. We recommend that both are executed by authorized personnel only. Our expert teams can perform preventive maintenance on RF-shielded doors, mode-stirrer systems, and positioning equipment such as turntables. We also offer validation services to see if your EMC test chamber or RF-shielded room still functions within its intended limits and avoiding unexpected down-time or product recalls at the same time.

A shielded room can perform conducted emission and immunity EMC measurements, eliminating harmful external influences, leading to more accurate and consistent test results. Being a Faraday cage, a shielded room will not only improve test results but will also form an excellent aid in protecting information and essential hardware. Comtest can assist governments, the military, financial institutions, and large corporations in protecting what matters most in critical situations. We offer the highest quality, sensitivity, and security before, during and after working with you.

A shielded room can perform conducted emission and immunity EMC measurements, eliminating harmful external influences, leading to more accurate and consistent test results. Being a Faraday cage, a shielded room will not only improve test results but will also form an excellent aid in protecting information and essential hardware. Comtest can assist governments, the military, financial institutions, and large corporations in protecting what matters most in critical situations. We offer the highest quality, sensitivity, and security before, during and after working with you.

Comtest has been building high-quality antenna test ranges for more than 20 years. We are dedicated to putting our experience to work for you, turning any problem you might have into a customized test solution. As for researching and developing your products, we know speed and return on investment are very important. That’s why we ensure your project is delivered on schedule, on budget and exactly as ordered.

Comtest has been building high-quality antenna test ranges for more than 20 years. We are dedicated to putting our experience to work for you, turning any problem you might have into a customized test solution. As for researching and developing your products, we know speed and return on investment are very important. That’s why we ensure your project is delivered on schedule, on budget and exactly as ordered.

Comtest offers semi and full anechoic chambers that shield almost 100% of ambient emissions and reflect minimal internal radiation. We deliver or build your custom test chamber at your location, depending on what size chamber you need. If you tell us your challenges, we’ll offer a tailored turnkey solution from design to installation, including upgrades and yearly certifications.

We are committed to helping you achieve the best EMC testing possible. 

Comtest offers semi and full anechoic chambers that shield almost 100% of ambient emissions and reflect minimal internal radiation. We deliver or build your custom test chamber at your location, depending on what size chamber you need. If you tell us your challenges, we’ll offer a tailored turnkey solution from design to installation, including upgrades and yearly certifications.

We are committed to helping you achieve the best EMC testing possible.