ETSI or CISPR and the height of your chamber

If you want to work with ETSI standards, you need to know the following: all ETSI test chambers have to be fully lined with hybrid absorbers. What does that mean if your chamber isn’t? We turned to our Technical Consultant, Uliana Trucchi, a seasoned professional in the field, to explain the pitfalls she encounters in practice.

Uliana: “ETSI stands for the European Telecommunications Standards Institute and demands -5 dB reflectivity up to 12,75Ghz and a minimal one-meter distance between the antenna and the absorbers. While the FCC regulates communications within the United States, ETSI focuses on establishing standards for information and communications technologies in Europe.

The height of the chamber is an important factor: ETSI norms require that no part of the test antenna should come within one meter of the absorber tips to avoid electric loading. The question that arises in the market is if the height of a chamber needs to be increased or if you can test at the height applied to CISPR 16-1-4 chambers. Well, the answer is no because you will not receive formal accreditation in this case. Test houses know this difference, but there is confusion amongst OEMs about the effects of the requirements. In the photo, you can see an actual example of a 5m and 3m test range semi-anechoic chamber that we designed and built for SITAEL in Italy. This chamber enables SITAEL to perform a wide variety of measurements, ranging from commercial CISPR 16-1-4 and IEC/EN 61000-4-3 to ETSI/radio through MIL-STD, DO-160, and automotive CISPR25 ISO 11452-2 component level.”

Are you considering investing in a SAC with ETSI requirements, or are you unsure if your chamber meets them? Contact Uliana Trucchi for advice. She is more than happy to clarify things for you.

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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.”

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.