Remote measurements using VNAs are becoming an increasingly popular method due to the increased portability of USB vector network analyzers. For applications such as far-field antenna measurement setup and using a VNA as an insertable remote sensor, the ability to remotely control the VNA becomes imperative. Read the application note to learn about a cost-effective solution for such measurements.

The R60 1-Port VNA was used for this application of materials measurement. See the abstract of the IEEE paper below. Abstract: Accurate determination of soil complex-dielectric-permittivity spectrum is important for various applications, especially for the development of soil moisture sensors that can be used, e.g., in agriculture and for environmental monitoring. Wideband measurement of soil dielectric spectrum requires the use of large-diameter coaxial transmission-line cells connected to a vector network analyzer (VNA). We present a new method for soil dielectric-spectrum characterization in the frequency range of 0.05-3 GHz. Our methodology is based on a wideband one-port VNA measurement of a soil sample inserted into a large-diameter coaxial cell. The key part of our approach is the use of a variable load terminating the coaxial cell to extract the scattering parameters of the sample, which are then fed into a dielectric permittivity extraction algorithm. The system provides quick and repeatable measurements without the use of flexible microwave cables. Also, application of a portable one-port VNA significantly lowers the cost of the system in comparison to two-port setups. We verify our methodology based on measurements of reference materials-polytetrafluoroethylene, isopropanol, and ethanol-and then apply it to characterize the soil samples with different moisture content and salinity. Experimental results confirm the validity of our approach.

The Hamburg University of Applied Sciences is one of the larger technical universities in Germany. Over 1000 students study in the field of Electrical and Information Technology. In the Laboratory for Communication Technology, under the guidance of Prof. Ralf Wendel, training in the field of RF and Microwave Technology takes place. Students from the Electrical and Information Technology bachelor’s curriculum as well as the master’s program, Information and Communication Technology, participate in application of learned principles.