Antenna Kit including Microwave To 18 GHz

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ANK-318 Portable EMC Antenna Kit (25 MHz – 18 GHz) — Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the Com-Power ANK-318 and what is it primarily used for?
The ANK-318 is a portable broadband EMC antenna kit covering 25 MHz to 18 GHz in a single rolling carrying case — the widest single-kit coverage Com-Power offers short of the mmWave ANK-140. This range spans essentially all commercial EMC radiated emissions requirements: FCC Part 15 through 1 GHz, CISPR 32 / EN 55032 up to 6 GHz, and emerging microwave-band requirements up to Ku-band (18 GHz). The kit bundles three antennas (biconical, log-periodic, double ridge horn), two preamplifiers, two comb generators, a near-field probe set, and all cables — a single portable case for near-complete sub-mmWave EMC coverage.

2. What is included in the ANK-318 kit?
• ABF-900A Collapsible Biconical Antenna (30 MHz – 300 MHz)
• ALC-100 Compact Log-Periodic Antenna (300 MHz – 1 GHz)
• AH-118 Double Ridge Horn Antenna (700 MHz – 18 GHz, up to 300 W)
• PAM-103 Low-Noise Preamplifier (30 MHz – 1 GHz)
• PAM-118A Low-Noise Microwave Preamplifier (500 MHz – 18 GHz)
• CGO-520 Comb Generator (20 MHz – 4.5 GHz, 20 MHz step size)
• CGO-5100B Comb Generator (1 GHz – 18 GHz, 100 MHz step size)
• PS-500 Near-Field Probe Set (H-field and E-field probes)
• Measurement cables (N-type and BNC) for a typical 3-meter radiated setup
• Compartmentalized rolling carrying case with custom foam cutouts and pull handle, airline-transportable
• Individual calibration certificates for each antenna and preamplifier (NIST-traceable)
Optional: AT-812 or AT-120 tripod (with or without ATC-812/ATC-120 tripod case)

3. Which EMC standards and test bands does the ANK-318 support?
• FCC Part 15 Subpart B, C, E (unintentional and intentional radiators, U-NII devices)
• CISPR 32 / EN 55032 (ITE / multimedia) up to 6 GHz (or higher if EUT clock × 5 is higher)
• CISPR 22 (legacy ITE, harmonized with CISPR 32)
• CISPR 11 / EN 55011 (industrial, scientific, medical)
• CISPR 14-1 (household appliances and tools)
• CISPR 15 / EN 55015 (lighting equipment, upper band)
• CISPR 25 (automotive component emissions, includes cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth bands)
• CISPR 16-1-4 site validation (SVSWR up to 18 GHz, NSA below 1 GHz)
• IEC 61000-6-3/4 generic emissions
• ANSI C63.4 (U.S. unintentional radiator methods)
• FCC Part 22/24/27/30 (cellular / wireless broadband bands through 18 GHz)
• ETSI EN 301 489 series (wireless equipment)
• MIL-STD-461G RE102 and DO-160 Section 21 sub-18-GHz portions

4. Why does the ANK-318 use three different antennas?
Covering 25 MHz to 18 GHz requires more than 9 octaves of bandwidth — no single antenna gives acceptable performance across that range. The ANK-318 uses the industry-standard three-antenna split:
• Biconical (ABF-900A) for 30–300 MHz — handles large wavelengths with near-omni response
• Log-periodic (ALC-100) for 300 MHz – 1 GHz — directional gain at UHF
• Double ridge horn (AH-118) for 1 GHz – 18 GHz — broadband microwave coverage with consistent gain and high power handling
This matches CISPR 16-1-1 and ANSI C63.4 recommendations used by every major commercial EMC lab. Two antenna swaps (at 300 MHz and 1 GHz) during a full compliance sweep are standard practice. The ANK-318’s custom-cut case keeps all three antennas protected and accessible during setup.

5. Why does the ANK-318 include two preamplifiers?
The low-band antennas (ABF-900A biconical and ALC-100 log-periodic) operate in the 30 MHz – 1 GHz range covered by the PAM-103. The AH-118 horn operates in the 700 MHz – 18 GHz range better served by the PAM-118A, which is optimized for microwave frequencies. Having both preamplifiers means each antenna pairs with a preamplifier specifically designed for its frequency range — giving best noise figure, gain flatness, and dynamic range at every frequency. Using a single wideband preamplifier across 30 MHz – 18 GHz would compromise performance at the band edges.

6. Why does the ANK-318 include two comb generators?
The kit includes two complementary comb generators because no single comb generator covers 25 MHz to 18 GHz with useful amplitude at every frequency:
• CGO-520 (20 MHz – 4.5 GHz, 20 MHz steps, battery-powered): Dense low-frequency comb for verifying the biconical, log-periodic, and lower-band horn setup. Concentrates energy in 20 MHz steps for good signal-to-noise at each tone
• CGO-5100B (1 GHz – 18 GHz, 100 MHz steps, battery-powered): Microwave comb for verifying the AH-118 horn setup. 100 MHz step size gives higher amplitude per line at microwave frequencies where system losses are greater
Running both before a test session gives quick end-to-end verification of the measurement chain across the full 25 MHz – 18 GHz range.

7. Why include the AH-118 horn antenna specifically in this kit?
The AH-118 is Com-Power’s workhorse microwave horn antenna — a broadband double ridge guide horn covering 700 MHz to 18 GHz with 300 W continuous power handling. It offers consistent gain, low VSWR, and robust mechanical construction. For most products requiring microwave EMC testing (Wi-Fi 2.4/5 GHz, Bluetooth, cellular sub-6 GHz, 5G FR1, satellite Ku-band), the AH-118 is the standard choice. Including it in the ANK-318 means you can cover essentially all commercial non-mmWave EMC testing in one kit. If you also need mmWave (above 18 GHz for 5G FR2, K/Ka-band satellite, automotive 24/77 GHz radar), add the ANK-140 separately.

8. What is the PS-500 Near-Field Probe Set used for?
The PS-500 contains small H-field and E-field probes used to localize EMI sources on circuit boards, cables, connectors, and enclosure seams. When the ANK-318’s far-field antennas detect an emission exceeding a limit, the PS-500 lets the engineer scan up close to find exactly where on the product the radiation originates. This turns a binary pass/fail far-field result into actionable engineering data: specific component, trace, cable, or seam to fix. Essential for design-phase debug before formal compliance testing.

9. Who uses the ANK-318 and what real-world products does it test?
• Wireless consumer electronics: Wi-Fi routers, smartphones, tablets, smart speakers, IoT devices, smart-home hubs
• Automotive suppliers: infotainment systems, CISPR 25 testing, Bluetooth/Wi-Fi-enabled ECUs, 24 GHz SRR front-end work (up to 18 GHz)
• Medical devices: wireless patient monitors, telemetry equipment, IEC 60601-1-2 compliance (includes wireless co-existence)
• Industrial IoT: 4G/5G industrial modems, factory-floor wireless gateways, private LTE equipment
• Defense sub-assemblies: MIL-STD-461 RE102/RE103 lower-frequency portion (up to 18 GHz)
• Aerospace avionics: DO-160 Section 21 through Ku-band
• Network equipment: switches, routers, wireless controllers, 5G base stations (sub-6 GHz)
• Compliance test labs: primary or secondary portable capability, customer-site work
• EMC consultants: pre-compliance at client facilities covering virtually all non-mmWave standards
• Research and academic: RF design verification, university EMC programs

10. How does the ANK-318 compare with other Com-Power antenna kits?
• vs. ANK-310 (30 MHz – 1 GHz): ANK-318 extends the ANK-310 with AH-118 microwave horn, PAM-118A preamp, and second comb generator. If your products require 1–18 GHz testing, pick ANK-318 over ANK-310
• vs. ANK-140 (1–40 GHz): complementary. ANK-318 covers below 18 GHz including the low bands; ANK-140 covers 1–40 GHz including mmWave. For complete 25 MHz – 40 GHz, own both; the 1–18 GHz overlap is redundant
• vs. ANK-910L (9 kHz – 1 GHz, active loop): ANK-910L adds 9 kHz – 30 MHz H-field (AL-130R active loop) at the low end but stops at 1 GHz. ANK-318 extends much further upward but doesn’t include the low-band loop
• vs. ANK-910M (9 kHz – 1 GHz, monopole): ANK-910M adds 9 kHz – 30 MHz E-field (AM-741R) for DO-160 and MIL-STD work. ANK-318 is the commercial-focused upper-band complement
For the broadest single-kit commercial coverage up to 18 GHz, the ANK-318 is the choice.

11. Is the ANK-318 sufficient for FCC and CE compliance filings?
The ANK-318 is designed primarily for pre-compliance and qualification-level testing, not necessarily formal ISO 17025 accredited testing that goes directly onto the FCC/CE filing. Use cases where the ANK-318 is fully sufficient:
• Pre-compliance screening before expensive formal testing — catch and fix problems early
• Troubleshooting failures from a formal test — reproduce the issue and localize the source
• Development-phase verification during product design
• Qualification-level testing where your regulatory path allows portable equipment
• Site validation QA for a larger permanent accredited chamber
• Offsite customer audits and demonstrations
For final certification on a product’s FCC/CE filing, most programs require 10-meter or 3-meter FAR accredited testing. The ANK-318 is often used as the technology to get you ready for that final test, saving 10× the cost of discovering problems at the compliance lab.

12. What calibration and documentation comes with the ANK-318?
Each component is individually calibrated with its own certificate:
• Biconical (ABF-900A), log-periodic (ALC-100), and horn (AH-118) antennas — antenna factor and gain vs. frequency per ANSI C63.5
• Preamplifiers (PAM-103, PAM-118A) — gain and noise figure vs. frequency
• Comb generators (CGO-520, CGO-5100B) — output levels at each comb line
• Near-field probes (PS-500) — calibration data where applicable
All calibrations are NIST-traceable. ISO 17025 accredited calibration is available on request. Annual recalibration is recommended; each item is also available individually for replacement.

13. What should I watch for when using the ANK-318 across such a wide frequency range?
• Cable loss variation — the same cable has very different loss at 100 MHz vs. 15 GHz. Factor cable loss into calibration at each frequency
• Preamplifier compression — strong ambient signals (cellular, Wi-Fi) can push the PAM-118A into compression; use attenuators when needed
• Ambient environment — 25 MHz – 18 GHz is the busiest EMC band on Earth (cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, satellite, broadcast). Baseline ambient scans are mandatory
• Biconical deployment — ensure ABF-900A elements are fully deployed and locked before measurement; partial deployment invalidates calibration
• Antenna swap discipline — note which antenna is used for which frequency range; use the correct antenna factor in receiver software at each swap
• Comb generator battery state — both CGO units need rechargeable battery management; low battery changes output level
• Horn antenna connector — the AH-118 uses N-type; torque properly and inspect before mating
• Polarization — remember to test both horizontal and vertical polarizations at each frequency per the applicable standard

14. What real-world scenarios benefit from the ANK-318?
• Scenario 1 — Smart-home device certification: A Wi-Fi/Bluetooth IoT device needs FCC Part 15C + CISPR 32 pre-compliance. ANK-318 covers both the unintentional emissions (biconical/log-periodic) and intentional radiator verification (AH-118) in one kit
• Scenario 2 — Automotive module testing: A CISPR 25 automotive Bluetooth module requires scans from 150 kHz to 6 GHz. ANK-318 covers the 30 MHz – 6 GHz portion; add a current probe for the conducted measurements
• Scenario 3 — Consulting pre-compliance: EMC consultant travels with ANK-318 as airline luggage to handle virtually any commercial EMC pre-compliance question at client sites below 18 GHz
• Scenario 4 — Site validation of chamber: 10-meter chamber needs regular NSA and SVSWR QA. Biconical + log-periodic handle 30–1000 MHz NSA; AH-118 handles SVSWR above 1 GHz. CGO-520 and CGO-5100B verify setup before official SV runs
• Scenario 5 — Offsite troubleshooting: Customer installation shows intermittent wireless issues; ANK-318 on-site with full 25 MHz – 18 GHz capability + near-field probes to find the root cause

15. What are the ANK-318’s key design advantages?
• Widest single-kit sub-mmWave coverage (25 MHz – 18 GHz) — three antennas in one case
• Collapsible biconical, compact log-periodic, and double ridge horn — all three major EMC antenna types
• Two preamplifiers (PAM-103 + PAM-118A) — optimized gain/noise figure in each sub-band
• Two comb generators (CGO-520 + CGO-5100B) — low-band and high-band test-chain verification
• PS-500 near-field probe set for EMI source localization
• AH-118 horn handles up to 300 W — supports transmit/immunity work with external amplifier
• Rolling carrying case with custom foam — airline-luggage compatible
• All required cables included for 3-meter radiated test setup
• Every component individually NIST-traceable calibrated
• All items available individually for replacement or upgrade
• Optional AT-812 tripod for proper positioning
• 3-year standard warranty on component products
• Single-kit consolidation compared with ANK-310 + separate horn purchase

16. When should engineers select the ANK-318 over other options?
Select the ANK-318 when any of the following applies:
• You need broad commercial EMC coverage (FCC Part 15, CISPR 22/32/11/14, CISPR 25, CE, DO-160, MIL-STD-461 lower portion) in one portable kit
• Your products include wireless functionality (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular, 5G sub-6) requiring both low-band and microwave emission measurement
• You want a single kit that handles virtually everything up to 18 GHz, with no need to coordinate separate low-band and high-band setups
• You are a consultant, contract engineer, or traveling test technician who wants the broadest capability in one rolling case
• You operate a compliance lab needing portable capability to supplement a permanent chamber
• You test automotive CISPR 25 modules covering the full 150 kHz – 6 GHz band (paired with current probe for conducted)
Choose the ANK-310 if your products don’t require testing above 1 GHz (lower cost). Choose the ANK-140 if you need 18–40 GHz mmWave coverage. Choose the ANK-910L or ANK-910M if you also need 9 kHz – 30 MHz low-frequency work (active loop H-field or monopole E-field). For complete 9 kHz – 40 GHz, combine ANK-318 with ANK-910L or ANK-910M (low-frequency) and ANK-140 (mmWave).