Antenna Kit for DO-160 and MIL-STD

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ANK-910M Portable EMC Antenna Kit (9 kHz – 1 GHz, DO-160 / MIL-STD-461) — Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the Com-Power ANK-910M and what is it primarily used for?
The ANK-910M is a portable EMC antenna kit covering 9 kHz to 1 GHz, specifically configured for RTCA DO-160 (airborne equipment) and MIL-STD-461 (military equipment) radiated emissions testing. The distinguishing item is an AM-741R active monopole antenna for low-frequency E-field (electric field) measurement from 9 kHz to 30 MHz. These military and aerospace standards specifically require E-field measurement via a 41-inch rod antenna in the low-frequency range, rather than the H-field loop antennas used in commercial CISPR testing. The kit includes everything needed for pre-compliance or qualification-level testing at offsite aerospace/defense facilities, supplier audits, or temporary installations.

2. What is included in the ANK-910M kit?
• AM-741R Active Monopole Antenna (9 kHz – 30 MHz, battery-powered 41-inch rod antenna) — the distinguishing item for this kit
• ABF-900A Collapsible Biconical Antenna (30 MHz – 300 MHz)
• ALC-100 Compact Log-Periodic Antenna (300 MHz – 1 GHz)
• PAM-103 Low-Noise Preamplifier (30 MHz – 1 GHz)
• CGO-501 or CGO-505 Comb Generator (1 MHz – 1 GHz / 5 MHz – 1.5 GHz, customer option)
• PS-500 Near-Field Probe Set (H-field and E-field probes for EMI debug)
• Measurement cables (N-type and BNC) for a typical 1-meter radiated setup per MIL-STD-461
• 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); counterpoise (ground plane) is required for monopole operation

3. What distinguishes the ANK-910M from the ANK-910L and ANK-310?
All three kits cover similar frequency ranges but target different standards:
• ANK-310 (30 MHz – 1 GHz): no antenna below 30 MHz. For commercial CISPR/FCC work
• ANK-910L (9 kHz – 1 GHz, Loop): adds AL-130R active loop for H-field measurement — commercial CISPR 15 lighting, FCC Part 18, switching-converter debug
• ANK-910M (9 kHz – 1 GHz, Monopole): adds AM-741R active monopole for E-field measurement — MIL-STD-461 RE102 (military) and RTCA DO-160 Section 21 (airborne)
The “L” and “M” signify Loop vs. Monopole. The two kits are mutually exclusive options — pick based on which low-frequency field component your standard requires.

4. What is the AM-741R Active Monopole Antenna and how does it work?
The AM-741R is a battery-operated active rod antenna covering 9 kHz to 30 MHz — the standard 41-inch (1.04 m) monopole form specified by MIL-STD-461 RE102, RTCA DO-160 Section 21, and CISPR 16-1-4. It consists of a 1.04 m vertical rod feeding an integrated high-input-impedance low-noise preamplifier powered by internal batteries. The active preamplifier compensates for the rod’s naturally high impedance at low frequencies (where the rod is electrically very short compared with wavelength), delivering a calibrated output suitable for direct connection to an EMI receiver. The monopole must be used with a ground-plane counterpoise that provides the electrical “mirror image” needed for proper antenna behavior.

5. Why measure E-field with a monopole (not H-field with a loop) at low frequencies in MIL-STD-461 and DO-160?
Military and aerospace equipment is typically measured at 1 meter from the EUT — a distance that, at 9 kHz – 30 MHz, is well inside the reactive near-field. In this regime, the specific standard prescribes which field component to measure, and MIL-STD-461 RE102 and DO-160 Section 21 both specify E-field via monopole antenna as the required test method. The choice dates back to the origins of these standards and reflects the historical RF environment of aircraft and military platforms where HF radio (E-field coupled) was the dominant concern. This is different from commercial CISPR 15/16 practice that uses H-field loops — which is why the ANK-910M (monopole) and ANK-910L (loop) are separate offerings.

6. Which EMC standards and applications does the ANK-910M support?
• MIL-STD-461 (all revisions C through G) RE102 radiated emissions, electric field, 10 kHz – 18 GHz (AM-741R covers 9 kHz – 30 MHz portion; ABF-900A and ALC-100 cover 30 MHz – 1 GHz)
• RTCA DO-160 Section 21 (airborne equipment radiated emissions, 150 kHz – 6 GHz; ANK-910M covers through 1 GHz)
• U.S. Navy, Army, Air Force, Marine Corps platform qualification programs
• DoD contractor requirements on military electronic equipment
• NASA GEVS-SE and similar space-flight EMI specifications
• FAA and aerospace regulatory programs requiring DO-160
• ETSI and military airworthiness standards
• TEMPEST pre-screening (related low-frequency E-field work)
• Pre-compliance and debug before formal accredited MIL/DO-160 testing

7. What role does the ground-plane counterpoise play?
A monopole antenna is physically half of a dipole — the missing half is provided electrically by a conductive ground plane (counterpoise) beneath the antenna. Without the counterpoise, the monopole’s response deviates significantly from its calibrated behavior. MIL-STD-461 specifies the counterpoise as a conductive surface bonded to the chamber floor through the antenna’s cable shield via a metallic bracket per the current MIL-STD revisions (not a direct counterpoise-to-floor coupling). The counterpoise is typically a standard-specified size (such as 1 m× 1.5 m) and its bonding method is specified to ensure reproducible measurements. The ANK-910M ships with the AM-741R designed to use a proper counterpoise setup — the counterpoise itself is usually supplied by the test facility or purchased separately.

8. How does the AM-741R compare with passive monopoles or rod antennas?
• AM-741R (active, 9 kHz – 30 MHz): battery-powered with integrated high-input-impedance preamplifier. The active preamp compensates for the rod’s high source impedance at these low frequencies (where it’s electrically short), giving usable output levels and flat antenna factor
• Passive rod/whip antennas at these frequencies have very high source impedance (hundreds of kΩ at 10 kHz) and would require either a very-high-impedance measurement receiver or an external matching network. Impractical for most EMI receivers
Active monopoles like the AM-741R are the standard solution for 9 kHz – 30 MHz E-field work per MIL-STD-461, DO-160, and most aerospace/defense programs.

9. What other antennas are in the ANK-910M and what do they cover?
• ABF-900A Collapsible Biconical Antenna (30 MHz – 300 MHz): VHF E-field antenna with near-omni response; standard for MIL-STD-461 RE102 VHF portion and commercial work
• ALC-100 Compact Log-Periodic Antenna (300 MHz – 1 GHz): UHF directional E-field antenna for the upper 1 GHz portion
Together with the AM-741R monopole, they give continuous E-field coverage from 9 kHz (monopole) to 1 GHz (log-periodic) across the MIL-STD-461 RE102 and DO-160 Section 21 ranges covered by this kit. Antenna swaps happen at 30 MHz (monopole to biconical) and 300 MHz (biconical to log-periodic).

10. Who uses the ANK-910M and what real-world products does it test?
• Military electronics: tactical radios, weapons control, ground vehicle electronics, shipboard equipment, UAV avionics, soldier-worn systems
• Airborne avionics: flight control computers, navigation/communication radios, autopilot, radar altimeters, cabin management systems
• Space flight hardware: satellite payloads, launch vehicle avionics, deep-space instruments, ISS-bound equipment
• Aerospace suppliers: FAR/TSO-certified avionics vendors subject to DO-160 verification
• Defense contractors: DoD and prime-contractor suppliers subject to MIL-STD-461 flowdown
• NASA contractors: space-flight equipment requiring GEVS-SE or similar EMI compliance
• Test labs: portable capability for customer-site MIL-STD-461 and DO-160 pre-compliance
• EMC consultants: offsite military/aerospace pre-compliance work
• Training organizations: MIL-STD-461 and DO-160 instructional programs
• Qualification/requalification of repaired, upgraded, or re-configured military/aerospace equipment

11. How does the ANK-910M compare with other Com-Power antenna kits?
• vs. ANK-310 (30 MHz – 1 GHz): ANK-910M extends coverage downward to 9 kHz with the AM-741R active monopole. Pick ANK-910M over ANK-310 if your standards require E-field below 30 MHz (MIL-STD-461, DO-160)
• vs. ANK-910L (9 kHz – 1 GHz, active loop): mutually exclusive choice. ANK-910M has the monopole for E-field — military/aerospace (MIL-STD-461, DO-160). ANK-910L has the active loop for H-field — commercial (CISPR 15, FCC Part 18). If you test both commercial and military products, own both kits
• vs. ANK-318 (25 MHz – 18 GHz): ANK-318 extends upward to microwave; ANK-910M extends downward to 9 kHz. For complete 9 kHz – 18 GHz military coverage, combine ANK-910M + ANK-318
• vs. ANK-140 (1–40 GHz): different frequency class; complementary for complete 9 kHz – 40 GHz coverage
For complete MIL-STD-461 RE102 coverage up to 18 GHz, combine ANK-910M + ANK-318 (or add AH-118 separately).

12. How does MIL-STD-461 RE102 testing differ from commercial CISPR testing?
Several key differences in the ANK-910M’s primary use case:
• Test distance: MIL-STD-461 RE102 uses 1 meter; commercial CISPR typically uses 3 m or 10 m
• Low-frequency field: RE102 measures E-field via 41-inch monopole; CISPR 15 measures H-field via loop
• Chamber: RE102 typically uses a shielded room (often smaller than commercial semi-anechoic chambers)
• Ground plane: military testing usually requires a metallic ground plane under the EUT and counterpoise
• Detector and bandwidth: MIL-STD-461 has its own detector-bandwidth table that differs from CISPR 16-1-1
• EUT operating state: military EUT is operated in representative operating modes per the Test Procedures document
• Documentation: MIL-STD-461 test reports follow specific DoD format requirements
The ANK-910M’s antennas and documentation are set up for these MIL-STD-461 / DO-160 workflows.

13. What calibration and documentation comes with the ANK-910M?
Each component is individually calibrated with its own certificate:
• Active monopole (AM-741R) — calibrated antenna factor vs. frequency per ANSI C63.5 / SAE ARP958, NIST-traceable, battery-operation verified
• Biconical (ABF-900A) — antenna factor vs. frequency in deployed configuration
• Log-periodic (ALC-100) — antenna factor vs. frequency
• Preamplifier (PAM-103) — gain and noise figure vs. frequency
• Comb generator (CGO-501 or CGO-505) — 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, which is often required for formal military/aerospace qualification programs. Annual recalibration is recommended; each item is available individually for replacement.

14. What real-world scenarios benefit from the ANK-910M?
• Scenario 1 — Navy shipboard equipment pre-compliance: A DoD contractor’s communication radio needs MIL-STD-461 RE102 qualification. ANK-910M runs pre-compliance at the contractor’s engineering lab before shipping to the formal accredited test facility, saving expensive retest cycles
• Scenario 2 — Avionics DO-160 screening: An aerospace supplier’s new flight display needs DO-160 Section 21 verification. ANK-910M covers 150 kHz through 1 GHz (the critical low-frequency portion) before sending to the accredited aerospace test lab
• Scenario 3 — Space-flight equipment: A satellite payload electronics vendor uses ANK-910M for NASA GEVS-SE pre-screening before formal qualification at the launch contractor’s chamber
• Scenario 4 — Repair requalification: A repaired/upgraded military radio must be re-verified against MIL-STD-461 before return to service; ANK-910M performs the verification at the repair facility
• Scenario 5 — Consulting MIL/aerospace pre-compliance: An EMC consultant specializing in aerospace/defense travels with ANK-910M to perform pre-compliance at multiple contractor sites
• Scenario 6 — Ground-based defense electronics: Tactical radio or weapon-control electronics pre-compliance before shipment to a DoD acceptance test

15. What are the ANK-910M’s key design advantages?
• Complete MIL-STD-461 RE102 / DO-160 Section 21 coverage from 9 kHz – 1 GHz
• AM-741R active monopole — 41-inch rod with battery-powered integrated preamplifier, standard for MIL/aerospace
• Collapsible biconical + compact log-periodic — full VHF/UHF E-field coverage in portable form
• PAM-103 preamplifier for improved sensitivity with passive antennas
• CGO-501 or CGO-505 comb generator for test-chain verification
• PS-500 near-field probe set for EMI source localization
• Rolling carrying case with custom foam — airline-luggage compatible
• All required cables included for 1-meter MIL-STD radiated test setup
• Every component individually NIST-traceable calibrated per ANSI C63.5 / SAE ARP958
• All items available individually for replacement or upgrade
• ISO 17025 accredited calibration available on request for formal military programs
• Optional AT-812 tripod for proper antenna positioning
• 3-year standard warranty on component products
• Specifically configured for MIL-STD-461 and DO-160 test workflows

16. When should engineers select the ANK-910M over other options?
Select the ANK-910M when any of the following applies:
• You perform MIL-STD-461 RE102 radiated emissions (electric field) pre-compliance or qualification testing at any revision (C, D, E, F, G)
• You perform RTCA DO-160 Section 21 airborne equipment radiated emissions testing
• Your program is Navy, Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, NASA, or DoD contractor
• You are an aerospace supplier subject to DO-160, FAR, TSO, or similar airworthiness EMI requirements
• You perform military or aerospace equipment repair/requalification and need on-site EMI verification
• You are a defense/aerospace EMC consultant needing portable MIL-STD / DO-160 capability at client sites
• You need 9 kHz – 30 MHz E-field capability specifically (not H-field)
Choose the ANK-910L instead if your application requires H-field measurement below 30 MHz (typically CISPR 15 lighting or FCC Part 18). Choose the ANK-310 if you don’t need coverage below 30 MHz (lower cost, commercial CISPR/FCC). Choose the ANK-318 for 25 MHz – 18 GHz broadband coverage. For complete MIL-STD-461 / DO-160 coverage up to 18 GHz, combine ANK-910M with ANK-318 (or buy AH-118 separately).