NIST Unveils Status of PIM Testing

Published

January 1, 2000

Author(s)

Jeffrey Jargon, Donald C. DeGroot

Abstract

In response to requests by U.S. industry and members of the International Electrotechnical Commision, the National Institute of Standards and Technology initiated a passive intermodualtion measurement comparison for the U.S. wireless industry. The goal of this comparison was to determine the level of agreement in passive intermodulation (PIM) measurements made by U.S. manufacturers and suppliers of passive components for wireless communication base stations. This study not only reveals the difficulties industry is having in making PIM measurements, but also provides U.S. Companies with a tool to improve their measurement capabilities as they deal with PIM-related trade barriers. Since August of 1998, ten U.S. companies have participated in the PIM intercomparison. The participants measured four round-robin artifacts and contributed 19 data sets for four different commercial communications bands. This report perserves company anonymity, and allows each participant to determine how well their measurements compare to ensemble averages for each the four artifacts in each of four communication bands. While the study shows the majority of participants reporting PIM levels within one standard deviation of the mean values, it also reveals significant discrepancies reported by others.

Citation

Microwaves & Rf

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

communications, comparison, intermodulation, measurement, passive, third-order, wireless

Citation

Jargon, J. and DeGroot, D. (2000), NIST Unveils Status of PIM Testing, Microwaves & Rf (Accessed November 8, 2024)