What is ERTA?
ERTA (Extended Range Transmission Analysis) is a measurement technique used to determine the scalar transmission gain or loss of an RF system, component, or channel over an extended dynamic range. It extends the measurement capability beyond the standard dynamic range of a single instrument configuration by combining multiple measurement sweeps at different power levels or receiver sensitivity settings. ERTA is commonly used in characterising high-isolation components and long-range wireless links.
How Does ERTA Work?
ERTA works by performing multiple transmission measurements at different reference levels and then combining the results to achieve a wider overall dynamic range. For example, the technique may first measure the high-power portion of the response at one sensitivity setting, then switch to a higher-sensitivity setting to capture the low-power portion, and stitch the results together. This approach is particularly useful when measuring devices with very high insertion loss (such as filters with deep stopband rejection) or when characterising path loss over extended distances. Modern vector network analysers implement ERTA or similar extended dynamic range techniques natively.
Use Cases
RF filter and duplexer characterisation with deep rejection requirements, long-range mmWave path loss measurement, base station RF chain gain and loss analysis, antenna-to-antenna isolation measurement, and high-dynamic-range component testing for 5G.
3GPP / Standards Reference
ITU-R P.530 (Propagation data for design of terrestrial line-of-sight systems), applicable test equipment standards (Keysight, R&S, Anritsu measurement methodologies)
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