WIP: Collaborative Undergraduate Research Project to Develop a Remotely-Accessible, Open-Source, Portable, Software-Defined Radio-Based Antenna Range for Research, Education, and Outreach

Abstract

Antennas are essential components of wireless devices and systems including cell phones, Wi-Fi access points/routers and client devices, military and civilian radars, public safety communication systems, and many others. Faculty and students at a teaching-focused institution, Weber State University (WSU), have developed a low-cost, portable, open-source antenna pattern measurement system (anTpaTT). In this project, a team of undergraduate engineering students at a research university, Virginia Tech (VT), are operating and enhancing the system. The enhanced anTpaTT system and the project itself provide opportunities for hands-on learning, remote laboratory exercises, and experiential and/or project-based learning. Further, it has potential to help students, including students who have visual impairments, develop spatial skills that are not only valuable but required in many engineering careers.