In the telecommunications industry, antennas are a type of product that "look similar but vary greatly in performance." Specification tables often fill an entire page, but people from different industry backgrounds interpret these indicators completely differently. Many engineers and purchasing personnel often encounter a dilemma: suppliers explain things convincingly, but on-site testing reveals performance that is completely different. The problem is often not "not understanding the specifications," but rather failing to grasp the truly critical indicators.

As a company with a long history of expertise in antennas and passive RF components, we have witnessed far too many reworks in actual projects due to misjudgments of specifications. Understanding specifications and identifying risks are essential to avoiding these pitfalls.

I. Why are antenna parameters easily misleading?

1. Suppliers only provide "impressive parameters"

For example, they only emphasize:

Gain: High

VSWR: Low

PIM: Excellent

But they don't emphasize:

Front-to-back ratio

Beam lobe control

Port isolation

Effective bandwidth of the frequency band

These are the key factors determining whether an antenna can perform stably in real-world scenarios.

2. Using "theoretical values" instead of idealized test values

For example, some manufacturers' VSWR is good at one point, but significantly high at both ends of the frequency band; or the gain value is impressive, but beam lobe quality is sacrificed.

3. Parameters are not comparable

For example, two 698–2700MHz antennas may have one that is truly effective in one frequency band, while the other completely deviates in the low or high frequency bands.

II. Five Easily Overlooked but Significantly Impactful Parameters

The following five are core indicators that frequently lead to project failures in engineering:

1. **Effectiveness of Frequency Band Coverage**

Simply stating 698–2700MHz doesn't guarantee complete coverage.

You must examine the VSWR curve, gain stability, and whether there are performance drops in each sub-band.

2. **Gain Cannot Be Judged Solely by Numerical Values**

Higher gain generally results in a narrower beamwidth, which is often detrimental to indoor environments and densely populated urban areas.

Especially for indoor distributed systems, excessively high gain can create voids and coverage blind spots.

3. **VSWR Must Be Examined Throughout the Curve**

VSWR of 1.3 vs. 1.5 is not crucial; the key is whether the frequency band increases at both ends.

The smaller the VSWR fluctuation, the more stable the system.

4. **Polarization Matching of the System**

Polarization mismatch can cause a loss of 3–20dB, one of the most easily overlooked but also most fatal errors.

5. Isolation is crucial for multi-port antennas.

Insufficient isolation can lead to:

Channel interference

Decreased capacity

Increased interference

Increased PIM

This is the dividing line between a high-quality antenna and a "civilian-grade antenna".

III. How to Avoid Being Misled by Suppliers?

1. Request Complete Measured Data, Not Just Promotional Material

Include:

VSWR/S11 Full-Band Curves

Gain and Radiation Pattern

Polarization Description

Port Isolation

PIM Measured Screenshot

Structure Diagram or Internal Schematic

2. Ask the Supplier to Explain "How the Parameters Applicable to Real-World Scenarios"

For example:

"Is this gain, lobe, and isolation suitable for indoor, outdoor, or backhaul links?"

If they can't explain the logic, it indicates a lack of understanding of electromagnetics and application scenarios.

3. Compare Structures, Not Numbers

If the gain is high but the volume is extremely small, the reflector is insufficient, and sidelobe control is lacking, then the parameters are likely just "numerical numbers."
I. Five Easily Overlooked but Significantly Impactful Parameters

IV. How Do We Ensure the Authenticity of Our Product Parameters?

As a manufacturing factory, we have accumulated a valuable lesson from years of project experience:

Only with transparent parameters can engineering be stable.

Therefore, our antennas have the following characteristics:

Complete Parameter Dimensions, Actual Measurability

Whether it's a base station antenna, DAS antenna, or MIMO series, we will provide:

Complete VSWR Curve (Not a Single Point)

Measured Gain Radiation Pattern

Isolation Curve

Polarization Method

PIM Test Screenshot

Environmental Testing (Temperature, Humidity / Salt Spray)