AET Recommends customers perform annual bench top alignment and calibration procedures on all PSDS spherical dipole assemblies and control units to ensure proper precision and performance. If the PSDS is used extensively and transported frequently, the bench top alignment calibration should be performed more frequently depending on the cycle of usage.

There are two forms of calibration; radiated field calibration, and bench top calibration.

Radiated field calibration should only be performed at a very accurate site, such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Boulder, Colorado. Normal measurement sites have a much higher error/tolerance budget than the PSDS system itself.

Bench top alignment and calibration can be performed using the special calibration test fixture, PSDS RF Calibration Assembly. This assembly consists of a calibration fixture and appropriate RF coaxial cables to interface it the spherical dipole unit and spectrum analyzer or power meter. Extensive knowledge of RF calibration and the PSDS spherical dipole assemblies' sphere board's alignment procedures are required.