How about for drive test measurement around my town, a monopole? How's the sensitivity of monopole on AM? Do I need an active one?
Appreciate for your help.

frank2017 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 17, 2017 9:03 amThanks for the advice and detailed explanation. I'm very new to AM.![]()
I thought with the spectrum analyzer and a calibrated antenna, I can have an accurate field strength reading just like the Potomac FIM.
Besides, are there any guidelines or standards for measuring AM field strength? I want to verify the performance of my antenna.
Thanks for the reply.kkiddkkidd wrote: ↑Mon Jul 17, 2017 9:36 amYou can get a relative measurement but not an absolute measurement without a truly calibrated receiver and matching calibrated antenna. Hence the Field Intensity Meter or FIM. You could certainly take measurements with a specan and loop or whip and compare your signal against another similar signal at the same power, distance and environment (which I have done). However, those measurements would be hard to quantify into something meaningful that could be compared to an old proof or charts. Or at least I know of no way to do so. If there is, I would be interested in hearing about it myself...
FIM's have an internal calibration oscillator and use a carefully calibrated, internal, purpose built antenna to take meaningful absolute measurements. Even at that, measurements can be quite subjective due to environment, terrain, reradiation, shielding, day of week, moon phase, etc. OK, probably not day of week or moon phase but you get the idea.
Regards,
frank2017 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 17, 2017 9:03 amThanks for the advice and detailed explanation. I'm very new to AM.![]()
I thought with the spectrum analyzer and a calibrated antenna, I can have an accurate field strength reading just like the Potomac FIM.
Besides, are there any guidelines or standards for measuring AM field strength? I want to verify the performance of my antenna.