ENA/PNA Waveguide Calibration Kits

MEC offers waveguide calibration kits in all waveguide sizes, including rectangular, double ridge, and quad ridge.  These calibration kits allow the user to precisely measure waveguide components using network analyzers, which have coaxial test port interfaces.  The kits consist of a set of fully characterized calibration and verification standards, which together, greatly improve measurement accuracy.  Calibration kits also include a flash drive, which can be customized to include one or more calibration parameters and programs for convenient uploading into the analyzer of your choice.  Calibration kits come in a rugged, pressure stable case, which is watertight, crushproof, and dustproof.

SOLT CALIBRATION

One such calibration is SOLT (SHORT OPEN LOAD THRU).  For SHORT and OPEN calibrations, the “1/8” and the “3/8” wave offset shorts are connected to the waveguide adapters.    For LOAD, the precision termination is connected to the adapters.  For THRU, the straight waveguide is connected between both adapters.  Verification of the calibration procedure is then performed by connecting the short plate to each adapter and ensuring that the SMITH CHART trace is a small swirl or dot at the -1 short-circuit position.

TRL CALIBRATION

Another calibration procedure, commonly used with ENA/PNA analyzers, is TRL (THRU REFLECT LINE) where for THRU, both waveguide-to-coax adapters are connected directly.  For LINE, the “1/4” wave shim plate is inserted between both adapters.  For SHORT, the short plate is successively connected to each adapter.  Verification of the calibration procedure is then performed by connecting the load and seeing very low VSWR <~1.02:1 and then by connecting the straight waveguide and seeing very low VSWR <~1.03:1 and Insertion Loss <0.1dB.