Select a Calibration Type

The following calibration types are available in the PNA.

Cal Type	Interface	Accuracy	Thru Methods allowed
TRL Family	Both	Very High	All except Unknown Thru
SOLT	Both	High	All
Enhanced Response	SmartCal	High	Defined Thru or Flush Thru
QSOLT (Quick SOLT)	SmartCal	Medium	Defined Thru or Flush Thru
1-Port Reflection	Both	High	Not Applicable
Open/Short Response	Unguided	Low	Not Applicable
Thru Response	Unguided	Low	Known Thru or Flush Thru

Learn how to select a default Cal Type.

Other Cal Types (Separate Topic)

Source and Receiver Power Cals

See other Calibration Topics

TRL Family

Application: Used to accurately calibrate any pair of ports when calibration standards are not readily available.

Note: A Delta Match Cal may be required.

• Learn more about TRL family cal

• For more information on modifying standards, see Calibration Standards.

Calibration Method: SmartCal, Unguided Calibration

General Accuracy: Very High

Standards Required: THRU, REFLECT, LINE or similar combination

Systematic Errors Corrected:

• Directivity

• Source match

• Isolation (see exceptions)

• Load match

• Frequency response transmission tracking

• Frequency response reflection tracking

SOLT

Application: Used to accurately calibrate any number of ports.

General Accuracy: High

Calibration Method: SmartCal, Unguided Calibration, ECal

Standards Required: (SHORT, OPEN, LOAD, THRU) or ECal module

Systematic Errors Corrected (on all ports):

• Directivity

• Source match

• Isolation (see exceptions)

• Load match

• Frequency response transmission tracking

• Frequency response reflection tracking

Enhanced Response

Application: Used to calibrate two ports when only measurements in one direction (forward OR reverse) are required. Measurements are faster because a second sweep is NOT required.

• Reflection Standards (OPEN, SHORT, LOAD) are connected to the source port to be calibrated.

• Defined THRU or Flush THRU standard is connected between port pairs.

• Much quicker than SOLT when using a mechanical cal kit. ECal can also be used.

To select Enhanced Response:

For a standard S-parameter Cal, select SmartCal in the Cal Wizard.

Then, for all cals:

At the 'Select DUT Connectors page', check Modify Cal, then click Next.
Under 'Cal Type', select Enhanced Response.

Enhanced Response cal also be selected as the default Cal Type using Cal Preferences.

General Accuracy: High

Calibration Method: SmartCal, ECal

Standards Required: (SHORT, OPEN, LOAD, Defined THRU or Flush THRU)

Systematic Errors Corrected:

• Directivity (source port)

• Source match (source port)

• Isolation (see exceptions)

• Load match (receiver port) - used only to produce transmission tracking term.

• Frequency response transmission tracking (receiver port).

• Frequency response reflection tracking (source port).

QSOLT (Quick SOLT)

Application: Used to quickly calibrate any number of ports. Developed specifically for use with external multiport test sets.

Note: A Delta Match Cal is required to cal test ports that do not have a dedicated reference receiver.

• Reflection Standards (OPEN, SHORT, LOAD) are connected to only ONE of the ports to be calibrated. The lower port number of the ports to be calibrated is selected by default. This can be changed through the Modify Cal / Cal Type setting.

• Defined THRU or Flush THRU standards are connected from the reflection standard port to the remaining ports to be calibrated.

• Much quicker than SOLT when using a mechanical cal kit.

• Based on TRL math.

General Accuracy: Not as high as SOLT

Calibration Method: SmartCal, ECal

Standards Required: (SHORT, OPEN, LOAD, Defined THRU or Flush THRU)

Systematic Errors Corrected:

• Directivity

• Source match

• Isolation (see exceptions)

• Load match

• Frequency response transmission tracking

• Frequency response reflection tracking

1-Port (Reflection)

Application: Used to accurately calibrate any single test port for reflection measurements only.

Calibration Method: SmartCal, Unguided Calibration, ECal

General Accuracy: High

Standards Required: (SHORT, OPEN, LOAD) or ECal module

Systematic Errors Corrected:

• Directivity

• Source match

• Frequency response reflection tracking

Open / Short Response

Application: Used to quickly calibrate any single test port for reflection measurements only.

Calibration Method: Unguided Calibration

General Accuracy: Low

Standards Required: OPEN or SHORT

Systematic Errors Corrected:

Frequency response reflection tracking

Thru / Transmission Response (Isolation Optional)

Application: Used to quickly calibrate any pair of test ports for transmission measurements only.

Isolation is not usually recommended. Learn more about Isolation

Calibration Method: Unguided Calibration and Guided Cal from the 'Select DUT Connectors page', check Modify Cal, then click Next.

General Accuracy: Low

Standards Required: THRU

Isolation: One LOAD for each PNA test port.

Systematic Errors Corrected:

• Frequency response transmission tracking

• Isolation

Last modified:

24-May-2013	Edit transmission resp
5-Sep-2008	Added note for ER Load Match
16-Apr-2008	Removed AR for TRL limitation
23-Feb-2007	Added Enhanced Response
12-Sept-2006	Added QSOLT