Use of the Kirkby Microwave calibration kits on the Agilent/Keysight ENA series of VNAs
The Kirkby Microwave VNA calibration and verification kits work well with all Agilent or Keysight ENA series vector network analyzers. The process of setting up an ENA depends on the age of
the model of ENA.
- On early models of the ENA series of VNAs, it is necessary to enter the coefficients from the front panel. There's no
way to load the vector network analyzer calibration kit coefficients from a file.
Kirkby Microwave always provide the coefficients in a human readable text file, but
you will need to enter the coefficients manually into the VNA. These is simply no
other way on these early instruments, as is indicated on the Keysight website.
It is inexplicable to us why Agilent did this, but that's a fact!
- More recent models of the ENA series, such as a
E5071C, can read a .ckx file. Kirkby
Microwave supply appropriate .ckx files with all coaxial calibration kits (SMA or N) sold. We generate these ckx files automatically, taking a small fraction of one second.
For waveguide calibration kits we do not have an automated process, but need to create the files manually on an ENA, but that is no problem.
- The latest ENA models use the same software as the PNA series, so use the same file, which has an extension of .xkt. We create these files too,
and include with every coaxial calibration kit sold.
It should be noted that the firmware on most ENAs, refer to the gender of the test port, and not the calibration
standard. So if during the calibration the firmware asks you to connect a short, and you are going to connect a female
calibration short, then select "SHORT(M)". Note the M is in parentheses (round brackets). This may seem illogical to you. It does to us, and Agilent
later relalised it was illogical too, and changed the convention, but fortunately it is easy to tell what
convention your instrument uses.
Newer models of the ENA series, that use the same firmware as the PNA series instruments, refer to the gender of
the calibration standard, not the test port. This is far more logical. In this case, the gender is not in parentheses (round brackets), but has minus signs each sides. So when connecting a female short, one would select "SHORT -F-"
The following list hopefuly clarifies this.
- A female short calibration standard is SHORT(M) on old ENAs, as well as older HP instruments like the 8753, 8720 and 8510 series, but SHORT -F- on newer ENAs, as well as FieldFox and PNA series instruments.
- A male short calibration standard is SHORT(F) on old ENAs, as well as older HP instruments like the 8753, 8720 and 8510 series, but SHORT -M- on newer ENAs, as well as FieldFox and PNA series instruments.
- A female open calibration standard is OPEN(M) on old ENAs, as well as older HP instruments like the 8753, 8720 and 8510 series, but OPEN -F- on newer ENAs, as well as FieldFox and PNA series instruments.
- A male open calibration standard is OPEN(F) on old ENAs, as well as older HP instruments like the 8753, 8720 and 8510 series, but OPEN -M- on newer ENAs, as well as FieldFox and PNA series instruments.
Kirkby Microwave Ltd is registered in England and Wales, company number 08914892.
Registered office: Stokes Hall Lodge, Burnham Rd, Althorne, Essex, CM3 6DT.