Use the Network Analyzer panel to characterize RF devices and apply corrections to your Network Analyzer instrument.

Note InstrumentStudio supports the RFmx VNA personality for network analyzer instruments.

Characterize RF Devices

Use the network analyzer panel to perform measurements on and to characterize RF devices.

  1. Create a network analyzer panel by clicking New (An icon of a plus sign with a dropdown menu that creates new instrument panels in InstrumentStudio.) » Network Analyzer.
  2. Configure your instrument. Click the An icon of three horizontal dots. icon to open the Network Analyzer Settings window.
    Note
    If you did not do so previously, calibrate your network analyzer instrument. Uncalibrated instruments might generate unexpected and inaccurate results when you take measurements. To calibrate your instrument, complete the following steps:
    1. Open the Network Analyzer Settings window.
    2. Select the Calibration tab.
    3. Choose a calibration method.
    4. Apply the corrections. For more information, see Apply Corrections to Network Analyzers.
  3. Connect your DUT if it is not already connected.
  4. Run the measurement by selecting one of the following options:
    • Click RUN to measure continuously.
    • Click SINGLE to capture a single measurement.

Apply Corrections to Network Analyzers

To ensure accurate measurements, you must apply the corrections that the calibration process generates.

Before you begin, ensure the following:
  • You already calibrated your device.
  • You saved a calset (.ncst) file.
  1. Click the + button next to the Active Calset setting.
  2. Select the calibration data file that corresponds to your current configuration.
  3. Click Open.
  4. Ensure that the Correction setting is set to ON.
Adjustments are now automatically applied when you use this instrument.

Port Extension

When you add a switch, a fixture, or a cable to your Network Analyzer instrument after calibration, you introduce loss and additional electrical delay. The loss and the delay shift the measurement reference plane away from the DUT. Port extension compensates for these factors by restoring the reference plane to the correct location without requiring a new calibration. InstrumentStudio supports manual and automatic port extension.

To configure port extension, complete the following steps:
  1. Click the An icon of three horizontal dots. button to open the Network Analyzer Settings window.
  2. Go to the Correction tab of the window.
  3. In the Port Extension section, check the Enabled checkbox.

Automatic Port Extension

The automatic port extension feature automatically performs calculations related to port extension, such as delay, electrical length, and loss. You can use automatic port extension even when the added components have unknown electrical delay or electrical characteristics. To determine the appropriate delay correction, InstrumentStudio analyzes the measured response of a known open or short termination.

Perform Measurements with Automatic Port Extension

Complete the following steps to perform an open or short measurement with the automatic port extension feature:

Ensure that you have InstrumentStudio 2026 Q2 or later installed.
  1. Click the An icon of three horizontal dots. button to open the Network Analyzer Settings window.
  2. Go to the Correction tab of the window.
  3. In the Port Extension section, check the Enabled checkbox.
  4. Click Auto Port Extension to open the Auto Port Extension window.
  5. In the Select Ports dropdown menu, select the ports that you want to measure.
  6. Optional: Configure the following settings:
    • Enable or disable loss measurements
    • Apply regularization to loss measurements
    • Change frequency modes
  7. Click Measure Open or Measure Short.
    Another Auto Port Extension window appears.
  8. Follow the instructions of the Auto Port Extension window.
InstrumentStudio measures the open and short standards for the selected ports. The results appear in the corresponding fields for each port in the Network Analyzer Settings window.