I have been intrigued with the capabilities of Vector Network Analyzers for a number of years now, especially when combined with Mathcad.  Mathcad has become like an extra right hand to me over the years.  A few years ago I acquired my own VNA and I have used it in a number of projects from ham antenna analysis to characterizing HDMI cable characteristics at 2 GHz.  Most of my work has been below 100 MHz and I have developed my own connection sets and developed cal kits for them.  As my frequencies of interest increase, my awareness of the considerations regarding proper calibration of the instrument has deepened considerably.  In addition many of the measurements I make necessitate custom connections to the circuit of interest.  In resolving inconsistencies I was experiencing, I have found the need to search for more information about characterizing a cal kit.  You might think that would be readily available given the number of instruments and users out there.  I have found that not to be the case so far.  In asking about for information I have found that I had to go into considerable detail to develop a dialog with anyone who might be able to provide a clue.  As a result I am writing a couple of exploratory papers on the subject such that I can get into an in-depth  conversation with other VNA users.  My friend tells me that they are a difficult read and that may be true, however I feel that some of the knowledgeable people I want to address must be convinced of the validity of what I have to say to ask the question of how do I characterize a cal kit of my making?   Below are links to the papers at their present state and as it says on the title pages, they are a work in progress with the intent to ferret out knowledge on this subject and have the papers evolve to share that knowledge.  Comments and questions are appreciated.  K4HJU @ teli.us.

Exploratory Paper   --   Vector Network Analyzer Usage and Calibration Techniques

Exploratory Paper   --   Vector Network Analyzer Calibration Pitfalls