3.5mm VNA calibration kit price comparison

[小太]

While thinking about getting the SMA calibration kits (US$600~700) mentioned in this thread, I started wondering what 3.5mm kits cost.
It turns out there's way more selection in 3.5mm kits, so I made a table comparing the prices I found after a brief search on the internet. Maybe this will be useful for other people so sharing it here

Notes:
 - 3.5mm or 2.92mm kits only. Generally 2.92mm kits aren't included here unless they're relatively cheap
 - SOLT/SOLR kits only. Kits must either contain a "Thru" or have one as an option
 - Must contain calibration coefficients (e.g., C0/C1/C2/C3), whether on the datasheet, printed, or on a USB stick
 - Separate male or female kits don't contain a torque wrench, while "both" kits (containing both male and female parts) include a torque wrench, unless specified otherwise
 - Italic-typed brands are generally considered "famous" or "premium" brands
 - Ordered roughly by price, low to high

Brand	Frequency	Male $USD	Female $USD	Both $USD	Notes
Racomtech	9 GHz	EUC900-3.5mmM $593	EUC900-3.5mmF $593		No "both" kit, but ~$100 discount if male+female are bought together With AU$1=US$0.651
Pico Technology	8.5 GHz	TA346 $859	TA347 $859
Saluki	9 GHz	SCKCL09-3.5(M8) $870	SCKCL09-3.5(F8) $870	SCKCL09-3.5 $2880	"Both" kit includes N-3.5mm adapters
	26 GHz		SCK0YTL26-3.5 $1020	SCKCL26-3.5 $3456
	40 GHz		SCK0YTL40-2.92 $1068	SCKCL40-2.92 $3600
Spanawave	26.5 GHz	CK520A $1730	CK521A $1730	CK052D $3400	"Both" kit does not contain a torque wrench
	40 GHz	CK562A $2490	CK561A $2490	CK056K02 $4850	"Both" kit does not contain a torque wrench
Siglent	4.5 GHz	F603ME $449	F603FE $449
	9 GHz	F604MS $1855	F604FS $1855	F604TS $3695
	27 GHz	F606MS ?	F606FS ?	F606TS $4770
Maury Microwave	26.5 GHz			8050CK41 $5453
Rosenberger	26.5 GHz	03S30R-MSOTS3 $1700	03K30R-MSOTS3 $1700	03CK010-150 $6417
Copper Mountain	9 GHz		S911T $1245
	26.5 GHz		S2611 $2195
	40 GHz		T4311 $2745
Fairview Microwave	8.5 GHz			FMCK1001 $4400	Unclear if calibration coefficients are included
	26.5 GHz	FMCK1013 $2420	FMCK1012 $4940	FMCK1000 $6840	"Both" kit unclear if calibration coefficients are included
Anritsu	20 GHz	TOSLK50A-20 $2395	TOSLKF50A-20 $2510
	26.5 GHz			3650A $7410	Includes pin gauge and extra thrus/adapters
Keysight	9 GHz			85033E/100/200 $6219
	26.5 GHz	85520A $4099	85521A $4099	85052D $9967
Rohde & Schwarz	24 GHz			ZV-Z235 $11115
	26.5 GHz	ZN-Z135 $3130	ZN-Z135 ?

Honourable mention goes to this Taobao 达睿康 85033E female-only clone (though brass male versions are available) which has been previously reported to be a pretty good match to the 85033D coefficients.
It doesn't include a Thru (just like the 85033E without options), but at just US$153 (¥1100) it's too good to not mention

Feel free to reply with corrections or additions, and I'll update the table when I spot them

[switchabl]

Both the Spanawave and the R&S ZN-Z135 are almost certainly made by Rosenberger. Spinner is another OEM that makes cal kits for big brands like R&S (https://products.spinner-group.com/rf/test-measurement/vna-test-measurement/compact-calibration-kits).

I would definitely consider Maury Microwave an "A-brand". They used to make the HP cal kits.

CM also sells what look like rebranded Rosenberger and Spinner cal kits (https://coppermountaintech.com/calibration-kits/), might be worth comparing prices.

Note that the specs vary a lot for some of the options on your list, in particular the loads. An extreme example is the Picotech which is only >26 dB @ f>3GHz. They claim >43 dB "corrected", so presumably this is supposed to be used with data based calibration. If you are not using one of their VNAs, you need to make sure yours actually supports that and that you can get the calibration data in a suitable format.

[tautech]

 
None of the cheaper 4.5 GHz Cal kits listed ?
https://siglentna.com/products/accessories/vna-calibration-kits/

[小太]

Spinner is another OEM that makes cal kits for big brands like R&S (https://products.spinner-group.com/rf/test-measurement/vna-test-measurement/compact-calibration-kits).

Sadly, I couldn't find any prices online, and I'm not about to ask them for a quote when I have no interest in buying at present.
But if anyone has gotten a quote for them (with a date), reply with them here and I'll add them to the table

I would definitely consider Maury Microwave an "A-brand". They used to make the HP cal kits.

CM also sells what look like rebranded Rosenberger and Spinner cal kits (https://coppermountaintech.com/calibration-kits/), might be worth comparing prices.

Added

None of the cheaper 4.5 GHz Cal kits listed ?
https://siglentna.com/products/accessories/vna-calibration-kits/

Added

[Construct]

This is a great table. Thanks for taking the time to put it together.

[G0HZU]

Is the list confined to just mechanical kits? If not, there are also 3.5mm Ecal kits from various manufacturers.
I've got the old N4431B-60006 3.5mm cal kit here from Agilent for example.

https://www.keysight.com/gb/en/product/N4431B/rf-electronic-calibration-module-ecal-9-khz-13-5-ghz-4-port.html

This was very expensive when new but I think that Keysight are now producing lower cost Ecal kits.

[小太]

Aren't ECals specific to a certain brand/series, so (for example) you can't use a Keysight ECal on an Anritsu VNA? Which would make a price comparison table for them moot, since you'll be locked into the same brand anyways...

[G0HZU]

Aren't ECals specific to a certain brand/series, so (for example) you can't use a Keysight ECal on an Anritsu VNA? Which would make a price comparison table for them moot, since you'll be locked into the same brand anyways...

Yes, generally speaking I think the ecal modules are only meant to be used with the same brand of VNA.
However, not in all cases though... I think some of the Siglent VNAs support Ecal modules from various manufacturers for example. I've not used a Siglent VNA so I haven't tried this myself.

[tautech]

Aren't ECals specific to a certain brand/series, so (for example) you can't use a Keysight ECal on an Anritsu VNA? Which would make a price comparison table for them moot, since you'll be locked into the same brand anyways...

Yes, generally speaking I think the ecal modules are only meant to be used with the same brand of VNA.
However, not in all cases though... I think some of the Siglent VNAs support Ecal modules from various manufacturers for example. I've not used a Siglent VNA so I haven't tried this myself.

Just checked SVA and SNA models, both support Ecal kits however neither specify which brand so maybe only the Siglent Ecal modules. 

A total of 36 Cal kits are supported by SNA5000A, Siglent, R&S and HPAK while there are just 3 HPAK Cal kits by SVA1000X models in addition to the Siglent Cal kits.

Ecal is auto identified when connected so if from another brand would need to tested to check if they could work.
SEM5000A Series Electronic Calibration(ECal) Modules:
https://int.siglent.com/u_file/download/23_12_27/SEM5000A_datasheet_DS60050_E01A.pdf

Siglent Cal kits:
https://int.siglent.com/u_file/download/23_08_30/Mechanical%20Calibration%20Kit%20Datasheet_EN01A%20.pdf

[charliedelta]

What about

https://www.kirkbymicrowave.co.uk/

He has the most affordable verifiable VNA cal kits available.

[switchabl]

AFAIK he doesn't offer a 3.5mm version.

[G0HZU]

Just checked SVA and SNA models, both support Ecal kits however neither specify which brand so maybe only the Siglent Ecal modules. 

https://www.siglenteu.com/vector-network-analyzer/sna5000a-series/

Compatible with several manufacturers ECal kits (contact us for more information)

This implies the SNA5000A series will support Ecal modules from 'several' other manufacturers. Has anyone here tried and proved this?

[switchabl]

I think Shahriar from the Signal Path used a Keysight ECal in his review of the SNA5000A.