Maybe your "N" female connector has "splayed" leaves on the center
contact. This sometimes happens when someone tries to screw a PL-259 UHF
connector in place by accident.

wrote:

Okay, thanks. I must admit it is symptomatic of the load's center pin
not quite making contact for some reason, even though the load is fully
screwed home. But the same thing happens with 3 different loads!
I'm using the T/R test set, by the way, although I don't see how that
could explain the problem. I don't have the full S-parameter bridge but
am in the market for one.




--
Joe Leikhim K4SAT
"The RFI-EMI-GUY"©

"Treason doth never prosper: what's the reason?
For if it prosper, none dare call it treason."

"Follow The Money" ;-P