E4446 zero span sweep issue?

[jfhenchal]

We are using a consulting company to write some automated test programs for us using Labview 13.  We have an E4446A spectrum analyzer, for which we have downloaded the latest driver.  We would like to put the analyzer in zero span (0 sweep width), do a single sweep, then read the marker positioned at the middle of the trace.  In zero span, the marker becomes a time marker, not a frequency marker.  The consultant is telling us that Labview does not appear to allow a sweep to be done if the analyzer has been put into zero span (0 width ) sweep mode.  Does anybody know if that is a limitation of the Labview software, or is it the driver?  You can do it from the front panel.  Thanks for any help.

[Cavarval]

When you said "You can do it from the front panel", you mean that you can make it work if you do it manually or that your issue can be reproduced from a front panel? If it is the second case, what type of indicator are you using? (a print screen will be a lot easier to understand).

Also, wich driver did you install for the device? I found five different five different driver options here:

http://sine.ni.com/apps/utf8/niid_web_display.model_page?p_model_id=1891

When the consultant you worked with said LabView does not appear to allow the functionmality, did he found any documentation about it? Do you know how did he get to that conclusion?

[jfhenchal]

Hi, Cavarval -

Thanks for replying.  I meant that we can do it using the front panel controls - selecting a "zero-span" frequency range, selecting single sweep, initiate a sweep, then read the marker.  The marker, which is a time marker, is set for 5*(sweep time/division), which puts it at the center of the sweep.  The location of the marker is not critical as long as it always stays in the same place.  Our consultant showed us where he got the latest driver - it was in the "3rd party driver" section of your website, and I seem to remember there was only one selection, so maybe he wound up at a different place, or maybe I'm not remembering things correctly.  When we described the measurement sequence we wanted, he tried to implement it right then, and I think he wasn't able to read a marker when it was in zero-span mode - he was forced back into a frequency-sweeping mode.

Since I know nothing about Labview, I'm going to send this link to him so he can more knowledgably respond to your questions.  Thanks again for responding.

Regards,

Joe