How to control Phase Noise Utility from GPIB?

[tdurand]

I've got the Agilent 85671A Phase Noise Measurement Utility option with my Agilent 8563E Spectrum Analyzer. Has anyone successfully controlled it remotely through GPIB? How?

Or, alternatively, is it possible to remotely execute a "DLP" (DownLoadable Program) which sits on the Mass Memory Module?

Thanks.

[Steven B]

Hello,

Thanks for contacting National Instruments.

I did some searching and I couldn't find anywhere that described communicating with the 85671A. However, we do have an instrument driver for the 8563E. That instrument driver can be found here:

http://zone.ni.com/idnet97.nsf/9b2b33e1993d877786256436006ec498/c7ba21098f2ef6af862568ab005fbcc6?OpenDocument

Unfortunately I don't see anything else on the 85671A. You might also contact Agilent to see what kind of resources they have on it.

Good Luck!

Regards,
Steven B.
Application Engineering
National Instruments

[tdurand]

Thanks for the response, Steven.

I do have the instrument driver and have been using it for a few years -- works well! The guys now want to remotely run the phase noise test, so I dived into the manuals trying to figure it out. I haven't found out how to do it. My instinct is that there might not be GPIB support for it, but I hope I'm wrong.

You're probably right -- Agilent should be able to help. But if anyone here has done it already...

Thanks,
Tom

[Steven B]

Hello Tom,

No problem. I wish we could help more. Good luck finding someone that has done that and let us know if we can help in any way.

Regards,
Steven B.
Applications Engineering
National Instruments

[Alpine]

I have been trying to do the same exact thing with the memory module. I have found commands in the old memory module manual to name DLPs and I believe to execute them, but I have not attempted it. I have also looked for soft key navigation through the 8563E but haven't found that either. I think soft key navigation doesn't exist due to the fact that the screen menus go away once in remote mode. I have decided to take another path at this point in time. Has NI, or anyone for that matter, wrote a phase noise VI that replicates the memory module?

[demo]

Sorry to be so late on this topic, but I have the HP 8563E Spectrum with a 85620A Memory Module and I can control Phase Noise tests through the GPIB port.

It is possible and I have done it and currently doing it...

I find it a shame that the Labview experts washed their hands to your problem.

[Dynamik]

Some further info on this topic:

The following is a quote from Agilent's web-site:

"

Remote control of the 85671A Phase Noise Utility is not supported by Agilent Technologies. However, there are some remote commands available to the user. The attached download contains a few programing examples that show the use of these commands.

"

While the programming examples are also attached here, it's a very limited sub-set of what the hands-on user can see!

Demo, would you be so kind as to illustrate your solution?

Thanks!

[demo]

Well, you hold the answer in your hands.

That text file "SpotFreq.pdf", explains it all, in detail.

Just follow what's there, making adjustments for your specific needs.

It's easy....

Let me know if you can't make it work!

Good Luck.

[Dynamik]

Hi Demo,

      Ditto!

[f.grasdepot@laposte.net]

Hi,
with the above commands in spotfreq.pdf , you can go to
www.labtab.com/ni_gpib0 to experiment with output/enter commands on
your device. You will need an NI controller installed as GPIB0 and your
85671A at GPIB address 1 ( change from 8 to 1 )
For "MOV PH_MKF 10000;" , just type this string in the output field at
the URL and click Run, you can see if the instruments responds and in
which time delay which is important for old devices. When it works,
making a VI is easier.

FG