5663 Phase Noise

[plasmaphase]

I'm trying to find out how to measure, from within a vi, the phase noise from a PXIe-5663E.  I have the RFSA driver (v2.5.2 and v2.6), so I am able to measure, via the Soft Front Panel, the Phase Noise.  I'd like to automate this process.  Any suggestions?  Thanks in advance.

[ben64]

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@plasmaphase wrote:

I'm trying to find out how to measure, from within a vi, the phase noise from a PXIe-5663E.  I have the RFSA driver (v2.5.2 and v2.6), so I am able to measure, via the Soft Front Panel, the Phase Noise.  I'd like to automate this process.  Any suggestions?  Thanks in advance.

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You could try using NI I/O trace to capture the command sent to the 5663E when you use the soft front panel. In the NI I/O Trace options make that NI-RFSA is checked in the View Selection tab.

Ben64

[plasmaphase]

That's a resonable idea, however, since it takes quite a long time I'm guessing it would be a sub-optimal solution (it basically sweeps across frequency).  I'd much prefer to verify that there isn't a phase noise measurement VI or driver that could be integrated into my current VI's for automation.  Either way, please let me know.

[Nathan-P]

Yes, the measurement can be done in your own VI's:

http://zone.ni.com/devzone/cda/epd/p/id/5595

This will require you to use the NI Modulation Toolkit, and the Phase Noise measurement is actually a shipping example with the toolkit:

http://sine.ni.com/nips/cds/view/p/lang/en/nid/210568

I hope this helps.

[plasmaphase]

Yeah, I have the modulation Toolkit (comes with the NI-6553E), however, when I open this VI, it cannot find the "mod_Phase Noise Calculation.vi"  Is this part of an older version of the modulation toolkit?  I noticed this post was from 2009.

[Nathan-P]

The missing VI should be found at (if using LabVIEW 2012):

"C:\Program Files\National Instruments\LabVIEW 2012\vi.lib\addons\Modulation\Analog\support\mod_Phase Noise Calculation.vi

In case you don't have it, I've attached the VI to this post as well.