Agilent E8363B PNA - no response during ECal

[davidpcl]

Glad to hear it worked with your stuff too - i'm fairly fluent with the Agilent PNA's so any other problems you have then give me a shout.

[Mihir]

well actually I could use your help again.  I'm able to successfully read the S-parameter values from the network analyzer, however I also need to retrieve the frequency values for each s-parameter value.  Using the drivers, I modified the "Read data" vi file.  I was using the function SENS:X[:VAL]?, but I'm not sure if this is the proper function to be used or not, as it results in the error message "QUERY Unterminated". 

[davidpcl]

Hi Mihir,

I know a really good way of doing this - basically you need to remotely save an .s1p or .s2p file programatically on the PNA, and then transfer it to you PC - it needs a bit of post processing once you've transferred it as it has header information that needs to be stripped, but what you get is every frequency, with phase and magnitude for every s parameter.

Without the code at hand this may not be very accurate - I'll update on Monday if not, so :-

Save an s2p file :-
MMEM:STOR 'Temp.s2p'
do an *OPC?

Transfer it :-
MMEM:TRAN? 'Temp.s2p'

You may have to do multiple reads if you are doing a lot of data points so you'll need to send the MMEM:TRAN? 'Temp.s2p' command, then read 2 characters which should give you something like #6 - the 6 refers to the number of characters following the 6 after which the data starts, it also refers to the number of characters in the data, so if you then read 6 characters you will now have the number of characters to be read - then just read that number of characters.

Hope that helps,

[Mihir]

Hey david.  Everything works great except in the transfer.  It keeps telling me on the network analyzer "query terminated" and some times results in an error that shut down my agilent software.  I think I'm a little confused about when u said I have to read two characters....otherwise I'm writing to the VISA "MMEM:TRANS? 'temp.s2p'".  I'm also wondering if it does transfer, does it go to a default folder?  Labview itself doesn't give me an error, its just the network analyzer

[Mihir]

Hey David ignore the last message.  I got it working.  Thanks alot for your help, and I'll look to contact you again if I need further help.

[davidpcl]

Hi Mihir,

Sorry for not getting back to you on Monday - had a very busy week, but glad to hear you got it working, and as said I'm more than happy to help with other problems.

[Chazzzmd]

Greetings,

I'm new to Labview, and specifically this would be my 1st full script. I've downloaded the "Agilent PNA Series" driver. So far I've established communication, but am receiving a "Calculate Measurement Selection set to none" message. I'm able to setup frequency, but that's about it, the PNA isn't registering my SWR drop down selection from my front panel.

Is there any example VI or basic tips out there? I'm leaving the calibration to the exisitng manual PNA procedures, and the test script will not be launched until that is complete. The test itself should be simple. Input the measurement name, select S21, select SWR, Start freq, stop freq, number of points, launch test, then save.

Any help on this topic would be much appreciated, I'm learning as I go.

Thanks in advance.

-Chazzmd

[davidpcl]

Hi Chazzmd,

You're experiencing a problem that I've come across many times with this PNA - namely that you have to select a measurement before you can do almost anything with it.

By default a number of measurements are already setup which you can use and you can query these using :-

CALC: PAR:CAT? - this will give you a readback of all currently available measurements which by default should be CH1_S11_1 and S11

If you want to create a measurement you need to use the command

CALCulate<cnum>: PARameter: DEFine:EXTended <Mname>,<param>

and then to select measurements use

CALCulate<cnum>: PARameter:SELect <Mname>

NOTE: In the above examples I've had to add a space between occurrences of : and P or D as otherwise you get smilies!

This is probably a bit light on the ground - and you may be using the COM driver which does have equivalent methods for doing this.

Would recommend you have a look at :-

http://na.tm.agilent.com/pna/help/WebHelp7_5/help.htm

Hope that helps a bit,

[Chazzzmd]

D Clark,

Thanks for the website link, I'm sure I'll be referencing it. I figured out yesterday how to set the PNA up using the exisiting examples that came with the driver download. All I did was build in the functionality of setting up my start and stop frequency, and # of points inside the "Configure Trace Format" VI. This seems to of worked so far. My only problem now is, it seems I have to do a cal through Labview, because when I do a manual cal with the same frequencies, # of points, Trace Format, then I go to launch my test setup with the same attributes, the previous cal seems to be blown away. The only way I know this I will immediately unplug the GPIB from the PNA, then do a cal, and the signal is correct with the Labview settings.

Any recommendations for a rookie. I'm using the Agilent PNA Series (NI Certified) VI's. Basically I need to figure out how to execute a guided cal (85052D kit), and keep the results, while moving forward with the VSWR test.

There are some calibration VI's in the "bundle" I downloaded with the driver. I will try that way.

Thanks so much for your timely response, I'm glad to see the forum can be useful, it was my 1st time........and I'm sure it won't be my last.


-Chazzzmd

[Chazzzmd]

Greetings,

I have an Agilent PNA CAL issue. Fairly new to Labview, just as heads up. Basically I have a script that saves a cal state (.cst). Then I flip a switch to measure. The idea is to recall that cal state before taking the defined measurements. When I insert the Save/Recall Cal state VI (switch it to recall) insert a global variable for filename from when I executed the initial cal save, and verify my directory is the same the PNA comes back with an error 115, and says it is unable to load the cal state....check filename.

If I take away the Save/Recall Cal state VI from my Measurement case it executes just fine, as long as nothing changes after the cal save is executed. My PNA says the correction factor is ON, and the .cst cal I just saved is on top of the FILE menu meaning it's in use. I further tested this by reloading the .cst I saved from labview manually and gladly saw no changes at all.

Right now this script works exactly as needed for VSWR strangely enough, but when changing to LOG or LIN magnitude the readings are off. When I unplug the unit from being tested my cal is below 0db (averages about 1.5db below). When I originally save the cal (.cst) the line is as it should be........straight across at 0db.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. BTW - N5230A Agilent PNA

Chazzzmd


Message Edited by Chazzzmd on 01-31-2008 12:52 PM