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Frequency Agile Example

The Frequency Agile example demonstrates using the Pulse Building application's GUI to create a frequency hopping pattern. The pattern uses three different pulse definitions and modulations. Each pulse is a trapezoidal pulse type, but created using different methods available in the Pulse Building GUI. The first pulse, CW1, is created using the Pulse Building application's built-in definition parameters for a trapezoidal pulse type. The second pulse, CW2, is created using an I/Q data text file and the third pulse, CW3, uses a custom profile definition defined in a text file. Each pattern item in the frequency agile pattern is offset in frequency and one item uses a 10 dB power scaling offset.

This example demonstrates how to:

• Create three different trapezoidal pulses

• Build a pattern of pulses

• Use pattern parameter properties such as repeats, edge jitter, and so forth

• Set pattern power level and frequency

• Use the power scale function to scale the amplitude of a pulse

• Use the Pulse Building application's Import function

Creating the Pulses

The following procedure will guide you through the steps necessary to create the three pulses used in this example.

1. Run the Pulse Building application.

2. Save this project. Use the File > Save As menu selection to save the project as Frequency Agile.pbp.

3. Enter the following information into the Pulse Library form:

   • Name: CW1. Place the mouse pointer on the New Pulse 1 pulse, click the right mouse button, select Rename, and change the pulse name to CW1. 

   • Pulse Type: Trapezoidal

   • Rise Time: 30 ns

   • Fall Time: 30 ns

   • Width (100%~100%): 940 ns

   • Width Jitter Type: None

   • Jitter Deviation: 0 s

   • Modulation Type: None

   The Pulse Library form shown below displays the parameter settings for the CW1 pulse. 

   

4. Click the New Pulse button in the Pulse Library form.

5. Enter the following information into the Pulse Library form:

   • Name: CW2. Place the mouse pointer on the New Pulse 1 pulse, click the right mouse button, select Rename, and change the pulse name to CW2.

   • Pulse Type: Custom I/Q

   • Modulation Type: None

6. Click the Import command button. Use the Open dialog box to navigate to the Freq Agile I/Q.txt file. The file is located in the default Pulse Building application's ...\Samples\VB6\Frequency Agile directory.   

7. Click the Freq Agile I/Q.txt file and select Open. The I/Q data will be imported into the IQ Data table.

   

8. Click New pulse in the Pulse Library form.

9. Enter the following information into the Pulse Library form:

   • Name: CW3. Place the mouse pointer on the New Pulse 1 pulse, click the left mouse button, click the right mouse button, select Rename, and change the pulse name to CW3.

   • Pulse Type: Custom Profile

   • Modulation Type:None

10. Click the Import command button. Use the Open dialog box to navigate to the Freq Agile Custom Profile.txt file. The file is located in the default Pulse Building application's ...\Samples\VB6\Frequency Agile directory.     

11. Click the Freq Agile Custom Profile.txt file and select Open. The custom profile data will be imported into the Profile Data table.  

Creating the Pattern

There are now three pulses CW1, CW2, and CW3 stored in the Frequency Agile project's Pulse Library. This section details the steps needed to create a pattern using these three pulses.

1. Click the Pattern Library tab at the lower left corner of the Pulse Library form.

2. If New Pattern 1 is not displayed in the Pattern Library view, click the icon.

3. Rename New Pattern 1 to Frequency Agile.

   • Click the mouse pointer anywhere in the pattern details section of the form

   • Click the mouse pointer on New Pattern 1 in the patterns section of the form

   • Click the right mouse button

   • Select Rename from the menu and type in Frequency Agile

4. Add nine pattern items to the Frequency Agile pattern. Click the icon nine times.

5. Select CW2 for the Frequency Agile pattern item at Index 2:

   • Click the mouse pointer in the cell located at Index 2 and Object Name in the table

   • Click the down arrow in the drop-down list box of that cell

   • Select CW2

6. Select CW3 for the Frequency Agile pattern item at Index 3:

   • Click the mouse pointer in the cell located at Index 3 and Object Name in the table

   • Click the down arrow in the drop-down list box of that cell

   • Select CW3

7. Enter the parameters and information as presented in the Pattern Details form below.

   

   • Index 1 - Object Name: CW1, Repetition Interval: 3.33 us, Repeat: 1, Edge Jitter Type: None, Deviation: 0, Power Scale: 0, Freq Offset: -10 MHz, Phase Offset 0 rad

   • Index 2 - Object Name: CW2, Repetition Interval: 3.33 us, Repeat: 1, Edge Jitter Type: None, Deviation: 0, Power Scale: 0, Freq Offset: 0 MHz, Phase Offset 0 rad

   • Index 3 - Object Name: CW3, Repetition Interval: 3.33 us, Repeat: 1, Edge Jitter Type: None, Deviation: 0, Power Scale: 0, Freq Offset: 10 MHz, Phase Offset 0 rad

   • Index 4 - Object Name: CW1, Repetition Interval: 3.33 us, Repeat: 1, Edge Jitter Type: None, Deviation: 0, Power Scale: 0, Freq Offset: -10 MHz, Phase Offset 1.047 rad

   • Index 5 - Object Name: CW2, Repetition Interval: 3.33 us, Repeat: 1, Edge Jitter Type: None, Deviation: 0, Power Scale: 0, Freq Offset: 0 MHz, Phase Offset 1.047 rad

   • Index 6 - Object Name: CW3, Repetition Interval: 3.33 us, Repeat: 1, Edge Jitter Type: None, Deviation: 0, Power Scale: 0, Freq Offset: 10 MHz, Phase Offset 1.047 rad

   • Index 7 - Object Name: CW1, Repetition Interval: 3.33 us, Repeat: 1, Edge Jitter Type: None, Deviation: 0, Power Scale: 0, Freq Offset: -10 MHz, Phase Offset 2.093 rad

   • Index 8 - Object Name: CW2, Repetition Interval: 3.33 us, Repeat: 1, Edge Jitter Type: None, Deviation: 0, Power Scale: 0, Freq Offset: 0 MHz, Phase Offset 2.093 rad 

   • Index 9 - Object Name: CW3, Repetition Interval: 3.33 us, Repeat: 1, Edge Jitter Type: None, Deviation: 0, Power Scale: 0, Freq Offset: 10 MHz, Phase Offset 2.093 rad

Download and Play

1. Click the Connect to Instrument button .

2. Enter TCP/IP or GPIB interface parameters for the instrument in the System Configuration wizard.

3. Click the Test I/Ocommand button. The Status text box in the I/O Connection form should display: Connected

   If an error or timeout occurs, refer to the troubleshooting section in this Help document or VISA documentation.

4. Click OK.

If you are using an analyzer, perform the following steps:

1. Click the Connect to Instrument button .

2. Enter TCP/IP or GPIB interface parameters for the instrument in the System Configuration wizard.

3. Click the TestI/Ocommand button. The Status text box in the I/O Connection form should display: Connected

   If an error or a timeout occurs, refer to the troubleshooting section in this Help document or VISA documentation.

4. Click OK.

Click the Download menu item at the top of the form and select Download & Play. The lower section of the form, labeled VerifySignal Result: indicates the result of the signal creation and download process. 

At this point the signal, defined by the Frequency Agile pattern, is loaded in the signal generator's volatile waveform memory and the signal generator is playing the signal. You can use the analyzer to view this signal. Use the following analyzer settings:

• Center Frequency - 15 GHz.

• Span - 200 MHz 

• Amplitude - Ref Level - Set the reference level to 10 dBm

• Trace View - select the Max Hold softkey to view the signal. 

You can save this waveform file in the signal generator's non-volatile waveform memory. When you save the waveform file, instrument state parameters configured in the Advanced settings section such as frequency and amplitude are not included. Use the signal generator's Save/Recall registers to save the signal generator's instrument state. When you want to re-load the signal and play it back:

1. Load the signal into volatile waveform memory.

2. Recall the register with the signal generator's instrument state associated with the waveform file.

Related Topics

Frequency Agile API Program Example