Alignment

This screen accesses the alignment system of the instrument.

Internal Alignment

Perform Alignment

Run Individual Channel Alignment

Clear Alignment

Clear Individual Channel Alignment

Alignment Temperature Delta

Internal Alignment

Runs the internal alignment for all channels in the instrument and stores the data if successful. While alignment is running, no other operation of the instrument is allowed.

While the alignment is running, energy will be present at the RF Output of the channel(s). Level-sensitive devices must be disconnected before alignment is run. The RF Output can be terminated with a 50 Ohm load if you want to eliminate such signals from being broadcast in your test environment.

To maintain instrument accuracy, it is important to keep the instrument aligned. It is recommended to perform this alignment following the initial setup of the instrument, and periodically thereafter.

Energy will be present at the RF Output while alignment runs. Level-sensitive devices must be disconnected before running alignment.

The RF Output can be terminated with a 50-ohm load if you want to eliminate such signals from being broadcast in your test environment.

Once you have selected Internal Alignments for the desired channel, select Run.

GUI Location

System Menu > Settings (gear icon) > Alignment > Internal > Perform Alignment

Perform Alignment

Runs the internal alignment for all channels in the instrument and stores the data if successful. While alignment is running, no other operation of the instrument is allowed.

Energy will be present at the RF Output while alignment runs. Level-sensitive devices must be disconnected before running alignment.

The RF Output can be terminated with a 50-ohm load if you want to eliminate such signals from being broadcast in your test environment.

GUI Location	System Menu > Settings (gear icon) > Alignment > Internal Alignment > Perform Alignment
SCPI Command	*CAL?
SCPI Example	*CAL?
Notes	Returns 0 if successful. Returns 1 if failed. While performing the alignment, the Calibrating bit (bit 0 in the Status Operation register) is set. Completion, or termination, will clear bit 0 in the Status Operation register. This command is sequential; it must complete before further SCPI commands are processed. Interrupting the alignment from remote is accomplished by invoking Device Clear followed by the :ABORt command. With M1749A connected, alignments will take significantly longer. If running alignments using SCPI, ensure your timeout is set to take this into account. *CAL? is the same as doing a CAL:INT? for all channels.

Run Individual Channel Alignment

Runs the internal alignment for an individual channel in the instrument and stores the data if successful.

SCPI Command

:CALibration<channel>:INTernal?

SCPI Example

:CAL:INT? ! Aligns channel 1 and returns a value

:CAL2:INT? ! Aligns channel 2 and returns a value

Notes

The subopcode specifies the channel to align.

Returns 0 if successful.

Returns 1 if failed.

While performing the alignment, the appropriate bit(s) in the STATus:OPERation:ALIGning and STATus:OPERation:ALIGning:EALigning registers are set. Completion, or termination, will clear the appropriate bit(s) in the STATus:OPERation:ALIGning and STATus:OPERation:ALIGning:EALigning registers.

This command is sequential; it must complete before further SCPI commands are processed. Interrupting the alignment from remote is accomplished by invoking Device Clear followed by the :ABORt command.

With M1749A connected, alignments will take significantly longer. If running alignments using SCPI, ensure your timeout is set to take this into account.

Clear Alignment

For N5185A/N5186A, it erases internal alignment data stored in memory for all channels, returning the alignment data to what was in place at the time of manufacturing. Alignment must be run following this action to achieve optimal operation of your signal generator.

This does not clear the factory-generated calibration data stored within the instrument.

After the clearing is performed, the message "Internal Alignment cleared, performance will be degraded. Alignment is required." is posted.

SCPI Command	:CALibration:INTernal:CLEar:ALL
SCPI Example	CAL:INT:CLE:ALL
Status Bits/OPC Dependencies	Bit 7 in the Status Questionable Register will be set after the alignment is cleared

Clear Individual Channel Alignment

For N5185A/N5186A, it erases internal alignment data stored in memory for the specified channel, returning the alignment data for the indicated channel to what was in place at the time of manufacturing. The alignment that has been cleared must be run again to achieve optimal operation of your signal generator.

This does not clear the factory-generated calibration data stored within the instrument.

SCPI Command	:CALibration<channel>:INTernal:CLEar
SCPI Example	:CAL:INT:CLE
Status Bits/OPC Dependencies	Set the appropriate bit(s) in the STATus:QUEStionable:CALibration:ANEeded and STATus:QUEStionable:CALibration:ANEeded:EANeeded registers.

Alignment Temperature Delta

The instrument provides the amount of temperature changes since the last successful alignment was performed. Performing a Clear Alignment clears the temperature at which the last successful alignment was performed. If no successful alignment has occurred ‘---’ is displayed.

SCPI Command	CALibration:TEMPerature?
SCPI Example	CAL:TEMP?
Notes	The return is a list of two values: the first value is in degrees Celsius, and the second value is the channel number where the maximum delta exists. For example: CAL:TEMP? -1.2, 1 If a successful alignment has not been performed since bootup, the values are displayed on the GUI as ‘---’ and SCPI returns NaN,1
State Saved	No
Initial S/W Revision	A.14.00