To open the instrument node, click in the tree view. If there is more than one instrument connection, there will be a corresponding number of Instrument listings in the tree view. The figure below shows the Instrument property grid when connected to an E6640A EXM.
Click this button to send the parameters to the connected instrument.
Click this button to retrieve the parameters from the connected instrument.
Click this button to set the signal generator to a factory-defined or user-defined state.
Refer to the signal generator's user's guide for information on setting a user-defined state.
Select the Hint checkbox then click a parameter cell to display a brief description of the parameter.
Displays the model number of the currently connected instrument.
Default: Auto
The software automatically retrieves and displays the model number of the currently connected instrument.
Choice: Auto | Off
Default: Auto
Double-click or use the drop-down menu to enable or disable parameter optimization.
Auto - automatically overrides the current signal generator settings and provides optimized settings at "Generate" time.
Off - parameter optimization is not used.
Parameter Optimization selects the appropriate marker for RF control, and sets the appropriate marker routing to the instrument control.
When Parameter Optimization is set to Auto, Marker 3 and Marker 4 source selection in the Waveform Setup and the marker routing selected in Dual ARB Marker Utilities are overridden.
To manually set Marker 3 and Marker 4 source, the marker routing, or both, set Parameter Optimization to Off.
Or run "Generate" first, then set values manually and run "Download" separately.
Range: for specified range values, see the signal generator's data sheet.
Enter a value to set the signal generator’s output frequency. Use abbreviations for faster entry (example: 1g = 1.000000000000 GHz).
Range: for specified range values, see the signal generator's data sheet
Enter a value to remotely set the signal generator’s output amplitude.
Choice: On | Off
Default: On
Double-click or use the drop-down menu to control the signal generator’s RF output state.
Choice: RF Out | RFIO 1 | RFIO 2
Default: RF Out
Double-click or use the drop-down menu to select the signal generator’s RF output port.
Choice: RFIO3 | RFIO4
Default: RFIO 4
Double-click or use the drop-down menu to select the signal generator’s Half-Duplex RF output port while RF OUtput Port is set to RF Output.
Range: 1 kHz to 125 MHz
Default: 100 MHz
The sample clock frequency of the signal generator is automatically calculated by the program. The range depends on the connected instrument.
Range: -50.00-50.00 MHz
Default: 0.000 Hz
Enter a frequency value by which the baseband frequency is offset relative to the carrier.
Choice: None | Marker 1 to 4
Default: None
Double-click or use the drop-down menu to select an RF blanking function.
None − disables RF blanking.
Marker 1 through 4 − selects a marker to activate RF blanking.
Pulse/RF Blanking turns off the RF output signal during specific conditions determined by the marker.
RF blanking incorporates ALC hold, so there is no need to select ALC hold when using RF blanking.
Do not blank longer than 100 ms due to the ALC hold limit.
Choice: None | Marker 1 to 4
Default: None
Double-click or use the drop-down menu to select a marker for ALC hold. Use ALC hold when you have a waveform signal that has idle periods, or when the increased dynamic range with RF blanking is not desired.
None − disables ALC hold.
Marker 1 through 4 − assigns a marker for the ALC hold function.
When the specified marker polarity is positive and the marker signal is low (no marker points), ALC hold is on, and output power leveling does not respond to changes to the signal amplitude. When the marker signal is high, the ALC samples the waveform points and averages the waveform amplitudes to set the ALC circuitry for the next ALC hold period.
RF blanking incorporates ALC hold, so there is no need to select ALC hold when using RF blanking.
Limit ALC Hold to no more than 100 ms, as the ALC Level may degrade.
Choice: Positive | Negative
Default: Positive
Double-click or use the drop-down menu to select the active polarity for Marker 1.
Positive − the marker signal is high during the marker points.
Negative − the marker signal is high during the period of no marker points.
Choice: Positive | Negative
Default: Positive
Double-click or use the drop-down menu to select the active polarity for Marker 2.
Positive − the marker signal is high during the marker points.
Negative − the marker signal is high during the period of no marker points.
Choice: Positive | Negative
Default: Positive
Double-click or use the drop-down menu to select the active polarity for Marker 3.
Positive − the marker signal is high during the marker points.
Negative − the marker signal is high during the period of no marker points.
Choice: Positive | Negative
Default: Positive
Double-click or use the drop-down menu to select the active polarity for Marker 4.
Positive − the marker signal is high during the marker points.
Negative − the marker signal is high during the period of no marker points.
Choice: Continuous | Single | Gated | Segment Advance
Default: Continuous
Double-click or use the drop-down menu to select the triggering mode.
Continuous - selects the continuous triggering mode, which enables the signal generator to repeat the modulating signal indefinitely until you turn off the modulation format, change triggers, or select another waveform.
Single - sets up a waveform to play once after receiving a trigger.
Gated - sets the signal generator to the gated trigger mode, which causes the waveform (modulating signal) to repeatedly start and stop in response to an externally applied trigger signal. To use the gated trigger mode, you must also select External Source.
Segment Advance - controls the way the signal generator plays segments within a sequence. This includes determining whether a segment plays once or continuously, and when the sequence advances to the next segment. See also Segment Advance Mode.
Choice: Trigger Key | External2 | Bus
Default: External2
Adjusts the trigger source applied to External Source.
Trigger Key − selects the front panel hardkey as the trigger source. After making this selection, press the Trigger hardkey to trigger a waveform.
External2 − enables you to trigger a waveform with an externally supplied trigger signal.
Bus − enables you to trigger a waveform by sending a command through the GPIB, LAN, or AUXILIARY IO (RS-232) input connector.
Choice: Positive | Negative
Default: Negative
Sets the polarity of the external trigger. This parameter is active only if you select External as the trigger source.
Positive − the signal generator triggers an event when it receives a positive change in the signal at the PAT TRIG IN or AUX I/O rear panel connector.
Negative − the signal generator triggers an event when it receives a negative change in the signal at the PAT TRIG IN or AUX I/O rear panel connector.
Choice: On | Off
Default: Off
Turns the external trigger delay off or on.
This parameter is active only after selecting External as the trigger source.
Range:
N5172B / N5182B: 5 ns to 41 sec, in 5 ns steps
N5162A / N5182A: 8 ns to 32 s in 8 ns steps
All other models: 10 ns to 40 s, in 10 ns steps
Default: 1 ms
Sets the amount of time to delay the signal generator's response to an external trigger. The delay is a path (time) delay between the time the signal generator receives the trigger and when it responds to the trigger.
Choice: Free Run | Trigger & Run | Reset & Run
Default: Free Run
Double-click or use the drop-down menu to select a trigger response for the Continuous trigger mode.
Free Run − immediately triggers when you turn the format on.
Trigger & Run − waits for and starts on the first trigger; ignores subsequent triggers.
Reset & Run − waits for and starts on the first trigger; resets and plays on a subsequent trigger.
Choice: Buffered Trigger | No Retrigger | Restart on Trigger
Default: Buffered Trigger
Double-click or use the drop-down menu to select a trigger response for the Single trigger mode.
No Retrigger - the waveform segment ignores triggers during playback
Buffered Trigger − causes a waveform to accept a trigger during playback and to restart after the current play finishes.
Restart on Trigger − causes a waveform to accept a trigger during playback and to restart immediately after receiving a trigger.
Choice: Single | Continuous
Default: Continuous
Double-click or use the drop-down menu to select a trigger response for the Segment Advance mode.
Single − causes a segment to play once and wait for a trigger before the sequence advances to the next segment.
Continuous − causes a segment to play continuously until receiving another trigger. Upon receiving the trigger, the sequence advances to the next segment, which then plays continuously.