The following tips can help you successfully program the VNA.
Note: Sending commands from multiple controllers may cause errors and a firmware crash.
The VNA is programmable using the SCPI language. The SCPI documentation is included in this help file.
In the VNA, SCPI commands MUST be sent through either HiSLIP or through the IVI-COM/Labview driver pass-through.
The VNA software supports the HiSLIP interface for SCPI commands. This MUST be enabled from the Soft Front Panel using the IO configuration dialog. Learn more.
Note: (M937xA) If you can NOT connect with an external PC using LAN (HiSLIP), add a single exception to the firewall – either for the 835x.exe or for port 4880.
These drivers are the preferred programming interface to the VNA software.
There are numerous examples for using the IVI-COM driver to perform common operations.
Each of these drivers has a SCPI pass-through interface that can be used to send SCPI commands directly to the instrument.
It is NOT necessary to launch the soft front panel to use these drivers.
The drivers are available from Keysight.com
By default, the SFP is NOT visible when using the driver interface to connect to the VNA. However, both the remote program and the SFP can run simultaneously. This can be useful during development to help diagnose any programming errors. Start the SFP by clicking the "Network Analyzer" icon on the controller desktop.
The PXI addresses are available in three locations:
through the Launcher application (Network Analyzer icon on the desktop)
through Keysight IO Libraries
through the VISA library by using viFindRsrc().
From the Launcher application copy the address on the dialog. For a 1-module example, a PXI address may be PXI15::0::0::INSTR
If you know the chassis and slot number of your module, you can also format the connection string this way:
M937xA / M980xA
PXI0::CHASSIS<Chassis#>::SLOT<Slot#>::INSTR. For example, if you only have 1 chassis (this is most common), and the PXI VNA is in slot 9, then the connection string would be:
PXI0::CHASSIS1::SLOT9::INSTR
USB VNA
PXI0::CHASSIS<Chassis#>::SLOT<Slot#>::FUNC0::INSTR. For example, if you only have 1 chassis (this is most common), then the connection string would be:
PXI0::CHASSIS1::SLOT1::FUNC0::INSTR
When using multiple VNA modules, you can choose to use them in a Multisite or Multi-port configuration.
When connecting to multiple modules, at least one of the modules must have option 551 (M937xA) or option S97551A (P937xA/M980xA/P50xxA) . The connection string for Multiport is a semicolon ";" delineated list of addresses.
For example (M937xA): The following creates a 4-port VNA using a VNA module in slot 9 combined and another in slot 10. Port 1 and Port 2 are measured on slot 9. Port 3 and Port 4 are measured on slot 10.
PXI0::CHASSIS1::SLOT9::INSTR;PXI0::CHASSIS1::SLOT10::INSTR
Learn more about Multiport configurations.
When connecting to Multisite VNAs, simply connect to each of them separately and configure them individually.
When running your program on the PXI controller using the IVI-COM, Labview, or IVI-C driver, you can use the PXI VNA connection string (shown above). The VNA firmware does not need to be started with the launcher GUI.
You can also connect over LAN using the HiSLIP address. First, you must enable the HiSLIP interface using the GPIB dialog. Then, you must launch the VNA modules using the Launcher GUI. Use a unique address to identify each of the VNA firmware instances as follows for 2 VNA modules.
TCPIP0::<hostname>::hislip0::INSTR
TCPIP0::<hostname>::hislip1::INSTR
Learn more about Multisite configurations.
You can mix-and-match your Multisite and Multiport instances. For example, with 4 M937xA PXI VNA modules, you can run a 6-port Multiport instance using 3 of your PXI VNA modules at the same time that you run a 2-port instance using the last module.