:CALibrate:FRAMe:PTIMebase:STARt

Instruments:
N1000A-PTB
Flex Apps:
FlexDCA
FlexRT
Internal Precision Timebase Cal

Command Syntax

:CALibrate:FRAMe:PTIMebase:STARt

Description

Starts a calibration of the N1000A mainframe's internal precision timebase (IPTB). This calibration includes three parts:

  • A calibration without any input signals.
  • A skew calibration at 1 GHz.
  • A skew calibration at 20 GHz.

The 1 GHz and 20 GHz calibration signals must be sinusoidal between 50 mVp-p to 700 mVp-p. Connect the calibration signal through a splitter to the mainframe's Trigger and Precision Timebase inputs. No plug-in modules need to be installed in the DCA-X mainframe.

During the calibration, use the :CALibrate:SDONE? query to return the string message that is displayed on the N1000A's calibration dialog when the current calibration step has completed. The string is either the next required connection to make or the reason that the last calibration step failed. Use the :CALibrate:CONTinue command to close the current calibration dialog and run the next calibration step. Look at this Python script to learn how manage the dialogs that are displayed during the calibration.

Always perform a module calibration before a starting a precision timebase calibration.

To ensure an accurate calibration, you must use a 1.0 GHz clock signal for the first skew calibration, even though the minimum operating frequency for the precision timebase is greater than 2.4 GHz.

Requires FlexDCA revision A.03.00 and above and an N1000A-PTB instrument, which includes an internal precision timebase.