Module Calibration

Instrument:
DCA-X
DCA-M
UXR Scope
Meas. mode:
Scope
Eye
Jitter
TDR
Flex Apps:
FlexDCA
FlexRT
Calibrations
Module Enable/Start Commands
Vertical (Channel) Commands
:CALibrate Channels Commands
Precision Timebase Commands
Clock Recovery Commands
TDR Step Commands

Use the Module tab of the Calibrations dialog to perform the vertical, clock recovery, and precision timebase calibrations on modules installed in a DCA-X's module bay as well as DCA-M modules. Module calibrations enhance measurement precision by establishing calibration factors which compensate for imperfections in the measurement system, such as variations due to the ambient temperature. Module calibrations do not require any external equipment setup.

You can click on the tabs in this picture to learn about the different calibrations.

The following picture shows how the vertical calibration commands correlate with FlexDCA's Calibrations dialog.

This picture has been modified, because any given module cannot support all possible calibrations. The N1060A precision waveform analyzer module (identified on the dialog's tab), does not support a TDR Step Calibration! The TDR Step Calibration would be shown for the N1055A and 54754A TDR modules.

Recommended Module Calibration Conditions

A calibration is recommended whenever any of the following conditions are true:

  • A DCA-X or DCA-M power has been cycled
  • A DCA-X module has been removed and then reinserted since the last calibration
  • The temperature change of a DCA-X or DCA-M exceeds 5°C compared to the temperature of the last module calibration ( ΔT > 5°C)
  • Time since the last calibration has exceeded 10 hours

Always remove or disable all inputs to the module. However, inputs do not have to be removed from 83496A modules.

The vertical calibration uses known signal levels in the DCA-X. Introducing an outside signal source will interfere with the calibration factors and decrease the accuracy of the calibration.

Re-seating the module into the DCA-X may affect the electrical connections, which in turn affects the data sampling process.

To perform a module calibration

  1. Select which vertical, precision timebase, clock recovery, and TDR calibrations that you want to perform using these commands. When in doubt, you can always use the SCPI Recorder.
  2. Start all selected calibrations with the :CALibrate:SLOT:STARt command.

To query the status of these calibrations, use the following commands: