Agilent Technologies 85671A User Manual

User’s Guide

Agilent Technologies 85671A Phase Noise Utility

Manufacturing Part Number: 85671-90010

Printed in USA

November 2000

© Copyright 1993 − 2000 Agilent Technologies

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Limited Warranty

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iii

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iv

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v

Safety Notes

The following safety notes are used throughout this manual. Familiarize yourself with each of the symbols and its meaning before operating this instrument.

Caution	The caution note denotes a hazard. It calls attention to a procedure
	which, if not correctly performed or adhered to, could result in
	damage to or destruction of the instrument. Do not proceed beyond a
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Lsymbol when it is necessary for the user to refer to the instructions in the manual.

General Safety Considerations

Warning	Before the spectrum analyzer is switched on, make sure it has been
	properly grounded through the protective conductor of the ac
	power cable to a socket outlet provided with protective earth
	contact.
	Any interruption of the protective (grounding) conductor, inside
	or outside the instrument, or disconnection of the protective
	earth terminal can result in personal injury.
Caution
	Before the spectrum analyzer is switched on, make sure its primary
	power circuitry has been adapted to the voltage of the ac power
	source.
	Failure to set the ac power input to the correct voltage could cause
	damage to the instrument when the ac power cable is plugged in.

vi

How to Use This Guide

Key Conventions.

The following key conventions are used in this guide:

4Front-panel key5

NSoftkeyNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

Text shown like this represents a key physically located on the spectrum analyzer.

Text shown like this represents a softkey. (The softkeys are located next to the softkey labels, and the softkey labels are the annotation on the right side of the spectrum analyzer display.)

Screen Text Text printed in this typeface indicates text displayed on the instrument's screen.

vii

Contents

1. Installing and Starting

Copying the Phase Noise Utility . . . . . . . . . . . .	1-2
Labeling a Softkey to Access the Phase Noise Utility . .	1-3
Starting the Phase Noise Utility . . . . . . . . . . . .	1-4
Using the Phase Noise Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . .	1-5
Making A Log Plot Measurement . . . . . . . . . . .	1-6
Removing the Phase Noise Utility . . . . . . . . . . .	1-8
2. Using the Phase Noise Utility
Other Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	2-1
Speci cations and Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . .	2-2
Functionality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	2-5
The Main Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	2-5
Log Plot Measurements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	2-6
Spot Frequency Measurements . . . . . . . . . . .	2-6
RMS Phase Noise Measurement . . . . . . . . . . .	2-6
Smoothing, Averaging, or Filtering . . . . . . . . . .	2-6
Signal Tracking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	2-7
Plotting and Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	2-7
Saving and Recalling Traces . . . . . . . . . . . . .	2-8
Measurement Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . .	2-9
O sets 1 MHz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	2-9
Slowly Drifting Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	2-9
System Noise Floor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	2-9
Use of the Bottom Division of the Display . . . . . .	2-9
Frequency O set Limitations . . . . . . . . . . . .	2-10

3. Softkey Menus and Descriptions

4. If You Have A Problem

Index

Contents-1

Figures

1-1. Equipment Used With Phase Noise Utility . . . . . .		1-1
1-2. Con guration Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		1-6
1-3.	Log Plot Measurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	1-7
2-1.	8560 E-Series and EC-Series System Noise Floor
	Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	2-4
2-2.	Main Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	2-5
4-1.	Log Plot of Drifty or Noisy Signal . . . . . . . . . .	4-2

Tables

2-1. O set Frequency Range Requirements . . . . . . . . 2-10

Contents-2

1

Installing and Starting

The 85671A Phase Noise Measurement Utility is a down-loadable program (DLP) that is used with the 8560 E-Series and EC-Series spectrum analyzers. You need the following equipment to use the utility:

Phase Noise	Mass Memory Module	Spectrum Analyzer
Measurement Utility
85671A	85620A	8560A/E/EC ( rmware 890720 and later)
	( rmware revision C,	8561A
	910116 and later)	8561B/E/EC ( rmware 890720 and later)
		8562A/B ( rmware 870728 and later)
		8563A/E/EC

Figure 1-1. Equipment Used With Phase Noise Utility

When you rst receive the phase noise utility on its memory cards you need to install it in the mass memory module. Once it is in the mass memory module it can be used by the spectrum analyzer.

The spectrum analyzer has direct access to the mass memory module using the 4MODULE5 key. To access the phase noise utility from the front panel of the spectrum analyzer, you will need to label one of the blank softkeys on the user menu. The following procedures describe how to copy the le, label the softkeys, and access the utility.

Installing and Starting 1-1

Copying the Phase Noise Utility

The phase noise utility comes on two memory cards. The le is called PH_NOIS1 and PH_NOIS2 . Copy the utility from both memory cards to the mass memory module.

1.With the spectrum analyzer turned o , attach the mass memory module to the spectrum analyzer.

2.Insert one of the 86571A memory cards into the module. Make sure the arrow on the card is facing the matching arrow on the rim of the module's card slot.

3.Turn on the spectrum analyzer. After it completes its power-on sequence, press the 4MODULE5 key on the front panel.

4.Press the NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNUTILITY softkey. After a short wait, the screen will list the current contents of the mass memory module. If there areles starting with PH_ do the next step, otherwise skip the next step.

5.The presence of les starting with PH_ indicates that an earlier version or a demo version of the utility is already loaded. To save time, we recommend that you delete those programs before continuing. Do one of the following steps.

a. If you do not nd the program PH_REMOVE , press 4MODULE5 ,

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNUSER KEYS , NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNPHASE NOISE , and NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNEXIT ALL . Repeat this

process until the demo removes itself, then press 4MODULE5

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNUTILITY .

b.If you nd the program PH_REMOVE , press 4MODULE5, NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNKEYDEF ,

and NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNCHOOSE DLP . Move the cursor to highlight PH_REMOVE and press NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNEXECUTE NOW , then press 4MODULE5 NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNUTILITY .

6.Press the NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNCATALOG MEM CARD key so that CARD is underlined.

This will show the contents of the memory card. It should show the le PH_NOIS1 or PH_NOIS2 .

7.Move the knob so that PH_NOIS1 (or PH_NOIS2 ) is highlighted and

press the NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNCOPY TO MEMORY softkey. This will copy the utility

from the memory card to the mass memory module.

8.Remove the rst memory card and insert the other memory card.

9.Press the NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNCATALOG MEM CARD

This will show the contents of the above process to copy the module.

key so that CARD is underlined. the second memory card. Repeat contents to the mass memory

10.To verify that the measurement utility is in the mass memory

module, press the NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNCATALOG MEM CARD so that MEM is underlined.

This will show the contents of the mass memory module. There should be more than two pages of phase noise programs displayed

beginning with PH_. The second page of programs can be viewed

using the NNEXTNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNPAGE softkey.

1-2 Installing and Starting

Labeling a Softkey to A ccess the Phase Noise Utility

Label a spectrum analyzer softkey to access the utility which is stored in the mass memory module. The utility includes the PH_SETUP program which can be run at any time to assign softkeys and to return the program variables to the default values.

1.With the mass memory module attached to the back of the spectrum analyzer press the 4MODULE5 key.

2.To verify that the utility is in the mass memory module, press the NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNUTILITY . The contents of the mass memory module should include many les beginning with PH_.

3.Press 4MODULE5

4.Now press the down-loadable

and NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNKEYDEF to display the user-de ned softkeys.

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNCHOOSE DLP softkey. This displays a list of the

programs (DLPs) in the mass memory module.

5.Locate and highlight the DLP labeled PH_SETUP , using the knob,

the step keys, and the NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNEXT COLUMN and NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNEXT PAGE softkeys.

6.Press the NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNEXECUTE NOW softkey to start the setup process below:

a.Some initialization will automatically be done.

b.You will be asked to press one of the empty softkeys along

the right edge of the display so it can be labeled to access the utility. Press the key labeled NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNO KEY if you do not want to label a softkey.

The setup routine can be used to label only the rst ve user

keys. If you have other programs in use which are using all of those softkeys, press the NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNO KEY softkey. Follow the manual procedure below to put the phase noise utility softkeys on the second page of the user keys menu.

c.You will then be asked to press another softkey so it can be labeled to access the spot frequency measurement.

7.One user softkey should now be labeled NPHASENNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOISE and another

labeled NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNMEASURE SPOT FRQ . The installation is now complete.

8.To manually label the user keys do the following:

a.Press 4MODULE5 and NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNKEYDEF . Then use the knob to point to the desired key label location.

b.Press NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNCHOOSE DLP , move the knob to highlight the PH_NOISE program, and press NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNSELECT .

c.Repeat the above process selecting the PH_SPOTF program, to set up the spot frequency measurement.

d.The key labels will not be the same as those assigned by the automatic setup program.

The automatic setup program should be run to initialize variables even if it is not used to set up the softkey labels.

Installing and Starting 1-3

Starting the Phase Noise Utility

The phase noise utility can be started easily once the program is in the mass memory module and a spectrum analyzer's user key has been labeled to access it.

The desired carrier signal should be visible on the spectrum analyzer before starting the utility. When the utility is started, it nds the largest signal in the current span and assumes this will be the carrier frequency.

1.With the mass memory module attached to the spectrum analyzer press 4MODULE5.

2.Press NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNUSER KEYS . This will display the user-de ned softkey menu. The label NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNPHASE NOISE should be on the softkey selected in the installation.

3.Press the NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNPHASE NOISE softkey to start the utility.

1-4 Installing and Starting

Using the Phase Noise Utility

	The phase noise utility uses a series of softkey menus displayed along
	the right edge of the spectrum analyzer display. Use the EXIT ALL
	softkey to end the utility.		NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Note
	DO NOT use other front-panel keys when the utility is running,
	except to enter data, or you will exit the utility prematurely.
	The phase noise utility main menu allows you to:
	MEASURE LOG PLOT
	NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
		Make a phase noise measurement over a range of
		o set frequencies.
	MEASURE SPOT FRQ
	NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
		Continuously measure phase noise at a single o set
	NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN	frequency.
		Set up the measurement parameters.
	CONFIG
	NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN	Displays a trace that was saved previously. Make sure
	RECALL TRACE
		the current phase noise measurement state is set the
	NNNNNNNNNNNNNN	same as the state of the saved trace.
	HELP	Displays textual information associated with the
	NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN	utility.
		instrument state that was saved when the phase noise
	EXIT ALL	Exits the phase noise utility and recalls the

utility was rst invoked.

Installing and Starting 1-5