Fluke 280 Specifications

280 Series
Waveform Generators

A selection of universal waveform generators
offering superior performance and excellent value

Technical Data

These universal wa
instrument. Their extensive signal simulation capabilities include arbitrary
waveforms, function generator, pulse/pulse train generator, sweep gener­ator, trigger generator, tone generator, and amplitude modulation source.

veform generators combine many generators in one

284 Waveform Generator

Key features:

Choice of one, two and four

•

independent or linked channels
40 MS/s max. sampling speed

•

16 MHz function generator

•

10 MHz pulse generator

•

Pulse train pattern generator

•

Arbitrary waveforms of up to

•

65 k points
Powerful modulation capabilities

•

Built-in trigger generators

•

Waveform Manager Plus for

•

Windows
Multiple standard waveforms

•

recalled from internal memory
RS-232 and GPIB interfaces

•

®

software

281 Waveform Generator

The 281, 282, and 284 Waveform Generators use
direct digital synthesis techniques as well as variable
clock sampling technolog
programmable function and arbitrary waveform capa­bility. The 281, 282 and 284 are 40 MS/s arbitrary

veform generators w

wa
nels, respectively.

Waveform Manager Plus Software provides all
the features needed for creation, manipulation and
management of arbitrary waveforms within a single
Windows

®

-based program.

y to prov

ith one, two, and four chan-

ide a fully featured

Single or multiple channels

The 28x series c
(281), two-channel (282) and four-channel (284).
Each channel can be operated fully independently,
or multiple channels can b
complex relationships.

omprises a single-channel model

e linked using simple or

Waveforms

Standard wa
dc, positive ramp, negative ramp, sine(x)/x, pulse,
pulse train, c
frequenc
square and up to 100 kHz for triangle, ramps and
sine(x)/x
range of 1

e adjusted from 2.5 mV to 1

b

veforms include: sine, square, triangle,

osine. Output

osine, ha

y range is 0.1 mHz to 16 MHz for sine and

. Rise time for pulse is < 25 ns w

00 ns to 100 s. Output amplitude range can

versine and ha

0 V p-p into 50

verc

ith a period

Ω.

Versatile pulse generator capabilities

Each channel can generate not just pulses but com­plex pulse trains
quickly defined with each pulse having its own ampli­tude, width and delay. The whole pulse train pattern
can then b
Where variable rise time pulses are required, the full
arbitrary function can be used.

. A pattern of up to 10 pulses can be

e replayed at a user-defined repetition rate.

Arbitrary capability unmatched at this price

The 280 Series are highly sophisticated 12-bit arbi­trary generators, capable of recreating virtually any
waveform. True variable clock architecture is used,
with clock speeds between 0.1 Hz and 40 MHz. This
architecture avoids the clock jitter associated with DDS
arbitrary generators and permits waveform linking,
looping and sequencing. Waveforms may be defined
with up to 4,096 vertical points and from 4 to 65,536
horizontal points. Arbitrary waveforms may be
replayed at a specified waveform frequency, period or
sample rate. Up to 100 user-defined waveforms can be
stored within the instrument’s 256 K of nonvolatile
memory.

Linked-sequence operation

Up to sixteen arbitrary waveforms may be linked in a
sequence. Each waveform can have a loop count of up
to 32,768 and the whole sequence can be run contin­uously or repeated more than a million times. For
multi-channel models, waveforms on different chan­nels can be daisy chained and looped. By summing
the channel outputs, up to 64 segments can be used
to create highly complex waveforms.

Multi-channel phase locking

Any number of channels can be phase locked with

ree (or 360

offsets defined to a resolution of 0.
degrees/waveform points for arbitrary waveforms).
For applications requiring more than four channels,
multiple generators can b
Series also has the facility for phase locking to another
generator.

e phase locked

1 deg

. The 28

0

Multi-channel summing

Waveform summing sums the waveform from any

natively, any

channel into the next channel

er of channels can b

numb
signal. This permits complex modulations, such as
noise superimposition, to b

. Alter

e summed with an external

e created

.

Inter-channel triggering and modulation

Because any channel can be triggered by the previous
or next channel, waveforms on different channels can
be daisy chained and looped. By summing the chan­nel outputs, up to 64 segments can be used (32 seg­ments for 282). A channel can be used to AM
modulate or SCM modulate another channel.

Wide frequency sweep range

veforms can b

All wa
range at a rate variable between 30 milliseconds and

e swept over their full frequency

15 minutes. Sweep can be linear or logarithmic, single

ontinuous. Single sweeps can be triggered from

or c
the front panel, the trigger input, or the digital inter­faces. Multiple channels can be swept simultaneously.

Amplitude modulation

Amplitude modulation and suppressed carrier modula­tion are available for all waveforms. Any channel can
be used to modulate another channel. Alternatively, all
channels can be modulated simultaneously via the
modulation input.

Built-in trigger generator

All waveforms are available as a triggered burst,
whereby each trigger edge will produce one burst of
the carrier. Start and stop phase is fully variable. Both
triggered and gated modes can be operated from the
internal trigger generator, from an adjacent channel,
an external source or a key press or remote command.
The trigger generator signal is available as a separate
output if required.

Tone switching

The 280 Series can provide triggered switching
between up to 16 frequencies of standard or arbitrary
waveforms. Tone switching modes can be gated, trig­gered or FSK using any trigger source. By summing
two channels together it is possible to generate pre­cise DTMF test signals.

Windows®-based waveform editing

Each generator is supplied complete with sophisti­cated Windows-based software for the creation, edit­ing and management of waveforms. This powerful
software can be used to create arbitrary waveforms
from scratch using drawing tools, equations or both
together. Real-world waveforms imported from DSOs
or other sources can be modified and combined with
other waveforms using editing functions. A library of
standard waveforms is included which can be used as

elements

“
powerful Equation Editor prov
matical functions, including logarithmic and geometric
operands
use of draw
insertion and manipulation. Multiple waveforms can

e further c

b
create new wa

” when creating or modif

veform creation and editing can make

a

. W

ing tools in c

ombined using mathematical operators to

veforms

ombination with equations,

.

ying wa

ides an arra

veforms

y of mathe-

. A

Import from DSOs and other instruments

The Windows software incorporates direct support for
uploading waveforms from Tektronix digital oscillo­scopes. A driver for LabWindows
Instruments is available which enables imports from
other equipment to be achieved within the LabWin­dows environment.

™/CVI from National

Fully programmable via RS-232 or GPIB

The 280 Series incorporates both an RS-232 interface
and a GPIB (IEEE-488) interface as standard. These

e used for loading arbitrar

can b
remote control of all instrument functions.

y waveforms and for

2 Fluke Corporation 280 Series Waveform Generators

280 Series Specifications

Specifications apply at 18 °C to 28 °C after 30 minutes warm-up, at maximum output into 50 Ω.

Arbitrary waveforms

Waveforms Maximum waveform size is 65,536 points; minimum waveform size is 4 points. Up to 100 user defined

aveform memory 64 k points per channel

W

ertical resolution 12 bits

V
Sample clock
Resolution
Accuracy ± 1 digit of setting

ing Up to 16 waveforms may be linked. Each waveform can have a loop count of up to 32,768. A sequence of

Sequenc

Output filter

Standard waveforms

All Waveforms

curacy 10 ppm for 1 year

Ac
Temp. stability Typically < 1 ppm/ºC.
Output level 2.5 mV to 10 Vpp into 50 Ω

Sine, Cosine, Haversine, Havercosine

Range 0.1 mHz to 16 MHz
Resolution 0.1 mHz or 7 digits
Harmonic distortion < 0.1 % THD to 100 kHz;

Nonharmonic spurii < –65 dBc to 1 MHz,

Square

Range 1 mHz to 16 MHz
Resolution 1 mHz (4 digits)
Accuracy ± 1 digit of setting
Rise/fall times < 25 ns

Pulse and Pulse T

Rise/fall times

eriod range

P

eriod resolution

P

y

curac

Ac

y range

ela

D
Delay resolution 0.002 % of period or 25 ns, whichever is greater
Width range 25 ns to 99.99 s
Width resolution 0.002 % of period or 25 ns, whichever is greater

riangle

T

Range
Resolution

inearity error

L

Ramps and Sin(x)/x

Range
Resolution

inearity error

L

Note: The pulse width and absolute value of the delay may not exceed the pulse period at any time. Pulse trains of up to 10 pulses may be speci­fied, each pulse having independently defined width, delay and level. The baseline voltage is separately defined and the sequence repetition
rate is set by the pulse train period.

rain

waveforms may be stored in the 256 K point nonvolatile RAM. Waveforms can be defined by front panel editing
controls or by downloading of waveform data via RS-232 or GPIB.

100 mHz to 40 MHz
4 digits

veforms can be looped up to 1,048,575 times or run continuously.

wa
Selectable between 16 MHz Elliptic, 10 MHz Elliptic, 10 MHz Bessel or none

< –65 dBc to 20 kHz,
< –50 dBc to 300 kHz,
< –35 dBc to 10 MHz
< –30 dBc to 16 MHz

< –65 dBc + 6 dB/octave 1 MHz to 16 MHz

< 25 ns

00 ns to 1

1
4 dig
±
–99.99 s to + 99.99 s

0.

0.
< 0.

0.

0.

0.

00 s

it

it of setting

1 dig

1 mHz to 1
1 mHz or 7 dig

1 mHz to 100 kHz
1 mHz (7 dig
1 % to 30 kHz

00 kHz

its

1 % to 30 kHz

its)

3 Fluke Corporation 280 Series Waveform Generators