Novatech 2910A Instruction Manual

2910A Rear View

SECTION 1 - INTRODUCTION AND the position of the underline cursor. The Menu
SPECIFICATIONS pushbutton cycles the display through seven menus

and then back to the Frequency and Amplitude

1.0 The Model 2910A Direct Digital Synthesizer is Display. The Select pushbutton moves the underline
packaged in a bench-top enclosure and bas an cursor one digit each time it is depressed. H it is
adjustable output sinewave frequency from 1 JJHz to depressed and held, then the cursor can be moved

12 MHz and an adjustable output clock frequency with the rotary knob. When a menu is present the

from 1 ~ to 48 MHz. The display shows output select button steps through the choices in each menu.

frequency and amplitude simultaneously.

1.2 The back lit Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)

The 2910A bas two front panel BNC connectors.
One provides a sine wave output and the other
provides a clock output that is menu selectable for
either CMOStrrL or ECL. There is a rear panel
BNC that accep~ an external standard input of 1 or 2
MHz.

shows both frequency in MHz and amplitude in
Volts. The frequency display has eleven digits and a
step size of 1 mHz. The voltage display has three
digits and a step size of 0.01 V up to 1 V and 0.1 V
above 1 V. After the menu button is depressed, the
display shows the menu name and the current

selection.

1.1 Two pushbuttons and one rotary knob provide
manual control of the instrument. The rotary knob
changes either frequency or amplitude depending on

NOV A TECH INSTRUMENTS, INC.

2 2910A INSTRUcriON

MANUAL R~1' 2.0

1.3 Specifications 18

Output CM~ 08Ip8t
SINE: 0.001 Hz to 12 MHL CMOS output wiD drive CMosfm.. levels into loids >:JOO

11 Dilitl wbea set from front panel, lmlliest step 0.001 Hz. ohms. ECL output, wbeD termiDMed. il ECL IOK:: COIapeIibIe.
14 Dilitl wbeD set vi. EIA232, ImaUeIt I8ep 0.(XMm1 Hz. CMOS or BCL mode selected from display melaU (ft' compurer

iDIerfICe.

'rnXMOS/ECL: 0.001 Hz to 48 MHz.

II Digiti when set from front panel. smaJJeIt I8ep 0.001 Hz. Rile/FaU Time: <1~.
14 Dilitl when set via EIA232, KIn-llest step 0.~1 Hz. Ji~ <0.2.., of period or 200 pi wbidIever is ~

«I2MHz).
Output Amplitucle Jiner: d.., of period or 2ns ~ illJe*t: (> 12NRz).
SINE: 0.01 to 10 Vpp into open circuit (MIftbil_.1O ~),

Resolution is 0.01 V below IV, O. I V ~ IV. ~ I mV max AmpIitIKIe 1baI8ti~: < 2OCJI.

DC offset. Accuncy is :t IdB. Symmetry: ~ :t I~.
1i1XMOS/ECL: Fixed amplitUde, $O'IJ :t 10.., Duty Cydc. Setdu.11me

Meets 8PIX'..-jate level specification iDIo ~ circuit. Eo.. Frequency: <0.001'" in 100 ~ (setup delay exduded).
requires external termination to ECL levels. AmptibJde: <1" in 100 ms.

F;-~7 StabiHtJ Output I8pedaDa

10ppm, I year, 20-30 C. 50 Ohms:t 2.." female BNC tK)Cb Sipalud CMOSIBCL
If an extemal frequency standard is COIIIIecfed to the 291M Opea Emitter Ea. ~ requires tamiution to ECL levels.
external ~t then stability is equal to that of the eXtaDII BNC lbell is d8sil COIDIDOD.
stand.-d.

..,..,

Freq..-y Accur8CJ' Two ODe by sixteen cb8r8Cter blctJit liquid crystll display.

:t 5wm of displayed vaJue, 20-30 c. 24 tKMIrI. Frequcncy and ampObJde of siDe output displayed

Accuracy of 0.001 ppm is ~hievabJe.. simultaneously. Provides menu for insttument aecup IIId

,1

)

frequency standard. conb'ol.
Power k-.lSt8Dd8I'd

100, 120 tX' 230V AC:t I~, ~ 28V A Re8I' plDel BNC input KCepts either I or 2 MHz ~ 2ppn ~

- exterDal Itandard. Voltaps from 2ron V to 4: Vnas wiD

PbJ*8I lock and pull internal Rferela to eXterDaJ ItaIId8d.

2.6"H, 7 .3"W. 9.5"L, excluding bai1111d feet

5.21bs NOD.V_. MemOl'7

Last power-up state rer.ined in memory for 24 ~.

Pb8eNoile

<-110 dBc, 100 Hz Offsec. 10 Hz to 12 MHz 1IA231 c..pacer laterface

<- 9S dBc. 10 Hz Offset, 10 Hz to 12 MHz Rear panel RiDe pin female D-COImecttX' IeriaI iDput allows

setting aU ~ons. Baud Rate is POll'8llmabie ~ 300 to

S8ewaft Purity 9600 bIud from front panel malu. Once remote ~.- is

F~~ Harmonics SDiaimu selected, front panel display and COnb'ol we disabled.
.01-I~z <-6~c <-75dBc

.1-IMHz <-65d& <-7(ktBc OVENmClLLATOR

l-SMHz <-4SdBc <~ NOVA TECH INSTRUMENTS INC. Model 295OA s.i8I.
5-IOMHz <-3~c <-55dBc Quartz Frequency StaIM18rd is AvIiJible. COIIJIIIt~.
>lOMHz <-3<kmc <-35dBc

MeasInd ia a ftequency range exteadiDI to lOx test fJ8q.-cy.

P\Irity dep.de5 below I Hz. ~ - c "'

!

.~"'::

NOVA TECH INSTRUMENTS, 1Nc.

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2910A INSTRUCTION MANUAL Rn 1..0

SEC110N

2.0 latroducdon. This section of the manual
contains infonnation about connecting and ~rating
the 2910A and should be read completely before
using the ins~L

2 . OPERA 11NG IN~1

WARNING

NOTE

EitMr 5 x 2Omm or 1/4" x 11/4 .. fuses

WID)' H ue4 5 x 2(),u,a an NCDWlllleMe4

2.3 Local (FnJIIt PaaeI) OperatiolL The followiDl
procedure should be used to operate the 2910A
Direct Digital Synthesizer from the front panel.

This P'048Ct Is "08 4 t.'086h t..
groundila6 colld1leto, 0/ fA. pow., ,ourc..
B./o,. conn.ctln, Gn,thln6 to th.

1M"." , be sun to plII6 fA. pow'" cord
illto G P"'Pf'rl' wind pow,., nt"qlieGl t1I4Ils
COIIIImM to G hl6h tlUJIlitJ .nil f"HII'd. It is

.«.,rsGI'J to 6rQund lb. in.r~1It ill this
WGJ ia ord,., to GPoid ~l«trlcGl liock Gad

Gaun 118/. OJHr8tiD&

NOTE

The BNC OIItput shUld i.r ,~*d.

2.1 Input r~. lk 2910A is factory wiled to
operate from 100. 120 or 230 % 10'*' Volts AC. 60
Hz. Verify that the correct power is available before
plugging in the i~nt.

2.2 F1* RepI8CeI:;:~t. The 29 lOA is protected by
two It line input fuses that are located on the left
portion of the power receptical. Use a small
screwdriver to apply pressure at the side of the
fusebolder and the fusebolder will snap out.

a) C..=-::.~~ ~ 2910A to AC 1iDe JX)wef.

b) Connect the lpp11:Jpriate coaxial cables to the
BNC output COImeCtors on the 2910A front panel.

NOTE

1M output ampl;~ can vary from the output
uttiIIg whIII""illg long Cdble lengths IUIlu.r the
c4bl~ ;.f t.""i1l4t~d wit II 4 50 oil". load.
NOVA TECH reco".".~nd.f ""ing a 50 Oil".

Terminator. When u.fing a terminator the
display shows twice the ampli~ delivered to
tJlllood.

c) Turn 011 the 2910A by depessiDa the power
switch located on the rear panel just above the power
cord input pl. and wait approximately 7 seconds

while die 2910A performs . self test. The display

will read (c) 1993 NOVA TECH. 2910A Rev x.xx
during self test.

NOTE

WARNING

n~ 2910.4 ..",rt H dLrcoftft«/M fro. u..

pow~r b~/or~ att~mptill' to nplae~ t"~ /run.

CAUDON

For fire protection. replace the fuse's only with
slow fuse raled for 250 V and 0.25 Qnlpe'ns.

NO V A. TECH INSTR UMBNT5, INC.

tim~

1MJInt

with iu de/GIIlI s~gs of J.(XX) MHz and J.OO

Vpp DC aft,.r the self t,.st is completed. T1ae

defaldt mill.. .renings are shown in Table J. T1ae
29 J 0.4 ..,. Cml be chGnged using the ~ and

... 291OA

is used it will be setup

select PIU1I bIInMS. M~,." s~l«tioru 4. 5. and 6

affect the operatiora of the instrument and should
hI set appropriately prior to operating the
29 J 0.4 Wlr locGl cOfllrol.

2tltA INSTRUcnON

MANUAL an 1.8

TABLE 1

MENU
B IUd Rate

f.dK)

UK( I/F

Square.ave

Powa'Up

ExternalStaDdlld

High Frequency

2910A

CHOICFS
Serial BIIM! Rate of ~. 4800. 2400.

1200. 600 01' 300

R8DmIe f.clX) OIl or Off

L«aI CcxIIIO1 or ~ C~ter Cootrol

CM~ CX' ECL Levels

Default Settin,s or Save Last Settings

Disabled, 1 MHz. 2 MHz

High FI'equefK:Y Disabled or Enabled

(Sine output is 2~~ of displayed value above

12 MHz when High freq~IK:Y is enabled)

MENU SE1TINGS

DEFAULT
9600

011

LocalCCXlbOl

CMOSrnL

Default

Disabled

Disabled

NOVA TECH INSTRUMENTS, INC.

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5

Z910A

~ucnON

MANUAL Re9 2.1

d) Push the menu button four times to recall the
Square Wave Levels menu. The first three menu
selections do nO( affect manual operation. Push the
select button to rccall "ECL" if you plan to connect
the square wave output to an ECL circuit. Leave the

selection on "CMOsrm.. " if you are not planning to
connect to an Eo.. circuit.

CAU110N

The ECL output is an open eminer output and
must be terminated to ECL leveu, nonnaUy 50
ohms to -2 Vor 510 ohms to -5.2. Selecting ECL
output mode while connected to a 1TL or CMOS
circuit nuly danulge the user's circuit, the 291OA
or both.

e) Push the menu button again to recall the Power
Up Mode Menu. Push the select button to display

the "Save Settings" selection if you want the 2910A
to save all current display and menu settings after the
power is turned off and then back on. Leave the
selection on "Use Defaults" if you prefer the default
settings shown in Table I to be set after the power is

turned off and then back 00.

f) Push the menu button again to recall the External

Standards Menu. Push the select button to display
either 1 MHz or 2 MHz if you plan to Jock the 2910A

to an external 1 MHz or 2 MHz frequency standard.

Leave the selection on Disabled if you do not plan to

lock the 2910A to an external standard.

g) Push the menu button again to display the High
Frequency menu. Push the select button and toggle

to display to either enabled and di5abled. When
enabled is selected the CMOS/ECL output can go to
48 MHz. However when in the enabled mode and

displaying over 12 MHz the sinewave output

frequency is 2S% of the displayed value.

NOTE

For optimum sinewave purity disable the High
Frequency mode when not needed.

h) Push the menu button again to recall the fiequency
and amplitude setting to the display. Set the desired
frequency and amplitude using the rotary knob and the
select button. The select button advances the underline
cursor and the knob changes the value. Pushing and
holding the select button enables the knob to move the

cursor in both directions.

NOTE
It ispo..fsible to adjust the contrast on the 2910A
display with a .fmaU insulated adjustment tooL An
acce..fS hole is located on the rear panel just above
the NOV ATECH logo.

2.4 Remote (Emmal Computer or Terminal)
Operatloa The following procedure should be used to
operate the 2910A Direct Digital Synthesizer from a

remote computer or temlinal.

a) Connect a cable between the 2910A and the serial
port of a computer or terminal. On most PCs COM 1:

is the serial port.

NOTE

The serial cable should be a straight through 9 pin
cable with a male common type connector on the
end that plugs into the 2910A. Only Rot. Tx and

GND are lUed.

b) Setup the computer or tern1ina1 so it uses 8 data bits.

I stop bit and no parity. Set the Baud rate on the

computer or tenninal at any desired rate between 300
Baud and 9600 Baud.

c) Perfonn the setup operations for Local Operation
as described in paragraphs 2.3 a) through g).

NOV A TECH INSTRUMENTS. 1Nc.

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2910A INSTRUCTION MANUAL KeY 1.0