Wavetek MS1000 Operation Manual

WavetekWavetek

WavetekWavetek

Wavetek
Communications Division

5808 Churchman Bypass
Indianapolis, IN 46203-6109
[phone]
[phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-Mail: [e-mail]
Internet: http://www.wavetek.com

1/96
Manual Part No.
6510-00-0280

This document contains information proprietary to
Wavetek. The information in this document
is not to be used or duplicated in any manner without
the prior approval, in writing, of Wavetek.

OPERATION MANUAL

MODEL MS1000

SIGNAL LEVEL METER

1

WARRANTY

Wavetek warrants that all Products manufactured or procured by Wavetek conform to
Wavetek’s published specifications and are free from defects in materials and workmanship
for a period of one (1) year from the date of delivery to the original Buyer, when used under
normal operating conditions and within the service conditions for which they were designed.
This warranty is not transferrable and does not apply to used or demonstration products.

The obligation of Wavetek arising from a Warranty claim shall be limited to repairing, or at
its option, replacing without charge, any assembly or component (except batteries) which in
Wavetek’s sole opinion proves to be defective within the scope of the Warranty. In the event
Wavetek is not able to modify, repair or replace nonconforming defective parts or components
to a condition as warranted within a reasonable time after receipt thereof, Buyers shall receive
credit in the amount of the original invoiced price of the product.

Wavetek must be notified in writing of the defect or nonconformity within the Warranty
period and the affected Product returned to Wavetek’s factory, designated Service Provider,
or Authorized Service Center within thirty (30) days after discovery of such defect or
nonconformity. Buyer shall prepay shipping charges and insurance for Products returned to
Wavetek or its designated Service Provider for warranty service. Wavetek or its designated
Service Provider shall pay costs for return of Products to Buyer.

Wavetek shall have no responsibility for any defect or damage caused by improper storage,
improper installation, unauthorized modification, misuse, neglect, inadequate maintenance,
accident or for any Product which has been repaired or altered by anyone other than Wavetek
or its authorized representative or not in accordance with instructions furnished by Wavetek.

The Warranty described above is Buyer’s sole and exclusive remedy and no other warranty,
whether written or oral, expressed or implied by statute or course of dealing shall apply.
Wavetek specifically disclaims the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a
particular purpose. No statement, representation, agreement, or understanding, oral or
written, made by an agent, distributor, or employee of Wavetek, which is not contained in the
foregoing Warranty will be binding upon Wavetek, unless made in writing and executed by
an authorized representative of Wavetek. Under no circumstances shall Wavetek be liable for
any direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages, expenses, or losses,
including loss of profits, based on contract, tort, or any other legal theory.

Extended Warranty Programs

Extended warranties and service contracts are available for new and currently owned
equipment for an additional cost. Contact the Customer Service Department (800 851-

1198) for details pertaining to extended warranties and service contracts.

Return Authorization Procedure

The customer MUST obtain a RETURN AUTHORIZATION NUMBER from the
Customer Service Department (800 851-1198) prior to returning any equipment for
warranty or non-warranty repair. Wavetek accepts no liability for any instrument or
subassembly returned to the factory without this number. Any correspondence regarding

returned instruments or subassemblies should be referenced to that number.

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Contents

Introducing microStealth ...............................................................5

Introduction ..................................................................................... 5

Getting Acquinted with the Keypad.............................................7

Getting Acquinted with the Screen .............................................. 9

The Navigator ................................................................................. 12

Configuring microStealth ............................................................... 12

Global Configuration ......................................................................13

Measurements Configuration ........................................................ 15

Channel Plan Configuration ..........................................................18

Using microStealth ......................................................................... 25

Introduction ..................................................................................... 25

Installation ....................................................................................... 25

Selecting Channel Packages ..........................................................26

Selecting the Test Point ................................................................26

Installation Results Summary ........................................................ 27

The Channel List ...........................................................................28

The Pass/Fail Indicator .................................................................. 28

Channel Measurement ...................................................................29

Level ................................................................................................ 30

Adjusting the Reference Level .....................................................30

Tuning by Channel ........................................................................ 30

Tuning by Frequency .................................................................... 31

Measurement Hold.........................................................................31

Warning Indicators ......................................................................... 31

Scan .................................................................................................. 32

Moving the Marker.........................................................................33

Adjusting the Reference Level .....................................................33

Adjusting the Scale .........................................................................33

Checking Limits .............................................................................33

Measurement Hold.........................................................................35

Reference ........................................................................................ 37

Using the Reference Section .........................................................37

Help .................................................................................................37

Information ...................................................................................... 38

Technical Support .......................................................................... 39

Appendices ...................................................................................... 41

Appendix A: Specifications ............................................................ 41

Appendix B: Power Management and Battery ............................43

Battery Pack Location and Installation ........................................43

Charging the Battery Pack .............................................................43

Battery Tips .................................................................................... 43

5

MODEL MS1000

1

Introducing
microSTEALTH

INTRODUCTION

The MS1000 Signal Level Meter is a high performance instrument
designed for cable television installers. The durable, waterproof
MS1000 makes innovative use of a graphics LCD to simplify
operation. The LCD backlight makes measurements easier in
crawl spaces and behind TVs. The display is easy to see in bright
sunlight.

A unique scan mode allows you to see the levels of up to six user­defined carriers on one screen with a pass/fail limit indication. You
can also view level measurements at a single frequency or for a
specific channel. When tuned to a channel, the display indicates
the levels of the video and audio carriers, and the difference
between the carrier levels.

When performing an installation, you can press the Installation
Check key to quickly verify that all channels are within limits that
you have defined. You can use this feature to determine whether
or not a subscriber connection meets FCC or other government
requirements.

A special channel plan building mode automatically determines
which channels are active on your cable system.

The MS1000 tunes from 45 to 550 MHz with an option to extend
the range to 890 MHz.

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5

3

6

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7

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GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH THE KEYPAD

The keypad consists of the following:

• three Soft keys

• a Power key

• four Mode Selection keys

• an Enter key

• eleven Alphanumeric keys

• a Shift key

1. SOFT KEYS

There are three horizontally oriented soft keys located below the
display. The function of each soft key changes depending on the
particular operation being performed and is represented by an
icon immediately above the key.

2. POWER KEY - ON/OFF

Turns your microStealth on and off.

3. MODE SELECTION KEYS

INSTALLATION MODE

Easily check the channels that you have installed and
verify that they are within limits.

LEVEL MODE

Measure the signal level at a specific channel or fre­quency.

SCAN MODE

View a spectrum graph of up to six carrier levels.

NAVIGATOR

Instantly "travel" to any mode using the navigator.

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4. ENTER KEY

Press this key to terminate your entry or selection.

5. ALPHANUMERIC KEYS

You use the alphanumeric keys to enter data while operating your
microStealth. Notice that these keys have a numeral and up to
three alphabetic characters labeled on them. You can only access
the characters when alphanumeric entry is allowed. In the
alphanumeric entry mode, you sequence through each character
and the numeral by repeatedly pressing the key. You can also
access a set of special characters that do not appear on the keypad
by using the up and down arrows. Once the desired character is
displayed, move the cursor to the next position using the right
arrow. Be sure to terminate your entry by pressing the key.

6. SHIFT KEY

Some keys perform more than one function. The secondary
function of a key is represented by an icon printed next to it.
Notice that the icons are color coded with the SHIFT key. You
access the secondary function by first pressing the SHIFT key
and then the associated key.

7. SECONDARY FUNCTIONS

CONFIGURE MODE

Configure your microStealth for your own specific needs.

AUTO REFERENCE

Let microStealth automatically set the reference level for
you.

SNAP SHOT

Hold the measurement. The measurement is retained even
if the cable is disconnected from the input.

CLEAR

Clear-out your entry and start over again.

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BACKLIGHT ON/OFF

Quickly turn the backlight on when it is too dark to see the
display.

POSITIVE/NEGATIVE

Enter positive and negative values (when allowed).

HELP

View a description of each icon found in the current soft
key menu.

Note:

The following keys are not available on the MS1000:

FILE

PRINT

GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH THE SCREEN

There are certain elements of the screen that will become familiar
to you as you use your microStealth.

The Title Bar

Notice the title bar at the very top of the screen. It presents the title
and icon for the current mode you are using.

Title Bar Indicators

You may see indicators appear above the title bar from time to time.
This is what they represent:

This indicator appears in the top right-hand corner of
the screen when you press the SHIFT key. This means

that microStealth will interpret the next key that you press
to be a secondary function.

10

This indicator is displayed to warn you that the battery is
low. When you see this, recharge the battery or change to a

fresh one as soon as possible.

This indicates that the RF synthesizer has become
unlocked. If this condition persists, the unit may need

repair.

The Status Bar

Look for the status bar in the lower portion of the screen. It displays
a bar meter that indicates the charge remaining in your
microStealth's battery. When the battery meter reads low, you will
need to switch to a freshly charged battery soon.

Soft Key Icons

There are three soft keys located immediately below the display.
The function of a soft key is represented by the icon directly above
it.

Note

If the soft key function is not currently available, the icon appears
"grayed" or "dimmed".

Lists

Lists present several items for viewing and/or selecting. Notice that
the currently chosen item is highlighted. You can scroll through the
list using the up and down arrows.

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A list can be either "active" or "inactive". You can tell by looking at
the border. If the border is solid, the list is active and any keys that
you press are directed toward it. If the border is dim, the list is
inactive and is not affected by key presses. Usually you can make a
list become active by pressing the key.

When there are more items in the list than can be displayed at one
time, a scroll bar appears along the right-hand edge of the list. You
can use this to get an idea of where you are. When you have reached
the first or last item, an arrow appears inside the scroll box pointing
to the direction you can go.

The Edit Box

The edit box appears in the lower portion of the screen when it is
necessary to enter values into your microStealth.

An edit box can be either "active" or "inactive". You can tell by
looking at the border. If the border is solid, the edit box is active
and any keys that you press are directed toward it. If the border is
dim, the edit box is inactive and is not affected by key presses.
Usually you can make a list become active by pressing the key.
Be sure to press the key again when you have finished making
your entry.

12

THE NAVIGATOR

You can easily travel to any mode using the NAVIGATOR. To
access the NAVIGATOR, press the key.

An icon appears on the screen for each available mode. Use the up,
down, left, and right arrows to highlight the icon that represents the
mode you want to use. Notice that the name of the mode appears
on the lower portion of the screen beneath the status bar. To get a
description of the highlighted mode, press the SHIFT + key. To
travel to the mode you have highlighted, press any one of the soft
keys or the key.

Tip

You can also use the numeric keys, 1 through 9 to highlight the
desired icon in the NAVIGATOR screen. Each key corresponds to
an icon in the 3 by 3 matrix.

CONFIGURING microSTEALTH

Before using your microStealth, you may want to configure it for
your specific needs. The CONFIGURE mode allows you to select
global and measurement related preferences and to build and edit a
channel plan that matches your cable plant.

13

To configure your microStealth, press the SHIFT + keys or
choose the icon from the NAVIGATOR. The following screen
appears:

Configuration settings are divided into three categories; GLOBAL,
MEASUREMENTS, and CHANNEL PLAN. Use the up and
down arrows to highlight the category you want and then press the

key.

Tip

You can also use the left-hand and right-hand soft keys to scroll
through the CONFIGURE categories and then press the middle
soft key to select the highlighted category.

Global Configuration

CONTRAST LEVEL

Adjusts the contrast level of the LCD for optimum viewing.

SHUTOFF TIME-OUT

Sets the amount of inactive time allowed before your microStealth
turns off automatically. This feature is useful for conserving battery
life by preventing the microStealth from being left on accidentally
when it is not in use. You can set the time-out period to 1, 3, or 5
minutes. There is also an "always on" setting that defeats the
automatic shutoff feature if desired.