GPIB port for Agilent 8510C Network Analyzer

[awanha]

I want to connect Agilent 8510C Network Analyzer using GPIB-USB controller. Which port of the network analyzer is GPIB port from below which i can provide as an address to GPIB controller?

8510 HP-IB address: 7

System bus address: 21

Source HP-IB address: 19

Test set HP-IB address: 20

Plotter HP-IB address: 5

Printer HP-IB address: 5

[Albert.Geven]

Why guessing when you can eliminate several already.

But why not use the only one that shouts 8510 so my guess is address 7.

And check this with *IDN in MAX. 

If this not results in a positive result check the manual to be sure that *IDN is supported. Or switch of th 8510 and check again which one disappears!

[awanha]

Thank You Albert for your time. I have changed the port but still not able to communicate with the NW analyzer. I will be posting my Matlab code in a new post, i believe its better to post a new thread.

[cstorey]

Normally the HP8510C is pre-set to address 16. It will not reply to the *IDN? command, since it does not support the IEEE 488.1standard.  That's because the HP8510A was first produced in 1985 and the HP8510C in 1989!  Here's a great history lesson and documentation resource: https://www.hpmemoryproject.org/technics/bench/8510/bench_8510_home.htm

The 8510C has 2 GPIB port connections, 1 for connecting to PC and the other for the instruments it can controll (printers, plotters, sources, etc..)

You must connect the PC to the "HP-IB" port, and all the other accessories use the " Interconnect" port.  Both are GPIB, but the HP-IB will listen for commands from the PC while the other port will only send commands to slaved devices.

You will want to read the programming manual here - https://www.keysight.com/ca/en/assets/9018-40641/user-manuals/9018-40641.pdf

Hope that helps.

Craig

[Albert.Geven]

Good job Craig

Although being old enough I did not check the manual for an extra gpib connection.

[awanha]

Thanks Craig. After changing the port, i was able to send commands to NW analyzer but i still cannot read from the NW analyzer like S-Parameters or Marker position. Any suggestion on this? 

[*neil*]

I use pyvisa and there is a command vna.read() that will read the S-parameters. However, i find this very slow at transfering data to the PC, tens of seconds for a 801 point sweep.