Having trouble with GPIB VISA commands for Advantest R3265 spectrum analyzer

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone,

We are trying to read trace data to GPIB from our Advantest R3265
spectrum analyzer,
but it seems to ignore the GPIB command strings that request data
output.

In order to test this, we are using:
"Simple GPIB Read & Write Using VISA COM Interface"
for visual basic 6 from National Instruments, which can be downloaded
here:
http://sine.ni.com/apps/utf8/niepd_web_display.display_epd4?p_guid=01B1A5BD1014319AE0440003BA7CCD71

The commands that the instrument seems to ignore (from the R3265
printed manual) are: "TBA?" "TAB?" "TAA?" and "TBB?".
These commands request data in Binary or ASCII format from memory A or
memory B.

Is there anything in VISA that could prevent the spectrum analyzer from
correctly receiving these?
Many other commands work just fine, while some commands the instrument
ignores.
Has anyone else experienced similar issues with R3265 spectrum
analyzer?

Thanks!
Best regards,
Tele

[Robert M]

If some commands are working then it sounds like you have your termination and other configuration settings set up correctly.  I don't know of anything that NI-VISA would do to prevent your device from receiving these commands.  Do you get any errors?  You may want to take and examine a spy capture of the communication.  It would be helpful if you could post the .spy file here.  You can use NI-Spy to take the capture.

[telenochek]

Hi Robert,

Thank you for your reply.
Sorry that it took me so long to find this posting, as originally it was posted on Google groups, and I did not see your reply there.

Here is a more detailed description of the problem:

First I use ibdev to setup communication to the spectrum analyzer.
Please note that I turn EOI off and enter it manually.
No problem, I can then setup center frequency & other parameters using ibwrt "Some random message string here".

Here is the problem: i want to read data using one of the messages "TAA?" "TBB?" or "TAB?".
Suppose I send ibwrt "TAA?"  (note that EOI is absent)

At this point spectrum analyzer is supposed to send data back.
But its screen freezes as if it were waiting for some trigger to send data.
Now if I send EOI, the screen unfreezes but if I do an ibread, I don't get data.
I just get back what was there before on the bus.

This is weird.
I am wondering if there can be any issues with the device not being put into talker mode.
But many other commands which output data from analyzer do work.

Thank you for any insight in advance
Pavel

[Robert M]

Does your instrument not work with EOI?  Why are you turning it off?  Are you using VISA or "ib" commands?  Any luck with the spy capture?

[telenochek]

Hi Robert,

With a high degree of certainty we have identified the source of the problem,
its a hardware problem within the analyzer.


Thanks for your help.
Best regards,
Pavel

[tmacleod]

Hey, I have an Advantest R3361B spectrum analyzer and I'm having a very similar problem.

When I use both the AVPA drivers (VISA) and the NI-488.2 Communicator ("ib"), I get a timeout when trying to Query | Read.  I can write to the instrument just fine (ex: "CF100MZ" sets the center frequency to 100 MHz).  However, when I write "CF?" and then read, I get either a VISA timeout or an iberr = EABO (depending on the method of communication).

Now Communicator has the "Configure EOS" dialog, and I've tried to setup some variation on the protocol, but I can't seem to get any combination to work.

I've looked in every menu I can on the Spec-An to try and configure the GPIB but I couldn't find anything.  I have manual for the R3261 and it defines EOI as "End of Identify" : used at the end of data transmission, but it never speaks to specifically where EOI occurs in a transfer.

Once last thing, it won't respond to "*IDN?" either (other connected instruments do).  Any ideas?

[Jason W]

Hey tmacleod,

Have you verified that your instrument works properly?  Also, what type of termination character is your instrument expecting, if any?  Maybe your instrument is expecting a termination character (like "/n") at the end of the commands you are sending.  (Ex.  "*IDN?/n"). 

Regards,
Jason W.
Application Engineer
National Instruments

[no1numpty]

Send DL2 to Advantest test equipment to stop the GPIB timeouts occuring.