Agilent Technologies ESA-E Series Manual

Programmer's Guid e
Agilent Technologies ESA Spectrum Analyzer s
This guide documents firmware revision A .05 .x x
This guide provides documentation for the following instruments :
ESA-E Serie s
E4401B (9 kHz-1 .5 GHz )
E4402B (9 kHz-3 .0 GHz )
E4404B (9 kHz-6 .7 GHz )
E4405B (9 kHz-13 .2 GHz )
E4407B (9 kHz-26 .5 GHz )
an d
ESA-L Serie s
E4411B (9 kHz-1 .5 GHz )
E4403B (9kHz-3 .0 GHz )
E4408B (9 kHz-24 .5 GHz )
Agilent Technologie s
Manufacturing Part Number : E4401-9019 1
Supersedes E4401-9017 9
Printed in US A
June 200 0
© Copyright 1999, 2000 Agilent Technologies, Inc .

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Copyright - Agilent Technologies, Inc. Reproduced with the permission of Agilent
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contained herein or for incidental or consequential damages in connection with the
furnishing, performance, or use of this material or data.

The information contained in this document is subject to chang
e
without notice .
Agilent Technologies makes no warranty of any kind with regard to thi s
material, including but not limited to, the implied warranties o f
merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose . Agilen t
Technologies shall not be liable for errors contained herein or fo r
incidental or consequential damages in connection with the furnishing ,
performance, or use of this material .
The following safety symbols are used throughout this manual .
Familiarize yourself with the symbols and their meaning befor e
operating this instrument .
WARNING

Warning denotes a hazard
. It calls attention to a procedur
e
which, if not correctly performed or adhered to, could result i n
injury or loss of life . Do not proceed beyond a warning note
until the indicated conditions are fully understood and met .
CAUTION

Caution denotes a hazard . It calls attention to a procedure that, if no t
correctly performed or adhered to, could result in damage to o r
destruction of the instrument
. Do not proceed beyond a caution sig
n
until the indicated conditions are fully understood and met .
NOTE

Notecalls out special information for the user's attention . It provide s
operational information or additional instructions of which the use r
should be aware .
ii

0

The instruction documentation symbol . The product i s
marked with this symbol when it is necessary for th e
user to refer to the instructions in the documentation .
This symbol is used to mark the on position of th e
power line switch .
U

This symbol is used to mark the standby position of th e
power line switch .
This symbol indicates that the input power required i s
AC .
WARNING

This is a Safety Class 1 Product (provided with a protective
earthing ground incorporated in the power cord) . The mains
plug shall only be inserted in a socket outlet provided with a
protected earth contact . Any interruption of the protectiv
e
conductor inside or outside of the product is likely to make th e
product dangerous . Intentional interruption is prohibited .
WARNING

If this product is not used as specified, the protection provide d
by the equipment could be impaired . This product must be use d
in a normal condition (in which all means for protection ar e
intact) only .
i
ti
iii

Warrant
y
This Agilent Technologies instrument product is warranted agains t
defects in material and workmanship for a period of three years fro m
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error-free .
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The foregoing warranty shall not apply to defects resulting fro m
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OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, WHETHER BASED O
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CONTRACT, TORT, OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY .
iv

Where to Find the Latest Informatio n
Documentation is updated periodically. For the latest information abou t
Agilent ESA Spectrum Analyzers, including firmware upgrades an d
application information, please visit the following Internet URL :
http :I/www .agilent .com/find/esa
v

Content s
1 . Programming Fundamental s
Creating Valid Commands  1- 3
Command Notation Syntax  1- 4
Special Characters in Commands

1- 5
Parameters in Commands  1- 6
Putting Multiple Commands on the Same Line 
1-
8
SCPI Termination and Separator Syntax  1- 8
Overview of GPIB  1-1 0
GPIB Instrument Nomenclature  1-1 0
GPIB Command Statements  1-1 0
Overview of RS-232  1-1 2
Settings for the Serial Interface 
1-1
2
Handshake and Baud Rate  1-1 2
Character Format Parameters  1-1 2
Modem Line Handshaking  1-1 3
Data Transfer Errors  1-1 3
Printer Setup and Operation  1-1 4
Equipment  1-1 4
Interconnection and Setup  1-1 4
Testing Printer Operation  1-1 6
6 . a4il4llti iwgI Lel a
Use Status Registers to Determine the State of Analyzer Events and Conditions  2- 2
What are the Status Registers?  2- 3
How Do You Access the Status Registers?  2- 6
Using the Service Request (SRQ) Method  2- 8
Generating a Service Request  2- 8
Setting and Querying the Status Register  2-1 0
Details of Bits in All Registers  2-1 1
Status Byte Register  2-1 1
Service Request Enable Register  2-1 3
Standard Event Status Register  2-1 4
Standard Event Status Event Enable Register  2-1
6
STATus :OPERation Register  2-1 7
STATus :OPERation Condition Register  2-1 8
STATus :OPERation Event Enable Register  2-1 9
STATus :QUEStionable Registers  2-2 0
STATus :QUEStionable :POWer Condition Register Bits  2-2 2
STATus :QUEStionable :FREQuency Condition Register Bits  2-2 2
STATus :QUEStionable :CALibration Condition Register Bits  2-2 3
STATus :QUEStionable :INTegrity Condition Register Bits  2-2 4
STATus :QUEStionable :INTegrity:UNCalibrated Condition Register Bits  2-2 6
3 . Programming Example s
List of Programming Examples  3- 2
Programming Examples System Requirements  3- 3
C Programming Examples using VTL  3- 4
Typical Example Program Contents  3- 4
vii

Content s
Linking to VTL Libraries  3- 5
Compiling and Linking a VTL Program  3- 5
Example Program  3- 7
Including the VISA Declarations File  3- 7
Opening a Session  3- 8
Device Sessions  3-8
Addressing a Session  3-1 0
Closing a Session  3-1 1
Using Marker Peak Search and Peak Excursion  3-1 2
Example :  3-1 2
Using Marker Delta Mode and Marker Minimum Search  3-1 6
Performing Internal Self-alignment  3-2 0
Reading Trace Data using ASCII Format (GPIB)  3-2 4
Reading Trace Data Using 32-bi t
Real Format (GPIB)

3-2 9
Reading Trace Data Using ASCII Format (RS-232)  3-3 4
Reading Trace Data Using 32-bit Real Format (RS-232)  3-3 9
Using Limit Lines  3-4
4
Measuring Noise  3-4 9
Entering Amplitude Correction Data  3-5 3
Status Register-Determine When a Measurement is Done  3-5 7
Determine if an Error has Occurred  3-6 3
Measuring Harmonic Distortion (GPIB)  3-6 9
Measuring Harmonic Distortion (RS-232)  3-7 8
Making Faster Measurements (multiple measurements)  3-8 7
4 . Programming Command Cross-Reference s
Functional Index to SCPI Subsection  4- 2
5. Language Referenc e
SCPI Sections and Subsections  5- 3
IEEE CommonCommands  5- 5
Calibration Query  5- 5
Clear Status 
5- 5
Standard Event Status Enable  5- 5
Standard Event Status Register Query  5- 6
IdentificationQuery 094  5- 6
Instrument State Query  5- 6
Operation Complete  5- 7
Query Instrument Options  5- 7
Recall  5- 7
Reset 
5-
8
Save  5- 8
Service Request Enable  5- 8
Read Status Byte Query 
5- 9
Trigger  5- 9
Self TestQuery  5- 9
Wait-to-Continue  5- 9

Content s
ABORt Subsystem 
5-1 0
Abort  5-1 0
CALibration Subsystem  5-1 1
Align All Instrument Assemblies  5-1 1
Set Auto Align Mode All or Not RF  5-1 1
Automatic Alignment  5-1 1
Return to the Default Alignment Data  5-1 2
Align FM Demodulation  5-1 2
Query the Internal or External Frequency Reference  5-1 2
Coarse Adjust the Frequency Reference  5-1 2
Fine Adjust the Frequency Reference  5-1 3
Select the Frequency Corrections 
5-1
3
Align the RF Circuitry  5-1 3
Select the Source State for Calibration  5-1 4
Calibrate the Tracking Generator  5-1 4
CALCulate Subsystem  5-1 6
NdBpoints  5-1 6
NdBresults  5-1 6
NdBstate  5-1 7
Test Current Trace Data Against all Limit Lines  5-1 7
CALCulate :LLINe Subsection  5-1 8
Control
Li mit Tina
Amplitude Interpolation  5-1 8
Set Fixed or Relative Limit Lines  5-1 8
Set Limit Line X -axis Units  5-1 9
Control Limit Line Frequency Interpolation  5-2 0
Define Limit Line Values  5-2 0
Merge Additional Values into the Existing Limit Line

5-2
2
Delete Limit Line
 5-2 2
Display the Limit Line

5-2
2
Test the Data Against the Limit Line  5-2 3
Set the Margin Size  5-2 3
Display the Limit Margin  5-2 3
Control Limit Line Testing  5-2 3
Select the Type of Limit Line  5-2 4
CALCulate :MARKer Subsection  5-2
5
Markers All Off on All Traces

5-2
5
Continuous Peaking Marker Function  5-2
5
Frequency Counter Marker Resolution  5-2 5
Frequency Counter Marker Resolution Automatic  5-2 5
Frequency Counter Marker  5-2 6
Marker Function  5-2 6
Marker Peak (Maximum) Search  5-2 7
Marker Peak (Maximum) Left Search  5-2 7
Marker Next Peak (Maximum) Search  5-2 7
Marker Peak (Maximum) Right Search  5-2 7
Marker Peak (Minimum) Search  5-2 8
Marker Mode  5-2 8
Define Peak Excursion  5-2 9
Define Peak Search  5-2 9
ix

Content s
Define Peak Threshold  5-3 0
Peak to Peak Delta Markers  5-3 0
Set Center Frequency to the Marker Value  5-3 0
Set Reference Level to the Marker Value  5-3 0
Set Span to the Marker Value  5-3 1
Set Start Frequency to the Marker Value  5-3 1
Set Center Frequency Step Size to the Marker Value  5-3 1
Set Stop Frequency to the Marker Value  5-3 1
Marker On/Off
 5-3 1
Marker Table On/Off

5-3 2
Marker to Trace  5-3 2
Marker to Trace Auto  5-3 2
Continuous Signal Tracking Function  5-3 2
Marker X Value  5-3 3
Span Markers Center Frequency X Value  5-3 3
Marker X Position 
5-3 3
Span Markers Center Frequency X
Position 
5-3 4
Span Markers Span X Position  5-3 4
Band Markers Start Frequency X Position  5-3 4
Band Markers Stop Frequency X Position  5-3 5
Marker X-Axis Readout  5-3 5
Span-Markers Span X Value  5-3
6
Band-Markers Start Frequency X Value

5-3 6
Band-Markers Stop Frequency X Value

5-3 6
Marker Read Y Value  5-3 7
CALCulate :NTData Subsection  5-3 8
Normalize the Trace Data  5-3 8
CONFigure Subsystem  5-3 9
Configure the Adjacent Channel Power Measurements  5-3 9
Configure the Channel Power and Density Measurements  5-3 9
Configure the Emission Bandwidth Measurements  5-3 9
Configure the Harmonic Distortion Measurements  5-3 9
Configure the OBW and Transmit Frequency Error Measurements  5-3 9
COUPle Subsystem  5-4 0
COUPle the Function to Other Settings

5-4 0
DISPlay Subsystem
 5-4 1
Display Viewing Angle  5-4 1
Date and Time Display Format  5-4 1
Date and Time Display  5-4 1
Display Annotation Title Data  5-4 2
Turn the Entire Display On/Off  5-4 2
Window Annotation  5-4 2
Trace Graticule Display  5-4 3
Trace X-Axis Scale Offset  5-4 3
Set the Display Line  5-4 3
Control the Display Line  5-4 4
Normalized Reference Level  5-4 4
Normalized Reference Level Position  5-4 4
Reference Level Auto Ranging  5-45
x