Agilent Technologies ESA-E Series User manual

User’s Guide
Agilent Technologies
ESA-E Series Spectrum Analyzers
Cable Fault Measurement Personality
Option 225
Manufacturing Part Number: E4401-90312
Printed in USA
May 2001
Supersedes E4401-90226
© Copyright 2000, 2001 Agilent Technologies, Inc.

ii
Notice
The information contained in this document is subject to change without notice.
Agilent Technologies makes no warranty of any kind with regard to this material,
including but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness
for a particular purpose. Agilent Technologies shall not be liable for errors
contained herein or for incidental or consequential damages in connection with the
furnishing, performance, or use of this material.
Warranty
This Agilent Technologies instrument product is warranted against defects in
material and workmanship for a period of three years from date of shipment.
During the warranty period, Agilent Technologies Company will, at its option,
either repair or replace products that prove to be defective.
For warranty service or repair, this product must be returned to a service facility
designated by Agilent Technologies. Buyer shall prepay shipping charges to
Agilent Technologies and Agilent Technologies shall pay shipping charges to
return the product to Buyer. However, Buyer shall pay all shipping charges, duties,
and taxes for products returned to Agilent Technologies from another country.
Agilent Technologies warrants that its software and firmware designated by
Agilent Technologies for use with an instrument will execute its programming
instructions when properly installed on that instrument. Agilent Technologies does
not warrant that the operation of the instrument, or software, or firmware will be
uninterrupted or error-free.
LIMITATION OF WARRANTY
The foregoing warranty shall not apply to defects resulting from improper or
inadequate maintenance by Buyer, Buyer-supplied software or interfacing,
unauthorized modification or misuse, operation outside of the environmental
specifications for the product, or improper site preparation or maintenance.
NO OTHER WARRANTY IS EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. AGILENT
TECHNOLOGIES SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS THE IMPLIED
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

iii
EXCLUSIVE REMEDIES
THE REMEDIES PROVIDED HEREIN ARE BUYER’S SOLE AND
EXCLUSIVE REMEDIES. AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES SHALL NOT BE
LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR
CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT,
OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY.
Safety Information
The following safety notes are used throughout this manual. Familiarize yourself
with these notes before operating this instrument.
WARNING Warning denotes a hazard. It calls attention to a procedure which, if not
correctly performed or adhered to, could result in 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 not correctly
performed or adhered to, could result in damage to or destruction of the
instrument. Do not proceed beyond a caution sign until the indicated conditions are
fully understood and met.
WARNING This is a Safety Class 1 Product (provided with a protective earth ground
incorporated in the power cord). The mains plug shall be inserted only in a
socket outlet provided with a protected earth contact. Any interruption of the
protective conductor inside or outside of the product is likely to make the
product dangerous. Intentional interruption is prohibited.
WARNING No operator serviceable parts inside. Refer servicing to qualified personnel.
To prevent electrical shock do not remove covers.
CAUTION Always use the three-prong ac power cord supplied with this product. Failure to
ensure adequate grounding may cause product damage.

iv

Contents
v
1. Getting Started
Installing the Optional Measurement Personality. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Recording the License Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Installing the Licensing Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Using Install Key. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Installer Screen and Menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2. Menu Maps and Key Descriptions
Menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Mode and Measure Menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Measurement Setup Menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Cable Fault Location. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
3. Making Measurements
Chapter Contents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Making Cable Fault Measurements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Calibrating the System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Reading the Cable Fault Location Measurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Making Return Loss Measurements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Making the measurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Example. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Making Loss/Gain Measurements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Making the measurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Example. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
4. If You Have a Problem
What to do Next . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Before You Call Agilent Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Read the Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Contacting Agilent Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

vi
Contents

1
1Getting Started
This chapter describes the process for installing the personality.

2Chapter1
Getting Started
Installing the Optional Measurement Personality
Installing the Optional Measurement Personality
Requirements
The tracking generator, Option 1DN or 1DQ is required to load the personality.
Recording the License Key
The measurement personality software you have purchased with your instrument
has been installed and the license key has been enabled at the factory. With any
future purchase of a new personality software, you will receive a certificate that
displays the unique license key number. The license key enables you to install, or
reinstall, any measurement personality you have purchased.
You will want to keep a copy of your license key number in a secure location.
Please enter your license key numbers in the box provided below for future
reference. If you should lose your license key number, get in touch with your local
Agilent Technologies service or sales office for assistance. For the location of
these offices, refer to Table 4-1 on page 37.
You will need to use a license key number only under the following conditions:
• If you purchase an additional measurement software package.
• If the controller board is repaired or replaced.
Active License Key Numbers for Instrument with Serial # ________
For Option______________ the license number is ________________________
For Option______________ the license number is ________________________
For Option______________ the license number is ________________________

Chapter 1 3
Getting Started
Installing the Optional Measurement Personality
Installing the Licensing Key
If you are installing a new option, follow these steps to install the unique license
key number for the measurement personality software that you want to install in
your instrument:
1. Press System, More, Licensing, Option.
When you press Option the alpha editor will be activated. For instructions on
using the alpha editor, refer to the ESA Spectrum Analyzers User’s Guide.
2. Use the alpha editor to enter the three letter designation for the software option
that you wish to install in the instrument.
3. Press Return when finished.
4. Press License Key.
When you press License Key the alpha editor will be activated. For
instructions on using the alpha editor, refer to the ESA Spectrum Analyzers
User’s Guide.
5. Use the alpha editor to enter the 12 character licensing key number for the
software option that you wish to install in the instrument.
6. Press Return when finished.
7. Press Activate to turn on the licensing key. You may now install the
measurement personality option software.

4Chapter1
Getting Started
Installing the Optional Measurement Personality
Using Install Key
You may want to install a software revision, new measurement software or
reinstall measurement software, or uninstall measurement software. Before you
can install software, you will need a set of installation diskettes.
If you have ordered a measurement personality, you will receive the installation
disk set in the option upgrade package. If you are updating an existing, previously
installed measurement option, you may order the diskettes from Agilent
Technologies or create a set from the Agilent internet site
www.agilent.com/find/esa.
Creating Software Installation Disks
To create the installation disks on-line, visit the Agilent internet site
www.agilent.com/find/esa. Follow the instructions provided on the internet site for
downloading the current measurement personalty software and creating the
installation disk set. The instructions for creating the disk set will step you through
the process to create a firmware disk set when you create the measurement
personalty software disk set. A firmware update may be needed to ensure that the
firmware and the software are compatible. After you have created the disk set,
follow the on-line instructions to install the firmware. After successfully installing
the firmware update, proceed with the following instructions for installing the
measurement personalty software in your instrument.
Installing Personality/Software Options
This procedure gives steps to install a new software option in an ESA-E Series
Spectrum Analyzer using the internal floppy drive of the instrument. Screen
messages display the update progress and give directions. The instrument will not
need to be re-calibrated after this procedure since no changes are made to
calibration or adjustment files.
If you have a problem with the installation process, refer to “Troubleshooting the
Installer” on page 5.
When the installer starts up, it examines the instrument to ensure that all the
required software and hardware options are present. If they are not, the installer
will generate and error and you will not be able to install the personality.
1. If this is the installation of new personality option software, you must enter the
License Key for the new option. For instructions on entering the License Key,
refer to the “Installing the Licensing Key” on page 3.
When you have completed entering the license key number, continue with the
next step.
2. Insert disk one of the installation disk set into the disk drive located on the right
side of the ESA front panel.

Chapter 1 5
Getting Started
Installing the Optional Measurement Personality
3. Press System, More, Personalities, and Install. The instrument will then load
the installer off of the floppy drive. If there is no floppy in the drive, an
incorrect disk is inserted, or there is no installer on the disk, the error “No
install disk present in disk drive” will be shown.
Once the instrument has loaded the installer, the screen will change to the
installer screen and the Install Pers. menu will be shown. For more
information on the installer screen and menu, refer to “Installer Screen and
Menu” on page 6.
4. When the installer first starts up, it will show a popup message. Select Verify
Disks.
Once the installer has begun installing a personality, any error will cause the whole
personality, including a previously installed version, to be removed from the
instrument. Because of this, it is very important that you verify the disks prior to
installing them. If any of the disks or files are bad, you will not be able to use the
personality until you obtain a new installation disk set and run the install using
them.
5. When prompted, insert the next disk and press Verify Disks again.
When Verify Disks is running, the Install Now and Exit Install keys will be
grayed out.
6. When the verification is complete, press Install Now and the installation of the
personality will begin. Some of the disks may take only a short time to load or
be skipped entirely, while others can take up to about 30 minutes to load.
When installer is running, the Verify Disks and Exit Install keys will be grayed
out.
7. When prompted, insert the next disk and press Install Now.
8. Once the installation is complete, press Exit Install.
Troubleshooting the Installer
If the installation process stalls or fails in another way, follow these steps to
resolve your problem.
1. If the instrument stops the update process before all the disks are loaded
proceed as follows:
a. Press Exit Install to abort the process.
b. Return to step 2 under “Installing Personality/Software Options” and start
the installation process again.

6Chapter1
Getting Started
Installing the Optional Measurement Personality
2. If the instrument fails after repeating the installation procedure, get in touch
with your nearest Agilent Technologies sales and service office listed in Table
4-1 on page 37 for assistance. Please provide the following information:
Model Number:
Serial Number:
State that you are having trouble installing a software option update.
Installer Screen and Menu
The top portion of the install screen is a table in which the files that are about to be
installed are listed. The bottom portion of the screen contains information needed
to track the progress of the install.
1 File Table displays the files to be installed and various file information. If there
are more then six files, Next Item and Prev Item allow you to scroll the table to
view additional items.
2 File Name displays the name of the files on the installation disk.
3 Current Version displays the version of the file that is currently installed in the
instrument. (This field will be blank if this file is not currently installed in the
instrument or if the file is a data file that has no version.)
4 Upgrade Version shows the version of the file on the install disk. This is the
version of the file that will replace the currently installed version.
5Statusis updated to reflect what the installer is doing to the current file. The valid
messages seen in this column are listed in Table 1-1 on page 7.
6 Data Field contains a status bar and various status information.
7 Processing disk shows the disk that is currently being read.

Chapter 1 7
Getting Started
Installing the Optional Measurement Personality
8 Processing item shows the file that is being processes by item number.
9 Bytes free on C is the number of bytes currently free on the instrument C: drive.
10 Status Bar contains a status bar that runs from 0 to 100% and tracks the progress
of the current step. A message line displays the step that is currently being
executed.
11 Bytes in package lists the number of bytes in the install package file.
12 Bytes left in package lists the number of bytes left to be read.
13 Message and error popup window that displays over the status bar. Information in
this box will prompt you for action required to proceed to the next phase of the
installation. It may also inform you of errors in the installation process and may
prompt you for action required to correct the problem.
Table 1-1 Installer Status Messages
Failed This means that something has gone wrong while processing this item. It
is a fatal error and the installation can not be completed. The installer
will try to get the system back to a good state which may entail
completely removing the currently installed personality.
Loading The file is currently being copied from the install media to the
instrument’s file system.
Verifying This may mean one of two things:
1. If “Verify Disks” was pressed then Verifying means that the installer
is currently reading the install media and comparing the known
checksums to ensure the data is good.
2. If “Install Now” was pressed, then Verifying means that the installer
is reading what was just loaded to ensure the checksum is correct.
Loaded This means that the data has been placed on the instrument disk but has
not yet been registered with the firmware.
Installed This means that the data has been loaded into the instrument and
registered. The install for this file is complete.
Skipping This means that the installer has determined that this file does not need
to be loaded into the instrument.

8Chapter1
Getting Started
Installing the Optional Measurement Personality

9
2Menu Maps and Key Descriptions
This chapter provides a visual representation of the front panel keys and their
associated menu keys.

10 Chapter2
Menu Maps and Key Descriptions
Menus
Menus
Mode and Measure Menus

Chapter 2 11
Menu Maps and Key Descriptions
Menus
Measurement Setup Menus
Cable Fault Measurement Setup Menu

12 Chapter2
Menu Maps and Key Descriptions
Cable Fault Location
Cable Fault Location
To access the keys for setting up a cable fault location measurement, press
MEASURE, Cable Fault Location, and then the front panel Meas Setup key.
Avg Number Used to specify the number of data acquisitions that will be averaged. After the
specified number of average counts, the averaging mode (terminal control) setting
determines the averaging action.
On Sets measurement averaging on.
Off Sets measurement averaging off.
Default values are 10 and Off, and range values are 1 to 1000.
Avg Mode Used to select the type of termination control used for the averaging function. This
determines the averaging action after the specified number of data acquisitions
(average count) is reached.
Exponential After the average count is reached, each successive data
acquisition is exponentially weighted and combined with the
existing average.
Repeat After reaching the average count, the averaging is reset and a
new average is started.
The default value is exponential.
Calibrate Used to calibrate the spectrum analyzer, removing any errors introduced by the
cabling and components of the test setup before making the measurement.
Cable Type Used to select the type of cable being tested. Provides access to the Cable Editor
form, displaying a table listing relevant cable types, plus the following keys:
Cable Used to select an entry in the cable type table. Accepts numeric
values.
Vel Factor The velocity factor for the cable type selected. The field’s
numeric value represents a proportion of the speed of light. The
value can be edited and saved using the Store Table key.
Cable Loss/m The amount of signal lost per meter for the cable type selected,
expressed in dB. The value can be edited and saved using the
Store Table key.
Store Table Used to save any changes made to the Cable,
Vel Factor or Cable Loss/m parameters.
Start Distance Used to define the start position of the range over which faults will be measured.
This allows the user to zoom in on certain faults.
The default value is 0 m.

Chapter 2 13
Menu Maps and Key Descriptions
Cable Fault Location
Stop Distance Used to define the stop position of the range over which faults will be measured.
The smaller the value of this field, the more closely faults can be viewed.
Therefore, the value should be set as close as possible to the length of the test
apparatus.
The default value is 20 m.
Trace Points The number of trace points used in the measurement. Changing the number of
trace points affects the minimum and maximum measurable distances. As a
general rule, the longer the cable, the more trace points you should use. It is
possible to select up to 8192 trace points but due to the computationally-intensive
FFT, the higher the value, the slower the measurement becomes. To ensure the
fastest possible speed, use a value that is a power of 2—for example 512, 1024 and
so on.
Window Used to select the FFT windowing function to be used. The cable fault
measurement uses an FFT to convert the analyzer frequency trace into a distance
trace. To get the bestpossible results from the FFT, it is important to apply the most
suitable windowing function to the frequency trace before performing the FFT.
Possible values are Rectangular, Flat Top, Gaussian, and Hanning. The default
value is Flat Top. The following table describes these values.
Restore Meas
Defaults Restores all Meas Setup parameter values for the current measurement to their factory defaults.
Advanced Provides access to the following advanced measurement parameter settings:
Res BW Used to set the resolution bandwidth used for the measurement
and to define whether it is automatic or manual. Default values
are 3 MHz and Auto.
Function Description Max Side-Lobe
Level Side-Lobe Roll Off Max Main
Rectangular Results in no windowing. –13.3 dB 20 dB/decade –3.92 dB
Flat Top
(default) The five term flat-top window. A good window to
use when making amplitude
measurements of relatively
pure tones.
–95.1 dB +/–0.00208 dB
Gaussian A five term cosine window
that resembles a Gaussian
window.
–125 dB –0.68 dB
Hanning Has a good frequency
resolution and reasonably
good side-lobe roll-off, but
poor main-lobe flatness and
relatively large side-lobe
peaks.
–31.5 dB 60 dB/decade –1.42 dB

14 Chapter2
Menu Maps and Key Descriptions
Cable Fault Location
Video BW Used to set the video bandwidth used for the measurement and
to define whether it is automatic or manual. The default values
are 3 MHz and Auto.
TG Amplitude Used to set the power level of the internal source. The default
output level is –10 dBm.
Span Changes the frequency span used when acquiring the trace data
prior to the FFT. This, in conjunction with Trace Points and
Velocity Factor, has a direct effect on the maximum distance
that can be measured and the subsequent span resolution. Span
is provided for use in conjunction with Center Freq, under
FREQUENCY, when measuring DUTs that have limited or
restricted bandpass characteristics.