SAF Spectrum Compact 0.3-3 GHz v2 User manual

Spectrum Compact v2.0 API
user manual
0
API User Manual v.1.0
Spectrum Compact 0.3-3 GHz v2
(J0SSAP33)
Spectrum Compact 2-8 GHz v2
(J0SSAP55)
Spectrum Compact 6-20 GHz v2
(J0SSAP52)
Spectrum Compact 16–26.5 GHz v2
(J0SSAP53)
Spectrum Compact 24–40 GHz v2
(J0SSAP74)
Spectrum Compact 24–43 GHz v2
(J0SSAP54)

Spectrum Compact v2 API user manual v.1.0
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FCC Compliance statement
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant
to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful
interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference
to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can
be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the
interference by one or more of the following measures:
- Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
- Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
- Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the
receiver is connected.
- Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible
for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
Spectrum Compact does not contain serviceable parts. Warranty will not
be applicable in the event Spectrum Compact has been opened.
The information presented in this guide is the property of SAF Tehnika, JSC. No part of this document
may be reproduced or transmitted without proper permission from SAF Tehnika, JSC.
The specifications or information contained in this document are subject to change without notice
due to continuing introduction of design improvements. If there is any conflict between this document
and compliance statements, the latter will supersede this document.
SAF Tehnika, JSC has no liability for typing errors in this document or damages of any kind that result
from the use of this document.
To get up to date information about accessories and their availability, please contact the sales
representative.
Copyright Notice
Copyright © 2022 SAF Tehnika, JSC. All rights reserved.

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1Contents
2 Introduction............................................................................................. 3
3 Installing Spectrum Compact drivers ................................................... 3
4 Establish PC connection with Spectrum Compact.............................. 5
5 Spectrum compact API command line commands Table 1............... 8
6 API CLI commands and description Table 2...................................... 12

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2Introduction
Welcome to the Spectrum Compact family!
Spectrum Compact is a handheld, field-ready spectrum analyzer. This guide is
prepared to show you how to install and use Spectrum Compact via Application
Programming Interface (API). The guide will contain two tutorials that show you how to
communicate with Spectrum Compact via a USB interface. Spectrum Compact driver
installation is available to download from https://spectrumcompact.com/ in
SUPPORT&DOWNLOADS→Downloads→Firmware section.
3Installing Spectrum Compact drivers
These drivers enable you to communicate with Spectrum Compact via a USB
interface.
Spectrum Compact Windows driver is available to download from
https://spectrumcompact.com/ in SUPPORT&DOWNLOADS→Downloads→Firmware
section. After selecting the relevant Spectrum compact model, you will be prompted to enter
registration credentials. Once the registration process is complete you will be able to
download the relevant Spectrum Compact download package.
Follow these simple installation steps:
1Installation Wizard will check if the downloaded installation file is unzipped. If
not, then the following message will guide you through the installation process.
A dialog box will appear.

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Please note that installing all Spectrum Compact driver installation files is a
prerequisite to communicate with Spectrum Compact.
2Click Extract all, and unzip Windows driver installation file.
3Choose a supported Operating system.
Begin the installation process by double-clicking on install_sc_drivers application
file.
4Click Next, when the following dialog box appears.
5Click Finish, to finish the driver installation.

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4Establish PC connection with Spectrum
Compact
Locate and open “Control panel” in Windows OS and choose “Windows Device
Manager”.
Before connecting Spectrum Compact to PC locate COM ports that have been used
by other devices.
Turn on Spectrum Compact unit and turn on the VCP mode under the
TOOLS&SETTINGS -> SERVICE MENU -> USB MODE.

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Connect Spectrum Compact to PC and identify COM port that will be used to
communicate between PC and Spectrum Compact.
Right-click on the new COM port in the “Ports” list. Then choose properties and
change default communication settings.
This COM port will allow you to send and receive API commands to Spectrum
Compact.

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Open any terminal emulator program such as Termite or Putty. Change connection
type to “Serial”. Change the default COM port to the COM port that has been identified as the
COM port for Spectrum Compact and also change “Speed”to 115200.
Click Open and launch a new Spectrum Compact terminal window.
With Spectrum Compact API commands, you will be able to configure Spectrum
Compact device and control measurement parameters.

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5Spectrum compact API command line commands Table 1
Num
Frequency range
0.3-3 GHz
2-8 GHz
6-20 GHz
16-26.5GHz
24-40 GHz
24-43 GHz
FW version
V 5.2.8.6
V 5.4.3.6
V 5.4.3.6
V 5.3.6.12
V 5.3.6.12
V 5.3.6.12
Product number (P/N)
J0SSAP33
J0SSAP55
J0SSAP52
J0SSAP53
J0SSAP74
J0SSAP54
1
?
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
3
ver
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
3
freq
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
4
stop
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
5
trace
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
6
trace < 1–8 >
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
7
lna
Yes
Yes
Yes
N/A
N/A
N/A
8
lna < 0 –1 >
Yes
Yes
Yes
N/A
N/A
N/A
9
bwidth
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
10
bwidth <10|30|100|300>
<1|3|10|30|100>
Yes
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
bwidth <30|100|300|1000>
<1|3|10|30|100>
N/A
Yes
Yes
N/A
N/A
N/A
bwidth <100|300|1000>
<1|3|10|30|100>
N/A
N/A
N/A
Yes
Yes
Yes
11
att
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
N/A
N/A
12
att < 0 –31 >
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
N/A
N/A

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Num
Frequency range
0.3-3 GHz
2-8 GHz
6-20 GHz
16-26.5GHz
24-40 GHz
24-43 GHz
FW version
V 5.2.8.6
V 5.4.3.6
V 5.4.3.6
V 5.3.6.12
V 5.3.6.12
V 5.3.6.12
Product number (P/N)
J0SSAP33
J0SSAP55
J0SSAP52
J0SSAP53
J0SSAP74
J0SSAP54
13
sweepu
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
14
sweepu <start> <end> <step>kHz
Minimum start frequency
300000 kHz
2000000 kHz
6000000 kHz
16000000 kHz
24000000 kHz
24000000 kHz
Maximum end frequency
3000000 kHz
8000000 kHz
20000000 kHz
26500000 kHz
43000000 kHz
43000000 kHz
Min. span (end freq. –start freq.)
if RBW = 10 kHz
500 kHz
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
if RBW = 30 kHz
1500 kHz
1500 kHz
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
if RBW = 100 kHz
5000 kHz
5000 kHz
5000 kHz
5000 kHz
5000 kHz
5000 kHz
if RBW = 300 kHz
15000 kHz
15000 kHz
15000 kHz
15000 kHz
15000 kHz
15000 kHz
if RBW = 1000 kHz
N/A
N/A
50000 kHz
50000 kHz
50000 kHz
50000 kHz
Minimal frequency step
if RBW = 10 kHz
2 kHz
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
if RBW = 30 kHz
7 kHz
7 kHz
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
if RBW = 100 kHz
25 kHz
25 kHz
30 kHz
30 kHz
30 kHz
30 kHz
if RBW = 300 kHz
75 kHz
75 kHz
75 kHz
75 kHz
75 kHz
75 kHz
if RBW = 1000 kHz
N/A
N/A
250 kHz
250 kHz
250 kHz
250 kHz
Maximal frequency step
for all RBW settings
10000 kHz
10000 kHz
10000 kHz
10000 kHz
10000 kHz
10000 kHz
15
gain
Yes
Yes
Yes
N/A
N/A
N/A
16
gain <-12, -6, 0, 6, 12 >
Yes
Yes
Yes
N/A
N/A
N/A

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Num
Frequency range
0.3-3 GHz
2-8 GHz
6-20 GHz
16-26.5GHz
24-40 GHz
24-43 GHz
FW version
V 5.2.8
V 5.4.3.6
V 5.4.3.6
V 5.3.6.12
V 5.3.6.12
V 5.3.6.12
Product number (P/N)
J0SSAP33
J0SSAP55
J0SSAP52
J0SSAP53
J0SSAP74
J0SSAP54
17
sweepc <start><end>
Minimuml start frequency
300000 kHz
2000000 kHz
6000000 kHz
16000000 kHz
24000000 kHz
24000000 kHz
Maximum end frequency
3000000 kHz
8000000 kHz
20000000 kHz
26500000 kHz
43000000 kHz
43000000 kHz
Min. span (end freq. –start freq.)
if RBW = 10 kHz
500 kHz
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
if RBW = 30 kHz
1500 kHz
1500 kHz
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
if RBW = 100 kHz
5000 kHz
5000 kHz
5000 kHz
5000 kHz
5000 kHz
5000 kHz
if RBW = 300 kHz
15000 kHz
15000 kHz
15000 kHz
15000 kHz
15000 kHz
15000 kHz
if RBW = 1000 kHz
N/A
N/A
50000 kHz
50000 kHz
50000 kHz
50000 kHz
18
dtmode
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
19
dtmode < 0 | 1 | 2 >
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
21
time
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
22
time <hours> <minutes> (<sec>)
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
23
date
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
24
date <year> <month> <date>
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
25
pib <start> <end>
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Minimum start frequency
300000 kHz
2000000 kHz
6000000 kHz
16000000 kHz
24000000 kHz
24000000 kHz
Maximum end frequency
3000000 kHz
8000000 kHz
20000000 kHz
26500000 kHz
43000000 kHz
43000000 kHz
26
zspan <center>
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Minimum center frequency
300000 kHz
2000000 kHz
6000000 kHz
16000000 kHz
24000000 kHz
24000000 kHz
Maximum center frequency
3000000 kHz
8000000 kHz
20000000 kHz
26500000 kHz
43000000 kHz
43000000 kHz

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Num
Frequency range
0.3-3 GHz
2-8 GHz
6-20 GHz
16-26.5GHz
24-40 GHz
24-43 GHz
FW version
V 5.2.8
V 5.4.3.6
V 5.4.3.6
V 5.3.6.12
V 5.3.6.12
V 5.3.6.12
Product number (P/N)
J0SSAP33
J0SSAP55
J0SSAP52
J0SSAP53
J0SSAP74
J0SSAP54
28
orient
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
28
dir
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
29
dir <folder name>
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
30
file CURVES <filename.scc>
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
31
sn
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
32
msd
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
33
lcd
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
33
lcd <0 | 1>
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes

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6API CLI commands and description Table 2
API commands
Description
?
Displays available commands.
ver
Displays information about hardware version, firmware version, and
firmware release date.
freq
Displays selected frequency information in the following format in
kHz:
Start Freq -
selected sweep start frequency
End Freq -
selected sweep end frequency
Span -
selected span
Min -
minimum allowed frequency
Max -
maximum allowed frequency
sweepu
Displays information in the following format about the selected
frequency in kHz:
Start Freq -
selected sweep start frequency
End Freq -
selected sweep end frequency
Freq step -
selected frequency step
sweepu
<start frequency in kHz>
<end frequency in kHz>
<frequency step in kHz>
kHz
Sweeps entered spectrum range with specific step once and returns
the detected values in dBm. Enter values in kHz:
Start Freq -
selected sweepu start frequency
End Freq -
selected sweepu end frequency
Freq step -
selected frequency step
-Each sweep starts after a ‘#’ character
-Tracepoints are returned as hexadecimal unsigned byte strings
consisting of 2 characters (except when overload is detected –
then ‘^’ character is returned also)
-The frequency step depends on the currently selected RBW
(values in Table 1)
-The minimum allowed span (i.e. difference between the start
and end frequencies) depends on the currently selected RBW.
Choose RBW values from Table 1
-If there is external attenuation used it must be added (as
“offset”) to obtain the actual power value.
-To stop the data stream, send any character (but the sweep will
continue on the device, see “stop”)

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API commands
Description
sweepc
<start frequency in kHz>
<end frequency in kHz>
Sweeps the specified spectrum range with the minimum allowed
frequency step continuously and returns the power values in dBm*.
Sweeping by default is done using the minimal frequency step for
the currently selected RBW. This frequency step is not possible to
change. Enter values in kHz format:
Start Freq -
selected sweepc start frequency
End Freq -
selected sweepc end frequency
* For parameter settings and received data description, see “sweepu”
command description
stop
Stops continuous sweeping and returns control buttons to Spectrum
Compact screen.
lcd
Returns the status of the LCD screen in the following format:
0 -
Off
1 -
On
lcd
<0 | 1>
Sets LCD screen on and off with the following arguments:
0 -
Off
1 -
On
lna
Returns current Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) state in the following
format:
0 -
Off
1 -
On
lna
< 0 | 1 >
Activates or deactivates LNA with the following arguments:
0 -
Off
1 -
On
bwidth
Displays currently selected resolution bandwidth (RBW) and video
bandwidth (VBW) in the following layout:
RBW -
resolution bandwidth in kHz
VBW -
video bandwidth in kHz
bwidth
<10 | 30 | 100 | 300>
<1 | 3 | 10 | 30 | 100>
Sets resolution bandwidth (RBW) and video bandwidth (VBW) values
in kHz. First value is RBW and second –VBW, where:
RBW -
resolution bandwidth in kHz
VBW -
video bandwidth in kHz
For optimal sweep speed and power value accuracy, it is
recommended to use an RWB/VBW ratio of 10:1.
att
Returns currently selected internal attenuation value in dB.
att
< 0 –31 >
Set internal attenuation value in dB.
gain
Returns currently selected gain adjustment value in dB.
gain
< -12, -6, 0, 6, 12 >
Sets gain value in dB.

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API commands
Description
dtmode
Return currently selected detector mode:
0 -
MAX
1 -
MIN
2 -
AVG
dtmode
< 0 | 1 | 2 >
Sets detector mode in the following format:
0 -
MAX
1 -
MIN
2 -
AVG
time
Returns current Spectrum Compact system time.
time
<hours>
<minutes>
<sec>
Sets time on Spectrum Compact in the following format:
Hours <00>
Minutes <00>
Seconds <00>
date
Returns current time set on Spectrum Compact.
date
<year>
<month>
<date>
Sets date on Spectrum Compact in the following format:
Year <2021>
Month <01>
Date <01>
orient
Returns the current orientation of the Spectrum Compact screen in
the following format:
P2 -
Vertical & RF connector UP
P0 -
Vertical & RF connector DOWN
L1 -
Horizontal & RF connector to RIGHT
L3 -
Horizontal & RF connector to LEFT
dir
Returns all directories and files in the main directory.
dir
<folder name>
Returns all files in the specified directory.
file
CURVES <filename.scc>
Returns power values saved in a spectrum curve file.
sn
Returns SC unit product number and serial number in the following
format:
P/N -
product number
S/N -
serial number
msd
Changes Spectrum Compact service mode from USB mode to Mass
Storage Device mode and disables the COM port on PC.
NOTE! Changing the USB mode from API will close the connection
via the COM port and you will need to change the USB mode on the
Spectrum Compact device to reconnect to the unit via the API.

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API commands
Description
trace
Returns the currently selected trace mode displayed on the screen of
Spectrum Compact:
1–normal
2–maxhold
3–minmaxhold
4–cumulative
5–average2
6–average 4
7–average 8
8–average16
trace < 1 –8 >
Sets the trace mode displayed on the screen of Spectrum Compact.
Note: values returned with “sweepu” and “sweepc” commands are
always with “normal” trace mode (any processing must be done
afterward).
pib
<start frequency in kHz>
<end frequency in kHz>
Returns calculated Power-in-Band value once in dBm* for selected
frequency range (RESULT = -VALUE + (ATT - REF))
Enter values in kHz format:
Start Freq -
selected pib start frequency
End Freq -
selected pib end frequency
* returns calculated Power-in-Band values continuously
zspan
<center frequency in
kHz>
Returns measured signal level continuously in dBm for selected
center frequency point –zero span, with set RBW value. Each
measurement point is returned as ASCII hexadecimal unsigned byte
strings consisting of 2 + 1 characters. Structure of returned value:
XXY, where XX –value in dBm ; Y –counter from 0 to 9.
Start Freq -
selected zero span center frequency
To stop an ongoing command immediately, send any character while
data is being received.