from: Greg Goebel / HP-MXD
gvg@lvld.hp.com / 970-679-3030 / FAX 970-679-5971
to: VRf-Greg Noseworthy
date: Wednesday, 24 July 1996 1420 MDT
> To: VRf
> From: Greg.Noseworthy@comdev.ca
> Re: Wiltron SNA Woes
>
> I have been having some difficulty with something... But, first a
> bit of background...
>
> We are using HP-VEE 3.12 on an HP712/80 platform running on HP-UX
> 9.07 operating system, controlling a rack consisting of an EIP 575 Source Locking
> Counter, an HP 8350B Sweeper and a Wiltron 560A SNA (I know, ancient
> equipment, but... It still works) through an HP E2050A LAN Gateway.
>
> Recently, in effort to speed up the measurement time of this rack, we
> purchased a TAMS 50488 HP-IB Card for the HP712. For the most part, it
> works well, however, there seems to be an inconsistency with the
> Wiltron 560A SNA...
>
> The routine that is causing problems is simply trying to preset the
> rack, and all works well until it hits the SNA. Using a direct IO
> box, I am sending the command "CANL" (measure the noise floor on
> channel A) and it is supposed to return a measurement (around -57
> dBm), however, it returns --57 dBm (yes, TWO negative signs!) This
> causes great amounts of grief when you are expecting a real number.
>
> An interesting point is that when we add an IO bus monitor, the
> problem seems to go away. I suspect that this is just a symptom of a
> larger problem, because the rest of the program doesn't work at all,
> even if I read in a string instead of a real. The program performs
> fine when using the HP E2050A LAN to HP-IB Gateway.
>
> I've been struggling with this for some time now. Please, if anybody
> has any experience with this, please let me know!
We haven't any specific information on this, but one question: Do other
instruments work OK?
If they do, I would suspect a firmware problem in the Wiltron that is
speed-related: running the bus I/O monitor reduces your I/O performance, and
LAN-HPIB is relatively slow. Have you contacted Wiltron support for any
clues?
> Thanks.
> ******************************************
> E. Greg Noseworthy
> Greg.Noseworthy@comdev.ca
> ******************************************
> /| Bill says;
> `o.O' Organ transplants are best
> =(___)= left to the professionals.
> U Ack!!!Pttttb!!!
> ******************************************
Please stay in touch.
[<>] regards -- gvg
gvg@lvld.hp.com / 970-679-3030 / FAX 970-679-5971
to: VRf-Greg Noseworthy
date: Wednesday, 24 July 1996 1420 MDT
> To: VRf
> From: Greg.Noseworthy@comdev.ca
> Re: Wiltron SNA Woes
>
> I have been having some difficulty with something... But, first a
> bit of background...
>
> We are using HP-VEE 3.12 on an HP712/80 platform running on HP-UX
> 9.07 operating system, controlling a rack consisting of an EIP 575 Source Locking
> Counter, an HP 8350B Sweeper and a Wiltron 560A SNA (I know, ancient
> equipment, but... It still works) through an HP E2050A LAN Gateway.
>
> Recently, in effort to speed up the measurement time of this rack, we
> purchased a TAMS 50488 HP-IB Card for the HP712. For the most part, it
> works well, however, there seems to be an inconsistency with the
> Wiltron 560A SNA...
>
> The routine that is causing problems is simply trying to preset the
> rack, and all works well until it hits the SNA. Using a direct IO
> box, I am sending the command "CANL" (measure the noise floor on
> channel A) and it is supposed to return a measurement (around -57
> dBm), however, it returns --57 dBm (yes, TWO negative signs!) This
> causes great amounts of grief when you are expecting a real number.
>
> An interesting point is that when we add an IO bus monitor, the
> problem seems to go away. I suspect that this is just a symptom of a
> larger problem, because the rest of the program doesn't work at all,
> even if I read in a string instead of a real. The program performs
> fine when using the HP E2050A LAN to HP-IB Gateway.
>
> I've been struggling with this for some time now. Please, if anybody
> has any experience with this, please let me know!
We haven't any specific information on this, but one question: Do other
instruments work OK?
If they do, I would suspect a firmware problem in the Wiltron that is
speed-related: running the bus I/O monitor reduces your I/O performance, and
LAN-HPIB is relatively slow. Have you contacted Wiltron support for any
clues?
> Thanks.
> ******************************************
> E. Greg Noseworthy
> Greg.Noseworthy@comdev.ca
> ******************************************
> /| Bill says;
> `o.O' Organ transplants are best
> =(___)= left to the professionals.
> U Ack!!!Pttttb!!!
> ******************************************
Please stay in touch.
[<>] regards -- gvg
>
> from: Greg Goebel / HP-MXD
> gvg@lvld.hp.com / 970-679-3030 / FAX 970-679-5971
> to: VRf-Greg Noseworthy
> date: Wednesday, 24 July 1996 1420 MDT
>
> > To: VRf
> > From: Greg.Noseworthy@comdev.ca
> > Re: Wiltron SNA Woes
> >
> > I have been having some difficulty with something... But, first a
> > bit of background...
> >
> > We are using HP-VEE 3.12 on an HP712/80 platform running on HP-UX
> > 9.07 operating system, controlling a rack consisting of an EIP 575 Source Locking
> > Counter, an HP 8350B Sweeper and a Wiltron 560A SNA (I know, ancient
> > equipment, but... It still works) through an HP E2050A LAN Gateway.
> >
> > Recently, in effort to speed up the measurement time of this rack, we
> > purchased a TAMS 50488 HP-IB Card for the HP712. For the most part, it
> > works well, however, there seems to be an inconsistency with the
> > Wiltron 560A SNA...
> >
> > The routine that is causing problems is simply trying to preset the
> > rack, and all works well until it hits the SNA. Using a direct IO
> > box, I am sending the command "CANL" (measure the noise floor on
> > channel A) and it is supposed to return a measurement (around -57
> > dBm), however, it returns --57 dBm (yes, TWO negative signs!) This
> > causes great amounts of grief when you are expecting a real number.
> >
> >
> > An interesting point is that when we add an IO bus monitor, the
> > problem seems to go away. I suspect that this is just a symptom of a
> > larger problem, because the rest of the program doesn't work at all,
> > even if I read in a string instead of a real. The program performs
> > fine when using the HP E2050A LAN to HP-IB Gateway.
> >
> > I've been struggling with this for some time now. Please, if anybody
> > has any experience with this, please let me know!
>
> We haven't any specific information on this, but one question: Do other
> instruments work OK?
>
> If they do, I would suspect a firmware problem in the Wiltron that is
> speed-related: running the bus I/O monitor reduces your I/O performance, and
> LAN-HPIB is relatively slow. Have you contacted Wiltron support for any
> clues?
>
> > Thanks.
> > ******************************************
> > E. Greg Noseworthy
> > Greg.Noseworthy@comdev.ca
> > ******************************************
> > /| Bill says;
> > `o.O' Organ transplants are best
> > =(___)= left to the professionals.
> > U Ack!!!Pttttb!!!
> > ******************************************
>
> Please stay in touch.
>
> [<>] regards -- gvg
I did see this behavior several years ago using an old HP3497
data acquisition system. I can't recall the solution for sure
but I believe it was the termination sequence. The 3497 required
CR-LF and the double negative was returned on the next response
when only LF was the termination on the request. I may have enabled
EOI also.
--
Tom Sanders
toms@microunity.com http://www.microunity.com
MicroUnity Systems Eng., Inc.
255 Caspian Sunnyvale, CA 94089 (408)734-8100