I am using the N5242A for characterization of a frequency converter. My UUT is wide-band tunable, so I have been creating multiple measurement channels for different tuning configurations (channel 1: RF: 3-4 GHz, LO = 5 GHz, IF = 2-1 GHz; channel 2: RF:4-5 GHz, LO = 6 GHz, IF = 2-1 GHz; etc.). Ideally, I would be able to setup 20-30 frequency bands. I am measuring gain, compression, imd, and nf, some of which will not allow segmented sweeps, or I would do that. I then calibrate all my measurement channels and take data. Calibration takes multiple hours. If I want to go back and add another tune frequency, I have to redo my setup and recalibrate.
This is incredibly inconvenient. I wish there was a way to calibrate "generally" so if necessary, I could retune my setup without having to re-calibrate. Is there any possibility of this feature being added?
PLEASE!
Alan
This is incredibly inconvenient. I wish there was a way to calibrate "generally" so if necessary, I could retune my setup without having to re-calibrate. Is there any possibility of this feature being added?
PLEASE!
Alan
So with Cal All you will be able to calibrate every measurement that you have already setup and it should take a lot less time since all the common steps for each channel is consolidated into a single calibration routine.
you can also use Cal All to calibrate a setup where you have 1 broadband channel of each type of measurement you want to eventually make and then you can create additional channels of each type after performing the Cal All and use the same calsets to correct the new channels you have added. so doing what you asked for is possible, but there are things that you need to consider (like the right frequency density to minimize interpolation errors and making sure that the attenuator settings for each of the broadband channels can be used for all the specific measurements of the same type that you will need in the future). I can provide more detail of how to do that, but if you can setup all the measurement channels that you need up front, using Cal All to correct everything is very easy and there will be no interpolation errors.