Hi,
My lab has recently bought a N5183B with options UNY, 1E1 and 1EA installed.
Occasionally the signal generators output Level is 40dB to 10dB less than the value I have set on the screen.
I have to preset and restart the signal generator for up to 10 times for it to work properly. I did run the instruments built in tests and all of them were successful.
I wonder if anyone else had the same problem. Is there some kind of software setting I have to do, or there is something wrong with the signal generator hardware?
Any help would be appreciated.
Edited by: MPF on Feb 22, 2016 5:57 AM
My lab has recently bought a N5183B with options UNY, 1E1 and 1EA installed.
Occasionally the signal generators output Level is 40dB to 10dB less than the value I have set on the screen.
I have to preset and restart the signal generator for up to 10 times for it to work properly. I did run the instruments built in tests and all of them were successful.
I wonder if anyone else had the same problem. Is there some kind of software setting I have to do, or there is something wrong with the signal generator hardware?
Any help would be appreciated.
Edited by: MPF on Feb 22, 2016 5:57 AM
If you like me bought your generator on ebay or second hand, it may be the mechanical output step attenuator. Typically you see that in 10dB or some other multiple of 10dB error. Fixing it may be tricky even if I could do it on a R&S FSEA spectrum analyzer some time ago so safest bet is to buy a new from Keysight to replace the faulty but check carefully first so you are sure.
What happens is that you get dirt from the environment or via air (smokers lab) into the precious gold plated contacts, two in each step attenuator and that will isolate the shorting switch and thus too high attenuation. Taking it apart (warranty void) will not reveal anything strange even under a good microscope.
The attenuator may also be worn out (golden surface destroyed) after running in production testing very long. There may be a counter in some service menu that shows how many switchings there has been for each attenuator step.
The self test may also give you more help.
Difficult to imagine anything else that could explain your observations but someone else here can maybe give more hints.
Bo