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hp 8753 hpdrive project

Question asked by wb0gaz_ on Apr 21, 2018
Latest reply on Jun 3, 2018 by wb0gaz_
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I am looking for solution to provide GPIB-attached mass storage (floppy or emulation of floppy) for HP 8753 series network analyzer.

 

Has anyone successfully used the hpdrive project (URL below) which appears to use a PC (equipped with GPIB port, the project's software) to emulate a GPIB storage device, as a peripheral for HP 8753 series network analyzer (so that instrument state, etc., can be stored on what appears to the analyzer to be a GPIB-attached floppy drive such as HP 9122)?

 

Before I dig into this, I want to find out if this approach is practical/possible or would be wasted time/effort (hence I'd seek other solution, and be grateful for any recommendations, particularly a solution other than sourcing a used HP 9122.)

 

http://www.hp9845.net/9845/projects/hpdrive/ 

 

Thanks very much for any insight/pointers,

 

Dave

Hamdan
Hamdan Jun 3, 2018 10:34 AM
Correct Answer

Hello Dave

 

For my hp8753C FW 4.01 , I have struggled with this issue for a while ( to save the cals and the instrument state since the hp8753c does not have a disk drive) and tried every solution possible (to my knowledge)  and this the result of my experience in this subject:

 

1- hpdrive:

http://www.hp9845.net/9845/projects/hpdrive/ 

it is a command line utility, here you can set your pc to emulate an hp floppy drive (hp 9122) and use it with the hp8753. the hp8753 recognized it and I was able to save the states,cal files ... and anything that can be saved to the floppy drive. it worked very nice for me. 

 

 

2- VNASTATE utility:

VNA Instrument State Software 

is the best solution for me as it has a nice GUI and the support from its creators is very good.

I can save cal files, states and easily access them through the GUI

 

3-HPDISK

http://www.dalton.ax/hpdisk/ 

This is a hardware solution that needs you to get the HPDISK PCB. I tried  it and got the board but didn't work for me.

I think it didn't work because of something to do with my 4.01 fw , but you can give it a try.

 

 

4-VNA Calkit Manager:

it didn't work for my vna.

 

note : all these solutions require a GPIB adapter, I used NI PCI-GPIB

PCI-GPIB - National Instruments 

 

 

I hope this answers your question.

 

Hamdan 

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