Hello Lothar and HAKE community I? just got cables shipped to me, and planned to use a semi rigid microwave test cable for early check? out between 8671b generator and 8566b spectrum analyzer.?
I had a feeling the 8671b? ?would not work as output? meters did not move? and can now? confirm that the set seems to not produce RF output or if it does the left side display panel is quiet. See picture?attached.?
When I depress the preset 2Ghz button, range display is showing -110 to +10 dBm but with RF output to on, ALC and RF display is blank, NOT PHASE LOCKED sign is on and that's it.?
Any general servicing checks I can do ? As I am not exactly moved in to my new apartment I won't have time to do a detailed breakdown until next month. I do have other signal generator and my work involves designing a new board so if this unit does not ever work it's not a big deal but still would like to know what I can do. The unit was purchased from a personal estate liquidator and was in unknown condition when I picked it up.
?I checked the rear connectors and both 10 MHz and 100 MHz ref outputs are producing signal. Seen using 8342a counter.?
Not much in the rear panel, so wondering if this is a case of bad components or loose module connections.? The unit had been mishandled during shipping several times.
Thank you.?
On Tue, May 24, 2022, 00:09 Lothar baier < Lothar@...> wrote:
Generally use the distribution amplifier outputs it¡¯s the best way to do it and also make sure to terminate the unused outputs !
As far as the 8671B concerns, turn on the unit and let it warm up,? make sure the ALC switch is set to INT , Set the RF Switch to ON , use the big knob to set the range to 0dBm and the vernier knob to set the meter to read 0dBm , there
should be no annunciator be on except the ALC INT and RF ON , connect the power meter to the RF Output and your power meter should read 0dbm ,? change the range to 10dBm , your unlevel light may come on if so reduce the level using the vernier knob to 8dBm
or less ( the spec for the 8671B is 8dBm if I remember correctly ) , your power meter should agree with the meter in the 8671B within about 1Db or so however consider that this generation of generators is not as accurate as later model generators such as the
8360 series or PSG !
?
?
Hi, I recently cheaply (< $700) acquired working (they power on) set from a deceased engineer's estate sale in the US:
-
HP 8566B 100 Hz - 22 GHz spectrum analyzer (two sections)?
-
HP 8671B CW Synthesized Generator (2-18 GHz)
I have used HP/Keysight/Agilent systems in labs before, but this time these are "mine" :-)? I also have a (nicely serviced and working) HP 5342A Microwave Frequency counter, that should be good to 18 GHz, and
I want to experiment (I am a ham radio operator, engineer) with RF signals for TX, RX by designing a few PCBs using microwave semiconductors, FPGA etc.,?
I also have coming soon to my home lab a GPS disciplined oscillator, 10 MHz OCXO ref, with a single output, but from another project I have a unity-gain 16-bank (1 in, 4 output) BNC video distribution panel,
which if all sixteen (16) inputs were utilized, would produce 64 outputs. So, can I ask in general for some assorted configuration tips please?
-
When the CW Generator is turned on,after warm up, what is the procedure to check if the power meter (left side) is functional? the right side does power up with illuminated symbols - and frequency adjustment can be done manually, but what about the left side,
what should I be seeing to verify functionality - other than RF produced that can be "seen" in the spectrum analyzer - I know that unit works.?
-
Assuming I want to distribute 10 Mhz clock, ;is distributing the master clock ref via BNC T-connectors? worse than individual lines from the unity amplifier bank??
-
Assuming a single 10 MHz clock distributed: how do I verify "correct operation" of the Spec. An + CW Generator + Frequency Counter ? What are the go/no-go tests??
-
I want to use automation to record and run tests - and have an available LINUX workstation in the same rack with PCI-E x1 and x16 slots available. Any tips on LINUX GPIB etc? Is a GPIB-USB better than GPIB-Ethernet for accessing multiple machines? Any horror
stories? How is the support in LINUX compared to Windows 10/11 nowadays for GPIB users who don't have NI toolsets yet?
-
is earthing a big deal between the units if they are fed from the same power distribution unit on a single phase??
Thanks for your time. For convenience I have numbered the questions above. Didn't want to create too many topics on this first day of joining this group.?
|
First red flag is the missing seal on the top screw which indicates someone been in there before .
The phaselock message normally clears once the unit warms up but it could also be a indication of a more serious issue
First thing I do is to pop the top lid and do a visual if you see any missing parts, disconnected cables , missing screws etc ,? next check your power supply rails ,? I don¡¯t remember if the 8672 has it but in a lot of units HP put LEDs
on the regulator boards so you can see quickly if any voltage is missing ,? you can find the service guide online which contains schematics and measure the supply voltages to see if everything is there .
If the power supplies are ok the next thing to check is the YTO and YTO driver ,? the 8672 uses a 2-6GHz YIG that is fed into a power amplifier and then a YTM ,? disconnect the YTO and connect a power meter or spectrum analyzer but be sure
to add a 20Db pad because the YTO produces quite a bit of power ,? if the YTO has no output check the Current though the tuning coil .
YIGs unlike VCOs only oscillate if the resonator is tuned to a frequency within the operating range ,? the resonator is tuned by a magnetic field produced by a coil so if the coil has insufficient or no current you wont see any output .
If there is no current more than likely you have a issue with the driver circuit .
If the YTO has output then you need to check the power amplifier and if this is ok check the YTM .
The YTM is in essence a multiplier with a YIG filter that multiplies the 2-6GHz Signal to 6-18GHz , once again it could be a driver issue as the YTM has a driver too or the YTM could be bad which is the worst case .
?
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
From: [email protected] < [email protected]>
On Behalf Of Samudra via groups.io
Sent: Monday, May 30, 2022 1:33 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [HP-Agilent-Keysight-equipment] servicing 8671B Synthesized CW Generator 2.0-18 Ghz unit (first power up)
?
Hello Lothar and HAKE community I? just got cables shipped to me, and planned to use a semi rigid microwave test cable for early check? out between 8671b generator and 8566b spectrum analyzer.?
I had a feeling the 8671b? ?would not work as output? meters did not move? and can now? confirm that the set seems to not produce RF output or if it does the left side display panel is quiet. See picture?attached.?
When I depress the preset 2Ghz button, range display is showing -110 to +10 dBm but with RF output to on, ALC and RF display is blank, NOT PHASE LOCKED sign is on and that's it.?
Any general servicing checks I can do ? As I am not exactly moved in to my new apartment I won't have time to do a detailed breakdown until next month. I do have other signal generator and my work involves designing a new board so if this
unit does not ever work it's not a big deal but still would like to know what I can do. The unit was purchased from a personal estate liquidator and was in unknown condition when I picked it up.
?I checked the rear connectors and both 10 MHz and 100 MHz ref outputs are producing signal. Seen using 8342a counter.?
Not much in the rear panel, so wondering if this is a case of bad components or loose module connections.? The unit had been mishandled during shipping several times.
?
On Tue, May 24, 2022, 00:09 Lothar baier <Lothar@...> wrote:
Generally use the distribution amplifier outputs it¡¯s the best way to do it and also make sure to terminate the unused outputs !
As far as the 8671B concerns, turn on the unit and let it warm up,? make sure the ALC switch is set to INT , Set the RF Switch to ON , use the big knob to set the range to 0dBm
and the vernier knob to set the meter to read 0dBm , there should be no annunciator be on except the ALC INT and RF ON , connect the power meter to the RF Output and your power meter should read 0dbm ,? change the range to 10dBm , your unlevel light may come
on if so reduce the level using the vernier knob to 8dBm or less ( the spec for the 8671B is 8dBm if I remember correctly ) , your power meter should agree with the meter in the 8671B within about 1Db or so however consider that this generation of generators
is not as accurate as later model generators such as the 8360 series or PSG !
?
?
Hi, I recently cheaply (< $700) acquired working (they power on) set from a deceased engineer's estate sale in the US:
-
HP 8566B 100 Hz - 22 GHz spectrum analyzer (two sections)?
-
HP 8671B CW Synthesized Generator (2-18 GHz)
I have used HP/Keysight/Agilent systems in labs before, but this time these are "mine" :-)? I also have a (nicely serviced and working) HP 5342A Microwave Frequency counter, that should
be good to 18 GHz, and I want to experiment (I am a ham radio operator, engineer) with RF signals for TX, RX by designing a few PCBs using microwave semiconductors, FPGA etc.,?
I also have coming soon to my home lab a GPS disciplined oscillator, 10 MHz OCXO ref, with a single output, but from another project I have a unity-gain 16-bank (1 in, 4 output) BNC video distribution panel,
which if all sixteen (16) inputs were utilized, would produce 64 outputs. So, can I ask in general for some assorted configuration tips please?
-
When the CW Generator is turned on,after warm up, what is the procedure to check if the power meter (left side) is functional? the right side does power up with illuminated symbols - and frequency adjustment can be done manually, but what about the left side,
what should I be seeing to verify functionality - other than RF produced that can be "seen" in the spectrum analyzer - I know that unit works.?
-
Assuming I want to distribute 10 Mhz clock, ;is distributing the master clock ref via BNC T-connectors? worse than individual lines from the unity amplifier bank??
-
Assuming a single 10 MHz clock distributed: how do I verify "correct operation" of the Spec. An + CW Generator + Frequency Counter ? What are the go/no-go tests??
-
I want to use automation to record and run tests - and have an available LINUX workstation in the same rack with PCI-E x1 and x16 slots available. Any tips on LINUX GPIB etc? Is a GPIB-USB better than GPIB-Ethernet for accessing multiple machines? Any horror
stories? How is the support in LINUX compared to Windows 10/11 nowadays for GPIB users who don't have NI toolsets yet?
-
is earthing a big deal between the units if they are fed from the same power distribution unit on a single phase??
Thanks for your time. For convenience I have numbered the questions above. Didn't want to create too many topics on this first day of joining this group.?
|
