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Off Topic - Looking for assistance with power sensors

 

Hello again,
I am hoping to find someone here who has done some work with the E44XX series of power sensors - specifically validating and recording the new cal factors to the EEPROM. Likewise for Gigatronics, Anritsu, and Rohde Schwarz. I have done the procedures in the past for the 848X series but this new one is outside of my comfort zone.
With respect, Mike
 

Hello Mike,

You need to use some power meter GPIB commands to write/update the sensor EEPROM. It is not only the calibration table coefficients to update but also the temperature compensation table.

I only played with Agilent EPM and Gigatronics power meters to do this but from what I saw in other docs on the internet you have the exact same principle for Boonton and R&S power meters.

I recommend you download the initial/old table and check how it is done and after send new table. I used a text file to read the new cal table and write it to the sensor.

I did this in a semi automated way because I only had 2 sensors to update and it was interesting to try it. For Gigatronics it was not even needed a script because you can update the values on the power meter itself.

I guess you need a fully automated procedure to integrate it in your VeeCal software?

Regards,
Razvan

On 21/05/2025 19:23, VeeCal via groups.io wrote:
Hello again,
I am hoping to find someone here who has done some work with the E44XX series of power sensors - specifically validating and recording the new cal factors to the EEPROM. Likewise for Gigatronics, Anritsu, and Rohde Schwarz. I have done the procedures in the past for the 848X series but this new one is outside of my comfort zone.
With respect, Mike
 

According to HPAK's technical documentation, it's impossible to write new calibration factors into the sensor because each time it requires calculating a checksum that the EPMs of the E4416/17/18/19 series cannot compute. They explain that for this, we must use the newer EPMs from the N1911/12/13/14 series. Personally, I've been able to read a sensor's entire block and write it back into another probe, but changing one or more values within the block always resulted in the inability to initialize the modified probe on an E44XX series power meter. Of course, HPAK uses an external program capable of calculating the checksum when they calibrate a sensor upon request and write the complete block, even with an E44XX power meter. Does anyone know the solution for calculating the checksum?
 

Of course, I would be very interested in knowing the solution for writing to R&S NRV-ZXX series sensors, as the documentation I've read doesn't mention it. It seems that specific software is required for this.
 

Hi,

I will check my notes. I remember there were some GPIB DIAG and INIT commands that are not documented.

If you look at the PS-Cal and SureCal calibration software you will see they can read/write the new values via the power meter GPIB commands. Maybe for the newest sensors it is a little bit more difficult but for the HP branded E4413A that I had it was OK.

Regards,
Razvan

On May 22, 2025 8:43:32 AM UTC, "F1EKU via groups.io" wrote:
According to HPAK's technical documentation, it's impossible to write new calibration factors into the sensor because each time it requires calculating a checksum that the EPMs of the E4416/17/18/19 series cannot compute. They explain that for this, we must use the newer EPMs from the N1911/12/13/14 series. Personally, I've been able to read a sensor's entire block and write it back into another probe, but changing one or more values within the block always resulted in the inability to initialize the modified probe on an E44XX series power meter. Of course, HPAK uses an external program capable of calculating the checksum when they calibrate a sensor upon request and write the complete block, even with an E44XX power meter. Does anyone know the solution for calculating the checksum?

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