[time-nuts] Re: Request for Spirent GSS4200 User Manual

[gandalfg8 at aol.com]

Having taken a more detailed look at the 4200 manual I see that it boots up in 4100 simulation mode, so this is probably where the direct control comes in and why you can only get one channel.

I'm also getting the impression, could be wrong of course, not unknown:-), that even if you find the utilities disk the only obvious way to personalise the mutli chanel performance is indeed via the configuration "scenarios" for the 4200 that need to be set up via online access to the Spirent registered customers only support page.
They really do seem to have this locked down tight:-(
Nigel GM8PZR 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Andrew Kalman <aekalman at gmail.com>
To: gandalfg8 at aol.com; Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement <time-nuts at lists.febo.com>
Sent: Sat, 24 Apr 2021 10:28
Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Re: Request for Spirent GSS4200 User Manual

Nigel.
Thanks -- the file download worked, and now I have the USB drivers I'll have to test.Once I have the utilities disk, that is :-)
One thing that I find odd is that the 4200 is a 6-channel machine, and it does 4100/6100 emulation, but there is no obvious way to "engage" the various channels via a command. I have noticed that a "CHAN" command does not generate an error, but it also doesn't appear to enable more channels than 1 -- it's as if only the scenarios can get the other channels working. This may also be an ambiguity / result of how the GPIB commands work -- if "CHAN" is an argument to some command, that might also be why treating it as a command does not result in an error.
The GSS4200 manual you posted is a bit younger than the first one I got, but materially they're pretty much identical.

--Andrew

--------------------------------
Andrew E. Kalman, Ph.D.


On Sat, Apr 24, 2021 at 2:13 AM Nigel gm8pzr via time-nuts <time-nuts at lists.febo.com> wrote:

Spirent have indeed done a very good job of removing just about everything from the public domain.Having spent many hours a few years ago trying to find a copy of SimChan for the GSS4100 I also had to give up, despite finding references not that much older which indicated it had previously been readily available.I think the crunch came when a lot of Spirent gear hit the surplus market and perhaps affected sales of new equipment, so can't really blame them.

I do have the user manual for the GSS4200, it doesn't seem to have a vast amount of detail but does cross reference in places to the GSS4100, which can also be directly controlled via GPIB, so I have now updated my previous GSS4100 file on Mediafire to include both.The file also includes some USB drivers, although I always used GPIB, plus a few Spirent App notes etc....
https://www.mediafire.com/file/di0jiayxlz0demg/Spirent_4100_4200.zip/file
I've checked that the file downloads ok but any problems please let me know and I can try again.
I never did come across a copy of SimChan so if you ever find that I know I won't be the only who'd be grateful for a copy:-)
Nigel GM8PZR


I am ** desperate ** for a User Manual for the Spirent GSS4200 GNSS
simulator (e.g.,
https://www.testequipmentconnection.com/54837/Spirent_GSS4200.php). That
model is somewhat unique, in that it's one of only a very few that Spirent
released that can/will run without an external "control" program. Using the
manual from the GSS6100, I'm able to do a couple of things with the GSS4200
over GPIB, but for the life of me I cannot figure out how to get the
GSS4200 into a mode other than single-channel (it supports 6 channels, and
has a single-channel mode). I suspect there is a command to do this, but I
have not been able to figure it out.

I have spent 8+ hours searching sites and archives, to no avail. Spirent
has done a rather impressive job of locking down their support software and
docs behind a paywall (and I wonder if they even have the docs for the
GSS4200 any more). Any help is appreciated, I'm happy to give back if
someone wants to snag another GSS4200 (around $700 used) and use it as a
simulator.

Thanks,
_______________________________________
Andrew E. Kalman, Ph.D.            aek at pumpkininc.com



*****************************************
-----Original Message-----
From: time-nuts-request at lists.febo.com
To: time-nuts at lists.febo.com
Sent: Sat, 24 Apr 2021 8:30
Subject: time-nuts Digest, Vol 201, Issue 30

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