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

[Andrew Kalman]

Nigel:

Yes, my conclusions, too. But even the 18 scenarios would be useful to me
as-is from the standpoint of a quick validation of a GPS receiver.

--Andrew

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


On Sat, Apr 24, 2021 at 3:36 AM <gandalfg8 at aol.com> wrote:

> 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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