[time-nuts] Racal Dana 1992 - issues reading data from GPIB?

[John Miller]

Hello all,


I recently got my hands on a "gpib4pi" board specifically so that I can 
log measurements from my recently acquired Racal Dana 1992. I understand 
that the 1992 has some oddities when it comes to GPIB, but based on what 
I've read in the manual, and from others' experiences, I should be able 
to do what I want with no problems. I have made sure to set the internal 
jumper to "GPIB mode", and it is not in "talk only" mode per the switch 
settings on the rear of the unit.


The gpib4pi board is interfaced with via the linux gpib tools and 
libraries, and to start I'm using the ibterm software to test things out 
- I'll be using python for logging once I confirm everything is working 
correctly. The issue that I am running into is that while I can send 
commands with no problems (e.g. changing measurement mode, changing 
resolution, resetting the unit, changing trigger modes, etc.) I cannot 
seem to receive any data at all.


If I issue a command to have it send data, like GET, no data is 
returned, and the unit's SRQ (system request) LED is lit until I issue 
another command. I feel like this should be relatively trivial but I am 
getting absolutely nowhere fiddling with settings.


I have also connected the gpib4pi to a 33120A function generator, and if 
I issue the command *IDN? through ibterm I get the proper 
self-identification string back, so I feel fairly confident that my 
hardware setup is correct, there's just something unique about the 1992 
that I haven't figured out yet.


Here's my gpib.conf file: https://paste.millerjs.org/oyugadohey.txt


Thanks!

John

KC1QLN