[time-nuts] Spec An for phase noise measurements

[John Miles]

> I decided to get a new spectrum analyzer rather than an 11729 at this
> time.  I bought an Advantest R3267 to replace the HP 8596E.  It seems
> to have phase noise performance in the same neighborhood as the
> 8560-series, for about half the price.  In case I ever need anything
> better, I can get an 11729 and use it with this analyzer, since it
> goes down to 100 Hz, unlike the 8596 which only went to 9kHz.
>
> I am seeing the following performance when measuring the built in 30
> MHz reference:
> 100 Hz     -81dBc
> 1 kHz        -108 to -110
> 10 kHz      -117
> 100 kHz     -125
> 1 MHz        -131
>
> All of those are 3-8dB better than the spec, except for at 1 MHz where
> the spec is -135.  The measurements do jump around a bit.
>
> I would really love to have PN.exe drive the analyzer so I can do real
> phase noise plots.  I have an electronic copy of the manual, which has
> all the GPIB info, but the last time I dove into the PN code (in an
> aborted attempt to port it to Linux), I had a very hard time grokking
> the code, plus I don't have a Windows development environment.  Is
> there any way we can work together on getting this analyzer supported?
>  Several other Advantest machines are compatible with it, so any work
> would cover multiple models.

Sure, send me the GPIB .PDF, either via Didier's site, ftp.ko4bb.com, user
manuals, password manuals) or via my GMail account at jmiles at gmail.com.  It
looks like a great spectrum analyzer considering the prices they seem to
fetch on eBay.  Should be a nice upgrade from the 8596E, all right.

The only requirement is that I need to be able to count on you to test the
code *carefully*.  This can be a trying process, because PN.EXE has to carry
out a lot of interaction with the spectrum analyzer, and it's tough to write
code for one that isn't sitting on my workbench.

The ideal scenario is one where I have a remote-desktop account on a WinXP
box at your end, with an NI or Prologix board connected to the R3267.  That
takes you out of my edit-compile-test loop. :)  That's not vital, but it
really helps speed things up.

-- john, KE5FX