[time-nuts] pn3048 software

[Ivan.Cousins]

It depends upon what frequency range is desired.
I have upconverted and downconverted noise sources for receiver work.

On ebay I would look under noise generators.

I agree that the small HP modules are expensive.
The larger units from other vendors often have the step attenuators 
built in.
Look for Noisecom, Rhode, or other makers for good deals.

I am presently working in the crystal oscillator frequency range.
I have enough noise generators for the frequency ranges that I am 
working on.

Resistive combiners are easy to make if a 6dB resistive splitter in not 
available.

Ivan Cousins


On 11/4/2014 7:56 PM, Ivan.Cousins wrote:
> Does anyone else have the pn3048 software running on a PC-gpib system?
>
> http://www.ke5fx.com/pn3048.htm
>
> It has been a number of years since I have used a HP3048A-HP11848A 
> system.
> I have two HP11848A test sets and a spare PC or two with NI GPIB cards.
>
> It looks like this will be much easier to use than the old HP 9236 
> computer.
>
> What trials and tribulations have people had in setting up a system 
> with that software?
>
> One of the things that can be done is determining the noise floor of 
> the system.
> To determine the noise floor I have used a noise generator with a 
> programmable step attenuator through a resistive combiner with the 
> oscillator under test output.
>
> Increase the attenuation until the noise source on-off level is 
> undetectable.
> This is an easy way to measure the system noise floor.
> Noise sources are usually cheap on ebay because most people do not 
> know how to use them.
> As an RF designer they are easy to use for testing receivers.
>
> Ivan Cousins