Seaward Sceptre EMC measurement system - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: artag
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 06, 2015, 10:25:32 pm
content: I've acquired a Seaward Sceptre EMC pre-compliance test set, consisting of a biconical antenna and a LISN which conceals a PC-controlled spectrum analyser. The spectrum analyser only goes to 400MHz so is a bit dated, but the LISN network is usable and the antenna was what attracted me to the deal.It's hard to get detailed information on it though - I think this was reasonably popular 15 years or so ago but Seaward sold the business to Com-Power and it doesn't seem to exist in their current range. Fortunately, I've got the manuals and software, and the discs are still readable (they were for Windows 3.1).Only one thing I'm short of : the 10m of coax that connects the antenna to the analyser. It's probably just RG58/U, but the antenna calibration includes an allowance for cable loss, and is documented to 1GHz which is fairly useful. So I'd like to make sure I use something comparable.If anyone else has one of these and could tell me what cable spec it was supplied with, that would be very handy.

author: GOnkelinx
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 03, 2016, 01:29:12 pm
content: Hi,I have also a Seaward Sceptre and Seaward Mace, but i have no manuals and no software.If i can obtain the manuals and software of the goods, i wil try to write i software tool that is compatible with windows 7 and higher.If there is a possibility to send me this information that I'm very happy.if you must make costs to send me the manuals, i will pay for itmany thanks

author: Brian881
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: February 22, 2016, 12:40:50 pm
content: Hi, did you manage to make a copy of the software for 2007 version?,if not could you send me the version for windows 3.1?Thank youBrian

author: natbuk
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2016, 01:24:54 pm
content: Hi - did you get hold of the software/manuals? I've got one of these too, and it' be great to use it. Thanks. Nat

author: nettleda
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 22, 2017, 10:24:39 am
content: Sorry to dig up an old thread!I've recently acquired a probe head from a Seaward Sceptre which I'd like to as a sniffer probe with a conventional spectrum analyser.Does anyone have the pinout for the probe power connector and / or information on the RF output characteristics. I don't have the manuals but maybe they contain some information?ThanksDave

author: spoddy
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 23, 2017, 04:56:30 am
content: I have the software if anyone wants it. Run on a virtual machine.Spod

author: spoddy
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 06, 2017, 12:30:02 am
content: I have made a copy of the user manual too, if anyone wants it. See attached.FYI I can run the software successfully on a VMWare Win95 virtual machine.Spod

author: spoddy
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 06, 2017, 01:35:16 am
content: And here is the MACE manual.Spod

author: goaty
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2018, 10:02:43 pm
content: I just got a Seaward Sceptre, Software starts under Windows XP, COM1 required, Control seems to do something but no Spectrum traces.Anyone got a idea what´s wrong ?I got a Probe too, so I can measure the 12V/100mA probe power if needed.Update: Got it working today, it´s very primitive but shows peaks on the Windows XP Software.Problem was the mixed up ribbon cables.I took the machine apart and will only keep the analyzer part which runs of 5V and +-15V only.Need to reverse engineer the RS232 protocol now.The analyzer is made by York Electronics / University of York. If anyone got information about that analyzer boards would be helpful.One is signal generator the other is detector.

author: GOnkelinx
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 05, 2020, 01:28:55 pm
content: Hi,My Seaward Sceptre is stuck.Is there anyone that have a memory dump of the EEPROM in bin or hex format?So yes, could i become this file so that i can repear him. (or can you make a copy of this eeprom)I think that this is the issue what i have, because i have all replaced the MCU, RAM and the address bus selector.I see only that the power LED light up and not the other LED's, also the serial connection doesn't works because the relais RL1 on the motherboard isn't powerd.Many thanks

author: ESTechnical
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 15, 2020, 03:55:41 pm
content: Hey all,I realise this thread goes back ages but since it's at the top of google, why not keep it hereI got a seaward sceptre taken apart and I'm working my way through the synthesizer board. So far I've managed to rig up an arduino and code to control the NJ88C24 frequency synthesizer IC. I can see that the PLL locks on some frequencies/bandwidth settings but not others.I have compiled quite a lot of the datasheets for the synth board, does anyone want to join me in this (possibly silly) quest to make these usable with modern software? I'm happy to share the code and what I've learned so far. Thanks for the manuals and software zip, spod.Ed

author: ESTechnical
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 15, 2020, 04:03:08 pm
content: QuoteI can try and get a dump of the eeprom from the MCU board.

author: ESTechnical
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 15, 2020, 05:29:16 pm
content: Just progressed further and can sweep the pll frequency using my Arduino test code, successfully getting the pll locked at each step. Seems I was freaking out the old frequency synthesiser ic with one edge out of order on the interface.Found a dead /64 prescaler in the second pll loop and ordered a replacement. Hopefully this will resurrect this unit. I'll look into acquisition of the data from the detector board/controlling the attenuators etc soon.:-)

author: artag
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 16, 2020, 02:08:45 am
content: I only just noticed this thread had revived, even though I started itI still have the unit along with manuals and software (if the discs are still readable). The only thing I don't have is the nearfield probe - I actually had one of these long before I owned the rest of it, and unfortunately didn't keep it !It looks as though most of the parts have been pulled together to get the system going, but I can look for anything not yet found.I don't actually need it - I have a more modern spectrum analyser now - but will certainly hang on to the antenna and possibly the LISN (which is part of the main unit). Other bits might be available.

author: ESTechnical
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 16, 2020, 11:37:25 am
content: Sadly the probe is missing from mine too. But there's one on eBay at the moment with probe.I'm looking for a spectrum/network analyser with tracking generator, faster the better, but that's me getting off-topic :-)I'd be very interested in comparison between two of these units, since I appear to have a broken one. Mine arrived missing screws and with incorrect diagnosis of problems written on labels on the PCBs.While I was testing the frequency synthesiser board I developed some code to control the synthesiser and there's only about three control inputs left on this board to worry about. I haven't actually found anything wrong with the synthesiser board, it sweeps the vco no problem. LO seems to be working but is beyond the range of the test gear I have here now. I can see there's 18MHz leaving a /64 prescaler :-)If anything it's been a fun process to understand how they built this...Thanks for coming back to this ancient thread!

author: ESTechnical
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 27, 2020, 09:54:15 am
content: I've worked on this a couple of times over the last few days and I've figured out the right way to control the tuning of the front end section. With the right test setup I can now tune the front end and see a test signal appear at the IF output, at the expected 10.3 MHz frequency. Switching on and off the output of the signal generator or varying the amplitude confirms the same happens at the IF.The unit uses a first mixer, fed with the input and PLL signals. This selects the input frequency that is tuned to the first intermediate frequency passband.The PLL can be tuned from 512 MHz to around 1 GHz, I can successfully get a PLL lock and by measuring at the divider can confirm the frequency is as commanded.The first mixer output appears to be bandpass filtered, centred around 520Mhz, if my figuring is correct - I can't check this precisely, it's just outside of the range of the other spectrum analyser I have access to. This is then mixed with the 512MHz local oscillator to produce the 2nd intermediate frequency around 10 MHz.Fortunately I can determine the local oscillator frequency from the divider in the PLL loop for this clock.My test code now includes control via serial of the sweep start and end frequencies and I'm getting near to adding connections to other controls like the attenuation/gain selection.It looks like I can now test the synthesiser board with the detector board, capture the output signal and digitise then start plotting some spectra instead of viewing the IF on my scope FFT plot.If anyone is interesting in resurrecting the analyser section of the Seaward Sceptre, let me know, I have gathered lots of information.

author: ESTechnical
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 26, 2020, 12:04:13 pm
content: I have now dumped the UV erasable PROM, which is labelled 219A402 (U4) on the analyser. The IC is M27C256B - 12XF1 made by ST.This file is attached to this post. The dump was orginally saved as .BIN by the windows program I used, but I had to rename to .hex to upload here.

author: tsat
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 21, 2022, 09:37:47 am
content: Hi, does anyone has a the datasheet of the biconical antenna Seaward 247A910 ?Thank you in advance.

author: artag
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 21, 2022, 08:52:30 pm
content: This is probably the most useful page. Some day I'll try get around to scanning and posting the rest.

author: tsat
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 22, 2022, 01:45:10 pm
content: Thank you very much, this is exactly what I was looking for. My warmest wishes for Happy Christmas time.

author: Pauldg1
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 12, 2023, 08:58:40 am
content: Hi,I have collected a brand new complete unused old Spectrum analyzer from Seaward, type SCEPTRE 219A910.The device works fine. The Sceptre software works with RS232 cable 1 to 1 (rx to rx, tx to tx, gnd to gnd).The only point is that the software I have, Sceptre V2.03 is very limited. Is there a newer software available by someone?