Teardown & Experiments: Agilent mm-Wave 75-110GHz T/R Module & Controller - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: Hugoneus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 10, 2019, 06:34:12 pm
content: You can watch the video here: [50 Minutes]youtu.be/0o7OBUUYdv8More videos at The Signal Path:www.TheSignalPath.com

author: RoGeorge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 10, 2019, 07:30:00 pm
content: Already seen it as soon as it appears in the subscriptions list.It was a joy to watch it, very interesting, thank you!You are my RF hero.

author: hendorog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 10, 2019, 09:31:53 pm
content: I really enjoyed that video, very educational.There is a thread over here where a couple of us have been working on reverse engineering old 8510 test sets. Here are the commands we found:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/rf-microwave/how-to-use-a-hp8517-s-parameter-test-set-without-a-hp510c/msg2411955/#msg2411955With a bit of luck you might find some commands in that post are useful on your 85105A.Also it shows in the thread where the commands came from in the bin, but from your video it appears your bin file isn't that straightforward.

author: Hugoneus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 11, 2019, 01:07:37 am
content: Excellent! I’ll take a look.

author: Hugoneus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 12, 2019, 02:31:07 am
content: Quote from: hendorog on June 10, 2019, 09:31:53 pmI am now trying to hunt down my very own 8510 RF module.

author: 0culus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 12, 2019, 02:39:32 am
content: Quote from: Hugoneus on June 12, 2019, 02:31:07 amI'm going to be following this (hopefully) video series with interest, as an 8510C system is on my shortlist to acquire when I 1) have space and 2) can afford it. Keep the great content coming! You and Mr. Carlson are two youtubers I will stop everything to check out a new video from.

author: hendorog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 12, 2019, 02:43:09 am
content: Quote from: Hugoneus on June 12, 2019, 02:31:07 amHaha, awesome

author: Hugoneus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 12, 2019, 05:20:43 pm
content: Quote from: 0culus on June 12, 2019, 02:39:32 amThe size of the whole thing is just too much. For the mm-wave controller I would have liked to get two smaller sources to use for RF/LO and basically build a network analyzer around it without everything else in the rack.

author: 0culus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 12, 2019, 11:36:27 pm
content: Quote from: Hugoneus on June 12, 2019, 05:20:43 pmYeah, it is huge. It's a crazy idea for the future for me...more realistically I'll be looking for one of the more modest HP VNAs. I would bet a lot of 8510s are still in use. I recently read a physics paper from some academics in Israel, where they made use of an 8510C system.

author: TheSteve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 12, 2019, 11:44:44 pm
content: Great video Shahriar. I'm looking forward to you assembling a complete 2 port VNA.I would also like an 8510C system to get my lab up to 40 or 50 GHz. Well I'd like something smaller and lighter but that is unlikely to happen.My 26.5 VNA is less then 7 pounds, so the 8510 would be a real monster. Maybe I'll store it at Mr Carlson's place, it would fit right in.

author: Hugoneus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2019, 07:57:07 pm
content: Quote from: TheSteve on June 12, 2019, 11:44:44 pmWhat VNA are you using?

author: TheSteve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 13, 2019, 08:05:35 pm
content: Quote from: Hugoneus on June 13, 2019, 07:57:07 pmKeysight N9918A - it's not as full featured as a benchtop unit and doesn't have the dynamic range of one but can still give some excellent results with careful usage. And as a bonus it has a pretty decent SA, RTSA and can be carried in one hand

author: KE5FX
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2019, 12:53:48 am
content: Great video, Shahriar -- especially well done considering the breadth of stuff you had to cover.The CPU was probably a 6800 (or maybe a 6802?) rather than a 68000, which is almost comically huge for a DIP. The main box in an 8510C has a 68000 but the peripheral boxes don't need as much horsepower. 8510Cs are cool. You should get an 8510C.And yes, I'd say that whoever chopped those cables and mangled those connectors needs to be flipping burgers someplace. Of course he would probably end up poisoning his own customers, so maybe it's better that he stick to the electronic surplus business...

author: Hugoneus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2019, 11:24:50 pm
content: Quote from: KE5FX on June 14, 2019, 12:53:48 amYes, you are right. It was 6800.