BG7TBL FA-5-6GP, change gate time over USB? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: KedasProbe
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 23, 2024, 04:51:13 pm
content: I bought the FA-5-6GP but no new manual about the needed codes.This is the small version without buttons and without screen. (only one green led)I tried changing gate time with $G* representing the button press (from the FA-2 manual)I get: GATE TIME 0000000100 mS GOKSo that is ok, but if I send/press again I expect it to change.Any suggestions about how I can change the gate time?(or read the power, EDIT: power reading work with $D* for both channels)Thanks

author: KedasProbe
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 24, 2024, 09:42:44 am
content: After some further testingI see that I can't switch to CH2, although it indicated that it does that.Commands that give a response$E3434* PRECISION MODE ON EOK$E3535* PRECSION MODE OFF EOK$E2020* SEL TEST MODE EOK$E2222* SEL CH2 FREQ EOKstays on CH1 !!, EDIT power cycle needed$E2121* SEL CH1 FREQ EOK$E3030* SEL CH1 50R EOK$E3131* SEL CH1 1MR EOK$E3636* LPF ON EOK$E3737* LPF OFF EOK$G* GATE TIME 0000000100 mS GOKnever changes$R* RST ROK$B00960* CHANGE BAUDRATE TO 0000009600 BPS BOK$B05760* CHANGE BAUDRATE TO 0000057600 BPS BOK$B11520*reading failed, although it did change it$D* $BPIR ,00024000000.13566796,+00093,DOKpower reading CH2$D* $APIR ,0009999999.999803921,+00128,DOKRef-out to CH1 50Ω 12.8 dBm$D* $A I ,0019649419.668446932,-00414,DOKRef-out to CH1 1MΩ$D* $A IR ,0000000000.000000000,-00536,DOKCH1 50Ω no signal$H* SET MASK_H FREQ 0000005536 MHz HOKafter calibration with GPSDO (everything with 0.1s gate time since I can't change it)Calibrated the USB reading, not output ref. since the loop had an offset of 1.1mHz on 10MHzCount 1014Average 10000000.00050616968934911243Peak Peak 0.007041184Count 292 (later)Average 9999999.999578076633561643836Peak Peak 0.006613712Count 1258Average 100000.0014598554332273449921Peak Peak 0.001500004Count 285Average 999.9999378147719298245614035Peak Peak 0.000099010only two possible numbers, see below (A stands for Channel A=CH1 and B is for CH2)$A0000001000.000000000,$A0000001000.000000000,$A0000001000.000000000,$A0000001000.000000000,$A0000000999.999900990,$A0000000999.999900990,$A0000000999.999900990,Count 219Average 9.999999771689497716894977169Peak Peak 5.00E-7only two possible numbers, see below$A0000000009.999999500,$A0000000009.999999500,$A0000000009.999999500,$A0000000010.000000000,$A0000000010.000000000,$A0000000010.000000000,Looks like I will need to send it back if I don't find a way to go to CH2 and change gate time....FA-5 is not working despite the recent 2024-06 date.edit Timelab files attached, keep in mind the GPSDO is less stable below 10sec hence the drop.Sending the channel change command (to CH2) and then power cycle seems to work to get CH2Count 1201 (1GHz on CH2)Average 1000000001.117715858817651957Peak Peak 1.27398220Count 1785 (100MHz on CH2)Average 100000000.5087346761008403361Peak Peak 0.29005594

author: KedasProbe
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 26, 2024, 09:59:35 am
content: Good news, I got an serial protocol manual from BG7TBL for FA-5.There are clear differences with the FA-2 but you can always try if it works or not.(I used chatGPT to translate and format their TXT file to HTML)Gate time is not limited to 10sec, in theory you can go up to 99.999 sec, nice to know.I tried 99999 but it returned a wrong reading, so that may not work.QuoteWith $C0000* you can switch to the internal reference instead of adding a cable, nice.Still with an offset error that changes with gate time it seems.SEL INT-10M COK$T0010000000.001900003,100ms$A0010000000.001900003,$A0010000000.000588235,$A0010000000.000700000,$A0010000000.001700002,$A0010000000.001800003,CHANGE GATE TIME TO 0000001000 mS AOK$A0009999999.999540000,$A0009999999.997480006,$A0009999999.996940009,$A0009999999.997570005,$A0009999999.997290007,$A0009999999.997630005,$A0009999999.997440006,CHANGE GATE TIME TO 0000002000 mS AOK (looks to be the better setting)$A0009999999.999134134,$A0010000000.000050050,$A0010000000.000100000,$A0010000000.000075075,$A0010000000.000095000,You can also set it so it only send data when you ask for it.(in case you use a terminal instead of a client program for it)I will give a 'review' lateredit: the GUI is coming along, Python + QT6, my first QT6 program.(started modifying a git example)edit: Updated protocol file, LPF codes were swapped in their documentation.P.S. sorry for using the forum as my notebook