Search Results for 'api'

is there any people ever using the i9 CPU to run BB60C by API?

In the past the latest Linux API version for BB60C was 3.0.16. I see that the new “all included” release has Linux API version 3.0.5 for BB60C!!!

Hi All,

Has anyone tried calling the bb_api.dll from Excel VBA? We have some existing test code that communicates with several IEEE Analysers and I wanted to add the bb60C.

Currently I keep getting the error “Bad calling convention”

Regards
Andrew

[Nazar]

Hello Andrew

With your information, i was able to fix the problem. I used the bb_api as a guide, so assumed the device id had to be a reference, which was the problem.

Bad:

[DllImport(“tg_api.dll”, CallingConvention = CallingConvention.Cdecl)]
public static extern tgStatus tgOpenDevice(ref int device);

Good:

[DllImport(“tg_api.dll”, CallingConvention = CallingConvention.Cdecl)]
public static extern tgStatus tgOpenDevice(int device);

Thank you very much
Nazar

I wrote a short program(In c#) that uses the tg_api.dll to control the signal generator. I used the simple example provided by the SDK as a reference, but when invoking

tgOpenDevice(device)

I get a ‘-3’ error, which corresponds to tgDeviceInvalidErr

I am using ‘0’ as the device value. Is this correct? All the drivers are installed and i can run the signal generator from the Spike GUI.

Is there any more information about what can cause the error?

[Justin Crooks]

Julian,
The BB60A will need firmware version 5 to be compatible. You can download it here: https://signalhound.com/support/product-downloads/bb60c-bb60a-downloads/

The TG124A being used as a standalone generator, and amplified/modulated appropriately, should probably work for immunity testing. Depending on your needs, you may wish to low pass filter the TG output as it tends to have higher harmonics than a dedicated signal generator. You would probably want to automate it using our TG standalone API, which you can get from https://signalhound.com/products/usb-tg124a/

hi Signal Hound people,

1) I see the TG124A recommended for use with a mini-circuits coupler and a BB60C as a scalar network analyser.. well, I happen to have the older BB60A, and I was wondering if this setup can work with my BB60A, too?

2) Ideally if I buy a TG to use with my spectrum analyser for antenna analysis, it’d be nice to be able to use it to do immunity stuff, at least till I get around to spending the $$ on a proper signal generator.

In that case, I’d be interested in using the TG with a tekbox TBMDA1 (modulated driving amp)
https://www.tekbox.com/product/TBMDA1_Manual.pdf
From what I can see – The TG at max output is -12dBm, so if I run the TG through a 10dB attenuator, then into this, I’ll be able to get myself a signal from 40M to 3G, at 0dBm down to -18dBm (with 1k AM applied or not, via switch control on the amp) which I can then run into another bigger power amp that likes 0dBm input, to punch the signal out much bigger.

Do you expect any issues that I’d have here if I was using a standard frequency scan from the Spike software (or my own software, using the API) as a basic immunity scan source? the result doesn’t have to be perfect, but it’d be nice if it was at least a bit useful for pre-compliance purposes.

[Andrew]

Hi Andy,

I am attaching a folder with the example project we will be shipping for SHR parsing. The format is very similar to the BBR file except it changed the header format (still a single struct) to include all the new settings that were introduced with the SHR file format. Also, the sweeps are prefixed with a bit more information than just the timestamp. The general parsing process should be very familiar and similar.

In the future, this will be available in the standard API/SDK download, sorry I hadn’t got around to uploading it yet.

Regards,
Andrew

Attachments:

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[Maksym]

Hello Justin
Thank you for answer.
With “douwsampleFactor” I understood. It is clear from API Manual.
For me interested third parameter from bbConfigureIQ. It is “bandwidth”

bbConfigureIQ(int device, int downsampleFactor, double bandwidth)

I tested receiving IQ stream for GSM. So I think that in BB60C exist digital filter.
Examples:
I can synchronization with GSM signal if I use:
bbConfigureIQ(int device, int downsampleFactor, 200000)
and I cannot do it if I use
bbConfigureIQ(int device, int downsampleFactor, 2000000)
Because I have mixed with others GSM channel.
But if use “bandwidth” = 2000 I can synchronization with GSM signal. So I don’t fill difference between 2000 and 200000.
Probably parameter “bandwidth” has some limit for low value.
Can you give me some description?
Because I cannot find it in API Manual.

[hendorog]

Thanks for the insights, much appreciated.

I grabbed the old API, and will have a play with it – minor issue was the Legacy API manual is linked to the Headless API manual on the SH.com website. The SH.eu website had a copy though.

SM200A – one day 🙂

[Justin Crooks]

Using our legacy API, the device can be configured to use the 2.9 MHz IF (hung mixer mode). You would have to use a higher frequency than 5 MHz (something like 15 MHz at least). I’m not sure it would get you significantly better numbers, but it might give you a few more dB.

There is probably enough RF-to-IF leakage in the mixer that you could use this mode (SHAPI_Configure, use 2.9 MHz IF set to true) and inject your signal directly at 2.92 MHz (at a higher amplitude). This is the closest to direct ADC access the SA series offers.

These are just my thoughts, and may not work, but if you give it a try let me know what you find. The BB60C has more direct ADC access, but realistically, the SM200A would be the ideal choice.

[Justin Crooks]

Pritam,
Our API supports a maximum of 8 per computer. Keep in mind that the USB high speed bus is a shared bus, so you probably can’t even have 8 SA44B devices all streaming at the same time, unless you were decimating the data heavily.

A possible setup, if you need 24 USB-SA44B’s simultaneously streaming to one PC, would be to have 7 PCs in a network. Use 6 PCs to connect to 4 SA44B’s each, and each stream their data to the 7th PC. It would be a bit of a project, but any project that requires 24 spectrum analyzers is going to be a bit of work anyway.

How to set SwpTime to capture for SA_IQ mode using SA44B C#.NET API?

In the API document it is mentioned that Compressed IQ streaming is not implemented yet. What is the plan here?

[Justin Crooks]

We have an API for the SA44B that allows it to be used with a Raspberry Pi 2 (and probably on newer versions as well). It is kind of hobbled in this mode, but you can do some basic sweeps and probably even stream 40 kHz of decimated I/Q if you wish. You would be responsible for the software though.

For using Spike, an Intel NUC running Windows can be useful if size is a concern.

[Andrew]

Hi Quadsat,

I would recommend using a small form factor Windows PC like the Intel NUC line or other brick-like models. There are also several Atom based SBC computers that would run the SA44B. Also consider the Intel compute stick.

While we do provide an x64 Linux and an ARMv7-A API build on the downloads page, they are not supported and less than ideal for the SA-series of products as we have difficulty maintaining the USB throughput on Linux operating systems, and thus difficulty in providing reliable measurements.

Let me know if you have follow up questions.

Regards,
Andrew

[Andrew]

Hi Chris,

The issue specifically is the how the Spike software renders the plots. The issue isn’t with the hardware(SA44B) itself, which means you would not have the same issue if you were to utilize the hardware through LabVIEW. Our LabVIEW project functions as a wrapper for our C API that we provide for all of our receivers. There are examples for configuring the device for sweeping.

If you have questions while getting set up in the LabVIEW project contact roger@signalhound.com

Regards,
Andrew

[Justin Crooks]

From the thread you linked to:
“The TG44 can be used as a standalone generator. There is an application called TGStandalone in the Spike application installation directory which allows you to set the frequency and amplitude of the generator.”
You can also set the TG frequency and amplitude using a TG standalone API, available on request. There are no modulation capabilities, just a CW. The TG output has a lot of harmonics, so a low pass filter should be used if you use it over the air, and you should make sure to adhere to any regulations regarding over the air RF transmissions.

[Andrew]

Hello Mallaug,

Since Spike also uses the API to retrieve the firmware string and is working for you, it would lead me to believe the issue is probably in the C# interop.

Hopefully someone here has enough C# experience to answer your question. You might also try searching online with search terms like “PInvoke char pointer parameter” or similar. It seems to bring up a lot of relevant results.

Regards,
Andrew

Trying to get the firmware version from a SA44B. Spike says it is 2.12. I must be doing something wrong….

I’m using C# and this code, but I’m only getting Zeros:

 public static string saGetFirmwareString(int device)
    {
        char[] firmware_version = new char[16];
        if (saGetFirmwareString(device, firmware_version) == saStatus.saNoError)
            return new string(firmware_version);
        return "";
    }

 [DllImport("sa_api.dll", CallingConvention = CallingConvention.Cdecl)]
    public static extern saStatus saGetFirmwareString(int device, char[] version);