Forum Replies Created
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JaredParticipantFEATURE – For Averaging mode, I’m assuming once the number of samples is met, the averaging is a rolling average of n samples? So, could you include a sweep counter in the display somewhere? Or the ability to do a single n count average or a continuous rolling average of n samples?
i.e. SA44B is currently acquiring sample 29 of 32… 30… 31… 32… <rolling average>
or 29… 30… 31… 32… stop.(I’m using this for discrimination between my product’s radiated noise and the ambient radiated)
JaredParticipantBUG – Export button saves the selected waveform in multiple instances, where the number of copies is dictated by the number of displayed waveforms.
i.e. with trace one selected, and traces one and three displayed, two copies of trace one data.FEATURE – Add a top of column heading for Trace# and mode.
i.e. FREQ[MHz] Trace1(Max)[dBm] Trace2(Avg64)[dBm] etc
JaredParticipantBongo,
Its been a while since I used Win8 (a development prerelease) but you could try to install again using admin privilages, install the other-bit version, and/or running in admin mode, or compatibility mode.
These things are getting progressively more hidden so it may be doing these anyway.
Failing that, a win7 partition?
JaredParticipantThanks for the reply Andrew,
My features are predominantly around EMC debugging (and I think I have convinced work to buy a BB60C, based on the strengths of the SA44B and Spike).
I usually try to go an order of magnitude lower RBW than the compliance tests for a sniff, so it isnt super critical if its 100kHz c.f. 120kHz.
I’ll try that triggering out, thanks.
A changelog prior to install would be more useful… having previously seen ‘fix’ releases royally-ruin settings etc…FEATURE – Presets in a CSV file form? Accessible via a drop down? a ‘next’ ‘prev’ buttons at bottom so can scroll through? or a heirarchy structure with sub-csv lookups?
I would like to collate a list of ambient AM/FM/HAM broadcast frequency regions as I encounter them, this means I can discriminate nearby emissions as well as being able to tune in. Would mean I can load in presets based on signalling types (USB, Ethernet 10/100/1000 and HDMI etc)
JaredParticipantSo I installed the new Spike software… and have been using it, and its incremental revisions for a little while now. I had sent the following (somewhat less concise) to the Australian distributor for him to pass on, however he suggested I load it into the forum.
I have to say, it’s a VAST improvement on the user interface as well as speeding up things CONSIDERABLY.
There were a couple of minor things however –
1) BUG – The Preset button top right, crashed the UI and the unit and needed a system re-boot.
2) BUG – When changing between swept and real time modes, the persistence state is not restored.
3) BUG – RBW isn’t entirely settable. In some EMC related ranges I have to settle for 100kHz or 10kHz instead of 120kHz and 9kHz respectively.
4) FEATURE – Whilst I only had a brief look at the zero span, AM/FM demodulation, and receiver/channel power etc, the FM demodulation on our local radio stations is much improved and the zero span would give me some useful information, however it would be nice to set this such that it behaves kind of like an oscilloscope (i.e. edge/level triggering and position so I can check duty cycle and Tx power).
5) COMMENT – I was impressed that the improved real time mode with our ISM transmission bursts, as it actually picks up every message. Not entirely consistently (in terms of amplitude) but that is probably due to the lack of real time bandwidth and USB2 speeds… i.e. solved with the BB60C. Usually max-hold gets it within 2-3 messages. The Tek MDO3054 can’t do this – you have to set it to max hold, a really high RBW, and then wait ages until you get at least a couple of Tx bursts actually captured!
6) BUG – I had a play with the 3D waterfall plotting and noticed when I rotated it around that the rendering of the amplitude looks squashed.
7) COMMENT – Oh and I did note that the USB cable does couple noise into the system… so will try a few others and some CM cores…
8) FEATURE – What also would be nice is a log frequency axis mode. Should be simple to add.
9) BUG – That and the UI text should have a spell checker applied.
10) FEATURE – I’ll have to have another look at my limit line files, but one nice to have would be multiple limit lines loadable or within the one file.
i.e. I’d like to have the CISPR22 Peak and Quasi Peak limits visible… then even better would be a failure table or a peak table (with over-limit-by or margin-of dB values).11) COMMENT – I’ll have a bit more of a play in the next few days…
It’s basically made this “low end” spectrum analyser pretty bloody good!12) FEATURE – I’m not sure if you are familiar with Altium’s feature request list? Basically it’s a vote system for feature requests (they also do a similar voting thing with bugs to set priorities). Perhaps SignalHound could look at this? Would be a good way to gauge what their customer base want fixed/changed/added… and priorities of.
13) COMMENT – Anyway, very happy with the new software and the ‘new’ SA44B!!
14) FEATURE – Looking into the limit line/antenna correction file thing some more – for CISPR22 the limits decrease linearly with the log of the freq. With a linear frequency scale, this is a bit of a pain (not impossible) to do. So implementing a log frequency scale would be useful… A preferences option?
15) FEATURE – Having only a single limit line is somewhat limited. Particularly because these standards often spec limits for two detector modes. You can have two or more traces so it would also make sense that these are subject to different limits… It would also be nice to have a text field for the limit line being used (and antenna factor), much like the title field you have.
16) FEATURE – Also, a nice preloaded limit line table drop down, ideally with predefined (and supplied) limit line definition files. I think Agilent or R&S have a CD or zip with industry standard limit lines…
Same for antenna correction tables – named and accessible from a drop down.17) FEATURE – Ability to include the Utilities (receiver, audio player etc) in the side menus (easy) and the ability to enable/disable each whilst still running sweep/RT acquisition with a drop down ‘source’ field (CF, cursors)) and have it demod/measure then and there.
18) FEATURE – Waveforms sit on top of each other, and there is no way to view them in any other order. No way to hide them individually.
Possibly the Traces menu could be able to be expanded out so all traces’ settings are visible, and all are editable. i.e. Show/Hide, Clear, Update, Export, Colour settings locally editable and also clear-all/export-all traces buttons.19) FEATURE – Oh, and a zoom window which opens up if you zoom in on a region using the top left mouse down, bottom right mouse up window selection…
20) FEATURE – The other nice to have would be a normalised or ambient compensated plot.
Can be done in excel as a backup, but would be nice to do within the app.
i.e. set up your range, rbw etc and then with the unit under test off, run max hold or average or whatever selected trace type for n sweeps, then click on a ‘save to ambient’ button.
Then select another trace and do a delta to the saved ambient reference.
Particularly useful for finding emissions in the FM broadcast radio bands as well as a way to determine “no, that’s not me” when doing emissions testing.21) FEATURE – Ability to rearrange presets (move selected up, move selected down buttons at bottom of dropdown)?
I see that you guys are up to V3.0.3 now for Spike…
22) FEATURE – Could you get your website guys to put up a changelog file/page or include it in the install files?
Otherwise, it’s a bit vague as to what’s changed between revisions.That lot should keep you busy for a while.
Regards,
Jared- AuthorPosts