User`s guide

4.14 Sources and analyzers

Some Agilent signal generators and network ana-

lyzers use a 437B power meter for flatness and lev-

eling. The EPM series power meter can be used in

place of a 437B/438A with the following products:

• Signal generators: 83732A, 83752A, 83600 series

• Network analyzers: 8753, 8710, 8510 series

4.15 Programming with Agilent VEE

When the 437B or 438A is addressed to talk, it

will send the message appropriate to itscurrent

mode and if the receiver is prepared to listen

indefinitely, then this message will repeatedly be

transmitted. In the same situation the EPM series

power meter in 437B/438A language mode will,

when addressed to talk, send the appropriate mes-

sage just once. To receive the message a second

or subsequent time, the EPM series power meter

has to be readdressed or a “time out” situation

will arise. Some programming languages, Agilent

VEE in particular, easily (and legally) allow such

scenarios to arise. The example below illustrates

more fully the criteria being discussed along with

the simple solution.

It is also worth noting that the EPM series power

meter requires an end-of-line terminator before

it executes a command line. In the example, the

command WRITE TEXT “?ID” EOL will work with

both the 438A and the E4419A/B in 438A lan-

guage. With the EOL omitted, the instruction will

work only with the 438A, as the EPM series power

meter would not execute the instruction until

either the EOI line on the GPIB interface was set

or a line feed was received.