User`s guide

4-166 Agilent E6432A Microwave Synthesizer User’s Guide
HPE6432_SetBlankingState
Set AM Mode (LIN/EXP)
ViStatus HPE6432_SetBlankingState (ViSession
instrumentHandle, ViBoolean blankingEnable);
Purpose
This function is used to control whether or not the RF output is being
blanked during the switch/blanking time.
This function applies only to the following functions:
• This function applies only to the following functions:
• Set Freq, ALC, Atten
• Set Frequency
• Set Alc, Atten
• Set Output Power
The following functions override this setting with the featureBits
parameter:
• Set Freq, Alc, Atten, Bit
• Write List Point
• Write List Points
If the RF output is being blanked, the RF output is turned off during
the switch/blanking time. Although the RF output can be optionally
blanked when changing frequency or power or both, it is always
blanked when the 10 dB step attenuator (Option 1E1) is changed.
If the RF output is not being blanked, the RF output is turned on
during the switch/blanking time and may be affected by spurious
signals, harmonics, or other glitches.
Whether or not the RF output is turned off (blanked), there is always a
switch/blanking time. Switch/blanking time is the period of time, prior
to the user-definable settling time, that is required by the synthesizer
to change between frequencies or power or both. Switch/blanking time
can not be turned off.
Switch/blanking time is established by the following criteria:
• 350 us for all frequencies 560 MHz or less
• 350 us for all frequencies above 560 MHz with long switch/blanking
mode set (long blanking is typically used when external leveling is
enabled or when using low ALC bandwidth)