User`s guide

Agilent E6432A Microwave Synthesizer User’s Guide 4-167
• 150 us for all frequencies above 560 MHz with normal
switch/blanking mode set
• 50 us for all frequencies above 560 MHz with power-only mode set
• 20 ms is added, to each of the times listed above, any time the step
attenuator (Option 1E1) is changed
Once switch/blanking time is completed, the settling time begins.
Settling time is user-definable, and can be adjusted, from a minimum
value, to longer periods of time, up to a maximum value, in order to gain
additional accuracy. Both switch/blanking time and settling time are
used every time a new frequency or power is set up in the synthesizer.
(For more information, refer to “Settling Time” on page 3-43.)
In summary, there is a delay time that is required by the synthesizer to
change between frequencies or power or both. This delay time is a
combination of the switch/blanking time and settling time. The
switch/blanking time is dependent on the criteria listed above while the
settling time is user-definable and dependent on the accuracy required
of the final signal. If RF blanking is on during switch/blanking time,
you do not see the effects on the RF output, but if RF blanking is off
during switch/blanking time, you see all of the effects on the signal that
might include spurious signals, harmonics, and other glitches. Whether
RF blanking is on or off has no effect on settling time, it only affects the
RF output during switch/blanking time.
When in list mode, the function Write List Points is used to control,
on a point by point basis, whether the RF output is on or off during
switch/blanking time and the function Set Long Blanking (On/Off)
is used to enable long switch/blanking time.
When in set-spot mode, the function Set Blanking (On/Off) is used to
control whether the RF output is on or off during switch/blanking time,
and the function Set Long Blanking (On/Off) is used to enable long
switch/blanking time.
Factory Preset Value: Enabled
Parameter List
instrumentHandle
Variable Type ViSession
This is the ViSession handle that is obtained from the Initialize
function. The instrumentHandle identifies a particular instrument
session.
blankingEnable
Variable Type ViBoolean