Programming instructions

Downloading and Using Files
Downloads Directly into Pattern RAM (PRAM)
Chapter 4184
NOTE References to pattern RAM (PRAM) are for descriptive purposes only. PRAM
equates to volatile waveform memory (WFM1).
Downloading in List Format
NOTE Because of parsing, list data format downloads are significantly slower than
block format downloads.
Data Requirements and Limitations Summary
1. Data must be 8-bit, unsigned integers, from 0 to 255.
This requirement is necessary as list format downloads are parsed prior to being loaded
into PRAM.
2. For every bit of modulation data (bit 0), you must provide 7 bits of control information
(bits 1-7).
The signal generator processes data in 8-bit bytes. Each byte contains 1 bit of “data field”
information, and seven bits of control information associated with the data field bit. See
Table 4-1 for the required data and control bits.
Total (data bits plus control bits) download size limitations are 8 Mbytes or 32 Mbytes for
Option 002.
Preliminary Setup
It is important to set up the digital communications format before downloading data. This
allows the signal generator to define the modulation format, filter, and data clock. Activating
the digital communications format after the data has been downloaded to PRAM may corrupt
the downloaded data.
Via the front panel:
To set up the TDMA format, press
Mode > desired format and toggle the format on.
To set up the custom modulation format, press
Mode > Custom and toggle the format on.
To adjust symbol rate, filtering, or other parameters, press the appropriate softkey and adjust
the value.