USING SCPI COMMANDS TO AUTOMATE A RUN LABORATORY SPECIAL RESEARCH WITH THE USE OF SPECTRUM ANALYZERS

Abstract

The article deals with the issue of remote control of measuring instruments in order to automate special laboratory studies using spectrum analyzers. The analysis was carried out for measuring instruments from Rohde & Schwarz, however, with small measurements, it can be extended to any spectrum analyzers. The advantages of automation of measurement tasks and the structure of automated test equipment are shown. The structure and syntax of SCPI commands are analyzed. The structure and main functions of the VISA architecture have been studied. The procedure for setting up the connection of measuring equipment to a PC using SCPI commands and VISA architecture is given. An analysis of such operations as synchronization of measurements and checking the device for errors was carried out. The issues of optimizing the speed and choosing the fastest communication interface among those supported (Telnet, GPIB, RS232, LAN, USB-TMC) depending on the specific situation are considered. Based on the practical experience of the author, a list of the most important and frequently used SCPI commands in the automation of laboratory special studies using spectrum analyzers was compiled.