Keysight Technologies N6841A User Manual
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Keysight Technologies N6841A User Manual

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Summary of Contents for Keysight Technologies N6841A

  • Page 1 User Guide Keysight Insert the N6841A Title in this RF Se nsor Space...
  • Page 2 KEYSIGHT TECHNOLOGIES SHALL NOT BE public. Accordingly, Keysight provides the Keysight Technologies, Inc. as governed by LIABLE FOR ERRORS OR FOR INCIDENTAL Software to U.S. government customers United States and international copyright...
  • Page 3 Edition History Edition Summary of Change Written by Date Reference oscillator, D. Carpenter 2018-04-24 Temperature limits, Troubleshooting Reformatted/Edited D. Carpenter 2018-01-03 Initial version R. Shen 2014-08-01 RF Sensor User Guide...

  • Page 4: Table Of Contents

    Contents Introduction ................3 Sensor Management Software ..........4 Managing Sensors ..............6 Finding Sensors on the Local Subnet .......... 6 Modifying a Sensor’s Network Parameters ........7 Rebooting a Sensor ..............8 Adding a Sensor to the SMS Sensor List ........8 Adding a Sensor that is not on the Local Subnet ......

  • Page 5: Introduction

    The Sensor Management Tool (SMT) is used to configure, and manage Keysight RF Sensors. The SMT provides both a simple interface to discover, configure, and update sensors, and a launcher to launch sensor applications. This table lists other manuals pertinent to the Keysight N6841A RF Sensor. Part Number Title...

  • Page 6: Sensor Management Software

    Sensor Management Software The SMT uses another Keysight software product, the Sensor Management Server (SMS), which runs as a Windows service, handling requests from the SMT client and maintaining a database entry for every sensor it manages. To use the SMT, connect the SMT to an instance of SMS, either running on a distant host or running on the local host.
  • Page 7 Resource conflicts can occur when multiple instances of SMS attempt to use the same sensor. To prevent these conflicts, we recommended that users attach all instances of SMT to the same instance of SMS. Having all installations of SMT connect to the same instance of SMS can prevent resource conflicts.

  • Page 8: Managing Sensors

    Managing Sensors SMS can discover sensors that exist on the same subnet as an instance of the SMS, using multicast networking technology. The SMT allows users access to this function. Note that sensors on the same subnet as the SMT, but not on the same subnet as the SMS cannot be discovered using this function.

  • Page 9: Modifying A Sensor's Network Parameters

    If the Microsoft Windows system is running a firewall, an exception must be created in the firewall software to allow SMS to communicate with the RF sensors. Refer to the firewall documentation to learn how to create an exception for SMS. Clicking on a sensor list entry highlights that entry and enables the three buttons at the bottom of the window.

  • Page 10: Rebooting A Sensor

    The Setup Network Configuration window is used to view and manually set the sensor's network configuration. The window shows two sets of configuration data. The values displayed in shaded boxes on the right-hand side of the window are the values currently being used by the selected sensor. To change these values, enter the desired values in the text entry boxes on the left, and click the Apply Changes button.

  • Page 11: Adding A Sensor That Is Not On The Local Subnet

    Each entry in the sensor list is headed by a sensor icon. A green icon indicates that the SMS has recently received a status message from the sensor and that it is generally functional. A gray icon indicates that the SMS has not received a status message from that sensor for a predetermined time period.

  • Page 12: Discovering An Rf Sensor's Ip Address

    Discovering an RF Sensor’s IP Address In some applications, an RF Sensor is located locally, but is on a different subnet than the workstation or laptop that is running SMS. In this case, there is a method to quickly determine the sensor’s IP address. Once the sensor’s IP address is known, add the sensor directly to the All Sensors list by using the Tools >...

  • Page 13: Deleting A Sensor On The Sms Sensor List

    Note: The SMS list displays sensor status using the gray icon even if a sensor is disconnected from the network. The names of disconnected sensors can be deleted from the sensor lists using the Configuration menu. Deleting a Sensor on the SMS Sensor List To remove a sensor from the SMS sensor list (making it available for other SMS instances), use the following steps.
  • Page 14  Updating Firmware – The sensor is in the processing of updating the firmware. (The power to that sensor should not be cycled during this process).  Rebooting – After new firmware is loaded, the sensor will reboot, and reconnect to SMS. The state also goes to “Rebooting” if a reboot is invoked manually, either from the configuration dialog or the Auto Discovery View.
  • Page 15 Temperature Limits The N6841A RF Sensor is specified to work from -15 °C to +55 °C ambient temperature. In this temperature range the product will operate and meet specification. There is approximately a 15 - 20 °C difference from external to internal temperatures.

  • Page 16: Editing The Sensor Configuration

    Editing the Sensor Configuration When a sensor arrives from the factory, it will not be properly configured for the network. Sensors that are assigned (that is, in the “All sensors” list) can be configured using SMT. Sensors are configured using the Configuration menu. The configuration menu can be displayed by clicking on the Tools menu, or by right-clicking on the appropriate sensor’s icon.

  • Page 17: Time Synchronization Data

    Time Synchronization Data The Time synchronization Data view of the configuration dialog box is used to specify the source for time synchronization data. Synchronization is necessary for measurements such as Keysight Time Difference of Arrival (A-TDOA.) The possible time synchronization sources are: ...
  • Page 18 Location Source Menu At the top of the view is the “Location source” drop-down menu. To direct the sensor to derive its location from the GPS receiver, select the “GPS” menu selection. To manually set the sensor's location select the “Manual” menu selection and enter the proper values in the rest of the view's dialog boxes.
  • Page 19 In the following illustration, the difference between north and the building’s orientation is the rotation value. The RF receiver’s position is the offset (in meters) from the chosen reference point. Mixed Indoor-Outdoor Locations For sensor networks that contain a mix of indoor and outdoor sensors, or for applications with sensor networks spanning multiple buildings, the latitude and longitude should be set to the correct value, and a rotation entered to account for the difference between the defined X-Y coordinate system of a...
  • Page 20 In this discussion, the antenna “platform” is just the building in the indoor scenario discussed in the previous section, (although it could be a vehicle in a mobile deployment.) The antenna delta x, delta y, and delta z offsets in the "Antennas and Cabling"...
  • Page 21 Twist is the angle that the antenna is twisted about its right-side-up axis. (See the following figure.) Again, CCW is positive. Twist = 0 is defined as when the front of the antenna aligns with the projection direction. Note that if the declination angle, is equal to or nearly 180 degrees, a CCW twist is really a clockwise (CW) twisting of the upside-down object.
  • Page 22 Antenna data entry begins on line 4 of the Excel file. At least one frequency must be given and at least two azimuths (preferably 180 apart) must be entered for each frequency. For each frequency given (obtained from the antenna, manufacturers provided, anechoic chamber measurement data), the user must specify the pattern gain at a minimum of 3 declination angles: 0, 180, and some angle in between 0 and 180, usually 90...

  • Page 23: Cable Attenuation Data

    Cable Attenuation Data Cable attenuation data for a number of cable types are provided by Keysight in the menu boxes Port 1(2) Cable Type on the Antennas and Cabling (Antennas and Configuration Page). Select the type of cable being used for the given sensor, and then enter the length of that cable in meters in the entry Cable Length.

  • Page 24: Amplifier / Filter Data

    Amplifier / Filter Data Some users may employ external amplifiers to compensate for weak reception or lossy cables. Other users may employ external filters to reject strong out- of-band interferers. It is possible to include the effects of these system block components on the calibration by creating an amplifier/filter CSV file.

  • Page 25: Gps Configuration And Status

    The configuration values that are entered in this view and applied to the sensor are stored by the sensor and become active the next time the sensor reboots. The values that can be changed in the Network Configuration Data dialog box include: ...
  • Page 26 The system status values displayed in the shaded boxes are listed in Appendix A. The text boxes concerning the GPS subsystem are described in the following sections. Timing Mode There are three timing modes: Static, Mobile, and Not Set.  Static mode is used for installations where the RF receiver is in a fixed position.
  • Page 27 The self survey length can also be set I the GPS Setup web page. From Sensor web home, navigate to Global Positioning and then, GPS setup. The web page will show and initial value of 400 which is NOT the current self survey length. It is a web page default value only.

  • Page 28: 1588 Data

    Revert button. Reference Oscillator The N6841A has an ovenized reference oscillator. A digital to analog converter (DAC) is used to adjust the reference oscillator to match the time synchronization source (GPS or IEEE-1588).
  • Page 29 The fields on this pane are as described below:  Current Reference Oscillator Calibration Value is the DAC value that is currently being used. This number will change each time an “Adjust LO” operation completes.  The Oscillator Rate Tracking (60 s average) indicates the difference in the local reference compared to the time-sync source (e.g.

  • Page 30: Embedded Apps (Beta)

    To be able to utilize the Embedded App infrastructure, the user must activate the feature by entering in an Activation Code. The Activation Code is a purchased item known as N6841A-EFP (available late 2015 or early 2016). Hit Copy Serial Number to copy the serial number to the clipboard, then paste it into the Keysight Software Manager using the N6841A-EFP entitlement certificate to redeem an activation code.

  • Page 31: Frequency Extender

    To compile an embedded app, use the API in C:\Program Files (x86)\Keysight\RFSensor\SALLinux. The documentation called SAL Reference applies for LINUX. The final executable must be tar’d and gzip’ed. To install an embedded App:  First add the embedded App installer ...

  • Page 32: Multiple Narrowband Channels

    Activation Code. The Activation Code is a purchased item known as N6841A-MFP Hit Copy Serial Number to copy the serial number to the clipboard, then paste it into the Keysight Software Manager using the N6841A-MFP entitlement certificate to redeem an activation code.

  • Page 33: Running The Rf Sensor's Self-Test

    Running the RF Sensor’s Self-Test Since the Keysight RF Sensor has no external switches, lights, or other indicators, the SMT can provide diagnostic and self-test methods for verifying sensor communication and operation. These are functions are available through the Sensor’s pop-up menu and the Tools menu. To use the diagnostic tools through the Tools menu, click: Tools>Sensor>Diagnostic/Self-Test.
  • Page 34 Sensor Self-test Clicking this button causes the sensor to perform the same self-diagnostics as when power is applied to it. In both cases, the sensor performs a quick test of some of its major functions. At power-up, if the sensor fails one of these self-tests, it emits a set of audible beeps, indicating which test the sensor failed.

  • Page 35: Configuring The Map

    Configuring the SMT can display the locations of sensors on a map. Display the map either by clicking the map icon on the toolbar, or by clicking the menu selection: View > Map. When the map image is correctly correlated with the location data, the SMT displays the location of the RF sensors in its subnet on the map.
  • Page 36 The Map Configuration window displays the currently used map and, to its right, a set of text boxes that are used to define where the map boundaries are located. The text boxes are used to specify the following values for the upper- right and lower-left corners of the map: ...

  • Page 37: Managing Sensor Firmware

    Managing Sensor Firmware The SMT is able to maintain the firmware of Keysight RF Sensors. With the SMT it is possible to manage firmware versions on the PC, upload those versions of firmware to the connected RF Sensors, and reboot the RF Sensor. These actions are described in the following sections.
  • Page 38 Updating an RF Sensor’s Firmware This section describes the method for updating an RF sensor’s firmware. Updating a sensor’s firmware is a delicate operation that, once started, cannot be paused, halted or interrupted. Before updating a sensor’s firmware, make sure that the sensor has a stable power supply and that the connection between the sensor and the PC running SMT is undisturbed.

  • Page 39: Using The Spectrum Monitor

    If Microsoft Windows changes focus (if another program window is placed on top of the SMT window) before the Finish button is clicked, it is possible to lose track of the dialog box and SMT can appear to be hung. This is normal Windows behavior.

  • Page 40: Using The Radio Receiver

    Using the Radio Receiver To monitor an AM or FM radio transmitter, select one of the sensors whose spectrum is being monitored using the Sensor drop-down box on the Radio Application pane, just above the spectra. The selected sensor must be tuned to a region in the spectrum containing the frequency of interest;...
  • Page 41 Adding a Program to the Launch Menu To make a sensor program available for launch using the SMT, it must be entered in the Launch list. The Launch List is located on the Preferences window of the SMT. There are two ways to view the Launch list: through the menu bar or by right clicking a sensor icon.
  • Page 42 To add a program to the list of launchers: Click on the “Add” button. The SMT displays the Add Launcher dialog box. The following illustration shows a command string that will launch Surveyor 4D. Note: When entering the following information, do not use the “Enter”...
  • Page 43 If desired, edit the command string to the program, including command line switches in the “Command string” text box. To specify C:\Program Files (x86)\... use “C:\Progra~2\...”. According to Microsoft’s convention, filenames or directories with spaces should be specified by the first 6 characters and end with “~2”. Note that the variable “%SENSOR% is used in the command line.
  • Page 44 Troubleshooting Guide Once the RF Sensor is set up, the N6841A RF Sensor web interface can be used to view and verify the sensor parameters, which can be helpful when troubleshooting a sensor issue. To access the RF Sensor web interface, open a web browser and type in the RF Sensor name or IP address.
  • Page 45 Sensor Status Sensor Status includes details for configuration, conditions (time, temperature, etc), GPS time, and PTP time. System Information System information includes software versions and time stamp for all sensor software components. RF Sensor User Guide...
  • Page 46 Hardware Information Hardware Information includes Serial and Part numbers for all sensor hardware components. GPS Status Shows the overall stats of the GPS receiver inside the sensor. It includes location and timing accuracy information. Green, or blue text indicates that the sensor is running properly.
  • Page 47 GPS Satellites Global Positioning ->GPS Satellites, shows the number of available satellites and the relative signal strength from each. Signal strength is shown in Amplitude Measurement Units (AMU), should be in the 0 to +30 range. A negative AMU reading typically indicates satellites that are at the horizon or something is blocking the signal.
  • Page 48 Appendix A Receiver Status The SMT GPS Configuration and Status display displays the status of the RF receiver. On the right-hand side of the display are eight status displays. The following table lists the displays and their possible values. Status Values Operating Stat TimeSync —...
  • Page 49 Appendix B Port Requirements The Port Requirements appendix lists the ports used by the RF Sensor software. These ports must be kept open by the network administrator. Name Port Description Direction Protocol Notes http-alt 8080 RF sensor comms RF Sensor software version 1.4.0 or later Discovery 2241...
  • Page 50 Name Port Description Direction Protocol Notes http-alt 8080 RF Sensor comms RF Sensor firmware version 1.4.0 or later Protocol set in config file 7021, Sweep Different port for each 7022, synchronization N6820E, set in config file … e3238s 7011 Remote control Set in config file for third party applications...
  • Page 51 Appendix C Application Programming Overview The RF Sensor and its associated software can be installed in many different configurations. Five different examples of configurations are described in this appendix. From these five examples, the full range of configurations can be derived.
  • Page 52 Example Two This second example of RF Sensor use is of one PC running multiple programs and controlling multiple RF Sensors. The SMS manages the sensor and reports the status to the SMT. The SMT launches user applications. The user applications use SAL calls to communicate with the sensors.
  • Page 53 Example Three User applications can control multiple sensors. In the following diagram, a user application is controlling and receiving data from two sensors. This configuration can be used for applications using geolocation. RF Sensor User Guide...
  • Page 54 Example Four In the following diagram, two applications are running on a PC. This first application is Signal Surveyor, which is receiving data from sensor #1. The second application is a third-party application, communicating with sensors #2 and #3. RF Sensor User Guide...
  • Page 55 Example Five The SMS and SMT are also useful when applications execute on multiple computers. In the following illustration, instances of SMT are running on two different PCs. Each PC has an instance of SMS running as a service. User applications on both PCs are controlling and receiving data from RF Sensors.
  • Page 56 Appendix D Deploying RF Sensor Networks Deploying an RF Sensor network requires some basic knowledge of computer networking. This guide describes different networking topologies for the RF Sensor Software version 1.4.0 or later. System Overview An RF Sensor Network consists of RF sensors and a Sensor Management Server (SMS).
  • Page 57 Private Network Using a switch and static IP addresses Perhaps the simplest “table-top” network architecture is an Ethernet switch, sensors, and a PC with the SMS and a client application such as SMT. This architecture works well, but requires manually configuring static IP addresses on each sensor and the PC.
  • Page 58 Internal firewall Some corporate networks have internally secure domains that are protected from the rest of the corporate network by a firewall. For example, it is possible to have sensors in a secure area and yet need to operate the sensor network from a local office which is on the other side of the firewall.
  • Page 59 Public remote sensors To make an RF Sensor publicly accessible from the internet, set the router to forward incoming TCP traffic on port 8080 to the sensor’s private IP address. This is done under the “Port Forwarding” configuration section for the router. Note that a port can be forwarded to only one private IP address.
  • Page 60 Public remote SMS To be able to access the SMS from a client application such as the SMT, the N6820E Signal Survey System, or a custom application using SAL, the SMS must be accessible from the internet. To do this, connect the PC running SMS through a router to an ISP, and forward the incoming TCP port 8080 to the PC.
  • Page 61 Adding remote sensors to the SMS To add the remote RF sensors to the SMS, the IP address or a hostname for the sensor must be known. The ISP will usually not assign a static IP address, but rather use DHCP to assign the IP address dynamically. Use a Dynamic DNS (DDNS) service to resolve the sensor’s hostname into its dynamic IP address.
  • Page 62 Configuring the VPN routers It is necessary to have DDNS (or a static IP address) to access the VPN routers for remote configuration of the route tables and the VPN, and to establish the VPN tunnels. The VPN tunnels can be established from either end, but a convenient architecture is to establish the tunnels from the router with the SMS to each of the other routers.
  • Page 63 Figure 10 The ISP-provided routers probably support DDNS but may not support VPN, so we may need to buy routers that do. Next, open three accounts with a DDNS provider for the hostnames “Central- router”, “West-router” and “East-router” and configure the routers for DDNS so it is possible to configure and manage them by name from anywhere on the internet.
  • Page 64 Routing Tables Router Destination Next hop 172.16.31.x 10.0.1.31 Central 172.16.32.x 10.0.1.32 West 172.16.x.x 10.0.1.30 East 172.16.x.x 10.0.1.30 Alternate topology for larger regional networks This example has shown how to add remote sensors and yet keep them all in the same domain so they act as though they are on a private network. Consider an alternate topology with a domain for each region, like west.example.com and east.example.com.
  • Page 65 This information is subject to change without notice. @ Keysight Technologies 2014 Edition 1.2 April 2018 N6851-90001 www.keysight.com...

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