Differences In General Operation - Agilent Technologies 86122A User Manual

Using the 86122A
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Differences in General Operation

• Update mode and number of points: The 86120C had two update modes (normal
and fast) with two different resolutions (15,047 and 7,525 data points). The
86122A has one update mode (2 sweeps/second) and increased resolution
(30,093 data points).
For the 86120C, the command CALC1:TRAN:FREQ:POIN selected the normal
(MAX) or fast (MIN) update mode. For the 86122A, this command remains for
backward compatibility. Without changing the resolution of the 86122A, this
command configures the queries SENSE:DATA? and CALC1:DATA? to return
the number of data points used by the 86120C. To return all the data available
with the 86122A, use the new parameter EXT1 (CALC1:TRAN:FREQ:POIN EXT1).
• Elevation: There is no need to enter an elevation for the 86122A because it has
an internal weather station. The command SENS:CORR:ELEV remains for back-
ward compatibility, but has no affect on the 86122A.
• Data logging: This new feature of the 86122A allows you to record measurement
data over time for later analysis.
• Drift Application: This application has been enhanced for the 86122A.
• Dropped/added channels: If the number of channels changed during a drift
measurement, the 86120C would stop the measurement and generate an error.
The 86122A indicates if channels have been dropped or added, and continues
the drift measurement. The query CALC3:DATA? DROP returns the peaks that
have dropped or reappeared during a drift measurement.
• Wavelength masks: The 86122A creates wavelength masks for each laser line,
which limit how fast channels can drift without being measured as dropped.
With each measurement sweep, these masks re-center around laser lines that
have drifted less than 0.002 THz.
• Peak threshold: The 86120C peak threshold could only be set to a relative value.
The 86122A peak threshold can be set to a relative or absolute value. The com-
mand CALC2:PTHR:MOD allows you to select between an absolute or relative
peak threshold, and CALC2:PTHR:ABS allows you to set the absolute value.
Differences Between the 86122A and the 86120C
Agilent 86122A Multi-Wavelength Meter, Second Edition