3156B User Manual
Using the Instrument 3-16
Racal Instrument © 2005
ri3156Bset_enable (1)
Output is enabled on both channels.
ri3156B_close
(Optional) Closes the session and
releases the handle to the system
Using the above example, you can use the apply function calls to generate
almost any waveform that is possible to generate with the 3156B, including
modulation, digital patterns and video strokes. Complete listing of the apply
function calls is given in Table 5-3.
Selecting the
Active
Channel
On power up, the instrument defaults to channel 1. That means that each
command sent to the generator affects channel 1 parameters and operation
only. If you want to send commands to the second channel, you must send a
command that will shot down commands stream to channel 1 and open the
gateway to channel 2. After you select another active channel, all
subsequent commands will affect the selected channel only. Use the
following function call to select the channel you want to program:
ri3156B_set_active_channel ()
Subsequent programming routines will affect the active channel only
however, function calls that their channel dependency is marked Common,
will affect both channels simultaneously.
You can query the active channel using the following function call:
ri3156B_query_active_channel ()
The WaveCAD Main Panel, shown in Figure 3-2, demonstrates high-level
implementation of channel control.
Selecting an
Output Type
There are six main types of waveforms that the model 3156B can produce:
1. Standard, from a built-in library of waveforms
2. Arbitrary, from waveform coordinates that are downloaded to the
instrument from a host computer
3. Sequenced, made of pre-loaded waveform segments that can be
linked and looped as configured in a sequence table
4. Modulated, from a built-in library of modulation functions such as FM,
AM, FSK, Sweep and Frequency hops
5. Digital patterns which provide 12-bit differential outputs through
separate connectors, and
6. Video Stroke characters, from either a built in library of 10 standard
characters or from character coordinates that are downloaded to the
instrument from a host computer, similar to arbitrary waveform
coordinates.
