Manual - 8500A Series Peak Power Meter - Giga-tronics

Remote Operation
Update Trigger Reset Mode:
DBMA-012.73(CR)(LF-EOI)
DBMB+002.47(CR)(LF-EOI)
Update Data Continuously Mode:
DBMA+016.74
DBMA+018.23
DBMA+017.34
(and so on)
The actual measurement string (less terminating and delimiting characters for each data point) will
always be 11 characters long.
Linear Power Data Format
When the PPM is in the linear power mode (as indicated in the display), the first three characters of the
data string will be PWR. This indicates that the measurement is a linear value, with the units always in
WATTS. As with DBM, the next character indicates which detector (channel A or B) was taking the
measurement. This is always followed by a value in engineering notation. The value consists of four
digits and a decimal point. These are followed by an E, then a polarity sign and two more digits. The
digits following the E are always multiples of three. This makes it easier to determine if the data is being
given in terms of microwatts, milliwatts, nanowatts, etc.
Each measurement taken in the Update Data Trigger Reset mode will be terminated by a carriage return
followed by a line feed sent with EOI. Measurements taken in the Update Data Continuously mode will
be separated by commas. Examples are:
Update Data Trigger Reset mode:
PWRA31.61E-06(CR)(LF-EOI)
for 31.61 microwatts
PWRB634.7E-03(CR)(LF-EOI)
for 634.7 milliwatts
Update Data Continuously mode:
PWRA64.98E-06,
PWRA65.23E-06,
PWRA89.32E-06,
and so on
The actual measurement string (less terminating or delimiting characters for each data point) will always
be 13 characters long.
Manual No. 20790, Rev C, November 1998 3-13
Superceded by Revision D, March 2009