Cable and Antenna Analyzer

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GC724A

Cable and Antenna Analyzer

Application Software

User’s Manual

Application Software

GC724A

Antenna Cable Analyzer

User’s Manual

Rev 1.2

Introduction

The GC724A Application Software provides tools to use the instrument more conveniently and

manage the filed measurement result effectively. Following is the list of functions that users can

perform with the Application Software.

Under the Off line condition

Recalls and analyzes the stored data in the PC in the format of *.tra or *.dat using the

Marker tool

Converts a VSWR data into Smith Chart

Converts a Trace file(*.tra) into a data file(*.dat), a text file(*.csv) or a graphic file(*.bmp).

Or converts a data file(*.dat) into text file(*.csv) or a graphic file(*.bmp).

Edits a chart and generates a report for printing.

Under the On line condition

Performs all functions available in the Off line condition

Imports current screen of the instrument

Downloads the trace, data or setup files stored in the instrument to the PC

Edits, adds or deletes the Custom Band or Custom Cable List stored in the instrument.

Displays two traces on the same screen to compare the differences.

System Requirements

OS: Window XP

RAM: >512MByte

HDD: > 1GByte available space

Application Software

GC724A

Antenna Cable Analyzer

User’s Manual

Rev 1.2

Installation of the Application Software

Program Installation Procedure

Starts the installation by inserting the CD-ROM supplied with the instrument into a PC and

running Setup in the Application Program folder.

Select the language to display the installation progress.

Selects “Next(N)>” button to input the user information

Installation starts by selecting “Next(N)>” button after inputting user information.

After successful completion of the installation, Application Software icon is generated both on

the wallpaper and start menu. Start the Application Program by clicking the icon.

Application Software

GC724A

Antenna Cable Analyzer

User’s Manual

Rev 1.2

Starting the Application Software

Connection

1. Connect the instrument with the PC using the tRS-232C Serial Interface Cable (Straight Type)

provided with the instrument as a standard accessory.

2. When the program is run first time, all icons are displayed as inactive state. The message “Not

Connected” is displayed in the lower right corner of the display.

3. Select Setting- New Connection and assign the COM Port of the PC.

4. The message “CONNECTED” is displayed on the lower right corner of the display. The state

of Real VSWR Chart icons and Real DTF Chart icons are changed to active.

Application Software

GC724A

Antenna Cable Analyzer

User’s Manual

Rev 1.2

Layout of the Display Screen

Main Menu

Icon

Chart name

Date and Time

Regend

Limit Line

Statistics

Communication

Status

Progress Bar

Graph Title

Marker Value

Connection Status

Pressing ctrl-c key copies the graph to the clipboard. Users can paste the graph on the

clipboard to the desired location by clicking ctrl-v.

Main Menu: Function menu available in the Application Program.

Application Software

GC724A

Antenna Cable Analyzer

User’s Manual

Rev 1.2

Icon: User can instantly perform the frequently-used function among menu selections by

Open: Opens trace or data files.

Close Chart: Close the user selected chart among open charts

Save: Saves a current graph

Real VSWR Chart: Imports a VSWR measurement data from the instrument.

Real DTF Chart: Imports a DTF measurement data from the instrument.

Marker CH1, CH2: Activates the Marker. By selecting Marker CH, users can move a

marker with the mouse and fix its position by clicking the left button of the mouse.

Convert To Smith Chart: Converts the VSWR measurement results into a Smith Chart.

Chart Name:

New chart name is generated when a trace file or a data file is opened by Load or

Open command.

When a current display of the instrument is imported by Load command, the chart

name is automatically assigned either VSWR or DTF depending on the type of the

imported trace

When a data file or trace file stored in the PC is opened by Open command, the

stored file name is assigned as the chart name.

Date and Time: The date and time information of the measured data is displayed.

Statistics: Displays the Max, Min and Average value of the trace.

Title of the Graph: Displays the title of the current graph. Default is the measurement

mode and Y-axis unit. User can change the title by using the Edit Chart function

Marker value: Displays the x and y axis value of the Marker.

Communication Status: Displays the communication status when the PC is exchanging

the data with the instrument. LED lights when communication is in progress.

Progress Bar: Displays the progress of data transmission.

Connection Status: Displays the connection status with the instrument

Application Software

GC724A

Antenna Cable Analyzer

Menu Structure

File

Open

Save

Save As

Move Plot

Export

To Graphic File

To Text File

Exit

User’s Manual

Load

Current Plot To Screen

VSWR

DTF

Marker

Marker To Peak

Marker To Min

Edit Chart

Rev 1.2

Plot Title

Display Mode

VSWR

Return Loss

DTF

VSWR

Return Loss

Plot Scale Limit

Plot Scale Top

Plot Scale Bottom

Limit Line

Description of Menu

File

Open: Opens a trace or data file stored in the PC. Multiple files can be opened

simultaneously. A new window is generated after loading a trace or data and the trace

is displayed on the window. File names are automatically assigned to each chart

names.

Close: Closes the selected chart

Save: Saves the loaded trace or data file in the same format. Stores the changes

when a data format file was loaded and its graph has been modified by the user, but

Application Software

GC724A

Antenna Cable Analyzer

User’s Manual

Rev 1.2

no changes are stored in case of the trace format file. Use “Save As” menu to store

the changes in trace file as data format file.

Save As: Saves a changed file format or file name. The user edited information is

stored along with the data file.

Move Plot: Copies a trace, data or Setup file stored in the instrument to the user

designated folder of the PC. Files stored in the instrument remain undeleted.

Print: Prints the graph on the current window into a report format. The following

information can be included in the report

Reporting Time (Date & Time)

Site Information

Test Engineer

Test Purpose

(Measurement) Result

Remarks

Company (Name)

Export

To Graphic File: Prints the current chart into bmp file

To Text File: Prints the trace data of the current chart into *.csv format. Files

converted into *.csv format can be opened and edited using Microsoft Excel.

Exit:: Closes all the currently opened charts and finishes the program. Be sure to save

the changes before finishing the program as unsaved changes will be lost.

Application Software

GC724A

Antenna Cable Analyzer

User’s Manual

Rev 1.2

Load

Load is used to download a current measurement screen of the instrument to the

application software.

Current Plot To Screen-VSWR: Downloads the VSWR measurement screen to the

application software.

Current Plot To Screen-DTF: Downloads the DTF measurement screen to an

application software.

Application Software

GC724A

Antenna Cable Analyzer

User’s Manual

Rev 1.2

Measurement time is displayed on the upper left corner of the graph and marker’s

value is displayed on the upper right corner of the graph.

The maximum, minimum and average value of the trace is displayed on the lower

left corner of the graph.

Edit Chart

Plot Title: Changes the title of the graph. Main title and sub title can be used

Display Mode

VSWR-VSWR: Y axis of the VSWR measurement graph is displayed in VSWR

units.

VSWR-Return Loss: Y axis of the VSWR measurement graph is displayed in

Return Loss units..

DTF-VSWR: Y axis of the DTF measurement graph is displayed in VSWR units.

DTF-Return Loss: Y axis of the DTF measurement graph is displayed in Return

Loss units.

Application Software

GC724A

Antenna Cable Analyzer

User’s Manual

Rev 1.2

Plot Scale Limit

Plot Scale Top: Sets the maximum value of the Y axis of a graph

Plot Scale Bottom: Sets the minimum value of the Y axis of a graph

Limit Line: Sets the value of a Limit Line to be displayed on the graph..

Application Software

GC724A

Antenna Cable Analyzer

User’s Manual

Rev 1.2

Marker

A marker moves on the trace along the movement of the mouse and the position is fixed

when the left button of the mouse is clicked. A fixed marker can be moved again by selecting

the Marker CH.

Marker: Selects Marker CH1 or CH2.

Marker To Peak: Locates a selected marker to a peak point of the trace.

Marker To Min: Locates a selected marker to the minimum point of the trace.

Tool

Convert To Smith Chart: Converts a VSWR measurement result into Smith Chart for

the analysis of antenna mismatch.

Application Software

GC724A

Antenna Cable Analyzer

User’s Manual

Rev 1.2

Cable Editor: Updates the Cable List (user-defined cables) stored in the instrument. The

following functions can be performed by using the Cable Editor

Opens the Custom Cable List stored in the instrument to add a new cable or delete a

cable.

Copies the Custom Cable List stored in the instrument to the user’s PC.

Opens the Custom Cable List stored in the user’s PC to add a new cable or delete a

cable.

Uploads the Custom Cable list in the user’s PC to the instrument.

iii

vii

viii

ii.

iii.

iv.

vi.

Custom Cable List stored in the instrument

Deletes a selected cable in the cable list box.

Sets a name and attributes of the user defined cable.

Add a user defined cable to the cable list box.

Opens the custom cable list stored in the user’s PC.

Opens the custom cable list stored in the instrument.

vii. Saves the current cable list to the user’s PC.

viii. Uploads the current cable list to the instrument.

Application Software

GC724A

Antenna Cable Analyzer

User’s Manual

Rev 1.2

Signal Standard Editor: Updates the Custom Band (user defined frequency band) List

stored in the instrument. The following functions can be performed by using the Signal

Standard Editor.

Opens the Custom Band List stored in the instrument to add a new band or delete a

band.

Copies the Custom Band List stored in the instrument to the user’s PC.

Opens the Custom Band List stored in the user’s PC to add a new band or delete a

band.

Uploads the Custom Band List in the user’s PC to the instrument.

ii.

Custom Band List stored in the instrument

Deletes a selected frequency band in the frequency band list box.

iii. Sets a name and attributes of the user defined frequency band.

iv. Add a user defined frequency band to the frequency band list box.

Opens the custom frequency band list stored in the user’s PC.

vi. Opens the custom frequency band list stored in the instrument.

vii. Saves the current frequency band list to the user’s PC.

viii. Uploads the current frequency band list to the instrument.

Application Software

GC724A

Antenna Cable Analyzer

User’s Manual

Rev 1.2

Overlay

Overlay saved Plot To Screen: Loads a trace file ( *.tra, *.dat) stored in the user’s

PC to display it on the same screen together with the current trace.

Undo Plot Overlay: Deletes an overlaid trace from the screen.

Saving the graph with overlaid trace in data file (*.tra or *.dat) results only to save

the current trace. Use the function of Export To Graph File to save the screen with

overlaid screen in bmp file.

Setting

New Connection: Assigns a connection port and links to the instrument.

Disconnect: Disconnects the link with the instrument.

Application Software

GC724A

Antenna Cable Analyzer

User’s Manual

Rev 1.2

Copying Graphs by Using Clipboard

Graphs can be copied to the clipboard for pasting them into another program. While the

application program is running, click the mouse on the chart and press Ctrl-c key to copy

the graph to the clipboard.

Copy to clipboard

“Ctrl-c”

Graphs copied to the clipboard can be pasted into MS Office programs. Click the mouse

on the place to paste the graph, and then press Ctrl-v.

Paste

“Ctrl-v”