Archived: NI-RFSA Soft Front Panel 2.6 Known Issues

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Overview



This document contains the NI-RFSA Soft Front Panel (SFP) 2.6 known issues that were discovered before and since the release of the NI-RFSA SFP 2.6. Not every issue known to NI appears on this list; it is intended to show the most severe and common issues that can be encountered.

Each issue appears as a row in the table and includes the following fields:
  • Issue ID - The number in at the top of each of the cells in the first column. When you report an issue to NI, you may be given this ID, you can also find IDs posted by NI on the discussion forums or in Knowledge Base articles. "N/A" indicates that there is no ID assigned to the issue.
  • Issue Title (in italics) - Describes the issue in one sentence or less.
  • Problem Description - A few sentences which describe the problem in further detail. The brief description given does not necessarily describe the problem in full detail, and it is expected that you may want more information on an issue. If you would like more information on an issue, contact NI and reference the ID number given in the document.
  • Workaround - Possible ways to work around the problem. The workarounds that appear in the document are not always tested by NI and are not guaranteed to resolve the issue. If a workaround refers you to the NI KnowledgeBase, visit www.ni.com/kb/ and enter the KnowledgeBase number in the search field to locate the specific document.
  • Reported Version - The earliest version of the NI-RFSA SFP in which the issue was reported. If you discover the issue appears in an earlier version of the NI-RFSA SFP than is reported in this field, report the discrepancy to NI to have the field updated.
  • Resolved Version - Version in which the issue was resolved or was no longer applicable. "N/A" indicates that the issue has not been resolved.
  • Date Added - The date the issue was added to the document (not the reported date).

Known Issues by Severity

IDKnown Issue
369876

Recalling the SFP configuration in an error state does not update the values in the display area.

If you save an NI-RFSA SFP configuration while the NI-RFSA SFP is in an error state, when you recall the configuration, the NI-RFSA SFP does not update the display area with the values from the file.


Workaround: Change the value causing the error after you recall the configuration.

Reported Version: 2.6  Resolved Version: 2.9  Added: 11/16/2012
379030
The offset value displayed by the Select Offset button is incorrect in certain cases. 

For adjacent channel power measurements and spectral emission mask measurements, if you specify an offset value between 13 and 15 using the Select Offset button, the button displays an offset value that is incremented by one. The NI-RFSA SFP uses the offset value that you specify in the Select Offset button to configure the offset, but displays an incorrect value. For example, if you specify 13, the Select Offset button displays a value of 14, but the Soft Front Panel displays the configuration for the offset of 13.


Workaround: Use the value that you specify in the Select Offset button for editing and viewing the configurations. Ignore the value displayed in the Select Offset button.

Reported Version: 2.5.5  Resolved Version: 2.9  Added: 11/16/2012
379671
The External Digital trigger behaves incorrectly, and cannot be disabled after switching measurements. 

Triggering does not work correctly when you switch from spectrum measurements (all measurements off, channel power, occupied bandwidth, adjacent channel power, TOI, or spectral emission mask) to zero span, transmit power, or CCDF measurements, while the External Digital trigger is enabled. Also, you cannot disable the External Digital trigger using the Free Run button if you enable the External Digital trigger while specifying a spectrum measurement, and then switch to zero span, transmit power, or CCDF measurements.


Workaround: Disable the External Digital trigger in spectrum measurements before switching to zero span, transmit power, or CCDF measurements. If you specify zero span, transmit power, or CCDF measurements after you have enabled the External Digital trigger, switch back to any spectrum measurement or click the All Meas Off button. Disable the External Digital trigger, switch back to zero span, transmit power, or CCDF again, and reconfigure the External Digital trigger.

Reported Version: 2.6  Resolved Version: 2.9  Added: 11/26/2012
346518

A delay occurs if you use the mouse to move a marker when there are many points on the graph.

In Spectrum mode, with a large span to RBW ratio or in Zero Span mode with a large RBW or acquisition time, when you enable a marker and move it using the mouse, events queue up and there is a delay until all the events are processed. You may also experience a delay when clicking the arrow keys.

Workaround: Change the marker position by entering a new marker value using the keypad instead of the mouse or arrow keys.

Reported Version: 2.5.5  Resolved Version: N/A  Added: 11/16/2012
387636

Reference level cannot be set below 0 dBm when the IQ Power Edge Trigger is enabled.

When enabling the IQ Power Edge Trigger, or enabling transmit power measurements (which turns on the IQ Power Edge Trigger by default), the reference level cannot be set below 0 dBm. If a value less than 0 dBm is specified, an error will be returned that the configured trigger level value is too high even though the trigger level value is less than the configured reference level.

Workaround: Disable the IQ Power Edge Trigger or increase the reference level.

Reported Version: 2.6  Resolved Version: 2.6.1  Added: 2/27/2013
368610

Warning continues to display after you decrease the power level at the input.

When the reference level of the NI-RFSA SFP is set below the power level of the signal being generated, a warning displays. If you decrease the power level at the input, the warning continues to display until you change the reference level.

Workaround: Click the Clear button.

Reported Version: 2.6  Resolved Version: N/A  Added: 11/16/2012
375392

The NI-RFSA SFP acquisition waits on the trigger even after the IF Filter is coerced to free run.

When performing an I/Q triggered acquisition, if you change the IF Filter from Automatic or Through to one of the manually set bandwidths, the trigger value is coerced to Free Run. The device continues to wait until the I/Q power edge trigger is received.

Workaround: After changing the IF Filter, manually set the trigger value to Free Run or change any other parameter, such as frequency or reference level.

Reported Version: 2.6  Resolved Version: 2.9  Added: 11/16/2012
339218

Acquisition does not begin immediately after you clear a PLL lock error.

When the NI-RFSA SFP is set to use an external Reference clock which is not connected, a PLL lock error occurs. After you connect the clock and the device locks to the clock, the error clears, but no data displays until you change a setting in the soft front panel.

Workaround: Change a setting in the soft front panel or click the Restart button, after the PLL lock error clears.

Reported Version: 2.6  Resolved Version: N/A  Added: 11/16/2012

Document last updated on 03/07/2014

Glossary of Terms

 

  • Bug ID - When an issue is reported to NI, you may be given this ID or find it on ni.com.  You may also find IDs posted by NI on the discussion forums or in KnowledgeBase articles.
  • Legacy ID – An older issue ID that refers to the same issue.  You may instead find this issue ID in older known issues documents.
  • Description - A few sentences which describe the problem. The brief description given does not necessarily describe the problem in full detail.
  • Workaround - Possible ways to work around the problem.
  • Reported Version - The earliest version in which the issue was reported.
  • Resolved Version - Version in which the issue was resolved or was no longer applicable. "N/A" indicates that the issue has not been resolved.
  • Date Added - The date the issue was added to the document (not the reported date).