NI-RFSA 17.0 Known Issues

Overview

This document contains the NI-RFSA 17.0 known issues that were discovered before and since the release of NI-RFSA 17.0. 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.

Known Issues

596750Advance Trigger can be triggered on pulses less than 25 ns on the PXIe-5840.
589447An incomplete error description is returned if the value of the Spectrum OSP Sampling Ratio property or the NIRFSA_ATTR_SPECTRUM_OSP_SAMPLING_RATIO attribute is invalid for the PXIe-5840.
571602An error is not returned if the timeout value for the Read Spectrum VI and Read IQ VI or Fetch IQ VI is below 0.5 ms on the PXIe-5840.
579710The PXIe-5840 remains powered off after the system returns from sleep mode.
604856Error message text contains multiple unrelated warnings and errors.
606957The session may not use the latest self-calibration data if multiple sessions are open on the PXIe-5840.
601860An error may occur when changing the device name of the PXIe-5840 in MAX.
600208Running the niRFSG Self Cal VI or function while calling the niRFSA Read Spectrum VI or function may result in an error on the PXIe-5840.
480524Upgrading Windows 8.0 to Windows 8.1.
499650Documentation omits DC coupling value for PXIe-5668R channel coupling.
583240Calling the niRFSA_ReadPowerSpectrumF32 function returns a function not supported error.
564383Missing documentation in NI-RFSA help on reference level and mechanical attenuation limits when using the PXIe-5668 with the PXIe-5698.
411948Error –373104 occurs when a hyphen character is used in a configuration list name.
455741Multi-Record Fetch in program using "localhost/DeviceName" and SFP Session Access Utility returns a connection error.
501287PXIe-5668 Calibration VIs are included in the PXIe-5665 Calibration Control palette.
383089NI-RFSA may cause deadlocks on Phar Lap ETS when a new NI-RFSA session is initialized in parallel while closing a previously opened NI-RFSA session.
376981MAX collapses the vector signal analyzer (VSA) device sub-tree after associating the downconverter with other modules.
474077MAX allows RIO and DAQmx-based devices to have the same aliases.
559585Trigger routes may not get reset on the PXIe-5668.
498763Configuring a small number of samples with a large number of records causes an overflow error.
499332Importing and exporting two signals on the same digital trigger line does not cause an error, depending on configuration order.
562221Small memory leak when using the PXIe-5668 with the PXIe-5698.
494142Configuration related warnings do not persist.
391305When the Number of Records is Finite property or the NIRFSA_ATTR_NUMBER_OF_RECORDS_IS_FINITE attribute is set to false and the Contiguous Multirecord property or the NIRFSA_ATTR_CONTIGUOUS_MULTIRECORD attribute is set to enabled, querying a property, an attribute or calling a commit take a long time.
499290The PXIe-5668 may require an NI-RFSA device reset if an application using the PXIe-5624R synchronization library terminates unexpectedly.
346251Unsupported property or attribute error for the Contiguous Multirecord property or the NIRFSA_ATTR_CONTIGUOUS_MULTIRECORD attribute in NI-RFSA Soft Front Panel or missing extended error information
344383Setting the Mixer Level Offset property or the NIRFSA_ATTR_MIXER_LEVEL_OFFSET attribute to >0 dBm and not setting the Mixer Level property or the NIRFSA_ATTR_MIXER_LEVEL attribute causes an error.
497298Two PXIe-5606 devices appear in MAX when only one is present.
469772Documentation incorrectly lists IF Filter Bandwidth as supported on PXIe-5601 and PXIe-5663 devices.
365669MAX does not refresh the Composite Device information after the configuration for the downconverter is changed.
499100The digitizer FPGA for the PXIe-5668 goes into an unrecoverable state if the clock sent to the digitizer (PXIe-5624R) is lost.
389317The niRFSA Self Calibrate Range VI execution time is greater than expected.
363009The PXIe-5644R or PXIe-5645R may occasionally appear outside the chassis in MAX when the device is installed for the first time.
400235The Test Panels for NI-RFSG devices fail to load from MAX under certain installation scenarios.
251423Using NI-RFSA with NI-TClk to synchronize the PXIe-5663E with the PXIe-5665 or the PXIe-5667 results in misaligned data.
370013NI I/O Trace log shows incorrect data for the waveform buffer when the niRFSA Read IQ (Complex WDT 1Rec 1Chan) VI is called from LabVIEW.
294969NI-TClk synchronization on a distributed chassis setup may show higher jitter than a single chassis setup.
258323Routing signals across segment boundaries on the PXIe-1075 chassis can intermittently fail
258630Using NI-RFSA with NI-TClk to synchronize multiple devices acquiring at different I/Q rates results in misaligned data.
224755Low-power signals may appear at fixed intervals in power spectrum data.
502878Incorrect trigger delay occurs after an IF overload when using niRFSA Reset VI with PXIe-5668 devices.
389207Committing a configuration list with the Number of Records Is Finite property or the NIRFSA_ATTR_NUMBER_OF_RECORDS_IS_FINITE attribute set to false and the Contiguous Multirecord property or the NIRFSA_ATTR_CONTIGUOUS_MULTIRECORD attribute set to enabled will freeze NI-RFSA.
456682Starting an acquisition without clearing the previous acquisition causes a data overflow error.
569554When using the PXIe-5668, dither signal may interfere with I/Q power edge triggering.
491993System returns error -1074118655 or the application hangs when calling the niRFSA Initialize VI or the niRFSA_init function.
456000Installer built with LabVIEW Application Builder and NI-RFSA 2.7.5 fails.
395826Scaling coefficients returned can differ by up to 1e-10.
412860When using synchronization examples on PXIe-5663/5663E devices, the examples display a PLL Lock error.
456047The niRFSA Abort VI and the niRFSA Close VI can return DSP overflow warnings if a record acquisition is in progress and RF list mode is aborted on VST devices.
467770When using a VST device, changing the Reference Clock source from PXI_CLK to OnBoardClk requires a ten second delay for stability.
457149PXIe-5668 Maximum Instantaneous Bandwidth exceeded error reports first limit violated.
375859Setting an IQ Power Edge Trigger with an invalid minimum quiet time on the PXI-5661 produces a persistent error.

IDKnown Issue
596750

Advance Trigger can be triggered on pulses less than 25 ns on the PXIe-5840.
When the PXIe-5840 is configured to use the Advance Trigger, small pulses less than the PXI specification can be accepted.

Workaround: Do not configure the Advance Trigger or ensure transient signals are not sent.

Reported Version: 16.0Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 10/06/2016
589447
An incomplete error description is returned if the value of the Spectrum OSP Sampling Ratio property or the NIRFSA_ATTR_SPECTRUM_OSP_SAMPLING_RATIO attribute is invalid for the PXIe-5840.
The error message displays the hex value instead of displaying the full property name. The error message is still valid.

Workaround: N/A

Reported Version: 16.0Resolved Version: 17.1Added: 10/06/2016
571602
An error is not returned if the timeout value for the Read Spectrum VI and Read IQ VI or Fetch IQ VI is below 0.5 ms on the PXIe-5840.
A timeout error is not returned if NI-RFSA is configured to wait for a trigger and the timeout value is less than 0.5 ms.

Workaround: Use a larger timeout value.

Reported Version: 16.0Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 10/06/2016
579710
The PXIe-5840 remains powered off after the system returns from sleep mode.
If a system containing a PXIe-5840 is put into sleep or hibernation mode, the PXIe-5840 remains powered off when the system is powered on.

Workaround: Disable then enable the PXIe-5840 in Windows Device Manager.

Reported Version: 16.0Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 10/06/2016
604856
Error message text contains multiple unrelated warnings and errors.
Multiple errors or warnings reported within the same error message may be unrelated to each other but are still relevant. It may be difficult to determine where one message ends and another starts.

Workaround: N/A

Reported Version: 16.0Resolved Version: 18.1Added: 10/06/2016
606957
The session may not use the latest self-calibration data if multiple sessions are open on the PXIe-5840.
When a device has an open NI-RFSG and NI-RFSA session, the other session does not have the latest data. For example, if a self-calibration is performed using NI-RFSG, the open NI-RFSA session does not have the updated data, unless a version of self-calibration is called or if the session is closed and then reopened.

Workaround: Close the session and reopen it, or call the Self Cal VI or Self Calibrate Range VI.

Reported Version: 16.0Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 10/06/2016
601860
An error may occur when changing the device name of the PXIe-5840 in MAX.
Changing the device name while LabVIEW is open may cause the following error to occur upon initialize:
Insufficient location information or the device or resource is not present in the system.

Workaround: Restart LabVIEW.

Reported Version: 16.0Resolved Version: 17.1Added: 10/06/2016
600208
Running the niRFSG Self Cal VI or function while calling the niRFSA Read Spectrum VI or function may result in an error on the PXIe-5840.
There are shared resources on the device that are required by NI-RFSA and NI-RFSG for certain operations. Self-calibration requires resources needed for both acquisition and generation, so open sessions may not get access to them.

Workaround: Do not run concurrent operations if performing self-calibration.

Reported Version: 16.0Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 10/06/2016
480524
Upgrading Windows 8.0 to Windows 8.1.
Upgrading the version of Windows on a system with this driver installed may result in the loss of device names, the loss of device configuration, and/or devices appearing disconnected. For more information about how to resolve this issue, visit ni.com/info and enter the Info Code 'excrxm'.

Workaround: N/A

Reported Version: 14.0Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 07/08/2014
499650

Documentation omits DC coupling value for PXIe-5668R channel coupling.
The PXIe-5668R (PXIe-5668) supports both AC coupling and DC coupling as valid values for channel coupling. The documentation incorrectly lists only DC coupling.

Workaround: N/A

Reported Version: 14.1Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 11/03/2014
583240
Calling the niRFSA_ReadPowerSpectrumF32 function returns a function not supported error.
Support for single precision spectrum has not been added. This function is supported on the PXIe-5840.

Workaround: Use the niRFSA_ReadPowerSpectrum function.

Reported Version: 15.6Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 05/06/2016
564383

Missing documentation on reference level and mechanical attenuation limits when using the PXIe-5668 with PXIe-5698.
The NI RF Vector Signal Analyzers Help should include the following information:

 

  • When using the PXIe-5668 with PXIe-5698, the Preamp Enabled property or the NIRFSA_ATTR_RF_PREAMP_ENABLED attribute, the reference level is limited to -35 dBm to limit the distortion in the system.
  •  
  • When using the PXIe-5668 with PXIe-5698, the Preamp Enabled property or the NIRFSA_ATTR_RF_PREAMP_ENABLED attribute, the mechanical attenuation is locked to 5 dB. This improves the match between the PXIe-5698 and the mixer. Unlike the internal preamplifier on the PXIe-5668 that follows after RF attenuation, when a lower DANL is achieved by setting RF attenuation to 0 dB, the PXIe-5698 is before the RF attenuation and reduces the system noise figure to about 4 dB which reduces DANL to around -170 dBm/Hz.
Workaround: N/A
Reported Version: 15.6Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 05/06/2016

 

411948

Error –373104 occurs when a hyphen character is used in a configuration list name.
When creating a configuration list in NI-RFSA or NI-RFSG on a VST target, using hyphens in the configuration list name results in error -373104: The specified configuration list name is invalid.

Workaround: Avoid using hyphens in configuration list names.

Reported Version: RFSA/G Support 1.1Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 02/25/2014
455741
Multi-Record Fetch in program using "localhost/DeviceName" and SFP Session Access Utility returns a connection error.
If you are using the SFP Session Access Utility and initializing a session with "localhost/DeviceName" in a program, if the program is performing a multi-record fetch, the first call to perform Multi-Record Fetch returns with the following error: Error -1074097835 occurred at niRFSA Fetch IQ (1D Complex WDT NRec 1Chan).vi. Possible reason(s): A connection error has occurred. Ensure that the device session is still open with session access enabled. On subsequent runs, the error does not occur.

Workaround: Re-run the program that uses "localhost/DeviceName"

Reported Version: 2.9Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 03/24/2014
501287

PXIe-5668 Calibration VIs are included in the PXIe-5665 Calibration Control palette.
In LabVIEW, the PXIe-5668 Calibration VIs do not have a separate palette and are included under the PXIe-5665 Calibration Control palette.

Workaround: N/A

Reported Version: 14.1Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 05/06/2016
383089
NI-RFSA may cause deadlocks on Phar Lap ETS when a new NI-RFSA session is initialized in parallel while closing a previously opened NI-RFSA session.
When the niRFSA Initialize VI and the niRFSA Close VI execute in parallel on a Phar Lap ETS system, the NI-RFSA instrument driver can cause the OS to deadlock. The system must be physically rebooted to be used again.

Workaround: Sequence the niRFSA Initialize VI and the niRFSA Close VI so that they are not executed in parallel. One way to do this is to wire the error out parameter from the niRFSA Close VI into the error in terminal of the niRFSA Initialize VI.

Reported Version: 2.6Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 12/13/2012
376981
MAX collapses the vector signal analyzer (VSA) device sub-tree after associating the downconverter with other modules.
MAX shows a sub-tree for each VSA device, which lists the downconverter along with the other modules that make up the VSA (digitizer, LO, RF conditioning, if applicable, and IF conditioning, if applicable). After associating the downconverter with the other devices to create a working VSA, MAX collapses the device sub-tree.

Workaround: Manually expand the device sub-tree to see the modules that make up the VSA.

Reported Version: 2.6Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 11/15/2012
474077

MAX allows RIO and DAQmx-based devices to have the same aliases.
In MAX, you can assign the same alias to a RIO-based device and a DAQmx-based device. For devices that are supported using NI-RFSA, the NI-RFSA instrument driver reports a problem but MAX does not.

Workaround: Give unique aliases (or leave as default) to all devices that work with NI-RFSA.
Reported Version: 14.1Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 05/06/2016
559585

Trigger routes may not get reset on the PXIe-5668R.
Calling the nirfsa_ExportSignal function or niRFSA Export Signal VI on trigger signals in order to change the terminal to PFI or PXI trigger lines may not take effect.

Workaround: Call the niRFSA Export Signal VI or the nirfsa_ExportSignal function on the route to be reset and set the output terminal parameter to Do not export signal or NIRFSA_VAL_DO_NOT_EXPORT_STR.

Reported Version: 15.0Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 05/06/2016
498763

Configuring a small number of samples value with a large number of records value causes an overflow error.
An error occurs when trying to configure NI-RFSA for a small number of samples value with a large number of records value. Higher I/Q rates accentuate the issue.

Workaround: Increase the numberOfSamples value, lower the I/Q rate, or decrease the numberOfRecords value.

Reported Version: 14.1Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 11/03/2014
499332

Importing and exporting two signals on the same digital trigger line does not cause an error, depending on configuration order.
The system sometimes does not display an error when a digital line is configured to export a signal and the same digital line is configured to import a signal on the same device. This action should always result in an error.

Workaround: Avoid importing/exporting signals on the same digital trigger line. Use logical routes using arbitrary/implicit digital lines so that routing is done automatically on separate digital lines.

Reported Version: 14.1Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 11/03/2014
562221

Small memory leak when using the PXIe-5668 with the PXIe-5698.
Calling the niRFSA_Init function followed by the niRFSA_close function leaks about 150 bytes per iteration.

Workaround: Close the process to recapture the memory.

Reported Version: 15.6Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 05/06/2016
494142

Configuration related warnings do not persist.
Using the Same configuration, NI-RFSA may not return a configuration warning after the first instance of calling the niRFSA_Commit or niRFSA_Initiate function on subsequent calls.

Workaround: Ensure all API calls are properly status chained in C and the error wire is properly propagated in LabVIEW.
Reported Version: 14.1Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 05/06/2016
391305
When the Number of Records is Finite property or the NIRFSA_ATTR_NUMBER_OF_RECORDS_IS_FINITE attribute is set to false and the Contiguous Multirecord property or the NIRFSA_ATTR_CONTIGUOUS_MULTIRECORD attribute is set to enabled, querying a property, an attribute, or calling a commit takes a long time.
When the Number of Records is Finite property or the NIRFSA_ATTR_NUMBER_OF_RECORDS_IS_FINITE attribute is set to FALSE and the Contiguous Multirecord property or the NIRFSA_ATTR_CONTIGUOUS_MULTIRECORD attribute is set to enabled then calling niRFSAGetAttribute methods, reading an NI-RFSA property in LabVIEW, calling the niRFSA Commit VI or the niRFSA_commit function takes a long time before returning an error. The same behavior above is observed when the Allow More Records Than Memory property or the NIRFSA_ATTR_ALLOW_MORE_RECORDS_THAN_MEMORY attribute is set to TRUE instead of setting the Number of Records is Finite property or the NIRFSA_ATTR_NUMBER_OF_RECORDS_IS_FINITE attribute to FALSE.

Workaround: N/A

Reported Version: 2.7Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 03/28/2013
499290

The PXIe-5668 may require an NI-RFSA device reset if an application using the PXIe-5624R synchronization library terminates unexpectedly.
If an application terminates while PXIe-5624R synchronization is in progress, any successive sessions opened to NI-RFSA may fail to properly measure its ADC pipeline delay. This could result in delayed measurement timeout when calling the niRFSA Commit VI or niRFSA_Commit function, as well as incorrect trigger alignment, both for internal and exported events.

Workaround: Call the niRFSA Reset Device VI or niRFSA_ResetDevice function if continuing to use the same FPGA extensions bitfile. If using the default bitfile, no action is needed.

Reported Version: 14.1Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 05/06/2016
346251
Unsupported property or attribute error for the Contiguous Multirecord property or the NIRFSA_ATTR_CONTIGUOUS_MULTIRECORD attribute in NI-RFSA Soft Front Panel or missing extended error information.
When using the PXI-5661 through the NI-RFSA Soft Panel, invalid configurations may produce an error message that reports the Contiguous Multirecord property or the NIRFSA_ATTR_CONTIGUOUS_MULTIRECORD attribute is not supported. After the error condition is reported, the NI-RFSA Soft Front Panel acquisition stops. At this point, reset the value change that caused the error to another invalid setting and back to the original to receive the correct error message. Correcting the invalid setting allows the acquisition to continue.

Workaround: When using the NI-RFSA Soft Front Panel, revert the changes that caused the error and re-apply those same changes to get the correct error message. For LabVIEW and C clients of NI-RFSA, place the niRFSA Commit VI or the niRFSA_Commit function after configuration changes that come before a fetch. This causes the correct error report to be produced. For C NI-RFSA clients, calls to niRFSA_GetError after a fetch call may still report an unsupported attribute error when the return code from fetch is VI_SUCCESS.

Reported Version: 2.5.5Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 11/15/2012
344383
Setting the Mixer Level Offset property or the NIRFSA_ATTR_MIXER_LEVEL_OFFSET attribute to >0 dBm and not setting the Mixer Level property or the NIRFSA_ATTR_MIXER_LEVEL attribute causes an error.
If your application sets the Mixer Level Offset property or the NIRFSA_ATTR_MIXER_LEVEL_OFFSET attribute to a value >0 dBm and does not set the Mixer Level property or the NIRFSA_ATTR_MIXER_LEVEL attribute, NI-RFSA reports an error.

Workaround: Set the Mixer Level property or the NIRFSA_ATTR_MIXER_LEVEL attribute to its default -20 dBm value.

Reported Version: 2.4Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 11/19/2012
497298

Two PXIe-5606 devices appear in MAX when only one is present.
Two PXIe-5606 devices appear in MAX. One of the devices contains only VISA information, and the other is a module in the PXIe-5668 composite device. Both devices display the following error message: "The device name is not unique within the system".

Workaround: Perform either of the following options as a workaround.
  • Refresh MAX until both devices merge into one.
  • Close and then reopen MAX.

Reported Version: 14.1Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 05/06/2016
469772

Documentation incorrectly lists IF Filter Bandwidth as supported on PXIe-5601 and PXIe-5663 devices.
IF Filter Bandwidth is not supported on PXIe-5601 or PXIe-5663 devices, but the documentation states that it is. Setting this attribute or querying it for PXIe-5601 or PXIe-5663 devices results in an attribute not supported error.

Workaround: N/A

Reported Version: 14.1Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 11/13/2014
365669

MAX does not refresh the Composite Device information after the configuration for the downconverter is changed.
After using the Configuration Panel to associate the downconverter with any other device, such as a digitizer or an LO, MAX should update the dowconverter or VSA device sub-tree. However, the device sub-tree doesn't update occasionally, even if the configuration was modified successfully.

Workaround: Refresh the device sub-tree manually or close MAX and open it again.

Reported Version: 14.1Resolved Version: 17.1Added: 11/03/2014
499100

The digitizer FPGA for the PXIe-5668 goes into an unrecoverable state if the clock sent to the digitizer (PXIe-5624R) is lost.
If the clock signal connected to CLK IN on the PXIe-5624R, as part of the PXIe-5668 system, is lost after the session is initialized, the system reports an error.

Workaround: Call the niRFSA Reset VI or niRFSA_reset function, the niRFSA Reset Device VI or niRFSA_ResetDevice function, or the niRFSA Close VI or niRFSA_close function. Then call the niRFSA Initialize VI or niRFSA_init function to re-open the session.

Reported Version: 14.1Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 11/03/2014
389317
The niRFSA Self Calibrate Range VI execution time is greater than expected.
In some instances, calling the niRFSA Self Calibrate Range VI or the niRFSA_SelfCalibrateRange function takes much longer than expected because of device settling, which can occur each time the device is reconfigured. When the VI or function executes, the RF IN and RF OUT connectors are configured twice. The connectors are configured once before and after execution where RF IN and RF OUT are reconfigured to their original states. Extended execution time is most noticeable when you repeatedly call the Self Calibrate Range VI or function for a single point, varying the frequency slightly for each call.

Workaround: Perform either of the following options as a workaround.
  • Call the niRFSA Self Calibrate Range VI or the niRFSA_SelfCalibrateRange function only once for the entire frequency range so that device settling is minimized.
  • Configure and commit the NI-RFSA session to the desired frequency prior to calling the niRFSA Self Calibrate Range VI or the niRFSA_SelfCalibrateRange function to minimize the call time.
Reported Version: 2.7Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 02/18/2013
363009
The PXIe-5644R or PXIe-5645R devices may occasionally appear outside the chassis in MAX when the device is installed for the first time.
The PXIe-5644R or PXIe-5645R devices may occasionally appear outside the chassis in MAX when the hardware/software is installed for the first time. The device should still function properly.

Workaround: Restart the machine to get the device to appear in MAX properly.

Reported Version: 2.7Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 08/28/2012
400235
The Test Panels for NI-RFSG devices fail to load from MAX under certain installation scenarios.
Installing the NI-RFSA 2.7 Runtime or later after installing NI-RFSA 2.6 or earlier causes the Test Panels for NI-RFSG devices to stop loading from MAX.

Workaround: Perform a full install of NI-RFSA 2.7 or later when upgrading from NI-RFSA 2.6 or earlier.

Reported Version: 2.7Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 03/28/2013
251423
Using NI-RFSA with NI-TClk to synchronize the PXIe-5663E with the PXIe-5665 or the PXIe-5667 results in misaligned data.
When using TClk synchronization with the PXIe-5663E and the PXIe-5665 or the PXIe-5667, the acquired data may be misaligned. The misalignment manifests itself as a skew where the data from one device appears to be leading/lagging the data from the other device. The time delay between the data acquired by the master and a slave is constant for the combination of the hardware settings configured on the two devices. This skew is repeatable and does not vary with time.

Workaround: Since the skew does not vary with time, empirically determine the expected misalignment and correct the acquired data manually.

Reported Version: 2.4Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 12/05/2012
370013
NI I/O Trace log shows incorrect data for the waveform buffer when the niRFSA Read IQ (Complex WDT 1Rec 1Chan) VI is called from LabVIEW.
When you call niRFSA Read IQ (Complex WDT 1Rec 1Chan) VI from LabVIEW, the waveform data displayed in NI I/O Trace is not correct.

Workaround: N/A

Reported Version: 2.6Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 11/15/2012
294969
NI-TClk synchronization on a distributed chassis setup may show higher jitter than a single chassis setup.
When using NI-TClk synchronization on two or more NI-RFSA devices that are in separate chassis, it is possible for the run to run synchronization jitter to be higher than a single chassis setup.

Workaround: N/A

Reported Version: 2.5Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 12/18/2012
258323
Routing signals across segment boundaries on the PXIe-1075 chassis can intermittently fail.
The PXIe-1075 chassis backplane has the following three trigger buses (segments) that you can use to route digital signals:
  • Trigger Bus 1: PXI Slots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6
  • Trigger Bus 2: PXI Slots 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12
  • Trigger Bus 3: PXI Slots 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18
Backplane signal route requests may sometimes fail if the source and destination devices lie in different segments of the chassis. In that scenario, error -26981 A protocol violation was detected, is returned. This error is intermittent, and its frequency depends on the embedded controller or MXI interface device used in the chassis.

Workaround: There are two possible workarounds for this issue: Change the location of the source and destination devices for the hardware route so both of them lie in the same trigger bus. Since this error is intermittent, retry the same route. In LabVIEW, you can retry by conditionally detecting error -26981, clearing the error, and attempting to reserve the same route again.

Reported Version: 2.4Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 01/17/2011
258630
Using NI-RFSA with NI-TClk to synchronize multiple devices acquiring at different I/Q rates results in misaligned data.
When using TClk synchronization where two or more RF VSAs acquire at different I/Q rates, it is possible for the acquired data to be misaligned. The misalignment manifests itself as a skew where the data from one device appears to be leading/lagging the data from the other device. The time delay between the data acquired by the master and a slave is constant for the combination of the hardware settings configured on the two devices. This skew is repeatable and does not vary with time.

Workaround: Since the skew does not vary with time, users can empirically determine the expected misalignment and correct the acquired data manually.

Reported Version: 2.3Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 01/17/2011
224755
Low-power signals may appear at fixed intervals in power spectrum data.
Low-power signals may appear at fixed intervals when performing a power spectrum acquisition. When performing an acquisition narrower than the hardware instantaneous bandwidth, the signals can appear in the lower frequency bins and upper frequency bins of the acquisition. When performing a multispan acquisition, the signals can appear at the boundary of each single span spectral acquisition that makes up the total acquisition. For more details about this issue, visit ni.com/info and enter the Info Code 'exyn96'.

Workaround: The low power signals represent the dither signal on the digitizer. Although the dither signal is at a frequency that is outside the bandwidth of the equalized response, the power of the dither signal can leak into the equalized response, depending on the resolution bandwidth and the FFT window type. You can remove the dither signal from the power spectrum data through one of the following methods:
  • Using a narrower resolution bandwidth.
  • Disabling the dither signal.
  • Choosing a different FFT window type. This solution may be less effective than the previous solutions, depending on the resolution bandwidth.

Reported Version: 2.3Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 01/17/2011
502878

Incorrect trigger delay occurs after an IF overload when using niRFSA Reset VI with PXIe-5668 devices.
Calling niRFSA Reset VI after a digitizer overload (input power protection error) can cause an incorrect trigger delay after the next initialization. Triggers can be as early as 500 to 600 nanoseconds, causing data to appear to be delayed by the same amount of time.

Workaround: After a digitizer overload, do one of the following three things: Avoid calling niRFSA Reset VI, reset the PXIe-5606 downconverter in MAX, or call niRFSA Reset Device VI.

Reported Version: 14.1Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 11/03/2014
389207
Committing a configuration list with the Number of Records Is Finite property or the NIRFSA_ATTR_NUMBER_OF_RECORDS_IS_FINITE attribute set to false and the Contiguous Multirecord property or the NIRFSA_ATTR_CONTIGUOUS_MULTIRECORD attribute set to enabled will freeze NI-RFSA.
Committing a configuration list with the Number of Records Is Finite property or the NIRFSA_ATTR_NUMBER_OF_RECORDS_IS_FINITE attribute set to FALSE and the Contiguous Multirecord property or the NIRFSA_ATTR_CONTIGUOUS_MULTIRECORD attribute set to enabled freezes NI-RFSA when calling niRFSAGetAttribute methods, reading an NI-RFSA property in LabVIEW, or calling the niRFSA Commit VI or the niRFSA_commit function. During the freeze, NI-RFSA is unresponsive and may return an internal error after an indeterminate amount of time.

Workaround: Set the Number of Records Is Finite property or the NIRFSA_ATTR_NUMBER_OF_RECORDS_IS_FINITE attribute to TRUE. The Contiguous Multirecord property or the NIRFSA_ATTR_CONTIGUOUS_MULTIRECORD attribute is not supported with the Number of Records Is Finite property or the NIRFSA_ATTR_NUMBER_OF_RECORDS_IS_FINITE attribute set to FALSE.

Reported Version: 2.6Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 03/28/2013
456682
Starting an acquisition without clearing the previous acquisition causes a data overflow error.
The niRFSA Close VI does not automatically clear data. Acquiring data, then starting a second acquisition without explicitly clearing the data from the first acquisition, causes a data overflow error at the beginning of the second acquisition.

Workaround: Add code to your test to clear any data left at the end of an acquisition.

Reported Version: 2.9Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 03/24/2014
569554

When using the PXIe-5668, dither signal may interfere with I/Q power edge triggering.
Dither signal may leak into I/Q data and cause the I/Q power edge to not trigger as expected.

Workaround: Reduce the I/Q rate and change the IF filter. Refer to the Dither Signal Conditions table in the PXIe-5668R Device Specifications for more information.

Reported Version: 15.0Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 05/06/2016
491993

System returns error -1074118655 or the application hangs when calling the niRFSA Initialize VI or the niRFSA_init function.
The system can return error -1074118655 or the application can hang (including NI-RFSA Soft Front Panel) when calling the niRFSA Initialize VI or the niRFSA_init function to initialize a session to the NI-RFSA device. This behavior occurs if you configure the system as follows:
  1. NI-RFSA 14.1 or NI-SCOPE 14.1 are installed.
  2. Only the digitizer (PXI-5142 or PXIe-5622) is configured with Debug Session enabled and the "Using breakpoints in C/C++/.NET application" option is selected.
Workaround: When using Debug Session for NI-RFSA device, NI recommends disabling Debug Session for the associated NI-SCOPE device. Complete the following steps to disable Debug Session:
  1. Launch the NI-SCOPE Soft Front Panel.
  2. Select Utility>>Configure Debugging.
  3. Select the associated NI-Scope Device from the list, and set Debug Session to disabled.
  4. Click OK to save changes.
Note: You can still debug an NI-RFSA device using breakpoints in C/C++/.NET without the associated NI-SCOPE device Debug Session enabled. Refer to the NI-RFSA documentation for more information about configuring debugging for an NI-RFSA device.

Reported Version: 14.1Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 11/03/2014
456000
Installer built with LabVIEW Application Builder and NI-RFSA 2.7.5 fails.
An installer build with LabVIEW Application Builder fails when NI-RFSA 2.7.5 Full is included. The system returns an error about "Missing NI-RFSA_SFP" dependency.

Workaround: Include the NI-RFSA Full and Runtime as well as an NI-RFSA example in the installer.

Reported Version: 2.7Resolved Version: 17.1Added: 03/24/2014
395826
Scaling coefficients returned can differ by up to 1e-10.
For a single record I/Q acquisition, scaling coefficients obtained from the niRFSA Get Scaling Coefficients VI or the niRFSA_GetScalingCoefficients function could be different from the scaling coefficients obtained from the niRFSA Fetch IQ (1D I16) VI or the niRFSA_FetchIQSingleRecordComplexI16 function. Similarly, for a multirecord I/Q acquisition, scaling coefficients obtained from the niRFSA Get Scaling Coefficients VI or the niRFSA_GetScalingCoefficients function could be different from the scaling coefficients obtained from the niRFSA Fetch IQ (2D I16) VI or the niRFSA_FetchIQMultiRecordComplexI16 function. The difference in the scaling coefficients can be up to 1e-10.

Workaround: There is no workaround for this issue. However, since the difference in coefficients is small, this difference does not affect amplitude accuracy for any NI-RFSA devices.

Reported Version: 2.4Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 03/13/2013
412860

When using synchronization examples on PXIe-5663/5663E devices, the examples display a PLL Lock error.
When configuring the master and slave PXIe-5663 devices for the first time, the synchronization examples do not export the clocks correctly, resulting in a PLL lock error.

Workaround: Run NI-RFSA Getting Started Spectrum or NI-RFSA Getting Started IQ example on the master device prior to using the synchronization examples. This workaround is required after a system restart or a reset device is called on the master PXIe-5663/5663E.

Reported Version: 14.1Resolved Version: 18.1Added: 11/13/2014
456047

The niRFSA Abort VI and the niRFSA Close VI can return DSP overflow warnings if a record acquisition is in progress and RF list mode is aborted on VST devices.

Workaround: There are two workarounds for this issue:
  • Do not call the niRFSA Abort VI while a record acquisition is in progress. This workaround does not help for an infinite records case.
  • Complete the following steps:
    1. Call the Records Done property before the the niRFSA Check Acquisition Status VI.
    2. Wire the reference out output of the niRFSA Property Node to the instrument handle input of the niRFSA Check Acquisition Status VI.
    3. If the done? output of the niRFSA Check Acquisition Status VI is TRUE, you can safely use the number of records that are returned upon fetching.

Reported Version: 2.9Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 03/06/2014
467770
When using a vector signal transceiver device, changing the Reference Clock source from PXI_CLK to OnBoardClk requires a ten second delay for stability.
When using a vector signal transceiver device (PXIe-5644R/5645R/5646R), changing the Reference Clock source from PXI_CLK to OnBoardClk requires the hardware to disable and then re-enable the onboard Reference Clock. Disabling and re-enabling the onboard Reference Clock is necessary to provide the PXIClk route enough isolation from the onboard clock. After being re-enabled, the clock requires ten seconds to reach stability.

Workaround: N/A

Reported Version: 2.7Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 05/12/2014
457149

The niRFSA Abort VI and the niRFSA Close VI can corrupt recorded acquisition data if a record acquisition is in progress and RF list mode is aborted on VST devices.

Workaround: There are two workarounds for this issue:
  • Do not call the niRFSA Abort VI while a record acquisition is in progress. This workaround does not help for an infinite records case.
  • Complete the following steps:
    1. Call the Records Done property before the the niRFSA Check Acquisition Status VI.
    2. Wire the reference out output of the niRFSA Property Node to the instrument handle input of the niRFSA Check Acquisition Status VI.
    3. If the done? output of the niRFSA Check Acquisition Status VI is TRUE, you can safely use the number of records that are returned upon fetching.

Reported Version: 2.9Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 03/06/2014
375859
Setting an IQ Power Edge Trigger with an invalid minimum quiet time on the PXI-5661 produces a persistent error.
Setting an invalid minimum quiet time on the PXI-5661 produces an error reporting that the quiet time is invalid. This error persists even after setting the minimum quiet time to a valid value.

Workaround: Use the niRFSA Reset VI or the niRFSA_reset function to restore all properties or attributes to their default values and re-apply the desired settings.

Reported Version: 2.3Resolved Version: N/AAdded: 11/15/2012

 

Contacting NI

Contact NI regarding this document or issues in the document. If you contact NI in regards to a specific issue, reference the ID number given in the document. The ID number contains the current issue ID number as well as the legacy ID number (use the current ID number when contacting NI). You can contact us through any of the normal support channels including phone, email, or the discussion forums. Visit the NI Website to contact us. Also contact us if you find a workaround for an issue that is not listed in the document.

 

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).