Description
Model 50BA-023-31 is a 50 Ohm benchtop attenuator assembly containing two solid-state step attenuators. The attenuators have attenuation range of 0 to 31dB by 1dB steps and operate at 100 MHz to 40 GHz. The attenuators can be controlled manually or remotely. The attenuation setting for each attenuator is displayed on the front panel. The displayed attenuation values are updated immediately for each manual set or remote set. If you run a remote test script you will be able to watch the changing dB values in real time as the script executes. The attenuator assembly is available with 2.92 mm 50 Ohm coaxial RF connectors. The RF connectors are located on the front panel. We label the RF connectors as Input and Output, but the attenuators are bi-directional.
Manual Attenuator Control
On the front panel there are two manual lever switches. Each lever switch controls an attenuator. The lever can be used to adjust the attenuation up/down. The lever is a momentary type switch so you can “tap to step” or “hold to jog”. The current dB setting for each attenuator is displayed on the front panel directly above its corresponding lever switch. If there is a remotely connected user that is changing attenuation values, you will see all of those changes displayed on the front panel as they happen.
Remote Attenuator Control
This attenuator assembly can be remotely controlled via an Ethernet connection or a serial connection (i.e. RS-232). The network interface can be set in either DHCP mode or Fixed Address mode. We ship all new test systems from the factory in DHCP mode. A RS-232 connection to the test system is made using a null modem type serial cable. Baud rates up to 155200 Baud are available.
Remote Command Set
The firmware manual for our latest generation firmware is available for download. This manual lists all of our remote commands with command syntax and examples. Our firmware uses simple ASCII formatted remote commands. If you are connected to a JFW test system and send the HELP command, it will respond back with a list of all remote commands for that specific test system.
