[time-nuts] OT: Anyone programmed HP 59306A relay actuator (orother old device)?

[Dr. David Kirkby]

Didier Juges wrote:
> David,
>
> Yes, I have programmed both types of relay boxes (59306A and 59307A). I have
> a couple of each here. As far as I recall (using a serial BlackBox GPIB
> controller) there was nothing to it. These boxes don't even have a uC, they
> just use TTL logic. How hard can it be :-) ?
>   

Perhaps the fact they don't have a micro makes them quite different to 
program from more modern test equipment which I am used to  (and by 
modern I include things 20+ years old.) 

I'm not sure how to generate some of the TTL levels needed from a 
National Instruments GPIB board. I guess that things like:

EOP=high, REN=high, MRE=low,

can be set. No idea how though


> I really do not recall any problem. The BlackBox controller does not use
> ibxxx() commands, it has a few high level commands and I have found it to be
> remarkably reliable. It works very well with all kind of older equipment (I
> don't have much new stuff to check it with).
>   


> The code is in VB and very structured (i.e. hard to make sense of a
> snippet), so I just summarize the commands I used:
>
> 1) to turn all channels off, send "B123456"
> 2) to turn channel 1 on: send "A1"
>   
I worked that out from the manual, but I think it needs some setting up, 
like put in remote mode. But I can't work it out. Certainly something like

dd=ibdev(0, gpib_address, 0, T3s, 1, 0);

ibwrt(dd,"A3",2);

does not join contacts A and C to relay 3.

> Any question?
>   
Well if anyone knows how to program it from a National Instruments 
controller it would be useful.
> Didier
>
>   
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: time-nuts-bounces at febo.com 
>> [mailto:time-nuts-bounces at febo.com] On Behalf Of Dr. David Kirkby
>> Sent: Saturday, May 24, 2008 7:39 AM
>> To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement
>> Subject: [time-nuts] OT: Anyone programmed HP 59306A relay 
>> actuator (orother old device)?
>>
>> I know this is a bit off-topic here, but has anyone here ever 
>> programmed an HP 59306A relay actuator
>>
>> http://www.home.agilent.com/agilent/product.jspx?cc=US&lc=eng&
>> nid=-536900193.536882169
>>
>> which consists of 6 SPDT relays programmable via GPIB?
>>
>> Over the years I have programmed a number of sophisticated 
>> instruments including spectrum analysers, lock-in amplifiers, 
>> the 5370B time-interval counter, 8970A noise figure meters,  
>> bench multimeter etc. 
>> On the face of it, I would think a box with only 6 relays to 
>> be much simpler than any of these, but I am having a hard 
>> time with it. It may be it's age - the commands needed might 
>> be a bit different from anything I know.
>>
>> I'm trying to control it with a National Instruments GPIB 
>> board in a Sun workstation. (It's on a PCI bus and is the 
>> same card one would use in a PC. ).
>>
>> Page 3-4 of the  HP 59306A's manual (page 25 in the PDF) )
>>  
>> http://www.home.agilent.com/agilent/redirector.jspx?action=ref
>> &cname=AGILENT_EDITORIAL&cc=US&lc=eng&ckey=824199&nid=-5369001
>> 93.536882169.07&pid=1000001496%3Aepsg%3Apro
>>
>> has an example program, but it's unlike any example I have ever seen. 
>> There's no ibdev, ibwrt or similar - its basically a list of 
>> the state (high or low) of the control lines and digital IO lines.
>>
>> Sequence #1 says
>> EOP=high, REN=high, MRE=low, digital IO lines ascii '?'
>>
>> I assume this is basically
>>        dd=ibdev(0, gpib_address, 0, T3s, 1, 0);
>>        ibclr(dd);
>>
>> but I've no idea if this is so, since I'm not sure what lines 
>> ibclr() sets high/low. I guess I will have to set up some 
>> LEDs on the bus to see what is happening.
>>
>> I'm pretty sure the  sequences 4 to 9 can be set with
>>
>> ibwrt(dd,"A",1);
>> ibwrt(dd,"3",1);
>> ibwrt(dd,"5",1);
>> ibwrt(dd,"B",1);
>> ibwrt(dd,"3",1);
>> ibwrt(dd,"A",1);
>>
>> although it might be possible to use
>>
>> ibwrt(dd,"A35B35",6);
>>
>> (It's not clear to me if this can accept multiple commands at once).
>>
>> Anyone got any ideas of what NI commands can be used to 
>> executes sequences 1,2,3 and 10 in table 3-3?
>>
>> David Kirkby
>>
>>
>>
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