[time-nuts] GPIB, Proloigix, cables

[Magnus Danielson]

On 01/27/2013 05:15 PM, Jim Lux wrote:
> I spent a couple frustrating hours debugging a test setup with
> programmable power supplies and counters (to make automated measurements
> of freq/Vtune on some VCOs, as well as "Vsupply pushing")
>
> I'm using something hacked from the sample Python code and the Prologix
> Ethernet device (which has been wonderful for the past few years), but
> this time it was a positive ordeal. I would get timeouts and error
> messages back from the devices.
>
> Turns out that I had one bad cable and one with a little piece of paper
> that had gotten into the connector when mating it.
>
> So.... is there some sort of systematic test scheme using the Prologix
> that can be used to check out a setup? Or using John Miles's Prologix
> Configurator to exercise it.

Don't feel stupid Jim.

When I went into my lab the other day, I finally realized that my 
Thunderbolt just didn't give any signal, I found that the PSU feeding 
the GPS splitters didn't have signal and things just looked funny. It 
took some time to figure out, but when finally getting behind the rack I 
realized that it was strange everything was failing... until I realized 
that my UPS was in error condition, so clearing the error and enabling 
it... and all of a sudden everything came awake.

Good thing is that nothing is broken, I am doing stuff in the lab again 
and things gets sorted out.

LPRO and Cesium testing progressing nicely.

Cheers,
Magnus