Hi fellow EEVbloggers,
I am a power supply designer and one of my tools of my profesion is the Frequency Response analyzer (FRA). For those who may not be familiar with what a FRA is, an FRA is used within the switched mode power supply community to measeare the open loop response of a power supply. However, measuring the open loop response is not its only use. The FRA can be used to measure complex impedance such a LCR meter and display it over frequency. There are at least 25 uses listed in the link belove.
We have many very smart people here in the EEVBlog who I am sure might be able to write some code to use the Agilent 2000/3000 scopes to emulate or have the same function as a FRA.
The Agilent 2000/3300 has an internal function generator (25 MHz) and has 2 or 4 matched input channels. It has all the required instruments already built in to do a manuel frequecy response measurement/Bode plot. Would there be anybody be up to the challenge of writing a code for the Agilent 2000/3000 that would basically sweep the function generator (sinewave) from lets say 1 HZ to 25MHz, and then have the oscilloscope measure the both amplitude and the phase difference between the two sinewaves. By sweeping the frequency and then measuring both the gain and phase angle and then plotting them on a graph or computer, you can generate the frequency response any any feedback system.
If there is anybody that can write the code and make a user friendly GUI, I would be willing to buy a linsense as long as its not too expensive.
The cost of the Venable FRA is about $30000, The Ridley FRA cost about $13000, and I think Omniron sell one for about $5000. As you can see these prices are out the range of the hobbyist. It would be nice to be able to have such a versitile instrument.
I have provided the links to the veneable FRA and to APinstument.
http://www.venable.biz/http://www.venable.biz/ap-25use.phphttp://www.apinstruments.com/files/Model300.pdfRobert