HP8566 data?

[gdgross]

Shot in the dark here. 

Does anyone know of a way to get actual trace data (ie, a csv file or similar) out of an old HP8566 spectrum analyzer?  I am able to get *plots* via a national instruments GPIB->USB converter and the HP7470A plotter emulator app, but there are only graphical plots.  I'd like to get actual xy data that I can import into excel or matlab and plot on my own.

Any ideas?

Thanks!
Geoff

[RFMWdude]

Look for the 'SATRACE' utility in the KE5FX GPIB Toolkit (http://www.ke5fx.com/gpib/readme.htm)

[0culus]

I recommend reading and understanding the 8566B programming manual. I don't quite remember all the specific commands, but there are a lot of BASIC capabilities provided for operating on traces (including getting the contents of a trace memory offboard onto a computer for further analysis). Note that the trace memories are fully digitized post IF...except for the fastest few sweep settings (where it switches to a direct analog sweep), the crt displays the data vector from trace memory.