As with many measurement instrument of this kind is it of interest to be possible to read streaming data in a way that it can cooperate with other instruments and software or else does it limit functionality.
For that reason does such instruments support GPIB/SCPI/VISA as a kind of industry standard.
20 years old multimeters, SA, VNA, PSU and other tools provide such support from brands such as HP, Anritsu, TI, Keitly and R&S to name a few so it is nothing new.
I intended yesterday to add Siglent SVA1032X to a such environment. Typical scenario is streaming VNA data to a computer while measured antenna is rotated on a turntable or measure antenna in a reverberation chamber.
In computer can collected data typically be used to calculate resulting 2D or 3D radiation pattern or average efficiency, based on collected 100-10000 frequency sweeps. Basic VNA things. Basically same type of function as when periodically saving multi-meter readings over time while discharging a battery. Measurement data becomes much more interesting when a lot of data over time is presented as (dis)charge curves and graphs for a battery and same for VNA and antenna measurements and more information about antenna can be documented.
From programming view is this usually easy done, did check Siglent SVA1000x programming manual which showed that VISA and SCPI was supported so most job was practically done as SCPI is high level instructions, a few software strings and data can be read.
VISA provides a standard programming instrument interface, no need for me to keep track of low level instrument details.
Remained to put together existing software pieces to a executable software and job was assumed to be done.
First disappointment, it was no VNA function mentioned in Siglent programming manual. How is that possible? Confusion!!
Guess many believes that as instrument state it is SCPI compatible must it at least include being able to read data from basic instrument functions.
VNA function does clearly not exist in programming manual. Was it a mistake of had I downloaded wrong manual?
Last pages in programming manual showed three programming examples. It is common in these kinds of manuals with a few basic example for simple streaming/saving of measured data. But Siglent examples did not do anything at all, besides saying hello to its own instrument, no instrument settings or readings at all in these samples.
Crazy stuff, this can not be for real? To check further if I had downloaded wrong file did I download additional two programming manuals from different Siglent sources but there was still nothing about any VNA functions.
Downloaded Labview drivers for that instrument from Siglent.eu website as a additional try, hoped VNA functions maybe existed inside these drivers even if it not was described in programming manual, but no.
Did then notice that Siglent did update its labview driver last time in March 2018 !! Guess SVA1032 not even was invented then.
Now was I a bit pissed. Have I spent several hours on a fraud?
Can not expect to make anything useful with these drivers. Only function they have is that such drivers makes presumptive VNA buyers believe full SCPI instrument support exist.
What I at least had expected is to be able to select S11 or S21 streaming data and getting or setting its data format, complex Re-Im or vector&angle which are the most common formats, binary or ascii. In reality is not any function implemented to be able to transfer such data, probably not even in firmware for this instrument.
It is very disappointing that Siglent software is missing any VNA functionality and no try since several years have been done to update its advertised communication software.
This kind of implementation of data streaming is a standard procedure in both RF-lab and many production environment. I have done such implemetions it for many brands of VNA, mostly more costly instruments but also instruments such as Coppermine Tech. R60, a single port VNA in similar cost and tech. spec range as SVA1032X, SVA1075X, with SCPI fully supported without any by me known bugs or hidden exceptions.
If Siglent software had included VNA functions had it been relative easy stream or save results in industry standard Touchstone file format.
A VNA not including reading and writing Touchstone is above my head how Siglent was thinking. For any brand and type of instrument that use complex impedance measuments is it the most important file format.
A fully functional software as promised and it will increase possible sales and makes more buyers less disappointed.
It is possible that by Siglent expected customer category mostly is amateurs with simpler measurement needs, no need to calculate anything on the fly, save or synchronize measurement with other instruments and tools and have no needs to stream data in industry standard formats which 3:rd part VNA software normally support.
A VNA is maybe just seen as a expensive VSWR meter by these customers or a freebee extension of a spectrum analyzer, something without real functionality?
It would be very practical if Siglent told people like me in advance, no idea to spend time on trying to use provided drivers or reading programming manuals, VNA software functions does not exist except in own advertisements.
It would at least save me several hours trying to find expected functions.
From PDF "Siglent_SVA1032X_Datasheet" ver. DS0701X_D02A:
Remote Control Capability: SCPI / Labview / IVI based on USB-TMC / VXI-11 / Socket / Telnet/ NI-MAX
Do above row say anything about that VNA part is excluded from these protocols?
Have Siglent any plans to ever support VNA as promised above or does it already exist such support but is hidden somewhere where I not can find it?