The VNA Master menu-driven flexible interface is intuitive and easy to use. Hard keys on the front panel are used to initiate function‑specific menus. Five function hard keys (unlabeled) are located below the display. These keys vary in function depending upon the current mode of operation. If a function hard key has no function in the current mode, then the key label in the measurement display area is blank adjacent to that key.
Note
Users who are familiar with the operation of previous VNA Master instruments will find that those menus are quite different from the menus for this current MS20xxC VNA Master. Some menus are the same, but those related to measurement setups and sweeps are very different. The intent with the MS20xxC is to provide you with more flexibility and choice in measurement configurations even if these choices result in configurations that are not very practical (such as the overlay of a Smith Chart on top of a rectilinear chart).
Located to the right of the display, the VNA Master has eight soft keys (unlabeled buttons), hard keys, arrow keys, and a rotary knob. The locations of all of the keys are shown in Figure: Front Panel Overview.
Nine of these hard keys (the number keys 1 through 9) are dual purpose, depending upon the current mode of operation. The dual‑purpose keys are labeled with a number on the key itself and with the alternate function printed in blue (same color as the Shift key) on the panel above the key. Use the Shift key to access the functions printed on the panel above the number keys.
The eight soft keys (unlabeled buttons) are located adjacent to the right edge of the measurement display screen (or sweep window). These eight soft keys change function depending upon the current mode of operation and the menu selection. The current soft key function is indicated at the top of the active function block, which is located within the measurement display screen (or sweep window). The active function block displays a label for each active soft key. If a soft key has no function in the current mode, then the active function block display is blank adjacent to that soft key.
The Escape key (labeled Esc and used for aborting data entry) is the round button located above the eight (unlabeled) soft keys.
The rotary knob and the keypad (and sometimes the arrow keys) can be used to change the value of an active parameter. The rotary knob can also be pressed to duplicate the action of the Enter key.
Front Panel Overview Image
Front Panel Overview
1
Fan Exhaust Ports
2
Active Function Block or Soft Key Menu
3
Escape Key
4
Soft Keys (8 buttons)
5
Charge Fault LED
6
Battery Charge LED
7
On / Off Key
8
Directional Arrow Keys
9
Shift Key
10
Rotary Knob
11
Number Keypad
12
Enter Key
13
Fan Inlet Port
14
Function Hard Keys (5 buttons)
15
Measurement Display Screen (or Sweep Window)
16
Battery Compartment
Other Features on the Front Panel
Battery Charge LED (Green)
The green Battery Charge LED (Figure: Front Panel Overview, item 6) will flash if the battery is charging and will remain on and steady when the battery is fully charged.
Charge Fault LED (Red)
The red Charge Fault LED (Figure: Front Panel Overview, item 5) will remain on and steady under a battery charger fault condition. Fault conditions include a battery cell voltage that is too low to charge, or a battery temperature outside the acceptable temperature range to charge.
