Vector Network Analyzer Measurement Guide : VNA Display Overview : Powerful Display Capabilities
 
Powerful Display Capabilities
These vector network analyzers have a flexible display capable of single, dual, tri, and quad displays, meaning that you can subdivide the measurement display area into 2, 3, or 4 sections. In addition, the vector network analyzers support the display of up to four traces in each single, dual, tri, or quad display. Becoming familiar with these flexible display capabilities is important before you begin any calibrations and measurements.
The function hard keys in Vector Network Analyzer mode without Option 2 (Time Domain) are:
Freq/Dist, Scale, Sweep, Measure, Marker
The function hard keys in Vector Network Analyzer mode with Option 2 (Time Domain) are:
Freq/Time/Dist, Scale, Sweep, Measure, Marker
Flexible Features For Displaying Results
If you are not yet familiar with the menus that control trace display, refer to the Measure Menu, to the Number of Traces Menu, and to the Trace Format Menu. To select the Measure soft key menu on your vector network analyzer, press the Measure function hard key (you must be in Vector Network Analyzer mode for this example).
Perform the following steps to observe the trace format features:
1. In MS20xxC instruments, the default view uses Trace Format = Quad with Number of Traces = 4. Refer to Figure: Format = Quad, Traces = 4 (MS202xC trace shown).
In MS20xxB and S412E instruments, the default view uses Trace Format = Dual with Number of Traces = 2.
2. Beginning with the default view, set Trace Format = Single, and Number of Traces = 4. Notice how all 4 traces are overlaid on a single graph. Refer to Figure: Format = Single, Traces = 4 (MS202xC trace shown).
3. Next, set Trace Format = Dual. Note how the 4 traces are assigned to the split display. TR1 (Trace 1) and TR3 are assigned to the top graph. TR2 and TR4 are assigned to the bottom graph. Refer to Figure: Format = Dual, Traces = 4 (MS202xC trace shown).
4. Next change Trace Format to Tri. Note how the 4 traces are assigned on this display. TR3 and TR4 are now overlaid in the bottom half of the display area. Refer to Figure: Format = Tri, Traces = 4 (MS202xC trace shown).
5. Now return to the default display of Trace Format = Quad. Change the Number of Traces from 4  to 1. Note how the top left quadrant is filled, while the other three quadrants have no data. Refer to Figure: Format = Quad, Traces = 1.
6. Increment the number of traces from 1 back to 4 and note how the vector network analyzer adds the additional traces to the display. Refer to Figure: Format = Quad, Traces = 4 (MS202xC trace shown, same as Figure: Format = Quad, Traces = 4 (MS202xC trace shown)). (Note that Figure: Format = Quad, Traces = 4 (MS202xC trace shown) and Figure: Format = Quad, Traces = 4 (MS202xC trace shown, same as Figure: Format = Quad, Traces = 4 (MS202xC trace shown)) are the same measurement illustration.)
7. At this point, the display is back to the MS20xxC default setting of Quad with 4 traces.
8. For MS20xxB and S412E instruments, set Trace Format = Dual, and set Number of Traces = 2. At this point, the instrument is back to the default setting of Trace Format = Dual with Number of Traces = 2.
Regardless of the Trace Format that is selected, the number of traces that are displayed is controlled by the Number of Traces soft key. For a brief description, refer to the examples that accompany Figure: Trace Format Menu.
Active Trace
Notice on the Quad trace format that one trace has a red outline box on the graph, and the trace number in the Instrument Settings Summary (on the left side of the sweep window) is outlined with a red rectangle. This is the active trace, and only one trace is active at a time. Any display or format selection is applied only to the active trace.
Changing the Active Trace
You can change the active trace in four ways:
1. In the Measure menu, press the Active Trace soft key to select the trace that you want to be active. The pop‑up list box displays the active traces (TR1 through TR4) and parenthetically also lists the unique attributes that are associated with each trace (in other words, S‑parameter, graph type, domain, and smoothing percentage). After a selection, notice how the active trace indicator on the display has changed. For example, if the active trace changed from TR1 to TR3, then the red highlight box moved from the upper left quadrant to the lower left quadrant.
Not only does the graph get highlighted in red, but the Instrument Settings Summary legend on the left side of the sweep window also highlights the active trace. This becomes more important when you are trying to distinguish between active traces and other traces when they are all overlaid on one graph.
2. In the Measure menu, turn the rotary knob clockwise, and the active trace indicator moves clockwise on the quad trace format display. If you turn the rotary knob counterclockwise (CCW), then the active trace indicator moves in a CCW direction on the display.
3. In the Measure menu, use the Up/Down/Left/Right arrow keys to select the active trace.
4. On instruments with touch screen displaying multiple traces, touching a trace area causes that trace to become active.
In any menu, when no active parameter is selected, the rotary knob or the arrow keys allow you to select an active trace.
Another powerful feature to become acquainted with is the ability to Maximize and Minimize an active trace. On the quad default display, select Maximize Active Trace from the Measure menu, and note how this feature zooms in on the active trace and uses maximum area to display the measurement results. Next, select Minimize Active Trace to return to the original trace format of quad display. On instruments with touch screen, touching an active trace twice in rapid succession alternately maximizes and minimizes that trace. Note that this touch ability is disabled when the marker menu is active because of the touch and drag ability for markers.
Combining the previously described active trace selection techniques with this Maximize and Minimize active trace feature allows for maximum flexibility in extracting the measurement results from the display.
Touch Screen Trace Features
These touch features differ when the Marker menu is displayed (refer to Markers on a Touch Screen).
Selecting a Trace
In VNA Measurements view on touch screen instruments, when Trace Format is Dual, Tri, or Quad, you can touch or tap either the trace itself or the trace data in the Instrument Settings Summary (left edge of sweep window) to select a trace.
These touch points function in the same manner when using the Field Measurements view in Display Type Dual.
In Display Type Overlay, however, only a touch on trace data for TR2 in the Instrument Settings Summary selects Trace 2 as the active trace. Any touch on the sweep window selects Trace 1 (the upper or top trace) as the active trace.
If a Marker is active on a trace, and if the Marker menu is displayed, then after that trace is active, an additional touch within the sweep window affects the location of the active marker (refer to Markers on a Touch Screen).
Maximizing and Minimizing Traces
In VNA Measurements view, when a trace is active in Dual, Tri, or Quad format, a quick double tap on either the trace itself or the trace data in the Instrument Settings Summary maximizes the active trace. Another double tap minimizes the trace. When a trace is maximized, touching a different trace in the Instrument Settings Summary displays that touched trace in maximized view. These touch points are not functional when using the Field Measurements view,
This touch feature differs when a Marker is active on a trace and the Marker menu is displayed.
Trace Description
A trace is a measurement result that can have user‑defined attributes assigned to it for display purposes. You can assign the following attributes for a trace: S‑parameter, Graph Type, Domain, and Smoothing. Using the Scale menu, you can independently set the scale for each trace.