Model 3580A  Section VII 
SECTION 
VII 
TROUBLESHOOTING 
AND 
CIRCUIT 
7-1. 
INTRODUCTION. 
7-2.  This  section 
of 
the  manual  contains  troubleshooting 
information  and  circuit  diagrams  for  the  Model  3580A 
Spectrum  Analyzer.  Included are  troubleshooting informa-
tion,  information  on  factory  selected  components,  func-
tional  block  diagrams, schematic diagrams  and component 
location diagrams. 
7-3. 
TROUBLESHOOTING 
AND 
PREVENTIVE 
MAIN-
TENANCE. 
7-4. 
General 
Troubleshooting 
Procedures. 
7-5.  Troubleshooting  information  for  the  3580A  can  be 
found 
in 
the functional block diagrams and circuit diagrams 
at  the  end 
of 
Section  VII. 
An 
extensive  set 
of 
notes, 
waveforms, and tables has been provided to help narrow the 
problems down  from  the functional  block, to a board, and 
finally  to a component. 
7-6. 
Use 
the Overall Functional Block Diagram (Figure 7-1) 
to  narrow  the  3580A  problem down into one 
of 
the  four 
major functional blocks: 
1)  Input Section 
2)  Frequency and Sweep Section 
3) 
IF Section 
4)  Display Section. 
lhis 
diagram 
gives 
a  good  overall  look  at  the  3580A 
operation.  Once  the  diagram 
is 
understood,  the  failure 
symptoms alone may 
be 
adequate to lead you to the proper 
block.  Other times, the output signals from the 3580A will 
suffice. For instance, the RECORDER X-AXIS and Y-AXIS 
outputs 
give 
an  indication 
of 
proper instrument operation 
up  to,  but 
not 
including,  the 
A7 
Logic 
Board.  The 
TRACKING 
OSC 
OUTPUT indicates 
if 
the  Frequency and 
Sweep Section 
is 
working properly. 
7-7. 
If 
the  external  control signals  and front  panel  failure 
symptoms  are 
not 
adequate 
to 
localize  a  problem  to  a 
particular block, remove  the 3580A outer covers and check 
the appropriate input and output lines 
of 
each  block.  This 
will 
localize  the  problem 
to 
a  block.  The  Analog  Block 
Diagram  (Figure  7-2),  circuit  schematics  and  associated 
notes  can  then  be  used 
to 
isolate  the  problem 
to 
the 
component. 
DIAGRAMS 
7-8. 
A2 
Board 
VTO 
Troubleshooting. 
7-9.  The 
A2 
VTO 
is 
part  of a complex feedback  loop. 
If 
the  VTO  circuitry 
is 
not  working  properly,  the  feedback 
loop  can 
be 
broken 
by 
applying approximately - 1.6 V 
de 
to  A2TP4.  A  0 
to 
+ 9 V 
de 
signal  supplied  to  the  VTO 
ERROR 
AMP 
on  the  RED jumper lead 
to 
the 
A2 
board 
should then cause  the oscillator frequency 
to 
vary from  1.0 
to  1.5 
MHz 
(Oto 
50 kHz  Input Frequency). This signal can 
then 
be 
followed  around  the  feedback  loop 
to 
find  the 
faulty  components. 
Use 
the  waveforms  supplied  with  the 
A2 
board to  aid in this process. 
7-1 
0. 
AJ 
Board 
T 
rou 
blesho 
oti 
ng. 
7-11. 
This 
part 
of 
Section VII  contains test procedures for 
the  digital  control  circuitry 
of 
the 
A3 
Sweep  Board 
(Schematic  4). 
If 
the  previous  troubleshooting procedures 
indicate  problems  with  the  normal  or  adaptive  sweep 
circuitry, perform these test procedures. 
a. 
Position the 3580A front panel controls to: 
SWEEP 
MODE 
..................... 
REP 
Short 
A3TP1 
to  the  gray jumper wire  connected near the 
center 
of 
the 
A3 
board (Don't remove the gray jumper). 
b.  Adjust A3R54 (INTEGRATOR BALANCE) to verify 
that  the  output 
of 
the  Ramp  Integrator  (A3TP1)  can 
be 
adjusted  from  a  positive 
to 
negative 
de 
voltage.  Readjust 
A3R54 for 0.000 volts ± .001  volts. 
c.  Measure 
Vsg 
on  the  dual  FET,  A3QI.  Both  FET's 
should 
have 
Vsg 
..;;; 
3 V 
de. 
d.  Set  switch  SI 
to 
the  test  position  (UP  position). 
Verify  that  CLOCK  OUTPUT  (A3U8  pin  11) 
is 
a  TTL 
HIGH(;;;. 2.0 V de). Return  SI 
to 
the normal position. 
e.  Remove  the  clock test jumper between 
Q18 
and 
SI. 
Reposition: 
SWEEP 
MODE 
................... 
RESET 
f.  Connect  a  logic  clip  to  A3U5.  Turn  the  3580A 
POWER  switch  OFF  then  back  to  ON.  The  instrument 
CBA 
should come  up 
in 
state 000 or 100, where the 
C, B, 
and A 
state  outputs are located on pins 13, 14 and 15 respectively 
of 
A3U5. 
If 
the  instrument comes up in state 000, clock it 
to state 100 
by 
momentarily switching A3Sl into, and then 
out 
of 
the  test  position.  (This  process 
will 
be 
called 
"clocking 
Sl" 
from now on.) 
7-1