Windaq Add-ons

UltimaWaterfall

XChart

FFT1024

Lessons

Waterfall Spectrogram (ID=7003)

A Windaq add-on uses the free FFT1024 ActiveX control to visualize the frequency domain of an analog waveform in real-time, with 3D color-scaled waterfall spectrogram for history display, by eavesdropping on the data stream in DATAQ's WinDaq acquisition software. Due to the present of a newer and similar add-on called Spectrogram II, this one is normally installed as hidden. Please use Windaq Add-on Manager to add it to Windaq's menu if you wish to use this add-on.

If you can't see the video above, please click this youtube link directly

• While acquiring spectrum, you may use the mouse  to drag the FFT spectrogram (in the upper chart) up and down, or double-click the buttons to change the scaling of the spectrogram. 
• Multiple Spectrograms can be enabled for different channels under Windaq
• Once you stop the spectrogram, you may click on the spectrogram to enable a cursor and drag it horizontally to study the spectrum
• You may also click on the waterfall chart to enable a crosshair to show the frequency/elapsed time  
• Waterfall chart is sizable for more history display
• Channel number is a 0-based index to Windaq's scanlist. For example, if Windaq has channel 3,4,6,7 enabled, one can enter 0 for channel 3, 1 for channel 4, 2 for channel 6 and 3 for channel 7.
• Intelligent Channel Select: Highlight/Select a channel in Windaq and fire up this Windaq add-on, and it will use the selected channel as its default channel
• Dynamic Amplifier option: FFT1024's resolution is about 10-bit, thus weak frequency components will be buried in the noise. To address this problem, Dynamic Amplifier option is created. When checked, waveform's average DC component is removed, then amplified to at least half dynamic range, before performing FFT. As the result, low level signal is much easier to study. See below for the demonstration. This option becomes obsolete if you move to Spectrogram II.
  
  
  
• Due to Windaq's memory allocation approach, up 29 channels can be enabled in Windaq if you wish to use this add-on
• For better performance, please switch to the second generation of Windaq Add-on, Spectrogram II

Bonus for users with paid registration :

• CopyToClipboard button provides quick access to a copy of the waveform
• No ad-line in the charts
• No run time limit