Fluke has come out with another superb electrical measuring instrument. It is the Fluke 438-II Motor Analyzer. Owners of the previous Fluke 435-II Power Quality Analyzer can download an upgrade that will add Motor Analyzer functions to their existing equipment. Full documentation including specifications and owner’s manuals for both of these members of the oscilloscope […]
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Bit errors and ADC testing
Most engineers are introduced to the basic performance parameters of analog/digital converters in school. So specifications such as SNR, SINAD (Signal-to-noise and distortion ratio), ENOB (Effective Number of Bits), and THDA (total harmonic distortion analysis) are all familiar ADC terms found in ADC data sheets. Ditto for an INL error, described as the deviation, in […]
The difference between an electrometer and a Geiger counter
In 1895 William Roentgen observed X-rays although he could not explain their mechanism. The following year Henri Becquerel demonstrated that certain compounds of uranium emitted radiation that resembled X-rays. He showed this activity differed from the phenomenon of phosphorescence. The radiation seemed to be emitted continuously from the uranium. Did this violate the well-known principle […]
Testing Wi-Fi 6E performance
The 6 GHz band brings 1,200 MHz of additional spectrum to Wi-Fi which complicates the task of testing and verifying features. Eve Danel, LitePoint Now that the 6 GHz region of the spectrum is available for unlicensed use, Wi-Fi 6E devices are on their way to store shelves. Manufacturers face the juggling act of comprehensively […]
The difference between TDR instruments and scope-based TDR measurements
Often a transmission line is buried, concealed behind finish surfaces, or otherwise not readily accessible. So it is difficult to locate faults by means of visual inspection. It is, however, feasible to locate such discontinuities via a test instrument known as the time domain reflectometer (TDR). The TDR is sometimes compared to a radar installation, […]
ARB waveform generators and measuring amplifier gain
When it comes to amplification, the principal parameters are gain and fidelity of the output relative to the input. Gain, denoted by β (Greek letter beta), is the ratio of output voltage, current or power to input. An amplifier by definition has a power gain greater than one. Measurements that characterize amplifier gain serve as […]
The difference between testing thyristors and triacs
The thyristor is a two- or three-pin device comprised of four alternating P- and N- layers. It is also known as a silicon-controlled rectifier and is often used in light dimmer switches, speed controllers for electric motors, and switch gear for high-voltage dc power transmission systems. The thyristor does not function as an amplifier–its output […]
Does a planet have a capacitance?
The self-capacitance of Earth is approximately 710 μF, assuming the free-space dielectric to be a vacuum. The capacitance of Mars is 378 μF. At first glance, it may not be clear where these figures comes from or how a planet can have a capacitance. And if a planet has a capacitance, might it also have […]
What is a load coil and how do you measure it?
The textbook description of an inductor often involves a coil of wire. Of course, any material other than a perfect ideal insulator has theoretical inductance. All the windings do is multiply the effect by creating overlapping fields. It’s good to keep in mind that inductance is measurable in many non-coils, such as power transmission lines, […]
Is it possible to image an electron?
The electron has close to zero mass, a negative charge, and revolves in an orbit around its atomic nucleus or, alternately, moves through space or through a conductor, in which it is a charge-carrying free electron. An electron is also a fermion, which means it follows the Pauli exclusion principle: No two electrons can occupy […]