If you’re looking for a portable oscilloscope for field troubleshooting or for demonstrations, look at the Micsig TO series. Here’s my take on the four-channel 300 MHz variant, TO3004. The Micsig TO3004 oscilloscope (Figure 1) is an 8-bit, four-channel, tablet-sized portable oscilloscope that’s also available with 100 MHz and 200 MHz varieties with two or […]
Oscilloscopes
APEC 2025 test equipment: oscilloscopes and probes
Oscilloscopes and probes play a vital role for engineers designing and testing power electronics. Delivering electrical power to analog and digital circuits and systems is more than just DC measurements. That’s because nearly all power-converter circuits use switching techniques to maximize efficiency. Silicon carbide (SiC and gallium nitride (GaN) transistors, with their higher voltage and […]
How to use convolution to implement filters: part 1
Convolution is used in a variety of signal-processing applications, including time-domain-waveform filtering. In a recent series on the inverse fast Fourier transform (FFT), we concluded with a mention of convolution and its application to filtering. Convolution Q: What is convolution? A: Convolution, denoted by * symbol, combines two functions to form a third function in […]
Review: PCBite circuit board holder and probe kit
The PCBite kit holds your circuit board in place while you probe it, reducing the risk of short circuits. Recently, I’ve had to test and characterize many small PC boards, including embedded processors, DC-DC converters, and other wireless-related products, for EMC issues. I’ve never really had an easy way to keep these boards from moving […]
Tryout: Uni-T UPO1202 200 MHz oscilloscope
You need not spend a ton of money to get a feature-packed oscilloscope, provided you don’t need high bandwidth. While the oscilloscope works well, the free software needs help. After seeing the Uni-Trend (Uni-T) UTG962E Function/Arbitrary Waveform Generator ($182), we at EE World bought one and, at the same time, ordered a UPO1202 200 MHz […]
Review: Tekbox TBCG4 harmonic comb generator
The Tekbox TBCG4 harmonic comb generator produces a wide range of known frequencies for EMC immunity testing and routine checking of EMC chambers. I’ve used harmonic comb generators for decades in various applications, including antenna measurements, cable resonance measurements, and shielding-effectiveness testing. I also find them useful for checking the daily consistency of test chambers […]
How to calculate and apply an inverse FFT: part 1
The inverse Fourier transform (inverse FFT or iFFT) reverses the operation of the Fourier transform and derives a time-domain representation from a frequency-domain dataset. In early 2024, EE World published a series on the Fourier transform, which can convert a time-domain signal to the frequency domain (Figure 1, red arrow). The process is reversible (Figure […]
Isolated current probes eliminate ground loops
IsoVu isolated current probes from Tektronix isolate oscilloscopes from circuits used for EVs, motors, and power converters. Trying to make shunt-based current measurements with a typical oscilloscope probe is essentially impossible. That’s because one side of the probe connects to ground through the instrument. Using an ungrounded power cord is anything but safe. Differential probes […]
RF-isolated current probe achieves 140 dB CMRR at DC
Tektronix has released two new power measurement devices: the TICP Series IsoVu isolated current probes and the EA-PSB 20000 Triple series power supply. The TICP Series probes utilize RF isolation technology for current measurements across voltage systems. The probes achieve 140 dB common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR) at DC and up to 90 dB at 1 […]
Download our 2024 T&M Tech Toolbox
Everything needs testing and testing needs measurement. That’s why we assembled a collection of articles from Test & Measurement Tips into the 2024 T&M Tech Toolbox, a 56-page e-book in PDF format. We took some of the top articles from our recent archives to provide you with information that can help you with your job. […]
