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Oscilloscopes, electronics engineering industry news, how-to EE articles and electronics resources

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basics

Dealing with and displaying power-line harmonics

July 7, 2017 By David Herres Leave a Comment

Non-linear load

Harmonics are waveforms that may accompany a periodic fundamental (also known as the first harmonic) in a divergent infinite series. When they arise, their frequencies are integer multiples of the fundamental. If this fundamental is 60 Hz, the second harmonic is 120 Hz, the third harmonic is 180 Hz, the fourth harmonic is 240 Hz […]

Filed Under: FAQ, oscilloscope measurements Tagged With: basics, FAQ

Testing operational amplifiers

June 30, 2017 By David Herres 1 Comment

operational amplifiers

Because it is able to function in so many diverse ways, the op-amp can be the defining element in electronic circuits of any complexity. Applications go far beyond amplification. Because they are near-perfect dc amplifiers, op-amps are suitable for filtering, signal conditioning, and for performing such mathematical operations as addition, subtraction, differentiation, and integration. Op […]

Filed Under: FAQ, New Articles, Test Equipment Tagged With: basics, FAQ

Test gear for wireless communication systems

June 23, 2017 By David Herres 1 Comment

wireless communication systems

Various types of wireless communications systems are characterized by the distances that they can travel. Short distances are conveniently spanned using Bluetooth technology, occupying the radio frequency spectrum from 2.4 to 2.485 GHz. Bluetooth was originally developed to replace RS-232 cabling and it is used to link fixed and mobile devices. It has become ubiquitous […]

Filed Under: FAQ, wireless test equipment Tagged With: basics, FAQ

Temporal and spatial aliasing in signal processing

June 15, 2017 By David Herres Leave a Comment

aliasing

The concept of aliasing is relevant to the oscilloscope user and unless it is confronted and steps taken to mitigate it, problems can arise in signal interpretation. Aliasing is almost always harmful unless clever ways can be devised to make use of it. When a signal is sampled, aliasing can appear in the end product, […]

Filed Under: FAQ, Oscilloscopes Tagged With: basics, FAQ

How to measure electrolytic capacitors

June 9, 2017 By David Herres Leave a Comment

electrolytic capacitors

Electrolytic capacitors are often used because they deliver relatively large capacitance values in a physically small package. The compact packaging is possible because they use a thin dielectric layer in conjunction with an etching or sintering process that vastly increases the area of the plates and the capacitance associated with them. Most capacitors have two […]

Filed Under: Bench Test, FAQ, Meters & Testers, New Articles, Test Equipment Tagged With: basics, FAQ

Switching power supply: How to test and use in applications

June 2, 2017 By David Herres 1 Comment

switching power supplies

The two major types of power supplies, linear and switch mode (SMPS), operate according to entirely different principles and have distinguishing characteristics. Design work and maintenance on each one requires totally different mindsets. The SMPS is now widely used because of its greater efficiency, lower cost and better weight and thermal qualities. There are some […]

Filed Under: arbitrary waveform generators, FAQ, New Articles, oscilloscope measurements Tagged With: basics, FAQ, Tektronix

Basics of waveform averaging on oscilloscopes

May 26, 2017 By David Herres Leave a Comment

waveform averaging

At one time, oscilloscope users estimated waveform metrics by counting divisions and ticks in the graticule, a physical overlay affixed to the display. In the contemporary flat screen oscilloscope, the graticule is an electronic artifact that is part of the display. Its intensity can be varied or turned down to 0% so that it disappears. […]

Filed Under: Digital Oscilloscope, FAQ, Oscilloscopes Tagged With: basics, FAQ, Tektronix

Characterizing sinusoidal signals with equations

May 12, 2017 By David Herres Leave a Comment

sinusoidal

Mathematics is the language we use to understand and communicate our knowledge about electrical relationships. It is easy to get overwhelmed by some of the complexity involved. The best approach is to begin at the most fundamental level and take it from there. Consider the realm of sinusoidal signals. First, a definition: A sinusoidal signal […]

Filed Under: data acquisition, FAQ, New Articles Tagged With: basics, FAQ

Measuring inductance

May 3, 2017 By David Herres 5 Comments

test instruments

Any conductive body has a certain finite inductance. This inductance is an intrinsic property of a conductive body and it is always the same, regardless of whether that conductor or device is energized in an electrical circuit or sitting on a shelf in a warehouse. The inductance of a straight wire segment can be greatly […]

Filed Under: FAQ, Meters & Testers, Test Equipment Tagged With: basics, FAQ

Basics of measuring self capacitance

April 26, 2017 By David Herres 2 Comments

self capacitance

We ordinarily think of capacitance as a property of a device consisting of two conductive plates with terminals or leads, separated by an electrolytic layer. There is also unintended or parasitic capacitance, where two conductive bodies take the form of a capacitor and exhibit similar properties. An example of this is the atmospheric situation preceding […]

Filed Under: FAQ, New Articles, Test Equipment Tagged With: basics, FAQ

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