Another 'scope question

Thanks all for the info so far. Now another one. The probe is set at

1X. The volts/div is set at 50 m. the time/div is set at .1 ms. So this tells me that each vertical division is 50 millivolts and each horizontal division is .1 milliseconds. The probe is clipped to the calibration bar. This bar is labeled as 300 mV 30mA ~1KHz. The display shows the square wave with 6 divisions vertical and just over 10 divisions horizontal. Using the VAR knob in the center of the time/div knob I can adjust the display to show exactly 10 divisions. When this is done is the display correct? Or is it the calibration bar that is wrong? Thanks, Eric
Reply to
Eric R Snow
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I'd check the calibration with a DVM (you have to assume that is reasonably accurate). Simply put the scope across a 9 V battery, and compare the deflection with the voltage indicated by the DVM.

Leon

Reply to
Leon

Hi Eric, the following website might be of interest to you.

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------------------------------------------------------------- Eric R Snow - Fri, Feb 10 2006 12:58 pm

The display shows the square wave with 6 divisions vertical and just over 10 divisions horizontal. Using the VAR knob in the center of the time/div knob I can adjust the display to show exactly 10 divisions. When this is done is the display correct? Or is it the calibration bar that is wrong? Thanks, Eric

Reply to
Buy_Sell

Once you move the VAR knob off the cal position you have lost the ability to measure time on the X axis or peak voltage on the Y axis.

So in your case you really don't know how long each division is. Put the VAR know back on its detent and select the best scale. Then you can read the period off the X axis. If you vertical knobs are in the cal position you can read the peak voltage off the Y axis.

You really should find a book that shows you how to do this.

Reply to
Chuck Sherwood

Assuming that the time base is correct your scope timebase is off. You should be able to set the sweep knob in the 'cal' position and have the thing line up exactly. There will probably be an internal adjustment.

I'd try to get a manual for that scope, and a time standard that'll give you a second opinion.

Reply to
Tim Wescott

I have ordered the manual. And downloaded a copy from Ig. I am still looking for a book that is all about using oscilloscopes and is aimed at beginners. ERS

Reply to
Eric R Snow

The time division is correct only when the VAR knob is clicked off.

GWE

Reply to
Grant Erwin

Your vertical sounds right. Either your reference calibrator, your sweep timebase or your horizontal gain is off a tad. If you set the variable timebase to show exactly 10 divisions, then the horizontal scale really is 0.1 ms/div if the calibator is accurate. You could check it with a counter if you can borrow one.

The timebase on the calibrator says ~1KHz, so it's probably not crystal controlled. My counter says mine is running at 986.37 Hz.

Household power is a pretty good reference at 60 Hz. Use a transformer.

If you have an old digital watch, it'll contain a 32768 Hz crystal-controlled timebase that is accurate to 50 parts per million or better, usually considerably better.

Reply to
Don Foreman

Do me one favour: Please don't connect your scope to the mains or then genset. It might kill you, judging from the questions you ask here.

~ This means "about". And you will get only about. Noone cares about the frequency. The rect-wave is for calibrating the Vpp and the compensation of the probe. Nothing more.

Thanks, Nick

Reply to
Nick Müller

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Reply to
Dave

Reply to
Glenn

The var knob should be turned full clockwise for the vertical scale to be correct. Tektronic scopes have a detent when the var is turned full clockwise. It seems to be correct from the numbers you gave. If you assume that the calibration voltage is right, 300 mv., and your sensitivity is set for 50 mv per division, 300 mv will deflect the display six divisions.

John

Reply to
John

I've no clue about the correct answer but you might want to download the PDF file found here and look it over:

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which is a primer on scopes by Tektronix. Here's another on probes:

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Mike

Reply to
Mike Henry

Thanks Glen. That makes perfect sense. The probe came with instructions to clip it to the bar and adjust the probe with a plastic screwdriver that came with the probe. Eric

Reply to
Eric R Snow

Reply to
Eric R Snow

First: Because probes normaly only have an isolation voltage of 400V. I already hear your answer. But it is wrong.

Second: You have to connect the probes GND somewhere. And this is where your problems start.

Your question is OT here. It doesn't matter that much, because there is more OT than OT (on-topic) here. But in your case, it matters. You might get stupid answers. So please ask in an electronics group. They will tell you solutions that are quite save.

BTW: Don Foreman gave you a save answer.

Nick

Reply to
Nick Müller

For accurate calibration of the hor. sweep, you need either a frequency counter or calibrated [crystal controlled] signal generator to sync the signals with. A dual trace scope is handy for this. Bugs

Reply to
Bugs

I know Nick. I saved it. Thanks, Eric

Reply to
Eric R Snow

From reading the original post, it sounds like the time-base is spot-on, and the cal. oscillator is a little under 1 KHz. 10 X .1 ms = 1 ms, and

1/1ms = 1Khz.

Cheers! Rich

Reply to
Rich Grise

I don't know what the "calibration bar" is, but if you're talking about that little loop, the frequency isn't guaranteed to be accurate: in '~1000Hz', the '~' means "approximately".

If the scope is in cal, then the sweep is calibrated when the var. knob is turned all of the way clockwise, until the detent clicks.

What it's showing you is that your internal calibrator isn't calibrated for frequency, which it says right on the front panel: " ~1000Hz ", so it's not "wrong", either.

Hope This Helps! Rich

Reply to
Rich Grise

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