Re: Found an oscilloscope and was wondering how I could ...

["Timothy W. Kelogg" <twk5-at-worldnet.att-dot-net> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)]

Hi Garry,

You can set the sensitivity of your o'scope so you won't need to wind an
antenna.
I taught how to use Test Equipment to young Sailors and Marines at the old NAS
Memphis Schools (about 10 years ago - wow I'm getting old).  You can
measure the 60
hz "signal" emitted by florescent lights from 6 feet away.

I don't know what frequency T-coils run at but those Heathkit O'scopes were
used
for TV repair and experimenting in the "good ol days" (My dad got one when
I was
young and I've still got it).  Yours is probably a 5 or 10 Mhz Scope. so if
they
run at frequencies much higher than that it will be hard to get an accurate
frequency measurement... but we can try.

There are several basic controls your O'scope will have:
2 brightness knobs, one for the trace (the line, or the "dot") which you
set for a
comfortable viewing level with the ambient lighting conditions. NOTE - when not
taking measurements it is a good idea to turn the brightness of down so as
not to
"burn" throught the phosphers on the screen and make a "dead spots".

The other "brightness" will be for the reticle or scale (the grid) a piece
of "side
lit" plastic (or glass) that has lines drawn on it - this will be used in the
frequency measurements.  Again adjust this for comfortable viewing level.

I just realized this will take a while to explain how to use an o'scope - I
just
checked the web and found someone tryign to explain how to use one to
someone else.
http://www.infosite-dot-com/~jkeyzer/handy/1997/Jan-Jun/0650.html

in part he says this: "This is probably still confusing. In the tech school
I went
to we spent about a week on how a o'scope works and how to use one. The
fastest way
to learn a o'scope is to sit down with someone and have them show you."

If you have AIM or Yahoo IM or IRC, or CheetaChat, or MSN Chat, I can
probably talk
you through how to use your scope  while you have it in front of you so I
can get
some feedback.  send me an e-mail off list if you want and we can try to
get you up
to speed on this. :)

See if you can find you O'scope here at the Heathkit Museum
http://www.heathkit-museum-dot-com/hktestnav.html

Here is another website with some o'scope info
http://www.atcweb-dot-com/audio.htm

Even better is this site:
http://www.tektronix-dot-com/Measurement/cgi-bin/framed.pl?Document=/Measurement
/App_Notes/XYZs/terminology.html&FrameSet=oscilloscopes

"This book serves as a useful classroom aid. It
includes vocabulary and multiple choice written
exercises on oscilloscope theory and controls. You do
not need any mathematical or electronics knowledge.
This book emphasizes teaching you about
oscilloscopes -- how they work, how to choose the
right one, and and how to make it work for you."

Another really good place to look is   http://www.avionics-dot-com/
look under Avionics Test Equipment, then O'scopes.

Hope this helps, Again e-mail me and we can try to do this aver the net if you
want.

T

Tesla list wrote:

> Original poster: "Garry F." <garryfre-at-pacbell-dot-net>
>
> Use it to find the resonant frequency of the secondary and the primary
circuit.
>
> I never used one of these gadgets so I think I shall get some power supplies
> and running the input in and work on getting used to reading it. By power
> supplies, I mean them dinky little things that run about 6 volts.
>
> I have a funny, or maybe not so funny feeling that I could wind myself a
little
> coil and approach to about ten feet of the coil and get some sort of
frequency
> reading with the secondary removed from the unit and get a frequency
reading on
> the coil. Or, maybe I could just use an antenna maybe. I made the entire coil
> assembly for quick disassembly and re-assembly. The secondary just slips
inside
> the top and a spring on the bottom makes contact to ground
>
> Anyone have any book reccommendations like Oscilloscopes for the brain
dead, or
> Oscilloscopes for the complete dingbat? j/k
>
> There is no manual with this thing, or I would just read that.
>
> It's a heathkit general purpose, small in size but lots of nice knobs. I
had a
> fella check it out and he declared it healthy.