For calibrating a 10:1 probe, the majority of scopes provide a test output. Typically, a 1 kHz, 1 V, or 5 V square wave is used. The first stage is to display the square wave with about three periods accurately. Once you have that, you may horizontally zoom in by setting the timebase to smaller values.
To view the slope on the screen, you might need to change the trigger level. Take baby steps and tweak only once you have obtained the desired results. You will “lose” the trace if you move too quickly, such as moving to 10μs right away.
You won’t be able to do that right away, but with more experience, you will. You should check the trigger as well.
How to Test an Oscilloscope
Oscilloscopes help to observe very quick changes in voltage over time, something a multimeter cannot measure. The line that often runs from one side of the oscilloscope’s screen to the other is actually a graph of voltage vs. time, where voltage is measured along the y axis and time along the x.
There are two types of oscilloscopes that are analog and digital. The controls on both types are essentially the same; however, some of the functions on digital scopes may be hidden in a menu on the LCD rather than being accessible via a knob or button.
Test Triggering
Here are the steps for testing the triggering of the oscilloscope.
Step 1: Select the Trigger Source
Choose the proper trigger source. Most likely, you can choose from CH1, CH2, LINE, and EXT. If channel 1 receives the signal, choose CH1.
Step 2: Select the Trigger Mode
Pick the appropriate trigger mode. Most likely, you can select from AUTO, NORM, and a few additional modes. If you choose NORM, the beam won’t be visible until the trigger fires. The beam ought to always be visible if you utilize “Auto”. So choose “Auto”.
Step 3: Select Trigger level
If the signal is now visible but the trigger is not triggering, it is likely because the trigger level is over the signal range that is too low or too high. hence, pick the right trigger level.
Method of Checking an Oscilloscope
The first thing to do is how the input channels work. to do this, use a probe from the package. In fact, each oscilloscope has an output for calibration square wave, so use it. Now press the auto button right away. Check if channel 1 is working okay by inspecting if everything is properly aligned. Now shift and connect the probe to channel 2.
To avoid adjusting the knob manually, you can press the auto button again. Check the alignment and values for this channel as well. After that, check how all the buttons work. You can do this manually. But that will take a lot of time. Also, it leaves a wide possibility of making mistakes. So, in most modern oscilloscopes, there’s an option for self-testing.
Self-Testing
You can usually find it in the utility section. Select the self-test option from there and firstly check the display. By this, you can see if there are any broken pixels or other malfunctions. Then test the keyboard. Turn all buttons one by one. With turning on the buttons, the segments will light up.
Check all buttons in this way. Finally, do the button backlight test as well. Click all buttons one by one, however, there is a note with all buttons light up. The buttons indicated on the display will be backlighted.
Conclusion
Testing an oscilloscope is a short and simple process. In modern oscilloscopes, the option is easier than ever. Just follow the steps one by one and check everything you need to ensure that your oscilloscope is the perfect one you wanted.
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