Oscilloscopes

This area is for discussions involving any fusion related radiation metrology issues. Neutrons are the key signature of fusion, but other radiations are of interest to the amateur fusioneer as well.
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Richard Hull
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Oscilloscopes

Post by Richard Hull »

Some recent discussion has occurred involving O'scopes.

While an O'scope is a Godsend for electronic technicains and engineers, it is NOT a must have item for our sort of nuclear work in the most casual of efforts.

However, with hamfests and offerings of really first class instruments in today's throw away world, latching onto a good scope for cheap is a real possibility.

First of all, there are two types- digital and analog.

Just because digital in most things today is supposed to be better, ain't necessarily the case here. Analog scopes are the classic old CRT scopes. They work best with repeated pulse systems where some really complicated, complex and bizarre waveforms are present. A video waveform is a classic example. You will get much more useful and precise information in such situations from an old tek 460 that sells for about $300 used than from a brand new $4000 digital scope!!!

Digital scopes are the absolute best for pulse capture situations where rare onezie-twozie pulses occur at odd intervals. This is especially true if the pulses are not too short (<100ns duration) or too complicated in form (sub nanosecond trash).

For our simple nuclear purposes, no person will ever require more than a 60 mhz analog scope, though 100mhz is about all that is on the surplus market of any quality. Expect to spend over $200.00 here for a known working unit. The best analog storage scopes are crap compared to the poorest and most junky modern digital scopes, so don't buy an analog storage scope and think you are set with both forms.

A digital scope is just not found surplus at present, in general. (save for the occassional rare find) Digital scopes are valued and rated by their sampling rate and bit resolution. We need no more than 8 bit resolution and no more than 1 gigasample per second sample rates for our work. The low end Tek "lunchbox" series TDS-210 is a superb example of value in this area. ($1200)

A good scope is a serious tool and its proper use and application is somewhat of an artform. A marginal scope is the absolute equivalent of having nothing at all. It will confuse and confound more often than illuminate.

Richard Hull
Progress may have been a good thing once, but it just went on too long. - Yogi Berra
Fusion is the energy of the future....and it always will be
The more complex the idea put forward by the poor amateur, the more likely it will never see embodiment
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