22-310.fm Page 1 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM Cat. No. 22-310 OWNER’S MANUAL Please read before using this equipment. ProbeScope V4.
2-310.fm Page 2 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM FCC INFORMATION Modifying or tampering with your Radio Shack ProbeScope’s internal components can cause a malfunction and might invalidate your ProbeScope’s warranty and void your FCC authorization to operate it. If your ProbeScope is not performing as it should, take it to your local Radio Shack store for assistance. This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
22-310.fm Page 3 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS Warning: Use extreme caution in the use of this device. Improper use of this device can result in injury or death. Follow all the safeguards suggested in this owner’s manual in addition to normal safety precautions in dealing with electrical circuits. Do not use this device if you are unfamiliar with electrical circuits and testing procedures. Not for commercial or industrial use.
22-310.fm Page 4 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM • Always discharge filter capacitors in the circuit under test before you attach the ProbeScope. If the ProbeScope touches an undischarged capacitor, it could damage it. If you touch an undischarged capacitor, you could receive an electric shock. • Always turn off power and disconnect the ProbeScope before you change power sources.
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22-310.fm Page 6 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM FEATURES Your Radio Shack ProbeScope V4.1 for Windows/DOS is a microprocessor-controlled oscilloscope and digital voltmeter housed in a small probe with a backlit mini Liquid Crystal Display (LCD). All oscilloscope parameters are menu-driven and selected by pressing one of two push buttons. You can quickly and single-handedly set all parameters while looking at the point of measurement, the probe’s controls, and the display.
22-310.fm Page 7 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM Trigger Jack — lets you connect an external trigger source. Multiple Input Power Sources — lets you connect 9VDC–13VDC external power from a battery using the supplied power cable with alligator clips, or an optional AC adapter. Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) — displays the recorded signal. Software Interface — lets you use your computer to display and record measurements.
22-310.fm Page 8 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM CONTENTS Preparation ............................................................. 9 Installing the MS-Windows Software ................ 9 Installing the MS-DOS Software ..................... 10 Connecting Power .......................................... 10 Using a Bench-Top Power Supply ......... 11 Using an AC Adapter ............................. 12 Connecting a Computer .................................. 13 Connecting the External Inputs ................
22-310.fm Page 9 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM PREPARATION Use this manual as a guide to prepare and use the ProbeScope using either the ProbeScope’s LCD or a computer monitor. The computer’s software offers additional help screens that can guide you through the many ProbeScope functions, modes, and available options. INSTALLING THE MS-WINDOWS SOFTWARE 1. Start Microsoft Windows. 2. Insert the supplied disk into your computer’s A: drive. 3. Click File in the Program Manager window. 4. Click Run...
22-310.fm Page 10 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM INSTALLING THE MS-DOS SOFTWARE If your computer does not have MS-Windows, you can install the supplied MS-DOS software into your computer’s C: drive. 1. Type md c:\proscope to create a directory on your computer’s C: drive where you can install the ProbeScope software. 2. Insert the supplied disk in your computer’s A: drive. 3. Type copy a:*.* c:\proscope to copy all the files from your A: drive to the C:\proscope directory.
22-310.fm Page 11 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM Using a Bench-Top Power Supply If you are using a bench-top power supply or a 9-volt battery: 1. Set the input coupling switch to GND. Important: You must first set the input coupling switch to GND to initialize the probe every time you turn on the ProbeScope, even if you want to measure a circuit’s signal using the same settings previously used. 2. Insert the supplied power cable’s barrel plug into the Probe-Scope’s power jack. 3.
22-310.fm Page 12 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM Using an AC Adapter If you are using an optional AC adapter: Standard AC Outlet 1. Set the input coupling switch to GND. Important: You must first set the input coupling switch to GND to initialize the probe every time you turn on the ProbeScope, even if you want to measure a circuit’s signal using the same settings previously used. 2. Insert the proper-sized barrel plug into the adapter’s wire jack so it reads TIP +. 3.
22-310.fm Page 13 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM CONNECTING A COMPUTER 1. Plug the supplied serial cable’s 9-pin female connector into your computer’s 9-pin male serial port connector. To the Barrel plug 9-Pin Male Serial Port Serial Cable’s 9-Pin Female Connector Note: If your computer has a 25-pin serial port connector, you can use a 9-pin to 25-pin adapter cable. 2. Insert the supplied serial cable’s barrel plug into the ProbeScope’s serial connector.
22-310.fm Page 14 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM CONNECTING THE EXTERNAL INPUTS 1. Connect the supplied white signal wire’s plug into the GROUND (0 Volt) jack. 2. If you are using an external trigger source, connect the supplied gray trigger wire’s plug into the EXT. TRIGGER jack. Gray Wire Ext.Trigger White Wire Ground (0 Volt) To the 9-Pin Female Connector To the Power Source Caution: If you are not going to use an external trigger source, do not connect the gray trigger wire to the ProbeScope.
22-310.fm Page 15 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM BASIC OPERATION USING THE SOFTWARE If all you want to do is make a quick and basic signal detection or AC/DC voltage measurement, you can simply use the ProbeScope’s display. But, if you want to make a more detailed determination of a measured signal (such as a frequency, signal amplitude, phase shifting, DC biasing, etc.), you need to use the ProbeScope’s software to display the measurements on your computer’s monitor.
22-310.fm Page 16 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM USING THE TOOL BAR After you start the ProbeScope V4.1 for Windows/DOS software, these icons appear on your monitor’s display. (You can also access these functions using the provided keyboard shortcuts.) TEXT HOLD TL Hz SEC ? ? HOLD 0.
22-310.fm Page 17 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM HOLD Hz SEC Freezes the measured signal on the oscilloscope display (Ctrl-l) Switches between seconds and Hertz for the measured signal (Ctrl-U) Note: You can use this mode only when the vertical cursors appear on the oscilloscope display. Calls up the print dialog menu (Ctrl-P) Turns on and off the Digital Voltmeter (DVM) function (Ctrl-D) HOLD 0.
22-310.fm Page 18 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM USING THE AVAILABLE MODES Menu AC/DC GND Voltage Selector Select Serial Line Probe Zero Level Adjust Power Jack LCD Selecting a Mode 1. Press the Menu button to display the available modes shown below. 2. Press the Select button to set the desired option in each of the available modes. Mode Timebase Options Time Grid Set Grid Not set 50 ns 0.5 ms/div 20 MSa/s 10 MSa/s 100 ns 1 ms/div 2MSa/s 0.
22-310.fm Page 19 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM Mode Options SCOPE Function Trigger Level DVM ± INTERN ± 0.1V ± 0.3V ± 0.5V ± 1V ± 3V ± 5V Trigger Mode ± EXTERN ± 0.1V ± 0.3V ± 0.5V ± 10V ± 30V ± 50V SINGLE RUN Mode Definitions Timebase — The ProbeScope’s timebase is its sampling rate (the rate at which measurements are taken) and is not always the same as used in typical oscilloscopes.
22-310.fm Page 20 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM Trigger Source — A trigger source selection determines how a received pulse or signal is to be monitored or measured. The five selectable trigger sources are: AUTO : The ProbeScope continuously measures and records signals each time a trigger occurs regardless of its level (higher, lower, or equal to the incoming signal). If you set the input coupling switch to GND, the ProbeScope automatically sets the trigger to AUTO.
22-310.fm Page 21 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM Note: The maximum and minimum voltage levels of the + or – external trigger is always ±0.5 V 0.5 0.3 0.1 0 -0.1 -0.3 -0.5 Trigger Mode — The trigger mode determines when a new measurement is to be taken and displayed. These are the two available trigger modes: RUN : The probe records a new signal every time the defined trigger event occurs. Use this mode to measure or monitor a continuously running signal.
-310.fm Page 22 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM USING THE OSCILLOSCOPE The following applications describe how to make basic waveform measurements with the ProbeScope. These applications are not described in detail, but are designed to familiarize you with basic oscilloscope operating techniques. Cautions: • Never try to measure an AC peak-to-peak or a DC voltage that exceeds 100 volts. • If you are not sure of what the measured signal level is, always start with the highest range.
22-310.fm Page 23 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM 2. Divide the input voltage selector setting (1, 10, or 100) by 4 (the number of vertical squares). Monitor’s Display ProbeScope’s Display Vertical Deflection The result is the screen’s vertical deflection factor. For example, if the input voltage selector is set to 10, and you divide 10 by 4, then the screen’s vertical deflection factor is 2.5 volts/square Therefore, if a measured signal is about 3 squares high, then the signal is estimated to be about 7.
22-310.fm Page 24 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM MEASURING A DC VOLTAGE In oscilloscope measurements, the DC component of a waveform is usually measured in terms of its DC flatline or AC average displacement above or below a reference line. The maximum DC voltage measurement you can make is determined by the positions of the input voltage selector and the zero line. For example, if the input voltage selector is set to 10 and the zero line is set at the middle position, the maximum measurement is ±5 Volts.
22-310.fm Page 25 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM 4. Rotate Zero Level to position the zero reference line: a.On the bottom of the computer display until the indicator appears on the screen to get the maximum positive (+) measurement, or On the top of the computer display until the indicator appears on the screen to get the maximum negative (–) measurement. b.
22-310.fm Page 26 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM 7. Set the input coupling switch to DC. The selected setting appears on your computer’s monitor. 8. If you know the level of the signal to be measured, set the input voltage switch as follows. Switch Position Measures 1V 10V 100V 0.00 – 1.00 V 0.0 – 10.0 V 0 – 100 V Note: If you do not know the level of the signal to be measured, always set the input voltage switch to 100V. 9. Click on the horizontal cursor icon to display the horizontal cursors.
22-310.fm Page 27 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM 12. Calculate the DC signal using the oscilloscope’s grid display as follows: a.Place the mouse cursor directly over the oscilloscope screen’s upper horizontal cursor until the cursor’s shape changes to a cross. b.While you press and hold the left mouse button, move the mouse up or down until the screen’s upper horizontal cursor is superimposed directly on the DC signal’s flat-line waveform. DC flat-line waveform MAX 1V 10V or 100V Zero Reference Line 13.
22-310.fm Page 28 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM MEASURING THE DC BIAS VOLTAGE OF AN AC SIGNAL If you are measuring the DC component of an AC signal (AC on a DC bias), calculate the waveform’s average vertical distance from the zero reference line as follows: Note: The average level of a pure sinusoidal, square, or triangular waveform is the midpoint between the positive and negative signal peaks. Midpoint 1. Repeat Steps 1–9 of “Measuring a DC Voltage” on Page 24. 2.
22-310.fm Page 29 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM b.While you press and hold the left mouse button, move the mouse up or down until the screen’s upper horizontal cursor is superimposed directly on the AC signal’s midpoint between the positive and negative signal peaks. DC Signal Level Zero Reference Line Important: The DVM display does not accurately measure AC on a DC bias.
22-310.fm Page 30 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM MEASURING AN AC VOLTAGE In oscilloscope measurements, the AC component of a waveform is usually measured in terms of its peak-topeak value. You can easily make this type of measurement by using the grid overlay on the oscilloscope screen to measure the vertical distance between peaks and multiplying this distance by the oscilloscope screen’s deflection factor. The result is the actual peakto-peak voltage.
22-310.fm Page 31 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM 4. If it was necessary to ground the tip (see Step 3 note), remove the tip from the ground or reference voltage. This readies the tip so you can use it to make a measurement. 5. Set the input coupling switch to AC. 6. If you know the level of the signal to be measured, set the input voltage switch as follows. Switch Position Measures 1V 10V 100V 0.00 – 1.00 V 0.0 – 10.
22-310.fm Page 32 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM a.Place the mouse cursor directly over the oscilloscope screen’s lower horizontal cursor. The cursor’s shape changes to a cross. b.While you press and hold the left mouse button, move the mouse up or down until the screen’s lower horizontal cursor touches the bottom of the signal peaks. Vp-p Zero Reference Line 10. Click on the voltmeter icon. The DVM: box at the bottom of the computer’s display shows the actual AC signal level. DVM : 3.
22-310.fm Page 33 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM MEASURING AN INSTANTANEOUS VOLTAGE You can use the ProbeScope to measure an AC signal’s instantaneous voltage at any given point on the signal waveform. 1. Set the input coupling switch to GND. 2. Connect the GROUND (0 volt) wire to the signal source’s ground or reference level. 3. Rotate the Zero Level to vertically position the trace to a convenient line on the grid overlay.
22-310.fm Page 34 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM 6. Click on the horizontal cursor icon to display the horizontal cursors. The Volt: box appears below the grid display. — a.Place the mouse cursor directly over the oscilloscope screen’s lower horizontal cursor. The cursor’s shape changes to a cross. b.While you press and hold the left mouse button, move the mouse up or down until the screen’s lower horizontal cursor touches the reference line. 7.
22-310.fm Page 35 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM Note: If you place the screen’s upper horizontal cursor anywhere along the waveform, the measurement equals the instantaneous voltage. The Volt: box shows the instantaneous voltage level of the signal at the measured point. — Volt: — 8.7 V Note: You can also calculate the approximate voltage levels by multiplying the approximate distance by the deflection factor.
22-310.fm Page 36 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM FREQUENCY MEASUREMENTS Since frequency and time are reciprocals of each other, when you know one (frequency or time), you can easily solve for the other (f= 1t , then t= 1f ). Therefore, if you measure the time period of a recurrent waveform as 0.2 1 ms, the frequency is 5 MHz (or 0.2 ms). Note: Since a DC voltage does not have a frequency, you cannot make frequency measurements on a DC voltage. 1. Set the input coupling switch to GND. 2.
22-310.fm Page 37 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM a.Place the mouse cursor directly over the oscilloscope screen’s left vertical cursor. The cursor’s shape changes to a cross. b.While you press and hold the left mouse button, move the mouse left or right until the screen’s left vertical cursor touches a point where the rising or falling edge of the waveform intersects with the zero reference line. 7. Apply the probe tip to the signal source, then click on the oscilloscope hold icon. HOLD 8.
22-310.fm Page 38 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM The frequency measurement will be inaccurate if you set one vertical cursor to a rising edge and the other to a falling edge. One Cycle of the Waveform Zero Reference Line c.When you select HERTZ, the Time value represents the signal’s frequency. When you select Time value represents the Seconds, the time between the cursors. — — — Time — Time 10.0 ms 0.
22-310.fm Page 39 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM For example: – If the grid is not shown, then the timebase displayed on the monitor is the same as the ProbeScope’s set sampling rate. 1ms Sampling Rate 1kSa/s Sampling Frequency Since f= 1t , if the time period of a recurrent waveform is measured as 1ms, the sampling frequency is 1000 samples per second 1 (or 1 ms ). – If the grid is shown, then the displayed timebase is the timebase of the grid.
22-310.fm Page 40 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM Frequency Measuring Limits: • You must have a minimum of one complete cycle of a waveform on the display. • You cannot have more than one cycle per division. PHASE MEASUREMENTS You can compare two signal waveforms of the same frequency either from two separate points on the same electronic device, or from similar points on two separate electronic devices. The phase difference between the two signal waveforms is measured in degrees.
22-310.fm Page 41 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM Measuring Phase Follow these steps to measure the phase difference between two signals. 1. Set the input coupling switch to GND. 2. Connect the GROUND (0 volt) wire to the signal source’s ground or reference level. 3. Rotate Zero Level to vertically center the trace on the grid overlay. Note: If the trace is widened by stray interference, ground the probe body near the point being measured.
22-310.fm Page 42 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM b.While you press and hold the left mouse button, move the mouse left or right until the screen’s left vertical cursor touches a point where the rising or falling edge of the first waveform intersects with the zero reference line. 9. If the second signal source to be measured is a separate circuit on the same electronic device, simply remove the ProbeScope’s tip from the first circuit’s signal source and apply it to the next circuit’s signal source.
22-310.fm Page 43 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM Note: To avoid inaccurate phase measurements, make sure you set the cursors in Steps 8b and 10b to two corresponding rising or two corresponding falling points on the displayed waveforms. The phase measurement will be inaccurate if you set one vertical cursor to a rising edge and the other to a falling edge. Phase Difference Zero Reference Line c.When you select HERTZ, the Time value represents the signal’s frequency.
22-310.fm Page 44 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM 12. Divide the displacement between the vertical cursors (the value shown in the Time box) by the value in the timebase (time-per-division), then multiply the result by the number of degrees per division calculated in Step 11. — Note: The relative amplitude of the measured signals does not affect the phase measurement if the signals are centered around the grid’s center horizontal line.
22-310.fm Page 45 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM Note: If the trace is widened by stray interference, ground the probe body near the point being measured. The trace position is the voltage reference line and all voltage measurements are read in respect to this line. (Do not adjust the vertical positioning control after the reference is established.) 5. If it was necessary to ground the tip (see Step 4 note), remove the tip from the ground or reference voltage.
22-310.fm Page 46 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM 13. Apply the probe tip to the signal source to be measured. 14. Turn on the device to be measured. A single waveform appears on the oscilloscope screen. 15. Measure the single sweep frequency as follows: a.Place the mouse cursor directly over the oscilloscope screen’s left vertical cursor. The cursor’s shape changes to a cross. Left Cursor Right Cursor b.
22-310.fm Page 47 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM d.While you press and hold the left mouse button, move the mouse left or right until the screen’s right vertical cursor touches the point where the next rising edge of the waveform intersects the zero reference line. Time value e.When you select HERTZ, the represents the signal’s frequency. When you select Seconds, the Time value represents the time between the cursors. — — Time — Time 10.0 ms — 0.
22-310.fm Page 48 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM USING THE DVM The following applications describe how to make basic voltage measurements using the ProbeScope’s digital voltmeter (DVM) mode. These applications are not described in detail, but are designed to familiarize you with basic DVM operating techniques. In digital voltmeter measurements, the measured AC or DC voltage is converted to digital values using an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter.
22-310.fm Page 49 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM 3. Set the input coupling switch to GND. 4. Connect the GROUND (0 volt) wire to the signal source’s ground or reference level. 5. Rotate Zero Level to vertically position the trace to a convenient line on the grid overlay. Caution: To avoid an overload when measuring AC, make sure the zero line is centered vertically on the grid overlay. Note: If the trace is widened by stray interference, ground the probe body near the point being measured.
22-310.fm Page 50 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM • The maximum AC RMS measurement is (Voltage Range Selection / 2) ¥ 0.707. 9. Click on the DVM icon on the tool bar to display the DVM box. DVM: 0.0 V AC 10. Apply the probe tip to the circuit to be tested. The actual voltage appears on the ProbeScope’s display and on the monitor’s DVM box. DVM: 3.6 V AC If you want to freeze the current voltage reading so you can take another measurement reading for comparison, click on the tool bar. HOLD 0.
22-310.fm Page 51 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM CARE AND MAINTENANCE Your Radio Shack ProbeScope V4.1 for Windows/ DOS is an example of superior design and craftsmanship. The following suggestions will help you care for the ProbeScope so you can enjoy it for years. Keep the ProbeScope dry. If it gets wet, wipe it dry immediately. Liquids might contain minerals that can corrode the electronic circuits. Handle the ProbeScope gently and carefully.
22-310.fm Page 52 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM SPECIFICATIONS Sampling Rates ......................................... 50, 100 ns .5, 1, 5, 10, 50 ms .1, .5, 1 ms DC Band Width ....................................... DC – 5 MHz AC Band Width ................................ 100 Hz – 5 MHz A/D Converter .................................... 6-Bit resolution RAM ........................................................... 128 Bytes Input Coupling ..................
22-310.fm Page 53 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM Dimensions (HWD).......................... 6 1/2 ¥ 1 5/16 ¥ 3/4 in (165 ¥ 33 ¥ 19 mm) Weight .............................. About 1 lb, 14.4 oz. (86 g) Specifications are typical; individual units might vary. Specifications are subject to change and improvement without notice.
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22-310.fm Page 56 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM RADIO SHACK LIMITED WARRANTY This product is warranted against defects for 90 days from date of purchase from Radio Shack company-owned stores and authorized Radio Shack franchisees and dealers. Within this period, we will repair it without charge for parts and labor. Simply bring your Radio Shack sales slip as proof of purchase date to any Radio Shack store. Warranty does not cover transportation costs.
