What oscilloscope do i need?

[OY2L]

I know almost nothing about oscilloscopes but now i thinking buy me a scope and start learning to use it. I think a handheld scope will be better to my use. I think i will specially use it to my pic projects and to hamradios.
Pleace will somone look at this document(attached file) and give me an advise what i shall buy, Will model HPS10 be good enough for me?? or one of the others on the sheet?

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Handheld scopes are more a toy than anything else, they can be useful, but it's not a substitute for a real scope - get a real scope first.

But in any case, ANY scope is better than no scope at all - I would suggest getting a simple 20MHz or 30MHz double beam scope, that will cope with 99+% of scope applications. Much higher spec, much more expensive, scopes would be nice, but it's only very, very, rarely required - and if you've already got a reasonably priced lower spec scope, then two scopes is better than one!.

 

[JimB]

This thread is very similar to one back in October, I can only re-itterate what I wrote then:

Better still have a look here at this one:

https://www.surplus-electronics.co.uk/index.php5?page=9&t_category=47&t_product=155&user id=1182151120541_549

A Rolls Royce for Skoda money!

Shipping costs to the Faeroe Islands may be expensive, but the 'scope you originally quoted is just a toy, it is no where near fast enough to look at the 4Mhz clock in a basic PIC project, it is only good enough for audio applications.

JimB

 

[RadioRon]

Yeah, the scopes in the link would not be my first choice. Cost is always a consideration, but if we break things up into ranges, I like a classic analog scope for the cheapest range of up to $100. Above that, a good 100 MHz basic digital scope is good, but from $100 to $600 you have to buy an older one. Above that price, I start looking at a new Tektronix TDS202x model, two channel model with 60 MHz bandwidth. These TDS202x series are very good solidly designed instruments, lightweight and rugged, but high performance and accurate. And since they use an LCD display, they ar e lot smaller and lighter than an older digital or analog scope that uses a CRT.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

These TDS202x series are very good solidly designed instruments, lightweight and rugged, but high performance and accurate. And since they use an LCD display, they ar e lot smaller and lighter than an older digital or analog scope that uses a CRT.

Yes, beautiful scopes, but VERY expensive, far beyond the reach of most hobbiests.

 

[RadioRon]

Yes, beautiful scopes, but VERY expensive, far beyond the reach of most hobbiests.

Yes, quite so. We discuss entry level scopes all the time, but they are so important that I don't mind repeating things a bit. When I remember back to my early days as a hobbiest, trying to get by with an analog VOM, a home-made DC power supply and a borrowed logic probe, I shake my head in wonder that anything worked at all. Once I got my first scope, a Leader 30MHz dual trace model, the world of electronics really opened up for me. At last, I had a window into what was really happening in my circuits. The text book theory becomes so much more useful when you have something that you can actually make meaningful measurements with. Any beginner will be way ahead of the game with a working Tek465 or Leader LBO524 or HP1740 scope on his bench compared to no scope at all. Even for logic work an old analog scope is so so much better than nothing. Spending $100 on your first 60MHz analog scope (or 30MHz or 100 MHz, whatever. Assuming it is working OK of course) is by far and away the best value for money available to the hobbiest.

 

[RadioRon]

By the way, it might bear mentioning that you can buy refurbished (almost new) scopes directly from Tektronix with full warranty and all accessories for very good discounts. This is done through TekSelect
https://www.tek.com/Measurement/cgi...nt=/Measurement/tekselect/&FrameSet=tekselect

I don't work for them or anything like that, but I noticed some examples that are pretty good, probably as good as I've seen from Ebay sources. Heres a couple on the site today:

TDS2012 100MHz 1Gs/s colour LCD discounted 45% off list to US$880
TDS1001 40 MHz 1Gs/s monochrome LCD discounted 35% to US$553

Still too expensive for the hobbiest starting out, but not unreasonable for someone taking training to work in the field, or the more serious hobbiest.

 

[Hero999]

Apart from being portable, they do have one advantage, being totally isolated from earth and having a nice double insulated case. This makes them much safer for looking at waveforms on the primary side of switch mode power supplies.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

By the way, it might bear mentioning that you can buy refurbished (almost new) scopes directly from Tektronix with full warranty and all accessories for very good discounts. This is done through TekSelect
https://www.tek.com/Measurement/cgi...nt=/Measurement/tekselect/&FrameSet=tekselect

I don't work for them or anything like that, but I noticed some examples that are pretty good, probably as good as I've seen from Ebay sources. Heres a couple on the site today:

TDS2012 100MHz 1Gs/s colour LCD discounted 45% off list to US$880
TDS1001 40 MHz 1Gs/s monochrome LCD discounted 35% to US$553

Still too expensive for the hobbiest starting out, but not unreasonable for someone taking training to work in the field, or the more serious hobbiest.

They wil be what are called 'graded stock' in the UK, they are units which have been returned as faulty. They are usually repaired or refurbished, and sold at a discount - but complete with the same warranty as a new product.

 

[Brian Hoskins]

Yes, beautiful scopes, but VERY expensive, far beyond the reach of most hobbiests.

You can buy the TDS2022 for about £1000, and the TDS2024 comes in at about £1300. Those are brand new prices (I recently received a quote for some that we're buying in work). I personally wouldn't see that as VERY expensive for a scope - especially if you buy second hand, which would give a significant cost saving. Obviously it's only a bargain if you've got the money to spare, I understand that, but I wouldn't have called them expensive scopes at all.

If you're into music, you can pay hundreds of pounds for each of your instruments. It's a similar situation really.

Brian