Modern thermocouple instruments automate the cold-junction-compensation process. Part 1 of this two-part series introduced thermocouple cold-junction compensation (CJC). This part will elaborate on the concept. Table 1, presented in part 1 and repeated here, lists a subset of the NIST voltage and temperature data for the type T thermocouple. Table 1. Type T thermocouple temperatures […]
Test and Measurement Tips
That Maxwell book that was returned to a library 115 years late: what’s it about? (Part 1)
Published in 1881, An Elementary Treatise on Electricity evolved from notes Maxwell had written in preparation for lectures on electricity at the Cavendish Laboratory. In June 2023, the national media carried a story about a book 115 years overdue that was returned to the Free Public Library in New Bedford, Mass. The book turned out […]
What are the important specifications of USB oscilloscopes? Part 1
USB oscilloscopes are compact and low-cost. If properly specified, they can be highly capable instruments. This FAQ reviews some important USB oscilloscope specifications including the number of channels, sample rate, bandwidth, refresh rate, and memory depth. Part two of this series considers specifications for triggering, input ranges and probes, zooming, and control software. The number […]
How does a thermocouple work, and do I really need an ice bath (part 1 of 2)?
Efforts at the Bureau of Standards 110 years ago paved the way for the cold-junction-compensation technique used today. Thermocouples have long been used to make temperature measurements. They are simple, consisting of a pair of wires of dissimilar metals welded together at one end. They are rugged, operate over wide temperature ranges, and generate readily […]
Expand your RF test equipment’s range to 20 GHz
Extend the frequency of RF test equipment from 6 GHz to 20 GHz. RF systems such as satellite, Wi-Fi, UWB, and radar often need to bring modulated signals up to carrier frequency before transmitting and after receiving. TMYTEK, maker of BBox has introduced its UD Module (UDM) up/down converter, which operates from 6 GHz to […]
Voltage reed relay now rated up to 150°C
Pickering Electronics launched a new high-temperature high voltage single-in-line reed relay that can operate at up to 125°C. The new Series 104HT relay belongs to a family of miniature high-voltage reed relays and is available in the SIL package on a 6.35mm (0.25in) pitch, with a stand-off voltage capability of up to 4kV. The […]
What is GPIB and is it obsolete?
The bus, codified as the IEEE 488 standard, continues to find use in legacy test-system upgrades and in calibration labs. The General-Purpose Interface Bus (GPIB) began life as the Hewlett-Packard Interface Bus (HP-IB). Hewlett-Packard, whose electronic test-and-measurement business has evolved into today’s Keysight Technologies, created the interface in the 1960s to connect multiple instruments in […]
Co-packaged optics: promises and complexities
Integrating optics into the same package as switching ASICs improves signal integrity and increases data rates, but challenges remain. Near-packaged optics could emerge as an interim solution to the problem. The constant need for more throughput in data centers pushes engineers to develop ever-faster optical and electrical links. In addition to designing for more speed, […]
How to make fast and accurate power-integrity measurements
Today’s electronic devices with fast FPGAs, ASICs, and other ICs rely on ever-smaller power rail voltages with tight tolerances. Engineers who incorporate these ICs into their systems need to use oscilloscopes, probes, and measurement techniques that align with today’s tight voltage rail tolerances. Making an accurate ripple measurement with an oscilloscope on a 1 V […]
IMS 2023 roundup: test equipment
Test equipment plays a major role in product development and production, which was apparent at IMS 2023. In the photos and videos below, you’ll get a taste of test developments at RF, mmWave, and sub-THz frequencies. This year, D-band (110 GHz to 170 GHz) seized a larger portion of the exhibit hall than in past […]
