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  1. TekScopes
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Tek Probes

Mike
 

Hello,
I am new to the group and to Tektronics scopes. I have however used other scopes such as B&K and my personally built Heathkit.
I recently purchased a model 465M scope with an assortment of leads at a local yard sale.
So far the scope seems to be working fine but I noticed that one of the probes (the only Tektronics labeled one) has a spring loaded pin on the ring of the BNC connector and that leads to my question.
What is the purpose of that pin?
I am assuming that it is to insure a good ground reference connection but wonder if it has other functions.

Thanks for help,

Mike
Brad Thompson
 

On 10/8/2012 10:03 AM, Mike wrote:
Hello,
I am new to the group and to Tektronics scopes. I have however used
other scopes such as B&K and my personally built Heathkit.
I recently purchased a model 465M scope with an assortment of leads at a
local yard sale.
So far the scope seems to be working fine but I noticed that one of the
probes (the only Tektronics labeled one) has a spring loaded pin on the
ring of the BNC connector and that leads to my question.
What is the purpose of that pin?
I am assuming that it is to insure a good ground reference connection
but wonder if it has other functions.

Hello, Mike--
That's indeed its purpose. IIRC, a length of wire presents
approximately 20 nanohenries per inch of length. Introducing
extra inductance between the probe and the circuit under
test can seriously distort waveshapes. Also, the loop
formed by the probe ground wire can pick up extraneous
noise radiated by nearby circuits.

73--

Brad AA1IP
 

¿ªÔÆÌåÓý

Not sure , but isn't that to communicate to the scope when the x1 or x10 switch in the probe is active?
Pat - W9ZO
==================================================================================
Mike wrote the following on 10/8/2012 9:03 AM:

?

Hello,
I am new to the group and to Tektronics scopes. I have however used other scopes such as B&K and my personally built Heathkit.
I recently purchased a model 465M scope with an assortment of leads at a local yard sale.
So far the scope seems to be working fine but I noticed that one of the probes (the only Tektronics labeled one) has a spring loaded pin on the ring of the BNC connector and that leads to my question.
What is the purpose of that pin?
I am assuming that it is to insure a good ground reference connection but wonder if it has other functions.

Thanks for help,

Mike
 

Yes - or simply that the probe is a 10X or 100X if it is not
switchable.
-ls-


Pat-W9ZO <malfam2@...> wrote:

Not sure , but isn't that to communicate to the scope when the x1 or x10
switch in the probe is active?
Pat - W9ZO
==================================================================================
Mike wrote the following on 10/8/2012 9:03 AM:

Hello,
I am new to the group and to Tektronics scopes. I have however used
other scopes such as B&K and my personally built Heathkit.
I recently purchased a model 465M scope with an assortment of leads at
a local yard sale.
So far the scope seems to be working fine but I noticed that one of
the probes (the only Tektronics labeled one) has a spring loaded pin
on the ring of the BNC connector and that leads to my question.
What is the purpose of that pin?
I am assuming that it is to insure a good ground reference connection
but wonder if it has other functions.

Thanks for help,

Mike






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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Not sure , but isn't that to
communicate to the scope when the x1 or x10 switch in the probe is
active?<br>
Pat - W9ZO<br>
==================================================================================<br>
Mike wrote the following on 10/8/2012 9:03 AM:<br>
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<p>Hello,<br>
I am new to the group and to Tektronics scopes. I have
however used other scopes such as B&amp;K and my
personally built Heathkit.<br>
I recently purchased a model 465M scope with an assortment
of leads at a local yard sale.<br>
So far the scope seems to be working fine but I noticed
that one of the probes (the only Tektronics labeled one)
has a spring loaded pin on the ring of the BNC connector
and that leads to my question.<br>
What is the purpose of that pin?<br>
I am assuming that it is to insure a good ground reference
connection but wonder if it has other functions.<br>
<br>
Thanks for help,<br>
<br>
Mike<br>
<br>
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Craig Sawyers
 

No. The spring loaded pin is to automatically change the range to x10 on
scopes that have this feature.

Craig

-----Original Message-----
From: TekScopes@... [mailto:TekScopes@...]
On Behalf Of Brad Thompson
Sent: 08 October 2012 15:13
To: TekScopes@...
Subject: Re: [TekScopes] Tek Probes

On 10/8/2012 10:03 AM, Mike wrote:
Hello,
I am new to the group and to Tektronics scopes. I have however used
other scopes such as B&K and my personally built Heathkit.
I recently purchased a model 465M scope with an assortment of leads at
a local yard sale.
So far the scope seems to be working fine but I noticed that one of
the probes (the only Tektronics labeled one) has a spring loaded pin
on the ring of the BNC connector and that leads to my question.
What is the purpose of that pin?
I am assuming that it is to insure a good ground reference connection
but wonder if it has other functions.

Hello, Mike--
That's indeed its purpose. IIRC, a length of wire presents approximately
20
nanohenries per inch of length. Introducing extra inductance between the
probe and the circuit under test can seriously distort waveshapes. Also,
the
loop formed by the probe ground wire can pick up extraneous noise radiated
by nearby circuits.

73--

Brad AA1IP



------------------------------------

Yahoo! Groups Links
Alex
 

It's "Tektronix", BTW.

--- In TekScopes@..., "Mike" <n3xpd@...> wrote:

Hello,
I am new to the group and to Tektronics scopes. I have however used other scopes such as B&K and my personally built Heathkit.
I recently purchased a model 465M scope with an assortment of leads at a local yard sale.
So far the scope seems to be working fine but I noticed that one of the probes (the only Tektronics labeled one) has a spring loaded pin on the ring of the BNC connector and that leads to my question.
What is the purpose of that pin?
I am assuming that it is to insure a good ground reference connection but wonder if it has other functions.

Thanks for help,

Mike
Brad Thompson
 

On 10/8/2012 10:27 AM, Craig Sawyers wrote:
No. The spring loaded pin is to automatically change the range to x10 on
scopes that have this feature.

Craig

<snip>
Hello, Craig and the group--

Craig's (and others') correction is absolutely, well, correct<g>.
I apologize for any confusion that I may have introduced.

I was thinking of the business end of a probe and the
coil-spring-like fitting that slides over the probe's metal
ground barrel that's close to the probe tip.

See the "sprung earth tip" here...



...For a drawing of what I had in mind.

73--

Brad AA1IP
**


> >Hello, Mike--
>
> That's indeed its purpose. IIRC, a length of wire presents approximately
20
> nanohenries per inch of length. Introducing extra inductance between the
> probe and the circuit under test can seriously distort waveshapes. Also,
the
> loop formed by the probe ground wire can pick up extraneous noise
radiated
> by nearby circuits.
>
> 73--
>
> Brad AA1IP
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
Mike
 

Sorry for the spelling error and thanks for the correction.

Thanks to all for answers to my question about probes.
I obviously have much to learn about this scope and I am searching for a manual or other info.
I received no documentation with the scope purchase.

Mike

--- In TekScopes@..., "Alex" <alexeisenhut@...> wrote:

It's "Tektronix", BTW.

--- In TekScopes@..., "Mike" <n3xpd@> wrote:

Hello,
I am new to the group and to Tektronics scopes. I have however used other scopes such as B&K and my personally built Heathkit.
I recently purchased a model 465M scope with an assortment of leads at a local yard sale.
So far the scope seems to be working fine but I noticed that one of the probes (the only Tektronics labeled one) has a spring loaded pin on the ring of the BNC connector and that leads to my question.
What is the purpose of that pin?
I am assuming that it is to insure a good ground reference connection but wonder if it has other functions.

Thanks for help,

Mike
 

¿ªÔÆÌåÓý

You can get a copy of the 465M manual from here:
?
?
The 465M is a good 100 MHz analog scope that won't let you down.
?
Regards,
Tom
?
?

----- Original Message -----
From: Mike
Sent: Monday, October 08, 2012 4:47 PM
Subject: [TekScopes] Re: Tek Probes

?

Sorry for the spelling error and thanks for the correction.

Thanks to all for answers to my question about probes.
I obviously have much to learn about this scope and I am searching for a manual or other info.
I received no documentation with the scope purchase.

Mike

--- In TekScopes@..., "Alex" wrote:
>
> It's "Tektronix", BTW.
>
> --- In TekScopes@..., "Mike" wrote:
> >
> > Hello,
> > I am new to the group and to Tektronics scopes. I have however used other scopes such as B&K and my personally built Heathkit.
> > I recently purchased a model 465M scope with an assortment of leads at a local yard sale.
> > So far the scope seems to be working fine but I noticed that one of the probes (the only Tektronics labeled one) has a spring loaded pin on the ring of the BNC connector and that leads to my question.
> > What is the purpose of that pin?
> > I am assuming that it is to insure a good ground reference connection but wonder if it has other functions.
> >
> > Thanks for help,
> >
> > Mike
> >
>

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