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AndyS · July 18th 06, 11:53 PM posted to rec.radio.amateur.homebrew

wrote:
I haven't touched RF test and measurement equipment for about 20 years.
Back then I used a standard 50MHz dual trace scope. I want to get
back into homebrewing, and was wondering whether anyone could advise me
on buying PC based 'scopes. Do they have the same "look and feel" as a
dedicated 'scope?

There appear to be many such PC based scopes (e.g. Vellman), I was
wondering what homebrewers would advise, given the "average" budget
(not 10,000 Dollars + !!). Something with a pretty good Spectrum
Analyser built in?

Or would I be better off going to Ebay and buying an old dual trace
scope for 100 Euros or so?

Advice anyone?

Andy writes:

I've used a couple of the systems that plug into the PC and use
software
loaded into it. It is mainly an A/D converter with several channels,
and
the software gives the user the versatility to establish timing, etc...
I MUCH MUCH MUCH prefer the old fashioned analog scopes, tho, since
I can fiddle with it and don't have to worry about aliasing, sample
rates, etc.
I suppose the latter software programs have all the user friendly stuff
built in, but, personaly, if I didn't write the program myself, I don't
know
where I would get into trouble applying it. I don't like to used
"canned"
"one program does all" stuff....... (unless I wrote it :))) ).

One really cheap system I used was, I think , BSOFT. I don't know
if
they are stillin business, but they sold a board that plugged into a PC
(desk size) and only cost 50 - 100 bucks. Worked up to several Mhz.
But that was 15 years ago -- everything is much faster now -- but you
have to pay for it......

As I think about it, a big advantage for a PC scope is that the
measurements
are on a file somewhere, and if you have programming ability, you can
write an FFT, or a graph program, or, well, hell, almost anything
you
can think of ---- providing you can access the data file.... That
could be
a lot of fun.........

Good luck. But 50 mhz scopes are faily cheap now......

Andy in Eureka, Texas