Radio Shack 310 Owner's Manual Page 1

Cat. No. 22-310OWNER’S MANUALPlease read before using this equipment.ProbeScope V4.1for Windows/DOS22-310.fm Page 1 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM

10INSTALLING THE MS-DOS SOFTWAREIf your computer does not have MS-Windows, you caninstall the supplied MS-DOS software into your com-puter’s C: drive.

11Using a Bench-Top Power SupplyIf you are using a bench-top power supply or a 9-voltbattery:1. Set the input coupling switch to GND.Important: You mu

12Using an AC AdapterIf you are using an optional AC adapter:1. Set the input coupling switch to GND.Important: You must first set the input couplings

13CONNECTING A COMPUTER1. Plug the supplied serial cable’s 9-pin female con-nector into your computer’s 9-pin male serial portconnector.Note: If your

14CONNECTING THE EXTERNAL INPUTS1. Connect the supplied white signal wire’s plug intothe GROUND (0 Volt) jack.2. If you are using an external trigger

15BASIC OPERATIONUSING THE SOFTWAREIf all you want to do is make a quick and basic signaldetection or AC/DC voltage measurement, you cansimply use the

16USING THE TOOL BARAfter you start the ProbeScope V4.1 for Windows/DOSsoftware, these icons appear on your monitor’s display.(You can also access the

17Freezes the measured signal on the oscillo-scope display (Ctrl-l)Switches between seconds and Hertz forthe measured signal (Ctrl-U)Note: You can use

18USING THE AVAILABLE MODESSelecting a Mode1. Press the Menu button to display the availablemodes shown below.2. Press the Select button to set the de

19Mode DefinitionsTimebase — The ProbeScope’s timebase is its sam-pling rate (the rate at which measurements are taken)and is not always the same as u

2FCC INFORMATIONModifying or tampering with your Radio Shack Probe-Scope’s internal components can cause a malfunctionand might invalidate your ProbeS

20Trigger Source — A trigger source selection deter-mines how a received pulse or signal is to be monitoredor measured. The five selectable trigger so

21Note: The maximum and minimum voltage levelsof the + or – external trigger is always ±0.5 VTrigger Mode — The trigger mode determines when anew meas

22USING THE OSCILLOSCOPEThe following applications describe how to make basicwaveform measurements with the ProbeScope. Theseapplications are not desc

232. Divide the input voltage selector setting (1, 10, or100) by 4 (the number of vertical squares).The result is the screen’s vertical deflection fac

24MEASURING A DC VOLTAGEIn oscilloscope measurements, the DC component of awaveform is usually measured in terms of its DC flat-line or AC average dis

254. Rotate Zero Level to position the zero referenceline:a.On the bottom of the computer display until the indicator appears on the screen to get the

267. Set the input coupling switch to DC. The selectedsetting appears on your computer’s monitor.8. If you know the level of the signal to be measured

2712. Calculate the DC signal using the oscilloscope’sgrid display as follows:a.Place the mouse cursor directly over the oscillo-scope screen’s upper

28MEASURING THE DC BIAS VOLTAGE OF AN AC SIGNALIf you are measuring the DC component of an AC sig-nal (AC on a DC bias), calculate the waveform’s aver

29b.While you press and hold the left mouse button,move the mouse up or down until the screen’supper horizontal cursor is superimposed directlyon the

3SAFETY INSTRUCTIONSWarning: Use extreme caution in the use of this de-vice. Improper use of this device can result in injury ordeath. Follow all the

30MEASURING AN AC VOLTAGEIn oscilloscope measurements, the AC component of awaveform is usually measured in terms of its peak-to-peak value. You can e

314. If it was necessary to ground the tip (see Step 3note), remove the tip from the ground or referencevoltage. This readies the tip so you can use i

32a.Place the mouse cursor directly over the oscillo-scope screen’s lower horizontal cursor. The cur-sor’s shape changes to a cross.b.While you press

33MEASURING AN INSTANTANEOUS VOLTAGE You can use the ProbeScope to measure an AC sig-nal’s instantaneous voltage at any given point on thesignal wavef

346. Click on the horizontal cursor iconto display the horizontal cursors.The Volt: box appears belowthe grid display.a.Place the mouse cursor directl

35Note: If you place the screen’s upper horizontalcursor anywhere along the waveform, the mea-surement equals the instantaneous voltage.The Volt: box

36FREQUENCY MEASUREMENTSSince frequency and time are reciprocals of each other,when you know one (frequency or time), you can easilysolve for the othe

37a.Place the mouse cursor directly over the oscillo-scope screen’s left vertical cursor. The cursor’sshape changes to a cross.b.While you press and h

38The frequency measurement will be inaccurateif you set one vertical cursor to a rising edgeand the other to a falling edge.c.When you select HERTZ,

39For example:– If the grid is not shown, then the timebasedisplayed on the monitor is the same as theProbeScope’s set sampling rate.Since f= , if the

4• Always discharge filter capacitors in the circuitunder test before you attach the ProbeScope. Ifthe ProbeScope touches an undischarged capac-itor,

40Frequency Measuring Limits:• You must have a minimum of one completecycle of a waveform on the display.• You cannot have more than one cycle per div

41Measuring PhaseFollow these steps to measure the phase differencebetween two signals.1. Set the input coupling switch to GND.2. Connect the GROUND (

42b.While you press and hold the left mouse button,move the mouse left or right until the screen’sleft vertical cursor touches a point where the ris-i

43Note: To avoid inaccurate phase measurements,make sure you set the cursors in Steps 8b and10b to two corresponding rising or two corre-sponding fall

4412. Divide the displacement between the vertical cur-sors (the value shown in the box) by thevalue in the timebase (time-per-division), thenmultip

45Note: If the trace is widened by stray interference,ground the probe body near the point being mea-sured. The trace position is the voltage referenc

4613. Apply the probe tip to the signal source to bemeasured.14. Turn on the device to be measured. A singlewaveform appears on the oscilloscope scree

47d.While you press and hold the left mouse button,move the mouse left or right until the screen’sright vertical cursor touches the point where thenex

48USING THE DVMThe following applications describe how to make basicvoltage measurements using the ProbeScope’s digitalvoltmeter (DVM) mode. These app

493. Set the input coupling switch to GND.4. Connect the GROUND (0 volt) wire to the signalsource’s ground or reference level.5. Rotate Zero Level to

5• Unplug the ProbeScope from the DC powersource and refer servicing to qualified service per-sonnel under the following conditions:— If the power cor

50• The maximum AC RMS measurement is (Volt-age Range Selection / 2) ¥ 0.707.9. Click on the DVM icon on thetool bar to display the DVM box.10. Apply

51CARE AND MAINTENANCEYour Radio Shack ProbeScope V4.1 for Windows/DOS is an example of superior design and craftsman-ship. The following suggestions

52SPECIFICATIONSSampling Rates ... 50, 100 ns.5, 1, 5, 10, 50 ms.1, .5, 1 msDC Band Width ...

53Dimensions (HWD)... 61/2 ¥ 15/16 ¥ 3/4 in(165 ¥ 33 ¥ 19 mm)Weight ... About 1 lb, 14.4 oz. (86 g

54NOTES22-310.fm Page 54 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM

5522-310.fm Page 55 Friday, August 6, 1999 12:26 PM

RADIO SHACKA Division of Tandy CorporationFort Worth, Texas 761025A6 Printed in the USARADIO SHACK LIMITED WARRANTYThis product is warranted against d

6FEATURESYour Radio Shack ProbeScope V4.1 for Windows/DOSis a microprocessor-controlled oscilloscope and digitalvoltmeter housed in a small probe with

7Trigger Jack — lets you connect an external triggersource.Multiple Input Power Sources — lets you connect9VDC–13VDC external power from a battery usi

8CONTENTSPreparation ..... 9Installing the MS-Windows Software ... 9Installing

9PREPARATIONUse this manual as a guide to prepare and use theProbeScope using either the ProbeScope’s LCD or acomputer monitor.The computer’s software