Author Topic: Curve Tracer with a DSO?  (Read 8242 times)

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JuanPC

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Curve Tracer with a DSO?
« on: August 27, 2013, 10:21:04 pm »
just wondering if there is a way to make a curve tracer with a DSO?

something like Tektronix Model 576, but not old, not cathode tube.
 

Offline TerminalJack505

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Re: Curve Tracer with a DSO?
« Reply #1 on: August 27, 2013, 11:47:05 pm »
Read this thread:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/dirt-cheap-and-simple-scope-based-component-tester-curve-tracer/

Somewhere in it, someone posted a schematic and a magazine article of a transistor curve tracer.

This post, I think.

Should work with a DSO scope so long as it has an X-Y mode.
 

Offline mcinque

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Re: Curve Tracer with a DSO?
« Reply #2 on: August 28, 2013, 01:45:32 pm »
Yes, it's indeed a cheap ad useful device, and it's very simple.

Take a look a the w2aew schematic that I've freely redesigned, grab a couple of bnc, a resistor and a transformer, and you're done!
 

alm

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Re: Curve Tracer with a DSO?
« Reply #3 on: August 28, 2013, 01:57:55 pm »
That's not really a curve trace, but more of a basic Huntron tracker tool typically used for troubleshooting. It's fine for qualitative measurements, but accurate quantitative measurements like current gain, for example to test unknown transistors or to match them, will be tricky if not impossible.
 

Offline TerminalJack505

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Re: Curve Tracer with a DSO?
« Reply #4 on: August 28, 2013, 06:26:29 pm »
That's not really a curve trace, but more of a basic Huntron tracker tool typically used for troubleshooting. It's fine for qualitative measurements, but accurate quantitative measurements like current gain, for example to test unknown transistors or to match them, will be tricky if not impossible.

Yeah, I wouldn't expect much for what basically amounts to $10 to $20 in parts. 

Both the octopus tracer and transistor tracer are on my "build, just for fun" list.
 

Offline jancumps

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Re: Curve Tracer with a DSO?
« Reply #5 on: August 28, 2013, 06:44:44 pm »
Are you looking for a Bode plot on the scope?



 

Offline jancumps

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Re: Curve Tracer with a DSO?
« Reply #6 on: August 28, 2013, 06:46:45 pm »
Or this type of tracer:

 

alm

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Re: Curve Tracer with a DSO?
« Reply #7 on: August 28, 2013, 06:55:15 pm »
The latter, given that he references the Tek 576.
 

Offline jancumps

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Re: Curve Tracer with a DSO?
« Reply #8 on: August 28, 2013, 07:03:48 pm »
So that's possible. The photo is taken from my DSO :)

i used this schema from http://www.intio.or.jp/jf10zl/trct.htm



Works only for NPNs.
 


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