Do hospitals have vape detectors that are a more powerful tool than the multimeter and can be intimidating to the novice. It can help to diagnose a circuit that is acting erratically and can also decode communications, like RS232 and I2C. This article will cover the basics of operating an oscilloscope so that you can get to know it and understand its function.

The first thing you need to do is connect your scope to your signal generator. Adjust (play with) all of the scope controls until you have a stable waveform on the display. You may need to adjust the probe compensation knob to get this done, depending on the type of signal you are measuring.

Beginner’s Guide: How to Use an Oscilloscope for Basic Measurements

Once your waveform is stable, you can start making measurements with the grid. The grid offers a reference point for the voltage and time of your signal. Each square on the grid represents a division of your scope’s vertical or horizontal scale. Each of these divisions will represent a certain amount of either voltage or time, depending on how your scale is set up. By comparing the signal’s position on the grid to the scale, you can estimate important characteristics like amplitude and frequency.

You can also use cursors to make more precise measurements on the waveform. Cursors are two lines that move up and down (or right and left) on the screen, bracketing the signal’s amplitude for voltage measurements and time for time measurements. Most scopes have adjustment knobs to control how far they move, allowing you to measure the precise distance between each of these marks.