[Boatanchors] need multimeter advice

[Richard W. Solomon]

One word of caution on the el cheapo BY DMM's. They really don't like RF.
If you try to measure DC with any RF floating around they will give erroneous
readings.
I have a couple of the Harbor Freight $2 specials and they are useless in RF.
My Fluke however does much better. Of course, nothing beats a Simpson
or Triplett Analog Meter.

73, Dick, W1KSZ

-----Original Message-----
>From: Bob Hardie- W5UQ <W5UQ at verizon.NET>
>Sent: Sep 1, 2009 6:12 PM
>To: Alex Whitaker <ehscott at sbcglobal.net>
>Cc: boatanchors at mailman.qth.net, kf4nsradio at verizon.net
>Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] need multimeter advice
>
>Me too.. Fluke meters are great....
>
>HOWEVER, one CAN get a cheaper DMM's.  What I did was get a Fluke 179 
>for my main DMM and then got a couple of cheaper ones. 
>What "can happen"  is.... IF you use the current meter portion of the 
>Fluke, then FORGET to change the leads back to voltage, it is easy to 
>BLOW the DMM up. 
>
>So get a cheap one and compare it with your Fluke while it IS working... 
>record the differences and be ready to blow your Fluke up...
>Unless you are reallllly careful....which I am....but CRS and old age 
>has taken over.....So unless you are lucky....which I was not in this 
>case...  you will forget and blow it up...
>
>ALWAYS,,,,,,I mean not almost always, but _ALWAYS_ change the probe 
>leads back to voltage when you move them to current and even "think" you 
>may be finished... err on the side of caution..............
>
>destructive comments are not welcome...    constructive and reasonable 
>comments are... :-)
>Bob
>
>Alex Whitaker wrote:
>> I was always partial to my Fluke 89 and 79, also to Simpson 260 and 460.
>>  
>> 73,
>>  
>> Alex AA9XY
>>
>> --- On Tue, 9/1/09, jcoward5452 at aol.com <jcoward5452 at aol.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>> From: jcoward5452 at aol.com <jcoward5452 at aol.com>
>> Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] need multimeter advice
>> To: kf4nsradio at verizon.net, boatanchors at mailman.qth.net
>> Date: Tuesday, September 1, 2009, 4:25 PM
>>
>>
>> Agilent make decent ones.Nice bright displays you can see across the 
>> room.Check out the used equipment suppliers and renters.
>> Jay
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Dick KF4NS <kf4nsradio at verizon.net>
>> To: boatanchors at mailman.qth.net
>> Sent: Tue, Sep 1, 2009 1:05 pm
>> Subject: [Boatanchors] need multimeter advice
>>
>>
>>
>> Ok guys, I know this is likely to start a HUGE thread so please be as
>> brief as possible.
>>
>> Over my 50+ years of electronics I have used so darn many multimeters
>> starting with my first one being a Simpson 260 in the 1950's. My
>> latest one being a Triplett DMM about to give up the ghost, I need to
>> replace it.
>>
>> I want something that is true RMS, has lots of ranges, does not have
>> to be autoranging, is of good accuracy, is sufficiently rugged, large
>> display (not a pocket one) state of the art testing but not interested
>> in computer interface, can be bench or handheld. I do not want to
>> spend my whole month's social security on it but am willing to buy a
>> "GOOD" one.
>>
>> I have looked at ads for Fluke, Mastech, Extech, RSR, BK Precision,
>> Tenma, Amprobe, Protek, and so many others that I never heard of nor
>> can I pronounce the name.
>>
>> Sock it to me!
>>
>> 73, Dick KF4NS
>> St Petersburg, FL 33714 USA
>> Keep The Glow!
>>
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