[Elecraft] Help me buy a DMM

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

Don, W3FPR wrote, " My Fluke looks and feels like it could be tossed against
a brick wall and sustain no damage.." 
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But would you WANT to toss a meter costing hundreds of dollars against a
brick wall?? Just kidding, but it makes a point that drives my choices in
DMMs. 

Don's comment about sampling rates is a good one. My <$100 RS meter is just
as accurate as the Flukes I've compared it with, and has proven itself
plenty durable for work around the Hamshack. The difference is that it takes
two or three seconds to show the reading while the Fluke (and other high-end
meters) are virtually instantaneous.

The RS meter does provide a bar graph that is *very* fast for peaking or
dipping a reading. That's an important feature for when it's the only
instrument handy. Still I prefer an instrument with a D'Arsonval (wiggly
needle) movement for peaking or dipping. If that's not handy, perhaps an
o'scope. The DMM is my last choice. 

Getting back to the image of chucking an expensive Fluke against a brick
wall, I have worked a number of years in the field, some of it on large
ocean-going ships. In most cases dropping a meter meant it was headed for a
steel deck from at least desk height and, too often, from 50 or 60 feet atop
a mast! My instrument of choice atop a mast became a 4-digit Bel Merit Pen
DMM. It wasn't cheap ($200 in 1985) but because of it's small size it never
took the plunge to the deck either. It offers the troubleshooting resources
I wanted (low range current, volts, ohms, and logic monitor) but lacks
things I want on the bench such as transistor testing, capacitor checks etc.
However, on the bench I also have a 'scope, so high speed responses aren't
as important nor is extreme ruggedness since that meter stays on the bench.
I currently have a $100 Radio Shack DMM on the bench and the little Bel
Merit stays with me in the field. After >20 years it's still a FB meter. 

So considering how you will use the meter is important. Perhaps it's best to
buy a couple for specific environments and uses instead of one very
expensive "do it all - I hope" meter. 

Ron AC7AC