[Elecraft] OT USB Scope Question

[Brendon Whateley]

Although I don't own one, these devices seem to be improving all the time
and I wouldn't hesitate to buy one over no scope, or in addition to a "real
scope" -- budget permitting. I'd do a little online hunting for features
and reviews that would best fit my use cases. Just a quick glance at the
range of devices available in the PicoScope range shows everything up to
12GHz bandwidth, 16bit sample sizes and many inputs. Many also have signal
generators built in, which could make testing filters/traps/etc. a snap.

I'll share one interesting thing I was told by a representative of one of
the manufacturers at a show. I was talking about the performance of the
devices they were exhibiting and the possibility of getting the raw
digitized data into my own code. While that was suggested to be possible,
when I said I was considering trying it as the front end to an SDR he
pointed out a significant problem. He pointed out that the A/D in the USB
scope box ran too fast for USB, so the computer doesn't get all the data,
just bursts of signal. That works perfectly for a scope which by it's
nature doesn't display everything but would be useless for SDR.

Hope that is helpful,
- Brendon / KK6AYI

On Tue, Sep 29, 2015 at 7:16 PM James Bennett <w6jhb at me.com> wrote:

> I'm assembling a Softrock Ensemble RXTX rig, most likely for use as a 24x7
> WSPR beacon; there are several construction steps where optional testing
> beyond the basic voltage, resistance, and current measurements can be done
> with a scope.
>
> Jim Bennett / W6JHB
> Folsom, CA
>
> > On Sep 29, 2015, at 2:41 PM, Nr4c <nr4c at widomaker.com> wrote:
> >
> > Do you want scope for audio or RF?  What bandwidth does the item have
> and is it enough?
> >
> >
> > Sent from my iPhone
> > ...nr4c. bill
> >
> >
> >> On Sep 29, 2015, at 5:31 PM, James Bennett <w6jhb at me.com> wrote:
> >>
> >> A bit off-thread, but sort of related - wondering if folks on this
> reflector have any experience with USB oscilloscopes. I'm considering
> adding an o'scope to my test bench, and came across an Australian company
> called Bitscope.com. They have several models and appear quite affordable.
> The nice thing is they work on Windows, Linux, Mac OSX, and Raspberry Pi.
> >>
> >> I'm a bit limited not only on funds, but room for additional equipment,
> so one of those big analog models is out of the question.
> >>
> >> Anyone using a Bitscope unit or any other USB scope here on this
> reflector?
> >>
> >> Jim Bennett / W6JHB
> >> Folsom, CA
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