new digital multimeter

[theinmans at mindspring.com]

Doyle wrote:
> 
> I got a new digital multimeter for christmas!
> the problem is, there's no manual, and theres a setting called "hFE" i
> was kinda hoping this was
> Henries, for inductance, but to say the truth , i have no idea what it's
> for...
> any ideas?

This is current gain for a transistor.

QUOTE:
Current gain (hFE or hfe or beta) is probably the best-known transistor
specification.  It tells us the number of times the transistor
multiplies the control current to produce the working current.  For 
example, if one milliamp of control current withdrawn from the base
results in 100 milliamps of working current flowing out the collector,
the current gain would be 100.  Synonyms for current gain are "beta"
and "common-emitter forward current transfer ratio."  The symbol for
current gain is written two different ways.  When it's printed "hfe"
[all lower case with fe in subscript], this is the "small signal"
current gain, and refers to the waves.  It's possible for the
total current to be amplified by a different amount than the waves
in the current.  That's why you may see both static and small-signal
gain on the same data sheet. 
ENDQOUTE

p. 148
Understanding Solid State Electronics 5th Edition by Don L. Cannon
Prentice Hall; Upper Saddle River, NJ; 1991
ISBN: 0-13-649088-3

Good book for beginners.  I don't know if it is still in print; I have
my copy checked out from the library.		


Santa brought me an EPROM Eraser.  I'll never burn test code into an
OTP Pic again!

Merry Christmas!