--- In
motm@yahoogroups.com, Adam Schabtach wrote:
>
>> No reason to get a Fluke for $200, just get one with a nice LCD
>> display.
>
> My $0.02 worth: spend some extra $$$ and get one with a frequency
> counter in it. It's ∗really∗ handy for calibrating VCOs and filters,
> and for tuning 'em when you use 'em. I have a Wavetek that has
> served me well; I think I spent a hair under $100 for it.
My personal experience with digital multimeters: about 12 years ago I
bought a "cheap" (about $80 catalog brand) multi-meter that had lots
and lots of features. It went to an early grave in the first couple
weeks I owned it while measuring about 200 volts AC. (It was rated
for 750! Anyway, bad internal design - a thru-hole component near one
of the input terminals pierced the wire insulation of the 9V battery
clip, resulting in release of magic smoke.)
So, I returned it in partial exchange for a Fluke model 79 that was
about twice the price and had less features. The Fluke 79 still works
today. (Even survived a few incidents of extreme operator error!)
Unbelievably clean internal design too - there are no battery clip
leads to get jabbed by thru-hole components as the battery snaps
directly onto the PCB.
I remember at the time I was torn between the 79 and whatever the next
model down was (and, of course, the high end models that I couldn't
afford!) but ended up going with the 79 because it had a faster
display update. A few months back I upgraded to the Fluke 187. Total
overkill but its got lots of neat features like dual readout (see Hz
and volts at the same time), higher precision, an IR link for data
logging with a PC - yeah, like I said, overkill :)
No personal experience, but people tell me the Waveteks are a really
nice too. And Paul seems to like a certain Radio Shack model ;) You
might think twice, though, before buying some unknown catalog brand
just because it has lots of features for a relatively cheap price.
Seth