MOTM

--- 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