AdvancedA-003-005-005

An oscilloscope cannot be used to:

C
Answer
Transmitters and receivers
Type
A
determine the amplitude of complex voltage wave forms
B
measure frequency
C
determine FM carrier deviation directly
D
measure DC voltage

Answer Notes

An oscilloscope displays signal amplitude versus time. While it can easily show complex voltage waveforms, measure frequency (by calculating the period), and measure DC voltage, it is not designed to directly measure FM carrier deviation. Frequency Modulation (FM) changes the frequency of the carrier rather than the amplitude. Because an oscilloscope shows amplitude variations over time, small frequency changes (deviation) are incredibly difficult to isolate, see, or measure accurately on a standard time-domain display. To measure FM carrier deviation, specialized instruments like a deviation meter or a spectrum analyzer (which operates in the frequency domain) are typically used instead.
Previous · A-003-005-004
You can use an oscilloscope to display the input and output of a circuit at the same time by:
Next · A-003-005-006
The bandwidth of an oscilloscope is: