How do you know what to set the GATE time on counters?
Does it depend on how long the waveform/signal is? or how long the single event trigger time is?
If you set the Gate time to short it will give a false time reading?

Also there is a Delay knob on counter to set the stop circuit. When do you use this and how do u set it?

 

Since you were thorough enough to include a make and model number, I will advise you to read the instruction manual. Many (most) are available on-line. Amazing amount of information in those things.

 

Yes i did read the manuals but it doesn't say what to set the GATE time or the Delay time , depending on the length or how long the time duration of the waveform you're countering

 

Ok then, since you managed to post a link to the manual, and told us a little bit about the application, frequency and noise conditions, i will get to work looking that up for you.

 

HP5315B Universal Counter
HP5334B Universal Counter

http://exodus.poly.edu/~kurt/manuals/manuals/HP Agilent/HP 5315A, B Operation.pdf

http://www.radiomanual.info/schemi/ACC_instrument/HP5334_counter_user.pdf