Electronic Measurement Books

Thread Starter

desk7

Joined Jun 10, 2017
18
Could you suggest me a complete book about electronic measurement. It should be about:
  • Multimeter
  • spectrum analyzer
  • Fourier analyzer
  • Wattmeter
  • logic analyzer
  • Automatic measurement
  • Impedence measurement
Thanks
 

Wuerstchenhund

Joined Aug 31, 2017
189
Could you suggest me a complete book about electronic measurement. It should be about:
  • Multimeter
  • spectrum analyzer
  • Fourier analyzer
  • Wattmeter
  • logic analyzer
  • Automatic measurement
  • Impedence measurement
Thanks
There isn't one. Simply because the topics are too broad and some are too large to be sensibly covered in a single book. Spectrum analysis alone fills a complete book.

For simpler topics like voltage, current and power measurements the operating manual of your DVM or Wattmeter should be enough, provided you know about basic electronics (i.e. relationship of voltage, current and power). At least if the frequency range you use is rather low (i.e. kHz). Some manufacturers like Keysight also offer AppNotes (Application Notes) which, despite being tools of marketing, often contain helpful information.

Same for a logic analyzer. Provided you know the basics about logic states and how it relates to your UUT the operating manual of your logic analyzer should suffice.

Not sure what you mean with "automatic measurements" but if you were thinking about automated test stations (ATE, Automatic Test Equipment) then the topic becomes very complex, and requires a certain amount of test engineering and programming knowledge.

Now, as to spectrum analysis, there are several books but not all are really good. My recommendation is "Fundamentals of Spectrum Analysis" by C. Rauscher, one of the RF gurus at Rohde & Schwarz. The books has seen various editions but the older ones are often available as download, i.e. the one from 2008:

http://www2.electron.frba.utn.edu.ar/~jcecconi/Bibliografia/05 - Analizador de Espectro/Fundamentals_of_Spectrum_Analysis_Rauscher2008.pdf

But like all these books it assumes you already have a good understanding of RF.

However, none of the books can compensate for a lack of understanding of the specific test problem and the specific test equipment, its probing solution (and what impact it has on the signal to test) and its limitations. Testing is a science in itself (that's why there's a test engineer branch of engineering), and to do it properly so you get realistic results can be difficult, even for experienced EEs.
 

Wuerstchenhund

Joined Aug 31, 2017
189
Maybe some of the books here will help. Be warned that they may assume knowledge you don't yet have. But, they will help you formulate more specific questions that can be answered here on this forum.

http://www.davmar.org/concepts.html
Interesting stuff but most of it is really old (i.e. historic), and like the oscilloscope books or the book about automated test systems not really relevant for this day and age unless you're curating a test instrument museum.
 

RichardO

Joined May 4, 2013
2,270
Interesting stuff but most of it is really old (i.e. historic), and like the oscilloscope books or the book about automated test systems not really relevant for this day and age unless you're curating a test instrument museum.
True, the books are very old -- nearly 50 years old.:eek:

But, electrons still act the same now as they did then. The scope probe books are a good example of this. Also, spectrum analyzers still work by the same principles. Sure, there is a fancy user interface on new ones but that is just window dressing.

As far as the theory books on how o-scopes work, the best ones are the ones that deal with issues of the vertical amplifier. Sure, it uses tubes and transistors in the circuits but there is information there that is not always easy to find elsewhere.

Bottom line: Only the reader can decide if they still have value. I think they still do.
 

DickCappels

Joined Aug 21, 2008
10,152
This book covers much or that area.

H.S. Kalsi, Electronic Instrumentation 2nd ed, Tata McGraw Hill Publishing company Limited, ISBN 0-07-058370-6, copyright 2004, 1995
 

Wuerstchenhund

Joined Aug 31, 2017
189
True, the books are very old -- nearly 50 years old.:eek:

But, electrons still act the same now as they did then.
Yes, but unfortunately here that is only true for the electrons ;)

The scope probe books are a good example of this. Also, spectrum analyzers still work by the same principles. Sure, there is a fancy user interface on new ones but that is just window dressing.
I have to disagree, the development test gear has undergone in the last almost five decades is a lot more than window dressing.

For example, analog scopes as discussed in these documents are dead and have been for a very long time. Pretty much every newer scope is fully digital, as has been the majority of scopes made since the '90s. And along with digitization come changes in probing and measuring techniques an engineer needs to be aware off.

And while many Spectrum Analyzers still rely on the same basic principle as the old instruments covered in these documents (sweeping heterodyne receiver), modern variants use FFT and digital I/F or have morphed into complex Signal Analyzers which do most of their stuff in software.

Of course you can try to treat modern test gear like their old counterparts, i.e. treat a DSO like an analog scope or treat a Signal Analyzer like one of the old Spectrum Analyzers from the early '70s, which is ineffective and very often leads to errors.

As far as the theory books on how o-scopes work, the best ones are the ones that deal with issues of the vertical amplifier. Sure, it uses tubes and transistors in the circuits but there is information there that is not always easy to find elsewhere.
That's great, but really, how useful do you think reading up on vertical amplifiers made of valves and early ICs is when newer scopes rely on DSPs and software in the analog input path to provide linearity that is magnitudes better than anything found on those analog old-timers?

It's a great resource if you're interested in history of test instruments or deal with antique test gear, but in terms of modern test equipment there isn't a lot to gain from these sources, and worst case may even lead to the learning of outdated testing techniques.

If you need to know about modern test gear I strongly recommend to stay with more recent sources (i.e. '90s and later).
 
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Thread Starter

desk7

Joined Jun 10, 2017
18
Thanks for answers! I am a University engineer student and I'd like to have a reference book for my electronic instruments course.
 
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