
238 Make: Radio
APPENDIX D: UNDERSTANDING OSCILLOSCOPES
This final appendix explains the fundamental features of an oscilloscope,
which can be a very valuable tool for anyone with an active interest in
electronics.
This gadget is most often used to display a graphical image of a voltage
that may change rapidly inside a circuit. Your multimeter can’t display rapid
changes, because it requires a moment to “settle” when you are measuring a
DC voltage. The meter has an AC setting, in which it tells you the value of an
alternating voltage, but only if the voltage fluctuates regularly and repeatedly
basis, within a limited range of frequencies. For ex ...