[sdiy] Looking for info on freq. counters (SDIY-compatible ;)

[patchell]

    The problem with a standard frequency counter is the amount of time it takes
to make a measurement.  Let's say you want to measure 100Hz to 0.1%.  To do
this, it will take 10 seconds with a standard frequency counter.  The reason for
this, is that the 100 Hz clocks a counter, and to measure to .1% you need 1000
counts, which will take ten seconds to aquire.

    Fancier counters, which are smart, will measure the period and then
calculate the frequency by taking the reciprocal.  These can be much faster.  At
100Hz, you can make a measurement every 10mSEC.  However, the downside is that
any phase jitter on the incoming signal will make the display noisy.  So, a lot
of the fancier counters also average over many readings....anyway, it starts to
get pretty complicated, and you trade one thing off of the other.

    After I got my Conn Strobe Tuner, tuning was so much easier.  Like I said,
you got an instant display of any change in pitch.  Tuning was a snap with that
thing....I really miss mine <sniff>.

l'es chupacabra wrote:

> Question - what are frequency counters good for if not tuning/calibrating
> VCO/LFOs?  I've seen statements like yours before and always wondered.  I've
> got to pick up a multimeter pretty soon and wondering if it's worth it to
> narrow the search to one that includes a freq. counter.
>
> Thanks,
>
> JP
>
> > Don't want to discourage you from getting a frequency counter, but, your
> > normal run of the mill frequency counter is probably not the best thing to
> > tune VCO's with.
> >

--
 -Jim
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