Oscilloscope Applications for the QRP Enthusiast

QRP continues to be one of the more active segments of the amateur radio hobby. Different people are drawn to QRP for different reasons but, for many, part of the fun is in building and learning. The oscilloscope is an affordable and useful tool to helping learn more about how (or if) your QRP transmitter is working. Because of that, the questions, "Should I buy an oscilloscope?" or, even more often, "I just bought an oscilloscope, what can I use it for?" frequently come up.

This short book shows how to use the Rigol DS1102E an oscilloscope to measure and characterize the popular Tuna Tin 2 QRP transmitter. The approach and examples are applicable to virtually any modern oscilloscope and QRP transmitter.

If you are a QRP enthusiast who has just purchased an oscilloscope or is thinking about the purchase of one, this book will show you the basics of using a scope to measure output power and efficiency along with evaluating the keying waveform and harmonic suppression of your latest transmitter project.

A QRP transmitter, an oscilloscope, the ability to build a few simple test accessories, and a desire to peal back a layer of the onion and gain a deeper understand of how your transmitter works are all that is needed to start the journey!