10x dual-lead oscilloscope probe - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: jeremy0
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2021, 08:58:57 am
content: There are plenty of cheap dual-lead oscilloscope probes around (terminated with 0.025" Dupont-style female header sockets) - but they're all simple 1x setups.I'm looking for a 10x solution.I've adapted some cheap 10x probes myself, because commercially all I've found is this relatively expensive Probe Master 6164 :https://www.hunaamv.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=522762Is this really all there is?

author: exe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 31, 2021, 10:19:06 am
content: The probe you liked looks suspicious to me: with such long leads it's not gonna make 250MHz.Why do you need 10x? If for speed, then the best option would be an sma/bnc connector on the board. Or, a DIY sma-to-dupont adapter, but it really has to be short and tiny so not to affect signal much. Any long lead would make 10x probe useless, imho.

author: jeremy0
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2021, 11:59:13 am
content: I'm not after 250MHz, or anything near it.In fact it surprises me that the only product of this type I can find claims such a high spec.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2021, 12:59:27 pm
content: Another option is to use a 1x cable and a 10x attenuator. Maybe this thread has some useful pointers:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/cheap-10x-inline-bnc-attenuator/

author: mawyatt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2021, 01:38:55 pm
content: If you can't find one then using an old scope probe or cheap eBay 1X-10X probe and solder a Dupont lead to the tip and another to ground with some heat shrink tubing should yield a workable solution.There have been many times when we needed to connect with a male header pin and used Dupont lead, then clipped the scope probe to the Dupont lead.Sure the scope probe frequency response will be altered by soldering on the Dupont leads, likely not much different than using a Dupont lead and clipping the scope probe to the Dupont lead.Think you've pointed to a useful life for the old broken scope probes rather than the trash canBest,Mike

author: jeremy0
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2021, 08:23:27 pm
content: Quote from: mawyatt on August 31, 2021, 01:38:55 pmYep, as I said I've adapted some cheap 10x probes myself, and they're extremely convenient.Hence my search for a reasonably priced commercial product.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2021, 09:11:46 pm
content: Check out these we supplied to Defpomhttps://youtu.be/txt7GKJhOBc?t=567

author: jeremy0
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2021, 10:52:26 pm
content: Quote from: tautech on August 31, 2021, 09:11:46 pmYes, the twin lead adapter is exactly what I'm after - a shame it's part of a 150€ probe set.I can imagine that this type of adapter needs to match the dimensions of the probe pretty well.But in any case Pintek don't seem to offer it as a standalone product.In fact this has reminded me that I came across an example of the same kind of piece when I was originally searching.I don't remember the manufacturer, but it sold for something like US$30.

author: jeremy0
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2021, 11:10:45 pm
content: Quote from: jeremy0 on August 31, 2021, 10:52:26 pmHeh heh, seems my memory isn't as good as I thought.It's called the Pomona 6553, and it sells for US$80.

author: mawyatt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2021, 03:47:48 am
content: Quote from: tautech on August 31, 2021, 09:11:46 pmThose are really nice looking probes, I can see why you like them. Have you done a performance review/evaluation?Are they available here in NA?Best,

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2021, 04:15:47 am
content: Quote from: mawyatt on September 01, 2021, 03:47:48 amNot yet Mike as the pulsers I have here aren’t fast enough to properly assess these self sense 10x probes that we have a range of to 600 MHz. Of course I can check their BW with sig gens but really want to do FFT’s where I can show 2 together as a comparison.

author: Someone
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2021, 05:44:40 am
content: Quote from: jeremy0 on August 31, 2021, 11:10:45 pm"scope probe not included", lol and for the chunky 5mm probes.You know its a ripoff when Lecroy is cheaper!PK1-5MM-112, PK006-1, PK106-1, PK007-018 etc

author: 2N3055
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2021, 07:01:42 am
content: I used BNC adapter for probe, and a BNC connector with some wire to do this.

author: jeremy0
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2021, 07:20:32 am
content: Quote from: Someone on September 01, 2021, 05:44:40 amMy browser history suggests that this is where I got the $30 (or thereabouts) figure from.

author: MegaVolt
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 04, 2021, 09:57:30 am
content: https://probemaster.com/4964wt-wire-wrap-tip-6/

author: Berni
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 04, 2021, 10:28:30 am
content: A lot of scope probe tips are similar in size to a dupont connector male pin. So all you need is a short female to female cable to plug on the end of your probe. For the ground grab a short male to female cable with the crocodile.The point of using a 10x probe is somewhat ruined by the long cables that wreck the high frequency response of it. For that i find that using just a BNC coax cable with a series resistor soldered on the end works more than well enough. The loading is reasonably small and the usable bandwidth really wide. With some careful design it works into GHz (I used it for RF before)Where i like using the female jumper plugged on the end of a probe is with the active FET input low loading probes. The ones that i can afford are old and bulky models so they tend to get in the way more than a regular scope probe. At the same time the super low 0.6pF loading of the probe makes it keep excellent flat bandwidth to >100MHz even with fairly long jumper wires between the probe and circuit. The wire inductance only distorts the signal in combination with probe loading, so for that reason these active probes can get away with WAY jankier long messy inductive probing setups as compared to a passive probe that might have 10 to 30x the loading.

author: macboy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 05, 2021, 04:03:39 pm
content: Check out Tektronix P6563A (and lower speed P6561A, P6562A). The miniature size is designed to be able to plug directly onto 0.1" pin headers, or you can use a short extension cable or other accessories; check out the manual. As always, any length of signal or ground wire adds inductance which will cause some ringing on any High-Z passive probe. Also be aware that the 500 MHz model has slightly odd 20x attenuation.