DIGITAL FREQUENCY METERS

KARTHIK.S 26/02/2014

BASIC OPERATION

DIGITAL FM

 The input signal is initially conditioned to a form that is compatible with the internal circuitry of the counter. The conditioned signal appearing at the door of the main gate is a pulse train where each pulse corresponds to one cycle or event of the input signal. With the main gate open, pulses are allowed to pass through and get totalized by the counting register. The time between the opening to the closing of the main gate or gate time is controlled by the Time Base. From equation f=n/t it is apparent that the accuracy of the frequency measurement is dependent on the accuracy in which t is determined. Consequently, most counters employ crystal oscillators with frequencies such as 1, 5 or 10 MHz as the basic time base element.

 The Time Base Divider takes the time base oscillator signal as its input and provides as an output a pulse train whose frequency is variable in decade steps made selectable by the Gate Time switch. The time, t, of equation (1) or gate time is determined by the period of the selected pulse train emanating from the time base dividers. The number of pulses totaled by the counting register for the selected gate time yields the frequency of the input signal. The frequency counted is displayed on a visual numerical readout. For example, if the number of pulses totaled by the counting register is 50,000, and the selected gate time is one second, the frequency of the input signal is 50,000 Hertz.

Frequency meter with Main gate filp flop

Prescalers

Working

Heterodyne mixer