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G8MNY  > TECH     26.09.08 09:10l 113 Lines 4604 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 3696_GB7CIP
Read: GUEST OE7FMI
Subj: Marconi Distortion Meter TF2337
Path: DB0FHN<DB0FOR<DB0SIF<HB9EAS<OE9XPI<OE7XLR<OE5XBL<OE6XPE<DB0RES<DK0WUE<
      7M3TJZ<UA6ADV<GB7CIP
Sent: 080925/2358Z @:GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EU #:3696 [Caterham] $:3696_GB7CIP
From: G8MNY@GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EU
To  : TECH@WW

(8 Bit ASCII Graphics use code page 437 or 850)
Hi thanks for reading this.
I have just been working on one of these old AF automatic distortion meters. It
is quite different to the usual fiddly variable Wien Bridge deep notch type. So
it is ideally suited for setting up tape machines, where the playback level &
frequency will never be that steady.

  Level Meter  Distortion Meter
旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴커
�--旼컴컴컴컴컴왯컴컴컴컴컴커--�
�  뇌          납�          �  �
�  � '.        납 '.        �  �
�--읕컴컴컴컴컴牡컴컴컴컴컴켸--�
�                              �
�        0                     �
�     Function     Distort     �
�     [][][][]    [][][][]     �
� O                          o �
�       [][][][][][][][]       �
� O                          � �
읕컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴켸
 In        Level Range     Mains

Level Ranges:- 30V, 10V, 3V, 1V, 300mV, 100mV, 30mV, 10mV.
            :-  30,  20, 10,  0,   -10,   -20,  -30,  -40 dBV

Responce    :-    10Hz - 250kHz @ -3dB

Distortion Filters 400Hz, 1kHz & External.

Distortion Ranges: 30%, 10%, 3%, 1% min to 0.2%
            & dBs -10 -20 -40 -40  min to -55dB

Harmonic Responce: 1.5x Filter to 130kHz @ -3dB

Mains 230V. odd 3 pin 1cm square socket. 

The automatic refers to the distortion measurement does not need the zero level
reference level to be set first. (But is must be reading 30-100% on the level
meter scale.) This is done not by a very low distortion AGC system as you might
think, but a cleaver meter movement with 2 coils & no return springs. One coil
is fed with rectified DC from the input level detector 1 & acts as the return
spring & the other is fed from an 2nd detector from a high pass filter that
removes all of the fundamental, so it just the harmonics. The resultant meter
deflection is the distortion fraction.

In 旼컴컴� 旼컴컴�    AC旼컴컴�              旼컴컴컴컴컴�
o컴퀽evel쳐퀹nput쳐쩡컴캑Level쳐컴컴컴컴컴컴캑LEVEL METER쳐컴컴�
   쿌tten� � Amp � �    쿏et 1� DC           읕컴컴컴컴컴�     �
   읕컴컴� 읕컴컴� �    �     쳐컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴커 �
                   �    읕컴컴�                         旼컴컨컨컴컴커
                   �   旼컴컴컴컴�                      � DISTORTION �
                   � o캑400Hz HPF쳐o  旼컴컴�  旼컴컴�  �2 COIL METER�
                   �   쳐컴컴컴컴�    � Set �  쿗evel�  읕컴컫컫컴컴켸
                   �>o캑 1kHz HPF쳐o<캑Gain 쳐캑Det 2쳐컴컴컴� �
                       읕컴컴컴컴�    � Amp �  �     쳐컴컴컴컴�
                     o� External 컴o  읓쩟쩟�  읕컴컴� DC
                                        ^컴�Dist Range

It just uses simple RC transistor Amps & bridge diodes for the electronics. The
notches are sealed LC high Q units. (M derived?)

There are only 3 presets:- Level gain, Distortion gain, & input amp Bias.

DISTORTION MEASURING PRINCIPLES
                                      f1  f2
     �  f1                     0dB캑   |  憫컴컴컴     �  f1
Level�   �  f2                     �   |  � High       �      f2
     �   �   �  f3                 �   |  � Pass       �       �  f3
     �   �   �   �  f4  f5   -60dB_�___|_/  Filter     �       �   �  f4  f5
     읕컴좔컴좔컴좔컴좔컴�         읕컴컴컴컴컴컴�     읕컴컴컴좔컴좔컴좔컴�
       Distorted Signal                 Filter            Filtered Signal

The high pass filter must completely remove the fundamental & ale LF hums etc.
but leave all the harmonics intact. The detectors (especially the distortion
one) should be a true RMS type, as the waveform will generally be very complex
& nothing like a sine wave. The ratio of f1 to all the harmonics f2+++ is the
distortion factor.

Calibration is done by adding in a 2nd tone (e.g. 3-10x freq) via high value Rs
at say 10% of the level to indicate 10% distortion. The distortion meter
bandwidth can also be checked with this circuit.

1V 1kHz 훟-o컴�10k컴쩡컴쩡컴컴커
 Osc 1   o          �   �      �
        _�_         �   �   Distortion
                    �  DVM    Meter
100mV               �  _�_    _�_
2-20kHz 훟-o컴�10k컴�
 Osc 2   o
        _�_

To check the HPF filter is working OK a very pure sine wave is needed, so an LC
tuned circuit after a sig gen is used. But I did find that > 0.5V @ resonance
on the meter did make the inductor distortion rise > 0.01% !

  Osc         88mH      500mV
50mV 1kHz 컴�((((()컴쩡컴컴� Hi Z
 low Z               �  Distortion
    �        0.28uF ===   Meter
   _�________________�_____�


See my bul "Simple 1kHz AF osc".


Why don't U send an interesting bul?

73 de John, G8MNY @ GB7CIP


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