It’s a fair bet to say that most folks won’t want this $16,000 spectrum analyzer, but we sell it at Solid Signal. That may be a little rich for your blood, but what about this:
At the time I write this, a little satellite finder like this one will set you back somewhere around twelve bucks. It won’t do much with advanced satellite dishes like DIRECTV’s Slimline or DISH’s Hybrid dish, but it will get that round dish aimed for you pretty quick.
The point is, if you’re looking for a way to measure something, especially if it’s electrical or uses radio waves, you can find it at Solid Signal. Take it from me. I’m practically a measurement junkie, and I’ve said so before. I love to measure everything from temperature to sound. That’s one of the great things I’ve found about working at Solid Signal. They give me the opportunity to measure everything.
When it comes to meters, of course they are all different and it really depends on what you want to measure. Put really broadly, most meters fall into one of two categories:
Electrical meters aren’t very intelligent. They only measure basic characteristics of electricity. It tends to boil down to, do you have enough electricity or not. Does the outlet supply enough, does the device need more. That sort of thing. A multimeter like the one above tends to answer that question, but for really serious commercial work you’ll need a wattmeter. Wattmeters look like something out of a 1950s sci-fi movie:
and they measure serious amounts of current. Not everyone needs one. I personally don’t need one but they look so cool I wish I had one.
Signal meters measure something more than the energy of a signal, although they often measure that too. They measure something special. A signal meter can tell you if you’re looking at a TV broadcast signal, a satellite signal, or something else. Some, like the meter above, are designed to go with you into the field while others stay on the test bench.
Spectrum analyzers are a special kind of meter that can measure a lot of frequencies at the same time and can report on what those frequencies are doing. This is important when you’re trying to find sources of interference. A spectrum analyzer can give you a graph that shows all the broadcasts on all the frequencies that you are currently getting, all at once. If you see a tall spike where you don’t expect one, it’s probably the source of your interference. Find it, turn it off, and your problem goes away. Spectrum analyzers do a lot of other tricks to but they all boil down to showing you a picture of something you normally can’t see. There isn’t “one meter to rule them all” but a spectrum analyzer is pretty close. Unfortunately they’re also very expensive for the average person to buy.
It doesn’t matter what you need to measure. Chances are we have a meter for it at Solid Signal. Check out our selection now, or if you know what you want just give us a call at 888-233-7563 and our helpful, 100% US-based call center folks will find just the right product for you, get your order placed, and get it out to you. If it’s after hours, fill out the form below. We’ll get right back to you.
I wonder if Solid Signal sells a meter that measures great customer service? If we did, then our reps would peg it.
The post A meter for everything at Solid Signal appeared first on The Solid Signal Blog.
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At the time I write this, a little satellite finder like this one will set you back somewhere around twelve bucks. It won’t do much with advanced satellite dishes like DIRECTV’s Slimline or DISH’s Hybrid dish, but it will get that round dish aimed for you pretty quick.
And everything in between
The point is, if you’re looking for a way to measure something, especially if it’s electrical or uses radio waves, you can find it at Solid Signal. Take it from me. I’m practically a measurement junkie, and I’ve said so before. I love to measure everything from temperature to sound. That’s one of the great things I’ve found about working at Solid Signal. They give me the opportunity to measure everything.
When it comes to meters, of course they are all different and it really depends on what you want to measure. Put really broadly, most meters fall into one of two categories:
Electrical meters
Electrical meters aren’t very intelligent. They only measure basic characteristics of electricity. It tends to boil down to, do you have enough electricity or not. Does the outlet supply enough, does the device need more. That sort of thing. A multimeter like the one above tends to answer that question, but for really serious commercial work you’ll need a wattmeter. Wattmeters look like something out of a 1950s sci-fi movie:
and they measure serious amounts of current. Not everyone needs one. I personally don’t need one but they look so cool I wish I had one.
Signal meters
Signal meters measure something more than the energy of a signal, although they often measure that too. They measure something special. A signal meter can tell you if you’re looking at a TV broadcast signal, a satellite signal, or something else. Some, like the meter above, are designed to go with you into the field while others stay on the test bench.
Spectrum analyzers are a special kind of meter that can measure a lot of frequencies at the same time and can report on what those frequencies are doing. This is important when you’re trying to find sources of interference. A spectrum analyzer can give you a graph that shows all the broadcasts on all the frequencies that you are currently getting, all at once. If you see a tall spike where you don’t expect one, it’s probably the source of your interference. Find it, turn it off, and your problem goes away. Spectrum analyzers do a lot of other tricks to but they all boil down to showing you a picture of something you normally can’t see. There isn’t “one meter to rule them all” but a spectrum analyzer is pretty close. Unfortunately they’re also very expensive for the average person to buy.
No matter what you need…
It doesn’t matter what you need to measure. Chances are we have a meter for it at Solid Signal. Check out our selection now, or if you know what you want just give us a call at 888-233-7563 and our helpful, 100% US-based call center folks will find just the right product for you, get your order placed, and get it out to you. If it’s after hours, fill out the form below. We’ll get right back to you.
I wonder if Solid Signal sells a meter that measures great customer service? If we did, then our reps would peg it.
The post A meter for everything at Solid Signal appeared first on The Solid Signal Blog.
Continue reading...
