Hobbies And Interests
Home  >> Science & Nature >> Science

How to Adjust the VCO Frequency

Electrical circuits consist of a number of basic components such as capacitors, resistors and inductors. More complex components allow timing signals to be generated within electrical circuits, which is important in all advanced electrical devices. One such component is a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), which is capable of generating sinusoidal or square wave functions. The frequency of the VCO can be controlled through the changing of the input voltage which gives an enormous amount of flexibility in circuit design.

Things You'll Need

  • VCO
  • DC power supply
  • Oscilloscope
  • Coaxial cable
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Connect a piece of coaxial cable between the input of the VCO and the output of the DC power supply.

    • 2

      Connect a piece of coaxial cable between the output of the VCO and one of the inputs on the oscilloscope. There are normally two inputs on the oscilloscope and these are labelled "A" and "B." Switch on the appropriate input by pressing the "A" or "B" button.

    • 3

      Switch on the DC power supply and set the voltage to 0.5 volts. Adjust the volts/division knob on the oscilloscope until the signal can be seen on the oscilloscope screen. Then, adjust the time/division knob on the oscilloscope until a few wavelengths of the signal can be observed. The frequency of the signal output by the VCO can be changed by altering the input voltage and this can be confirmed on the oscilloscope. Only change the input voltage within the range specified by the manufacturers to ensure the VCO is not damaged.


https://www.htfbw.com © Hobbies And Interests