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G8MNY  > TECH     24.09.20 08:50l 113 Lines 4834 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 7305_GB7CIP
Read: GUEST
Subj: Marconi Distortion MeterTF2337
Path: IZ3LSV<ED1ZAC<GB7CIP
Sent: 200924/0649Z @:GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO #:7305 [Caterham Surrey GBR] $:7305_GB
From: G8MNY@GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO
To  : TECH@WW

By G8MNY                                   (Correction Sep 16)
(8 Bit ASCII graphics use code page 437 or 850, Terminal Font)

  Level Meter  Distortion Meter
旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴커
�--旼컴컴컴컴컴왯컴컴컴컴컴커--�   I have been working on one of these
�  뇌          납�          �  �   old AF automatic distortion meters.
�  � '.        납 '.        �  �   It is quite different to the usual
�--읕컴컴컴컴컴牡컴컴컴컴컴켸--�   fiddly variable Wien Bridge deep
�                              �   notch type. So it is ideally suited
�        0                     �   for setting up tape machines, where
�     Function     Distort     �   the playback level & frequency will
�     [][][][]    [][][][]     �   never be that steady.
� 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

Response    :-    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 Response: 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 & all 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 signal generator 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
   _�________________�_____�

MODERN ANSWER
Of course with a good quality PC sound card & a Furrier analysis program that
can add up the harmonics distortion measurement should be easy.  


See my bul "Simple 1kHz AF osc".


Why don't U send an interesting bul?

73 de John, G8MNY @ GB7CIP


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