Lost trace on Tek 2230 scope

[EricFowler]

I have a used 2230 that I have been using to view traces etc. I fiddled with the horizontal scale and now I cannot see a trace at all. I have used beam finder and it shows, and I have messed with focus and intensity. The channel is set to A and I have been twiddling knobs for hours to no avail. No trace.

Where did it go and how can I get it back??

 

[davenn]

would help to know what make scope it is, you say a model 2230, but is it a tektronix, philips, something else ?????

ok get the settings back to some middle of the road settings ...

vert ~ 5V / div, horiz ~ 10mS / div

use the beam find and set the focus and intensity to a good looking level

the scope should have a test signal connection on the front of it, connect the probe to there. most of them are ~ 1kHz and 3V p-p (peak to peak)
make sure the probe is on x1 not x10 (most, but not all probes have a small switch on them for that)

see how ya go with that

Dave

 

[EricFowler]

More questions

Thank you - I have my trace back. But there is a catch: I need to have trigger set to P-P Auto. Otherwise, no trace. I have been able to trigger on rising or falling edges in the scope calibration pattern but nothing else. I have a chip that I know is putting out a ~5mHz sine wave, amplitude ~1V, centered at about 2.5V. I have not been able to trigger and see that (I saw it once in the scope accidentally so I know it is there). I am also unable to trigger on one event. I would like to be able to set up the scope, push a button to raise a port pin to 5.5V from 0, and see the single trace in the scope. So far no joy.

Thanks again

Eric

 

[EricFowler]

Yet another question

Why is my trace flashing so much?

And another:
I am able to set the trigger to Single Sweep, and by moving the level knob, see a flash of a trace, just for an instant. I can also do this by toggling the rising/falling edge trigger button with the level knob set correctly and the scope on Single Sweep. What exactly is happening, and how do I catch that trace?

Eric

 

[EricFowler]

would help to know what make scope it is, you say a model 2230, but is it a tektronix, philips, something else ?????

Dave

Oh ... it is a Tektronix 2230. Sorry I had not noticed the question.

 

[davenn]

Why is my trace flashing so much?

And another:
I am able to set the trigger to Single Sweep, and by moving the level knob, see a flash of a trace, just for an instant. I can also do this by toggling the rising/falling edge trigger button with the level knob set correctly and the scope on Single Sweep. What exactly is happening, and how do I catch that trace?

Eric

its flashing because you have it on single sweep. In that single sweep it gives you a brief flash of the waveform. bring your sweep rate up to say 5mS and see how it affects the display of your waveform.
Did you try the calibration signal on the front of the scope ? what was the result ?

Dave

PS ... Im still trying to find a clear closeup pic of the front panel of the scope so I can talk you through the settings