What is wrong with my oscilloscope?

[Complex glides]

I have been fighting it for days and no matter what I try I can't make the waves bigger. The signal I'm putting in is a 1 volt peak to peak wave and if I adjust the voltage on the scale to 1 volt I can't see the wave and if it set it to 10mv I can see it but barley. I have tested the voltage with a meter and it's 1 volt and if I try to use this scope to tune a amplifier the wave is still tiny like on the picture. How can I fix this?

 

[Svein]

Have you tried another probe?

 

[CWatters]

If not a probe fault...
Perhaps you have the time base too fast. Eg transitions are off the screen left an right so it looks like a DC signal and any signal you see on the 10mv setting is actually noise?

 

[e.bar.goum]

If not the above, check that you're not triggering on noise, and that your trigger conditions are appropriate for your signal.

 

[davenn]

I have been fighting it for days and no matter what I try I can't make the waves bigger. The signal I'm putting in is a 1 volt peak to peak wave and if I adjust the voltage on the scale to 1 volt I can't see the wave and if it set it to 10mv I can see it but barley. I have tested the voltage with a meter and it's 1 volt and if I try to use this scope to tune a amplifier the wave is still tiny like on the picture. How can I fix this?

is the scope probe switched to x10 instead of x1 ??

what if you connect the probe to the scopes calibration point on the front panel ?
they are usually a 1V p-p square wave

Are you REALLY SURE you input voltage to the scope from your project is 1V p-p ?
have you proved that using some other method ?Dave

 

[sophiecentaur]

Do you have two channels on the scope and do they exhibit the same fault? Is there a calib output on the scope?
Are all the timebase, trigger, gain and signal selection settings correct. What happens with 1.5V DC from a battery (the easiest calibration source) of other sources.
What sort of scope is it? Analogue / digital / PC based etc. IS there a make and model number available?

 

[Jeff Rosenbury]

Oscilloscopes can be a pain to troubleshoot. There are so many simple mistakes that can mess with a clean signal. The other posters mentioned some of the common ones.

First I would find a basic "How to use" video on youtube. Perhaps you can find one specific to your scope? It should walk you through most of the controls. As davenn said, there's usually a clean signal on the front that gives a 1V square wave to practice with. Once you get that going it should be easier to track down a good signal.

Play around some. There are always quirks or unexpected limits, so take the time to learn. It will pay off in the long run.

Good luck.

 

[davenn]

First I would find a basic "How to use" video on youtube. Perhaps you can find one specific to your scope? It should walk you through most of the controls. As davenn said, there's usually a clean signal on the front that gives a 1V square wave to practice with. Once you get that going it should be easier to track down a good signal.

agreed

am strongly suspecting user error rather than faulty scope