Introduction

The purpose of this section is to acquaint you with the practical use of test equipment. The presence of adequate test equipment in your shop is not in itself a "cure-all" for making repairs to complex electronic equipment or circuit. You must know how to best use the equipment available. First, however, you must understand the basis of electronic theory and be able to apply it to the system under repair.

Much of the theory of operation and practical applications of the basic types of test instruments used in electrical and electronic circuits are found in the instruction books and technical manuals that accompany various equipments. You should read and understand these books before you attempt to use any test instrument. You should also know the established safety precautions to ensure your safety and safe equipment operating procedures to protect equipment from damage.

Introduction to Troubleshooting

The reliability of electrical and electronic equipment or circuit is determined by many factors; however, the primary factors are the quality of the equipment or circuit in use, the availability of spare parts, and the ability to perform adequate maintenance.

Maintenance is work done to correct, reduce, or counteract wear, failure, and damage to equipment or circuit. Maintenance of electrical and electronic equipment can be divided into two main categories: preventive (routine) and corrective maintenance. Preventive maintenance consists of mechanical, electrical, and electronic checks to determine whether equipment is operating properly. It also consists of visual inspections of cabling and equipment for damage. Corrective maintenance isolates equipment failure by means of test techniques and practices; it also replaces defective parts and realigns or readjusts equipment to bring it back to proper performance.

Testing and troubleshooting are the areas of maintenance that require the greatest technical skill. Testing procedures are referred to as measurements, tests, and checks. The definitions of these terms often overlap, depending on their use and the results obtained. For example, a power measurement and a frequency check could constitute a test of the operation of the same radio transmitter.

Troubleshooting is a term which we in the electronics field use daily. But what does it mean? Troubleshooting is sometimes thought to be the simple repair of a piece of equipment when it fails to function properly. This, however, is only part of the picture. In addition to repair, you, as a troubleshooter, must be able to evaluate equipment performance. You evaluate performance by comparing your knowledge of how the equipment should operate with the way it is actually performing. You must evaluate equipment both before and after repairs are accomplished.

Equipment performance data, along with other general information for various electronic equipments, is usually available to help you in making comparisons. This information is provided in performance standards books for each piece of equipment. It illustrates what a particular waveform should look like at a given test point or what amplitude a voltage should be, and so forth. This data aids you in making intelligent comparisons of current and baseline operating characteristics for the specific equipment. ("Baseline" refers to the initial operating conditions of the equipment on installation or after overhaul when it is operating according to design.)

Remember, maintenance refers to all actions you perform on equipment to retain it in a serviceable condition or to restore it to proper operation. This involves inspecting, testing, servicing, repairing, rebuilding, and so forth. Proper maintenance can be performed only by personnel who are thoroughly familiar with the equipment. This familiarity requires a thorough knowledge of the theory of operation of the equipment.

To be effective in maintenance work, you must become familiar not only with the common types of measuring instruments, but also with the more specialized equipment. Some examples of common types of typical measuring instruments are the ammeter, voltmeter, and ohmmeter; examples of specialized test equipment are the spectrum analyzer, dual-trace oscilloscope, and power and frequency meters.