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From: dleblanc@joplin.mpr.ca (David LeBlanc)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Need to buy a digital meter?  Get a Fluke!
Keywords: DMM data GPIB RS232
Message-ID: <2347@kiwi.mpr.ca>
Date: 14 Sep 90 23:38:36 GMT
References: <3924@sactoh0.SAC.CA.US> <4015@kitty.UUCP> <1990Sep10.062945.17134@bpdsun1.uucp> <1987@argus.UUCP>
Sender: news@eric.mpr.ca
Reply-To: dleblanc@joplin.UUCP (David LeBlanc)
Organization: Microtel Pacific Research Ltd., Burnaby, B.C., Canada
Lines: 24

In article <1987@argus.UUCP> ken@argus.UUCP (Kenneth Ng) writes:
>
>Do any of these devices have an RS-232 or GPIB or some kind of computer
>interface available?  I'm thinking of buying one and it seems just a 
>waste not to be able to take the data right from the meter into the
>computer.

Funny you should ask ...  We just spent the big bucks to get a Fluke 87
(nice meter by the way).  I was reading the manual that came with it and
low and behold there is a "Data Output" function which according to the
manual "enables ultrasonic data transmission".  The manual goes on to
say : (taken without permission)

" This mode is used during the manufacturing and service of your meter.
In Data Output mode, the beeper, operating at about 16 kHz, transmits
all displayed information at around 800 bps.  All other beeper functions
are disabled, and the reading rate is slowed by half."

While the 87 is quite expensive, it is feasible that the cheaper meters
make use of the same circuitry - not quite GPIB but probably usable in a
pinch.

Dave LeBlanc
dleblanc@joplin.mpr.ca