Instruction

Manual

ELECTRONIC COUNTER
VP-4052A

Panasonic®
 MANUAL PART NUMBER
MEP4052A-l

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~1 ID NUMBERS

] This manual applies directly to the products with ID

numbers suffixed 122.

J For additional information on ID numbers refer to

] 1.2 ID Number in Section 1.

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J ELECTRONIC COUNTER

J VP-4052A

J
J Matsushita Communication
Industrial Co., Ltd.
J 4-3-1, Tsunashima-Higashi
Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Japan
Tel: (045) 531-1231 Printed in Japan

J Telex: 3822-671
:1 SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

1 GENERAL
This instrument has been designed and
PCM.ER
This
SOURCE
instrument is intended to
tested to ensure reasonable personal operate from a mains supply that will

1 protection and protection of the

surrounding area against damage, and
has been supplied in a safe condition.
not be more than 250 volts rms.
For suitable voltage selection, see
the INSTALLATION paragraph in this
The following precautions must be
7 observed by the user to ensure safe
operation and to retain the
manual.

instrument in a safe condition. HAZARD ARISING FROM LOSS OF GROUND

1 BEFORE SUPPLYING PCM.ER
The protective action must not be
negated by the use of an extension
cord without protective conductor.

l Verify that the instrument is set to

suit the available mains voltage and
that the correct fuse is installed.
If this instrument is to be energized
via an autotransformer for voltage
reduction make sure the common
terminals is connected to the earth
l PROTECTIVE EARTH
terminal of the power source.

The protective earth of the instru-

l ment must be connected to the earth
before connecting the instrument to
the product input or output terminals.
DAMAGE IN TRANSPORT OR STORAGE
Whenever it is likely that protection
has been impaired, for example as a
A protective ground connection by way
l of the grounding conductor in the
power cable is essential for safe
result of damage caused by abnormal
stresses in transport or storage, the
instrument shall be made inoperative
operation. and be secured against any unintended
J The plug shall only be inserted into a
socket outlet provided with a
operation.

protective earth contact.

_] USE OF PROPER FUSE
Use only the fuse of correct type,
SAFETY SYMBOLS voltage rating and current rating as
&
J Instruction manual symbol : . The
instrument will be marked with
this symbol when it is necessary
specified in the
paragraph in this manual.
INSTALLATION

for the user to refer to the

J instruction manual for safety.

High voltage symbol : Dangerous

RF.MOVAL OF COVERS
Removal of covers is likely to expose
live parts although reasonable pre-

J voltage exceeding 1
indicated by this symbol.
kV is
Protective earth terminal.
j J/wARNINGII The WARNING sign is a head-
ing of the requirement (s)
cautions have been taken in the design
of the instrument to shield such
parts. The instrument shall be dis-
connected from the supply before car-
rying out any adjustment, replacement
or maintenance and repair during

J
which the instrument shall be opened.
that should be observed to If any adjustment, maintenance or
avoid personal or fire repair under voltage is inevitable it
hazards. shall only be carried out by a

D
c6
CIO
r------.
I CAUTION l The CAUTION sign leads the
l-----! precaution(s) that should
qualified personnel who is aware of
the hazard involved.
be observed to avoid damage
J or destruction
instrument.
of the 00 NOT OPERATE IN EXPLOSIVE ATMOSPHERES
To avoid explosion, do not operate the
instrument in an explosive atmoshpere.
J
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7
l CONTENTS

7 1.
1.1
GENERAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . .
Introduction . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . • . .
1-1
1-1

7 1. 2
1. 3
ID Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Contents of This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1-1
1-2

1 2. SPECIFICATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1

l 3. INSTALLATION ...•..•.•.......................................•.• 3-1

3 .1 Power Supply ....•...•..........•.•....•...•................. 3-1 &.
l 3. 2
3. 3
Fuse .............•............................•.....•..•..•.
Power Cord, Plug, and Ground ................•..•.....•...••.
3-1 &.
3-1 &.

l 3. 4
3.5
Connect.ions to Other Equipment ..........•.......•.....•.....
_Bench Mounting
3-1
3-1
3. 6 Preparing for Measurements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
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4. OPERATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . 4-1

J 4. 1 General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
4.2 Operating Panel 4-1

1 4.3 Basic Operation

Safety Note
4-2
4-2

J Turn on the Power •.•....••..........................•.•........

Check. Display Function . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . •
4-2
4-2

J Connect the Input ..•.....•...............•..•...........•...•..

Check the Level
4-3
4-3
Choose the Gate Time ... , ,. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
J
5. MAINTENANCE 5-1

J 5.1
5.2
Cleaning the Outside of the Instrument ...•....•....•.....•..
Calibration and Servicing
5-1
5-1

J 5.3
5. 4
Calibrating the Reference Oscillator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Transportation and Storage • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5-1
5-2

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7 1. GENERAL

l 1.1 Introduction

The Model VP-4052A is a dedicated instrument which directly measures

l frequencies in the 10 Hz-150 MHz range and outputs the result on a

8-digit display.

1 This instrument has an input sensitivity of 25 mV rms over its entire

frequency range (10 Hz-150 MHz) and 15 mV rms for the range between

l 10 Hz and 100 MHz.

The frcnt panel of the instrument includes a level indicator which

l makes it easy to monitor the level of the input signal. As well as

being very effective at warning the operator when the signal level is

l too high or too low, this indicator can be used for simple level
adjustments, for exs.mple, for adjusting the tuning circuits. This
ease of operation makes this instrument ideal not just for laboratory
] and research applications, but also for maintenance, servicing, and
production lines.
l The high input impedance (approximately l Mn paralleled by 20 pF) of
the instrument make sure that it exerts as little influence as possi-
1 ble on the circuit being measured.

This instrument provides a choice of three resolutions: 1, 10, and

J 100 Hz.

The instrument converts the results of its measurement to an 8-digit

J number on a light-emitting diode (LED) display. This display is
fitted with a non-reflecting filter screen to reduce eyestrain-even
J for long hours of use. To make the numbers even easier to read, the
display automatically suppresses all leading zeroes.

J The reference signal for this instrument comes from a 10 MHz crystal
-6
I/ oscillator which has an aging rate of 5 x 10 /week and a temperature

J 6
characteristics of ±10 x 10- .within the range of 0°C to 40°C.

Note: Also available, as options, are two other crystal oscillators

J with even greater standards of precision.

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1-1
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l 1.2 ID Number

This instrument is numbered with a ten-character ID number. The

7 first seven digits and letter(s) are assigned uniquely for each
product. The last three digits comprise the ID suffix which is the

7 same for all identical products and changes only when a change is
made. All correspondence with the factory or representatives con-

1 cerning this instrument should include the complete ten-character

ID number.

l The contents of this manual apply directly to products numbered with

the same ID number suffix(es) as noted under the title of ID NUMBERS
on the firEt page of the manual.
l
1. 3 Contents of This Manual
l Section 2 of this Manual lists the instrument's specifications.
Section 3 covers installation and other steps preparatory to use.
l It also contains tips on safe usage. (For your own safety, please
read the Section titled "SAFETY PRECAUTIONS" appearing at the begin-

J ning of this Ma.nual.) The bulk of the Manual, however, is taken up

by Sect.ion 4 "OPERATION" and section 5 "MAINTENANCE".

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7 2• SPECIFICATIONS

7 Measurement function:
Measurement range:
Measurement of frequency
10 Hz to 150 MHz (AC coupling)

1 Input sensitivity: 15 mV rms (10 Hz to 100 MHz)

25 mV rms (lO_Hz to 150·MHz}
Maximum allowable input voltage:
1 200 V(DC + AC peak) ... DC to 40 Hz
250 V rms .•.••........ 40 Hz to 100 kHz

l Input impedance:
5 V rms ...••.......... 100 kHz to 150 MHz
1 Mn, 20 pF or less in parallel

l Attenuator:
Level indicator:
x 1, x 10(20 dB within ±10%, at 1 kHz sine wave)
Indicates input signal level (100 Hz or more)

l Gate time:
Insufficient input is displayed in a red zone
10 ms, 0.1 sand 1 s
Sample ra.te: Gate time plus approx. 100 ms (90 ms for gate
7 time of 10 ms)
Display: Eight-digit seven-segment LED display with

J leading zero suppression

Internal reference frequency and stability:

Options
Standard

J Frequency 10 MHz
OPT.01

10 MHz
OPT.02

10 MHz

J Aging rate 5 x 10
-6
/week 5 X 10
-7
/month 2 X 10
-7
/week
6
±10 X 10-
6 ±5 X 10- 6 ±1 X 10-

J Temperature characteristic
(0-40°C) (0-40°C) (0-40°C)

J General

Ambient condition: Operating temperature range 0°c to 40°C

6
J Power requirements:
Operating humidity range (R.H.) 20% to 90%
100, 120, 220, and 240 V ±10%, 50 or 60 Hz,

J Dimensions:
approx. 12 VA
241 mm wide x 81 mm high x 257 mm deep
Weight: Approx. 3 kg
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2-1

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7 Accessories furnished: 1
1
Power cable
Spare fuse

7 1 Instruction manual

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2-2
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1 3. INSTALLATION

l 3.1 Power Requirements

&v,
The VP-4052A can be operated from any power source supplying 100

l 120 V, 220 V and 240 V(nominal values), 50 or 60 Hz. Power consump-

tion is less than 15 VA.

7 .-------------------1llWARNINGI:-------------~

7 Before connecting ac power to the instrument, be sure it is set for

the prcper mains voltage as indicated by the voltage selection switches

l on the rear panel_. (See Fig. 3-1)

l Voltage selection switches (shown set for 100 V)

l NOMINAL RANGE

J lOOV
120V
220V
90-112V
106-132V
l9_6-244V
240V 214-250V
1

1 0 0
J Fig. 3-1 Mains voltage selection

j 3.2 Mains Voltage Selection

Refer to Fig. 3-1. Set the NOMINAL VOLTAGE switches to the setting
&
J (100 V, 120 v, 220 V or 240 V) that corresponds to the mains voltage
to be used. The voltage must be within the range noted in Fig. 3-1.

J 3.3 Fuse
9

J Verify that the proper fuse is installed in the fuse holder.

of the fuse are noted on the rear panel and listed below.
Ratings

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3-1

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7 Nominal voltage Fuse
100 V 0.25 A

l 120 V
250 V
Time lag
220 V 0.125 A

l 240 V
250 V
Time lag

7 ,----------------1!IWARNINGI!~------------~

Make sure that only fuse with the required rated current and of the

1 specified type is used for replacement. The use of makeshift fuse and
the short-circuiting of fuse holder are prohibited.

7 3.4 Power Cable

l The VP-4052A is equipped with a detachable power cable assembly.

type of the plug shipped with each instrument depends on the country
The

l of destination. The figure below illustrates the power cables avail-

able with part numbers.

J 125V
OPERATION
250V
OPERATION

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J 33-76B-2M 99-81-2M

J 250V 250V

j OPERATION OPERATION

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418-481-2M 76W004
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3-2

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7 3.5 Interconnection with Other Equipment

Plug the power cable into a properly wired receptacle before connect-
7 ing the instrument to the other equipment. The interconnections are
made with the front panel BNC connector.

l 3.6 Mounting on the Bench

1 The instrument cabinet has rubber feet and fold-away tilt stand.
The tilt stand raise the front of the instrument for easier operation

1 of the front panel controls.

l 3.7 Warm-Up

Allow a warm-·up period of 3 hours before using the instrument for all

l specified accuracies.

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3-3
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7 4. OPERATION

7 4.1 General

This section contains the operating instructions for the VP-4052A

7 Electronic Counter. Most measurements require only two basic steps:
matching signal levels and selecting the appropriate resolution - in

1 other words, deciding whether to use the built-in attenuator and

choosing the ''gate time".

7 This section first introduces the various components on the operat-

ing panel and then goes on to describe in detail how they are used

l in actua-.1 measurements.

l 4.2 Operating Panel

• Panasonic:) ELECTRONIC COUNTER VP·4052A

l BB.BB.BB.BB
LEVEL

pc:::11_--+++--+--G)

J IO•s
GATE TIME
O.la Is
Xt
ATT
.a. .aJCIO
INPUT
IOHz•ISOMH~

1\li----lH-1--@

j ©

J (j) ® ®

J Fig. 4-1 Operating Panel

J Figure 4-1 shows the operating panel and the components relevant to
operation.
J Note: The numbering system used in Figure 4-1 is used consistently

] throughout this Manual.

(D POWER switch This push-button switch turns the instru-

J ment ON (depressed position) and OFF

(released position).

J @ LED display 8-digit LEDs indicate the results of the

measurement. (Leading zeroes are automa-
tically suppressed.)
J
4-1
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l G) LEVEL indicator This meter indicates the input level. The
blue area indicates the instrument's normal

7 operating range.

© INPUT connector This BNC receptacle for applying the signal

l to be measured has an input impedance of

approximately 1 Mn.

7 @ ATT switch This switch controls the built-in attenuator.

In the xlO (depressed) position, the attenuator

l reduces the signal level of the input by 20 dB.

@ GATE TIME switches These three buttons control the interval which
l the instrument uses to measure the frequency.
This setting determines the instrument's

l re:solution and the length of time that the

GATE indicator 0) remains lit.

J 0) GATE indicator This LED remains lit while the instrument is

measuring the frequency. The longer the

J period, the higher the resolution.

4.3 Basic Operation

1 SAFETY NOTE I
J (1) Before applying power to this instrument, carefully follow the
instructions given in the Section on installation and make sure

j that the power cord is firmly in place.

I TURN ON THE POWER I

J (2) Depress the POWER switch G) to turn on the instrument.
display will be lit.)
(The LED

J I CHECK DISPLAY FUNCTION I

(3) Depress the 10 ms button of the GATE TIME switches.
] (The GATE indicator (j) will blink and the LED display (2} will
read "0.0".)

J (4) Press the other two GATE TIME buttons respectively and check the
di.splay shavm in Table 4-1 below.

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4-2

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l Table 4-1

7 GATE TIME
setting
Length of time
GATE indicator Display Resolution
remains lit

1 10 ms 0.01 s 0.0 100 Hz

0.1 s 0.1 s 0.00 10 Hz

1 1 s 1 s 0.000 1 Hz

1 NOTES-----------------~

1. The display @ contains only one zero to the left of the decimal

l point; all other, leading zeroes are suppressed.

2. If none of the three GATE TIME switches is depressed, the instru-

7 ment automatically assumes a "gate time" of 10 ms.

l I CONNECT THE INPUT

(6) Connect the signal to be measured to the INPUT connector @.

J ,----------------CAUTION------------------.

l Ma,ximum allowable input Voltages are as follows.

DC-40 Hz •......... 200 V(DC + AC PEAK)

J 40 Hz-100 kHz .•... 250 V rms

100 kHz-150 MHz •.. 5 V rms
j An input level in excess of these values can damage the internal
circuitry so always exercise extreme caution.

J I CHECK THE LEVEL

J (7) Check the input level on the LEVEL indicator G) . The instru-
ment only operates normally if the needle falls within the blue
j zone on the scale.

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4-3
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7 (8) Unstable, non-reproducible results may be due to any one of four
different causes:

7 a. Insufficient input level

l ,----------------CAUTION-----------------,

For accurate measurements, the instrument requires the following

7 minimum input levels:

10 Hz-100 MHz 15 mv rms

l 10 Hz-150 MHz _25 mV rms

l b. Excessive input level

When the needle on the LEVEL indicator G) swings off the

7 scale to the right, press the ATT switch @ to the xl0
(depressed) position to activate the built-in attenuator

l which will reduce the signal level by a factor of approximately

20 dB.

J c. Excessive noise on the input

d. Excessively distorted input signal

] NOTES-----------------,

J l. Excessive noise and distortion must be removed before taking

frequency measurements with the instrument.

J 2. The borderline for non-attenuated input lies near 250 mV rms.

Above this level, depress the ATT switch ® to activate the

J attenuator (the xl0 position).

SELECT THE GATE TIME I

J (9) Depress a GATE TIME button corresponding to the desired resolu-

1 tion. (Refer to Table 4-1, given earlier)

NOTE----------------~

J Using a "gate time" of l s to measure a frequency of 100 MHz or

higher will cause the display @ to overflow. The most signifi-
J cant digit, "l", will be lost; only the lower eight digits will
appear.

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4-4

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7 5. MAINTENANCE

7 5.1 Cleaning the Out.side of the Instrument

Use only a dry, soft cloth to clean the outside of the instrument.

7 For any stubborn dirt that remains, use a soft cloth dampened with
an extremely dilute solution of a mild detergent and dry thoroughly

7 with another dry soft cloth.

CAUTION
l NEVER use benzene, toluene, xylene, acetone, or other organic sol~-

l vents. Chemically treated cloths are also equally detrimental to

the surfaces.

l 5.2 Calibration and.Servicing

For inspections, periodic maintenance, and calibration, please

7 contact your local authorized Matsushita's repair facility.

Should the instrument break down or fail to function properly,

J contact a repair facility as soon as possible; continuing to use
a faulty instrument for measurement may lead to even further damage.
]
5.3 Calibrating the Reference Oscillator

J NOTE

The accuracy of your instrument readings depends directly on the

J accuracy of the built-in crystal oscillator. Therefore, it is
essential to have the oscillator calibrated at certain intervals.
J
Accurate calibration of the instrument's built-in crystal oscillator

J requires access to an extremely accurate frequency standard.

therefore strongly recommend that the calibration be entrusted to
We

IS
J an authorized Matsushita's representative. For those users with
frequency standards available, we include one possible calibration
procedure.
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5-1
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7 WARNING

1. Certain portions of the instrumen's circuitry have hazardous

voltages. Since this calibration procedure involves operating
the unit with the covers re,moved, the servicing personnel must

l be qualified, experienced, and above all, constantly aware of

the shock hazard.

l 2. When removing the covers, first.disconnect the power cord.

Before reconnecting the cord and applying the power, mount the

l instrument securely on a service bench with the relevant portions

readily accessible and take all steps necessary to minimize the

:l danger of personal injury.

PROCEDURE

(1) Allow the instrument to warm up for at least three hours at a

constant room temperature of approximately 25°c.
]
Note: Do this with the covers.

] (2) Connect a calibrated 100 MHz signal to the input terminal.

(Using a l00x frequency multiplier with a calibrated 1 MHz

] signal input is one acceptable way to obtain this signal.)

(3) Remove the outer covers. (Remove the two screws holding the top

] and loosen the two holding the rear.)

(4) Press the 1 s GATE TIME button. Adjust the trim capacitor

J (located on the instrument's printed circuit board) until the

di.splay reads 11
0 11
("zero") - or as close to 11
0 11
as possible.

J Note: This calibration procedure exploits the fact that the instru-
ment cannot display the 11
1 11
in "l,000,000".

j (5) Disconnect the power cord and return the covers to their former
//, positions.

J 5.4 Transportation and Storage

J Before transporting or shipping the instrument, protect it with

packaging equivalent to that in which it arrived from the factory.

J If the instruent must be stored for a long interval, seal it against

dust - with plastic film, for example - and store it away from

J excessive heat and humidity.

5-2
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CIRCUIT DIAGRAM