On 5/27/2017 9:55 AM, wrote:
Although I used someone's frequency counter back around the 1970s, I
never owned one. From what I recall, back then, there was a BNC
connector on the unit, where test leads connected and were used to
determine the frequency within a radio stage, or used to check the
output from a signal generator.

I'm looking on Ebay and seeing some costly ones selling for $100 and up,
which have lots of buttons and connectors. -OR- seeing some that are
listed to go from 1 CPS to 70 or 80 MHZ, which tells me that they can
show audio frequencies, and up to the 70 or 80 MHZ limit, which means
they will work for AM radio, many Ham bands, CB radio, but *NOT* FM
radio.

Then what caught my eye were these inexpensive handheld ones, such as:
http://tinyurl.com/y84hun67

However, these do NOT have BNC connectors. Just an antenna. (No test
lead connector), So, obviously, they can not read audio freqs, and can
not be used to check the stage in a radio, but should probably pickup
the output from a signal generator if the sig gen test leads are held
near the antenna.

However, this device (above URL) only covers 50 MHZ to 2.4 GHZ. That
means it's worthless for AM radio, CB radio, and many lower Ham bands.
(In my case, this would be pretty useless, since I mostly work on radios
that are AM FM CB or SWR.

Ideally, something that covered 1CPS to 110 MHZ would be best suited for
my needs, but I cant find anything like that, at least not in the price
range of $50 or less. (which is what I am willing to pay for something I
wont get real much use from).

My antique Eico 320 Signal Gen only goes a little over 100 MHZ, so once
again, the example URL I posted would not be real helpful.

So, I am pretty confused. What's better, an antenna or test leads?

Do they actually make and sell LOW PRICED Freq Counters that go from 1
CPS to 110 MHZ or so?

Then again, it almost appears that to get full coverage of all
Frequencies, a person needs to buy TWO Freq counters, since UHF TV
covers the 470 to 806 MHZ. But once again, what good is a Freq Counter
with no test leads (just an antenna) for use on television?

What good is a frequency counter WITH test leads for television.
Where are you gonna connect those leads and what's the signal level
there? And how do you measure channel 40 when channel 42 is 10x stronger.





You suffer from test equipment buyer's exaggeration.
"I dunno what I want so gimme EVERYTHING, and then some, for cheap."

Take a step back and decide what you need to measure that you didn't
need for the last 50 years.

I designed frequency counters for a living back in the day. I have more
than a few. I haven't turned one on in more than a decade, and here's
why...

FOR CHEAP COUNTERS:
They're inaccurate.
If you're setting a radio frequency, you want an ACCURATE counter.
Most other times, the accuracy is irrelevant. It's go/nogo.
The accuracy and stability of the timebase may be the most important
parameter.
What do you want to do?

They're insensitive.
You typically can't go probing around in equipment and learn anything.
A counter typically reads the biggest signal it hears.
You might find that everything reads 120Hz.
Probing around in a radio circuit may detune it.
What do you want to do?

I find an oscilloscope to be a more useful tool. You can read the frequency
right off the screen with sufficient precision for most troubleshooting
tasks.
And you can do it in the presence of noise that might render a counter
useless.

Expensive counters have a few bucks worth of counting stuff.
The majority of the expense is in the timebase and the front end
that helps you trigger on what you want to observe. All those
knobs are there for a reason.

If you need more accuracy, you probably need a LOT more accuracy.

Draw a frequency chart from 0 to 2.4 GHz. Put an arrow at every frequency
where you ever needed to measure a frequency and the specs of
the counter you'd have needed to do it.
Let that be your guide. You might decide that you still don't need
a counter that you can afford. ;-)

You can do audio with a cellphone app. Just be careful what you plug
into that microphone jack.

This seems to be closer to what you want.
EBAY ID 401196543325
If it has a removable antenna with signal and ground connections, you
can make test leads. Just be careful with DC or too much signal
breaking it.