News

Check out this new application note from our customer Vinod Chellat Markose that describes an inexpensive method for characterizing the drop in inductance of an inductor at any desired DC bias current using the Bode 100 vector network analyzer. 

The 14th Power Analysis & Design Symposium will take place as a live, virtual event on Wednesday, April 9th, 2025.
Register now and experience a great day, packed with live lectures from international electronics experts focusing on power supply design.
Registration is free of charge!

This new application note explains how to measure an optocoupler's CTR (current transfer ratio) over frequency using the Bode 100 and Picotest products.

Check out this new application note from our customer Vinod Chellat Markose who explains an indirect method for measuring the drop in inductance of a CMC at any current using a Bode 100.

Download the Bode Analyzer Suite 3.50 and benefit from the latest new features!

• New automatic circuit fitting feature with SPICE netlist export
• New PDF report with optional customer logo
• Support of the new Bode 500 device via USB and Ethernet
• Extended and improved SCPI support
• Source-level can be changed by mouse-scrolling
• Improved Expression trace & upgraded .NET framework to version 8

Our new Bode 500 VNA and FRA is now available for quotes and orders.
It is the most powerful analyzer from OMICRON Lab with the following main features:

• Ultra-wide frequency range of 10 mHz* up to 450 MHz
• Exceptional linearity
• High dynamic range of > 120 dB
• Advanced connectivity (Ethernet with PoE & USB-C with USB-PD)
• Click "More" to get further information

Watch the 13th edition of our annual Power Analysis & Design Symposium:

• An Introduction to Power Supply Simulations with SIMPLIS
• Using S-Parameters for the Design of EMC Filters
• Designing Digital Control Loops and Firmware
• A Power Supply Filter with On-board Voltage Socket for 12V 10A
• PDN Impedance Measurements using the Bode 500 and Picotest PDN Probes
• Power Supply Compensator Design…

The 13th Power Analysis & Design Symposium will again take place as a live virtual event on April 17th, 2024.
Register now - attendance is free of charge.

You can now watch the 12th edition on our YouTube channel and learn more about:

• Control Methods of LLC Converter
• Shielding Low Frequency Magnetic Fields
• Digital Average Current Mode Control of Switch-Mode Power Supplies
• Accurate Loop Gain Measurements, Tips & Tricks
• How to use Off-the-Shelf Transformers in Switching Power Supplies
• PSRR – Why measure it, the Measurement Errors and how to…

The 12th Power Analysis & Design Symposium will again take place as a live virtual event on March 15th, 2023.
Register now - attendance is free of charge.

We are now offering the new 1 Port & 2 Port 50 Ω Transmission Line PDN Probes from Picotest.
Check out the product page for more information.

Check out the new PHV 1000-O high voltage probe designed and manufactured by PMK in Germany.

Check out this new application note from our customer Jan Petrik who worked on stability simulations for operational amplifiers using Spice.

You can now watch the 11th edition on our YouTube channel and learn more about:

• The Danger of Underdamped Filters
• Comparing EMI Simulation with Measurement
• Automated PCB Parasitics Extraction from EDA Tools
• Step-by-step Snubber and Clamp Design
• Practical System Modelling using Plant Measurements
• The Simple Truth about Complex Impedance Probes
• Impedance in DC-Microgrids

We are happy to invite you to the 11th edition of the Power Analysis & Design Symposium on March 9th, 2022 as a live virtual event.

Join in from all over the world and learn from the experts. The registration is open and free of charge.

We now offer a high-quality stainless-steel rack mount kit for the Bode 100. Check it out...

On Wednesday, June 30^th, 2021 we are offering a live, interactive webinar on Dielectric Spectroscopy.

The webinar is being offered at no charge - Register now!

Did you miss the 10th Power Analysis & Design Symposium or simply want to watch it again? For your convenience we have made the recordings & presentations available on the event page.

The 10th Power Analysis & Design Symposium takes place on
March 10^th, 2021 as a virtual event.
Take this chance to join us from anywhere and experience a great day, packed with live lectures from international electronics experts.

Our new DSH 100 sample holder for the analysis of solid insulation materials is now available.
The DSH 100 test cell is an accessory for our dielectric material analyzer SPECTANO 100, but can also be used with other LCR meters or analyzers like the Bode 100.
Check it out and learn more about dielectric material analysis

Bode 100 is a great impedance analyzer working from 1 Hz to 50 MHz. Have a look at this application note to learn more about the impedance measurement possibilities of the Bode 100.

Bode 100 is a powerful analyzer that can be easily automated via the Automation Interface. Learn more about the special considerations that need to be taken when using multiple devices by reading our new application note.

Sometimes a network connection (Ethernet) offers an advantage over a direct USB connection. This is possible using a USB device server. Read the full application note!

In this application note we show the relation between the phase margin and the output impedance. Check it out and learn how an output impedance measurement can help you when analysing a power supply.

The OTMC 100p PTP Grandmaster Clock and the TICRO 100 PTP Time Converter now support all common PTP-Profiles for the Power Industries. 
Check out all new features!

This application note shows how to measure the dielectric properties of the insulator in a coaxially constructed cable using SPECTANO 100.

The 9th Power Analysis & Design Symposium takes place on
March 5^th, 2020 in Eching (near Munich).
With lectures, practical examples and demonstrations by international experts.

This application note shows how the Bode 100 can be used to measure the electrical behaviour of inductors over frequency with DC bias applied.

In this deadly serious video we measure the impedance of blasted steaks. See how the steak impedance changes after undergoing an underwater detonation. Check out the video!

Check out the new video series on EMC filter design from the noise source to the selection of the filter components.

The 8th Power Analysis & Design Symposium takes place on
April 4^th, 2019 in Eching (near Munich).
Register now for a day packed with lectures, practical examples and demonstrations by international experts.

Complementing their popular J2120A low power line injector, the new J2121A is much higher power and supports PSRR, DC biased inductor measurement, DC-DC converter input impedance testing, as well as other EMI tests. The J2121A is especially suited to high power applications including military and satellite bus voltages up to 400V/20A with a bandwidth up to 1MHz and works well with the Bode 100.

Finally, we did it. We did send a Bode 100 to Dave at EEVblog. To find out what Dave says about the Bode 100, check out the review video!

For our newest adventure, we took our Bode 100 and the OTMC 100 Grandmaster Clock to the Greek island Rhodes.

With the release of the Bode Analyzer Suite 3 many new functions have been added. For sure all these functions are described in the manual. But let's be honest - who reads manuals?

Check out how we measure the electromagnetic coupling of two avalanche transceivers using the Bode 100. Certainly this must be done in a proper environment. Therefore we went to the Austrian alps! Certainly we did choose a safe place without any avalanche risk that could endanger our Bode 100 or us...

In this documents we show how to measure the dielectric response of solid and liquid insulation materials using the SPECTANO 100 and common test cells on the market. Further on, you can learn how to determine the conductivity and resistivity of insulation liquids of which considerations should be made of the analysis of solid insulation materials.

Register now for a day packed with lectures, practical examples and demonstrations by international experts.

BAS 3.12 brings new features and improvements. You can use averaging to reduce noise in your measurements. In addition BAS 3.12 features a Smith-Chart for fixed-frequency measurements. Download now!

We made two new application notes for the SPECTANO 100 available.

In this application note, we are reviewing the theory behind the input filter stability problem. Why the input filter of a DC/DC converter can cause converter instability and how the negatige input impedance of the converter contributes to this.

This time we took our Bode 100 vector network analyzer to a sail boat (IMX 38) on Lake Constance. By connecting a self-made ultra-sonic wind sensor we attempt to measure the wind-speed. Check out if we did succeed...

Watch the video!

In this guide Dr. Tomasz Zawada from TOOsonix explains the most important parameters of piezoceramic components and how to measure them using the Bode 100.

Read the full paper!

Get the most out of your Bode 100 - check out our new accessories:

In this application note, we show how the Bode 100 can be used to measure the high-frequency impedance of equipment designed to be powered by mains voltage.

Click here to read the full application note.

In this video Steve Sandler is demonstrating how the new Bode Analyzer Suite 3.0 can be used to measure impedances in the milliohm range. Steve shows how to calibrate the measurement and how to measure component impedances as well as the output impedance of linear regulators or switched mode power supplies.

Click here to watch the video

This application note shows how to extend the impedance measurement range of the Bode 100 with a high impedance bridge.

The following Bode 100 information note has been updated:

Loop Gain Measurement
The Voltage Injection Method using the Bode 100 and the B-WIT 100

The 6^th Power Analysis & Design Symposium took place on April 26th, 2017 in Eching (near Munich), Germany.

Learn more about the SPECTANO 100 and why it is so important to analyze insulation materials over a wide frequency range.

Click here to watch the videos

Achieve reliable system performance - Speed up design cycles - Reduce cost
An Exclusive 1-day Simulation and Design Workshop with Steve Sandler took place on November 3^rd, 2016 in Munich, Germany.
 

We have updated our Application Note about RFI Power Inlet Filter Measurement with Bode 100 and made some new ones available.

With the release of the Firmware V1.11 we have added the power utility profile in accordance to IEC/IEEE 61850-9-3:2016. This profile is now available in parallel to the classic power profile IEEE C37.238-2011 for our PTP Grandmaster clock OTMC 100p. To find out more about the changes and improvements of our new Firmware check out the version history.

This paper shows, how to retrofit an already operational energy distribution network using the Precision Time Protocol (PTP) in accordance to IEEE 1588. 
OMICRON Lab and OMICRON supported the complete retrofit project from the initial planning stage to final activation stage of the time synchronization network. 

Based on the current implementation situation and the findings from the IEC 61850 interoperability plugfest 2015, this paper explores the differences and commonalities of the two PTP profiles for power applications and their interoperability.

In this issue we use the Bode 100 to measure the load on a climbing rope during rappelling / abseiling into a 35 m vertical cave, the Kessiloch. Learn how to measure force with the Bode 100 and how to NOT build a load cell. :-)

RFID Resonance Frequency an Tranformer Modelling

Get our newest product to measure the dielectric properties, quality and conditions of solid or liquid insulating materials in the frequency (FDS) and time domain (PDC).

Click here to read more about the SPECTANO 100

This bachelor thesis - written by Martin Bitschnau, Student of the University for Applied Science Vorarlberg - focuses on the contactless resonance frequency and q-factor measurement of inductively coupled RFID transponders.

Also in 2016 you could find OMICRON Lab as exhibitor at the PCIM Europe in Nuremberg, which took place on May 10^th to 12^th.
On our booth we showed several live measurements and demonstrated the applications of the Bode 100. Once again we could also welcome Dr. Ali Shirsavar as co-exhibitor on our booth, who presented the latest version of WDS.

The 5^th Power Analysis & Design Symposium took place on the 21^st April, 2016 in Eching (Germany).

For the second time we organized an Open-Lab event on the evening prior the symposium. During this event, participants could use our measurement equipment live and bring their own designs to be tested.
 

Do you need better protection for your Bode 100 during travelling or storage?

Find out more about our new carrying case.

In this report Professor Tamás Kovácsházy explains how the OTMC 100i is used in various PTP related research projects at the University of Budapest.

Due to the great success in 2013 + 2014, we decided to extend our webinars in 2015 and held our first Webinar Week.

View our past webinars!

We have updated the Non-Invasive Stability Measurement application note and have performed the measurements on the new VRTS 2 board from Picotest. Check out the application note that compares the traditional loop gain measurement method to the NISM measurement based on output impedance.

This new app note actually consists of two application notes. In the first, we show how the Bode 100 can be used to measure the frequency dependent characteristics of audio amplifiers. In the second application note we show how to measure the impedance of loudspeakers as well as the voltage transfer function of audio crossovers.

Once again you could find OMICRON Lab as exhibitor at the PCIM Europe in Nuremberg from May 19th to 21st, 2015. Our booth was full of interesting live measurements, where we did demonstrate the Bode 100 and it's applications.
Also this year we were allowed to welcome Dr. Ali Shirsavar from Biricha Digital as co-exhibitor on our booth, where he presented the newest version of WDS.

The 4th Symposium took place on May 6th, 2015 in Eching near Munich (Germany). In 2015 we did organize the first time an Open-Lab event where participants could use our measurement equipment live and even bring their own designs to be tested.

In 2013 we held our first webinar series ever, which was a huge success. Therefore we decided to continue with our webinar series in 2014.

The next Webinar will be held in 2015 - for more information and to view our past webinars, simply CLICK HERE

We have included the contactless Q-factor measurement in our RFID application note! See how to measure resonance frequency and Q-factor of a 13.56 MHz RFID Tag using the Bode 100! 

See how the Bode 100 is used to measure the self-resonance frequency of a 13.56 MHz RFID tag! Check out our new video tutorial.

In this video we explain the difference between a VNA (Vector Network Analyzer) and a FRA (Frequency Response Analyzer). On a high pass filter we show the different setups and the results from the measurements. Watch it!

Measuring Power Factor Correctors is usually not a trivial task. By watching our new video tutorial you will learn how easily the PFC stability can be determined by measuring the phase margin and gain margin using the Bode 100 and the B-WIT 100.

With the new OTMC 100, OMICRON Lab offers an antenna-integrated PTP Grandmaster Clock, which is a simple and effective solution to time-synchronize measurement equipment, computers or telecommunication devices in Ethernet based networks. The OTMC 100’s unique design combines an active GPS antenna, the GPS receiver and the Grandmaster Clock itself in one compact weatherproof housing. Further on, it…

You need to design an output filter of a power supply? You use ceramic capacitors? Then you should have a look at the following video showing how sensitive ceramic capacitors can react to DC voltage.

Instable power supplies? The ESR of your output capacitor might be the reason. In our new application video we show how the ESR of a capacitor is measured over frequency using OMICRON Lab's vector network analyzer Bode 100 and the impedance adapter B-WIC/B-SMC. Watch our new video tutorial!

In his application note Dr. Ali Shirsavar investigates the implementation of peak current mode control with slope compensation on a single chip Piccolo A from Texas Instruments. If you are interested, check out our webpage.

You do not exactly know at which frequency your measurement looks most interesting? No problem, use the zoom and copy from zoom functions of the Bode Analyzer Suite!
In addition we show how to set the cursor to the maximum and minimum value of a curve. Watch our new video tutorial!

New Article available on our webpage:
Mr. Steven Sandler describes in his new article how the output capacitor ESR need of a voltage regulator to reach a desired phase margin can be determined by one simple output impedance measurement. If you are interested, feel free to download the article. Please note that this article is also available in German language.

In our new application note we show how the Bode 100 can be used to measure the impedance of solar cells under dark conditions. The Bode 100 is used in conjunction with the Picotest J2130A DC-Bias Injector to apply a DC voltage to the PV module which simulates the operation point instead of exposing the module to light. If you are interested, feel free to download the application note.

What do Eddy Currents and Skin Effects have in common? Well, both can easily be measured using the Bode 100.
Have a look at our new articles on Eddy Current Testing and how to measure Skin Effects.

Assess the stability of voltage regulators using the Bode 100 and the B-WIT 100. We demonstrate how to measure the phase margin of an LM317 voltage regulator. Watch our new video tutorial!

The impedance values of current sensing resistors are generally in the range of several milliohms.
Measuring such low impedance values at high frequencies is a challenging task. In our new application note we did measure a 20 milliohm SMD resistor and a 20 milliohm 4-wire current sense resistor. 

OMICRON Lab has started a new series of online learning tutorials. These short videos contain information about features of the Bode Analyzer Suite and show applications of the Bode 100. Users or people interested in our products now have the chance to inform themselves about the handling and the capabilities of our Smart Measurement Solutions. In our first video we demonstrate the data and memory…

The Bode 100 offers several functions that are useful to evaluate antenna characteristics. All reflection parameters can be displayed in linear, logarithmic, polar or Smith-diagrams. In our new application note we did measure a 1026 MHz medium wave and two Ham-radio antennas. Furthermore this application note contains information about the use of the Bode 100 in conjunction with an external…

Battery impedance includes information about the internal state of a battery. The Bode 100 in conjunction with the Picotest J2111A Current Injector offers a test set for measuring the impedance spectrum of a battery in the range from 1 Hz to 10 MHz. Check out our new application note!

Crosstalk can cause serious problems in power supply systems with multiple regulators. The Bode 100 and the Picotest J2111A Current Injector form the perfect test set to measure crosstalk in the full frequency range from 1 Hz to 40 MHz. Have a look at our new AppNote on Crosstalk measurements. 

In our new AppNote we used the Bode 100 to perform impedance matching of a 27MHz antenna coil. Furthermore we did analyze a transmission link between two matched antenna coils.
If you are interested have a look at our new Application Note.

The DC operation point can have a strong influence on the impedance of a device. Using the Bode 100 in conjunction with the J2130A Picotest Injector you can measure impedance with a DC offset up to 50 volts. Check out our new Application Note.

The Bode 100 offers great possibilities to determine equivalent circuit parameters. Measuring complex impedances and resonance frequencies enables the calculation of many parameters. A customer did measure printed circuit coils using the Bode 100. In addition a matching network was designed using the Smith Chart. If you are interested, click here.

QuickFil is a powerful software for the design of passive filters. It enables the calculation of many filter types up to 50th order. And the best: It is freeware! Check out our new AppNote Passive Filter Design. This application note includes a step by step guide on how to design a filter in QuickFil and shows how the filter characteristics are measured using the
Bode 100. 

In combination with the new Picotest Signal Injectors the Bode 100 is a powerful tool to analyze power supplies. In two new application notes we demonstrate how important power supply parameters can be measured easily.

Company Data RFID Tags have become a part of our daily life. They provide access to buildings or allow us to use vending machines. To ensure that an RFID-Tag really functions it is important that it has the correct resonance frequency. By using the Bode 100 it is possible to perform a touch less measurement of this resonance frequency.
Find out how by reading our newest AppNote. 

The filter design software QuickFil is a program which was originally developed under DOS. It allows calculating passive electronic filters up to the 50th order in a quick and efficient way.
With specially designed fast mathimatical algorithms and arithmetic routines in assembler language, QuickFil is still one of the the fastest passive filter design softwares on the market. This was also the…

The quality of a data connection depends very often on the twisted pair cable used for the network installation. Together with AESA-Cotaillod a leading provider in telecommunication cable measurement systems we have developed this application note that shows how the characteristic of a DSL cable can be checked with the Bode 100.

Due to the renewal of the web shop for our customers from the US we can now provide a straight forward and easy handling shopping system. The new American Web Shop now also includes all OMICRON Lab articels and detailed product information.

The European Web Shop was created in order to provide you with a fast, simple and comfortable way to choose and order the OMICRON Lab product you require for your measuring tasks.
Customers from all European Union countries as well as Switzerland, Norway & Iceland can use this web shop at the moment.

During the development of the European Web Shop we focused on the creation of a platform which…

One key application of the Bode 100 is the stability analysis of switched mode power supplies. For such an analysis it is necessary to inject the source signal of the Bode 100 into the control loop, usually into the feedback part of the loop. For this purpose an injection transformer is required. OMICRON Lab is now offering an own solution for this problem. The B-WIT 100 was especially developed…

These days improving efficiency is a big issue in every aspect of our daily business - especially in production. Therefore automated measurements are continuously gaining importance. With the new Bode Analyzer Suite we focused on this important topic by implementing ALL functionalities of the Bode 100 for its OLE Automation Interface. Furthermore we added a very useful function to the frequency…

Audio Amplifier Test, Measuring Quartz Crystal Circuit and Measuring Quartz Crystal Circuit II.

click here

A compact, multifunctional test set designed for the electronic laboratory.

Bode 100 is the best value for a computer controlled Vector Network Analyzer, Gain Phase Meter, Impedance Meter and Sine Wave Generator in a single unit. The flexible hardware design combined with PC based software allows the Bode 100 to be used for audio, video, and RF applications in labs or production fields.