joe smith | The METERK MK01A DMM @joesmith-je3tq | Uploaded July 2018 | Updated October 2024, 5 days ago.
It's a low cost, full sized, feature rich meter with a large body fuse. How does it compare with other meters I have looked at? Watch and find out.
A few other reviews of the meter may be found here:
youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=MGtx1xbP8Hw
youtube.com/watch?time_continue=784&v=jtZa9Q6SKUQ
The data for the meters I have tested may be found here: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cXzYpIoyVm9QJUju4KXqM22CEQZP3_xwWvDyeVwxTy4/edit?usp=sharing
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions may be found here: docs.google.com/document/d/1gEPFeOZpsNSm0-7sA98w2P5XE5x77Oal9dQEYvQnF6g/edit?usp=sharing
Here is a partial list if what I see as the MK01A's shortcomings:
Battery can be installed incorrectly. Even the UT61E has different dimensions in the battery holder of the pos/neg.
There are no captive tabs on the large fuse holder to keep it in place if the meter is dropped. The case also has nothing in the molding to secure it.
When ramping the 10A current input, the supplied leads failed before the 10A fuse blew.
I'm not even sure what to say about the glowing small fuse. Well, it was a cheap unfilled ceramic body.
Capacitance will not zero out without adding an external capacitor.
Very slow auto ranging for a moderate sized capacitor. The same for lower value resistors.
When in AC mode, selecting frequency will require a zero cross for the meter to read it.
When in AC mode, cases like a a full wave rectified signal that is unfiltered can not be read.
When in AC mode, is the input is and AC waveform with a DC bias, the meter may not display the correct value. In my setup I show the meter reading between 4 volts and 42 volts.
When in DC mode, if the the input is an AC waveform with a DC bias, the meter will not display the correct value.
In frequency mode, the meter appears to be susceptible to 3KHz and will display low battery.
With a 180MHz 20dBm signal (roughly 3V), the meter will display more than 50 volts.
Why do they put the vias in the rotary switch pads?
The mA lead was not soldered. There were no signs that the solder had wicked to the terminal.
The stupid little piezo grill starter killed it. The only meters that are damaged by that are UNI-Ts and the lowest of the low. If the gun had killed it, I may have been alright with it but no, its the test that hardly does anything.
It's a low cost, full sized, feature rich meter with a large body fuse. How does it compare with other meters I have looked at? Watch and find out.
A few other reviews of the meter may be found here:
youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=MGtx1xbP8Hw
youtube.com/watch?time_continue=784&v=jtZa9Q6SKUQ
The data for the meters I have tested may be found here: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cXzYpIoyVm9QJUju4KXqM22CEQZP3_xwWvDyeVwxTy4/edit?usp=sharing
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions may be found here: docs.google.com/document/d/1gEPFeOZpsNSm0-7sA98w2P5XE5x77Oal9dQEYvQnF6g/edit?usp=sharing
Here is a partial list if what I see as the MK01A's shortcomings:
Battery can be installed incorrectly. Even the UT61E has different dimensions in the battery holder of the pos/neg.
There are no captive tabs on the large fuse holder to keep it in place if the meter is dropped. The case also has nothing in the molding to secure it.
When ramping the 10A current input, the supplied leads failed before the 10A fuse blew.
I'm not even sure what to say about the glowing small fuse. Well, it was a cheap unfilled ceramic body.
Capacitance will not zero out without adding an external capacitor.
Very slow auto ranging for a moderate sized capacitor. The same for lower value resistors.
When in AC mode, selecting frequency will require a zero cross for the meter to read it.
When in AC mode, cases like a a full wave rectified signal that is unfiltered can not be read.
When in AC mode, is the input is and AC waveform with a DC bias, the meter may not display the correct value. In my setup I show the meter reading between 4 volts and 42 volts.
When in DC mode, if the the input is an AC waveform with a DC bias, the meter will not display the correct value.
In frequency mode, the meter appears to be susceptible to 3KHz and will display low battery.
With a 180MHz 20dBm signal (roughly 3V), the meter will display more than 50 volts.
Why do they put the vias in the rotary switch pads?
The mA lead was not soldered. There were no signs that the solder had wicked to the terminal.
The stupid little piezo grill starter killed it. The only meters that are damaged by that are UNI-Ts and the lowest of the low. If the gun had killed it, I may have been alright with it but no, its the test that hardly does anything.
