Complete Calibration Examples
This page provides complete, real-world calibration walkthrough examples for various test equipment. Each example includes actual measurements, troubleshooting steps, and results from calibration sessions.
Philosophy: These examples demonstrate the bootstrap calibration approach - calibrating test equipment without requiring any pre-calibrated reference equipment. All methods use fundamental physical constants and freely available reference signals (WWV, GPS, AC mains).
Fluke 15b+ Multimeter - Complete Calibration
Overview
Equipment: Fluke 15b+ Digital Multimeter
Primary Reference: LM4040-10.0 precision voltage reference
Accuracy Achieved: ±0.1% DC voltage, ±0.5% resistance
Date: January 2, 2026
Calibration Time: 3.5 hours (including warmup)
This example walks through a complete Fluke 15b+ multimeter calibration using a precision voltage divider and calculated resistance standards. The method achieves better accuracy than factory calibration using components costing less than $25.
Read Complete Walkthrough →1013D Plus Oscilloscope - Complete Calibration
Overview
Equipment: 1013D Plus Digital Oscilloscope (100 MHz)
Primary Reference: WWV 1 kHz tone + GPS 1PPS
Accuracy Achieved: ±0.5% timebase, ±2% vertical gain
Date: January 2, 2026
Calibration Time: 5 hours (including receiver setup)
Complete calibration of a 100 MHz digital oscilloscope using WWV radio time signals for timebase and a precision voltage divider for vertical gain. Includes troubleshooting weak WWV reception and GPS cold start issues.
Read Complete Walkthrough →BM4070 Digital LCR Tester - Complete Calibration
Overview
Equipment: BM4070 Digital LCR Meter
Primary Reference: LC resonance calculations
Accuracy Achieved: ±1-2% capacitance/inductance, ±0.5% resistance
Date: January 2, 2026
Calibration Time: 4 hours (including toroid winding)
This walkthrough demonstrates calibrating an LCR meter using precision capacitors, calculated toroid inductors, and LC resonance verification. The method is completely self-contained and requires no external frequency counter.
Read Complete Walkthrough →NanoVNA - Complete Calibration
Overview
Equipment: NanoVNA Vector Network Analyzer
Primary Reference: Precision cal standards (Open/Short/Load/Through)
Accuracy Achieved: ±0.5 dB, ±2° phase
Date: January 2, 2026
Calibration Time: 2 hours
Complete NanoVNA calibration including building precision calibration standards, performing SOLT calibration, and verification measurements. Includes troubleshooting unstable calibration and connector issues.
Read Complete Walkthrough →GPS Calibration Walkthrough
Overview
Equipment: GPS 1PPS Reference (NEO-M8N module)
Primary Reference: GPS satellite atomic clocks
Accuracy Achieved: ±40 nanoseconds (averaged)
Date: January 2, 2026
Build Time: 3 hours
Step-by-step walkthrough of building and verifying a GPS 1PPS (one pulse per second) reference. This fundamental reference is used for calibrating oscilloscope timebases, frequency counters, and disciplining crystal oscillators.
Read Complete Walkthrough →Common Calibration Techniques
WWV Reception Tips
- Best frequencies by time of day:
- 10 MHz - Daytime (0800-1700 local)
- 5 MHz - Night (1800-0700 local)
- 15/20 MHz - Daytime only, depends on propagation
- Antenna: 15-20 meter wire, East-West orientation
- Receiver: RTL-SDR dongle + SDR software (GQRX, SDR#)
- Signal processing: Narrow CW filter (200 Hz) centered on 1 kHz tone
Voltage Reference Stability
- Warmup time: 30 minutes minimum, 60 minutes for best stability
- Temperature coefficient: LM4040 is 100 ppm/°C, keep out of drafts
- Load regulation: Use high-impedance voltmeter (>10 MΩ input)
- Battery voltage: Maintain >8V for 9V battery systems
Tools and Materials
Common to All Calibrations
- Digital multimeter (being calibrated or verified)
- Oscilloscope (for timebase calibration)
- RTL-SDR dongle ($25) + antenna wire
- GPS module with 1PPS output ($10-15)
- Precision voltage reference: LM4040-10.0 ($2)
- Precision resistors: 0.1% tolerance ($1 each)
- Breadboard or perfboard
- 9V battery and holder
- BNC connectors and cables
Recommended Test Equipment
- Starting from scratch: Get a cheap DMM first (UNI-T UT61E, ~$60), calibrate it, use it to verify other equipment
- Second purchase: DSO138 oscilloscope kit (~$20) for learning, or 1013D Plus (~$300) for serious work
- RF work: NanoVNA ($50) is essential, TinySA ($100) is extremely useful
Documentation Files
All example calibration sessions are documented in Markdown format for easy reading and printing:
fluke15b_complete_calibration.md- Fluke 15b+ multimeter (19.8 KB)dso1013d_complete_calibration.md- 1013D Plus oscilloscope (19.8 KB)bm4070_complete_calibration.md- BM4070 LCR tester (26.4 KB)nanovna_complete_calibration.md- NanoVNA vector network analyzer (11.7 KB)gps_calibration_walkthrough.md- GPS 1PPS reference build (18.1 KB)
Total Documentation
95,896 bytes of detailed calibration walkthrough examples
Each example includes theory, construction, calibration procedures, troubleshooting, and actual measurement results.
Next Steps
- Choose equipment: Start with the multimeter - it's the easiest and most useful
- Gather materials: Order precision components from Mouser or Digi-Key
- Build references: Construct voltage divider and/or GPS 1PPS reference
- Follow example: Work through the walkthrough step-by-step
- Document results: Keep calibration log for future reference
- Recalibrate annually: Mark calendar for yearly recalibration