The Tektronix 1503 is a portable Time Domain Reflectometer (TDR) that locates faults in metallic cables using radar-based pulse reflection analysis. It generates half-sine wave test signals and displays reflected waveforms on a CRT screen, enabling rapid identification of impedance changes, open circuits, short circuits, and cable defects. The instrument measures distance to faults with high resolution and reads characteristic impedance directly, making it essential for field troubleshooting and maintenance across multiple cable types and installations.
Technical Specifications
Pulse Generation
• Half-sine wave pulse type
• Pulse amplitude: 5 V
• Selectable pulse widths: 2 ns, 10 ns, 100 ns, 1000 ns
• Output impedance: 50, 75, 93, 125 ohm (selectable)
Distance Measurement
• Maximum range: 50,000 feet (15,000 m)
• Distance readout resolution: 0.04 feet (0.01 m), 1 foot for short cables
• Distance per division: 1 ft/div to 5,000 ft/div (0.25 m/div to 1000 m/div)
• Horizontal accuracy: 1.6 inches (0.041 m) or 1% of measured distance plus Vp uncertainty, whichever is greater
Vertical Measurement
• Vertical scale: 0 dB to 63.75 dB
• Vertical accuracy: ±3% of full scale
• Ohm at cursor readout available
Display & Operation
• Cathode-ray tube (CRT) display
• Menu-driven operation
Power & Environment
• AC operation: up to 250 V RMS (protective ground required)
• Internal battery option for field deployment
• Meets MIL-STD-28800 Type III, Class 3, Style A
– Key Features
• Direct characteristic impedance measurement at cursor position
• Selectable noise averaging (1 to 128 averages on applicable models)
• CABLE output jack for test pulse transmission
• Optional YT-1 chart recorder interface for permanent waveform recording
• Ruggedized portable case design
– Typical Applications
• Metallic cable fault location and characterization
• Impedance discontinuity detection
• Open and short circuit identification
• Cable maintenance and diagnostics
• Field troubleshooting on installed cable systems
– Compatibility & Integration
The 1503 accepts optional modules via dedicated option ports. Chart recorder outputs enable permanent documentation of test results.
