As test equipment becomes more sophisticated with better features
and accuracy, we risk turning our field personnel into test-set operators instead of skilled field service technicians. A test-set operator
connects the leads, pushes the buttons, and records the results, hoping
the numbers he records are good. A test technician connects the leads,
pushes the buttons, and records the results. However, the test technician
understands what the test set was doing while all the lights were flashing, and why. The technician can also evaluate the results and determine
if a retest is necessary with different connections or substitute external
equipment for tests when the test equipment malfunctions. The purpose of
this article is to help a test-set operator understand the tests he performs,
reinforce a test technique, or add it to his repertoire