#111: How to make a high performance oscilloscope probe socket
Why Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange recommends it
Electronics Stack Exchange answerers point people to it when they need a cheap, high-fidelity way to probe fast or switching signals without a long ground lead.
Recommended by 3 people across 3 different months, 2014 to 2026.
What it is
A short tutorial from w2aew (Alan Wolke) showing how to build a very low ground inductance socket for connecting an oscilloscope probe to a circuit. It follows an earlier video on how ground lead inductance distorts measured waveforms, and the method can be adapted to different probe styles.
What people said
Recommends Connor Wolf · 2014-10 · Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange · on “How do you attach an oscilloscope ground spring?”
The kind of tip you show is not intended for permanent installation. If you need to have a scope hooked up to the device under test, with good high frequency performance, the only good solution is to design testing connections into your device. I like MMCX connectors [LINK] , because they're very compact, and you can get MMCX->SMA pigtails (and convert that to BNC) for cheap [LINK] . You do have to design testing into your project, but it's a good habit to get into anyways. I tend to try to scatter MMCX footprints around my board layouts, so I can get easy probe access to any nets I'm interested in. Plus, they make decent pads for probing with a spring ground clip if you don't want to solder
Recommends scanny · 2016-07 · Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange · on “Snubbing DCM (nonsynchronous) Buck converter”
@winny: Thanks! I learned that trick from W2AEW on YouTube: [this video] :) I use it all the time now on switchers.
Recommends Spehro 'speff' Pefhany · 2026-02 · Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange · on “Scope: how to measure fast (1 µs rise time) signals at high (320 V) voltages?”
This [this video] video shows a simple DIY approach that should work in a pinch. [LINK] This [LINK] previous answer shows a commercial socket, however the price is a bit on the ridiculous side, with or without the $56 tariff tax tab. The centre connector would be extra, of course. Tip, if any, and local sales tax (if any) would be on top of that. To be fair, it's a pack of 25, but still.. [LINK]