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How a Small Oscilloscope Sparked Big Curiosity at the National Radio Centre, in Bletchley Park.
In the summer of 2016, a small but significant piece of test equipment found a new home at the National Radio Centre (NRC) in Bletchley Park. The Rigol DS1054Z digital oscilloscope—donated by Telonic Instruments in partnership with Rigol Technologies—was installed as part of a permanent display to help visitors visually understand the fundamentals of radio communication.
At first glance, it may have seemed like just another box with knobs and a screen. But for those who visited the NRC, especially those new to radio science, it became a portal into the invisible world of signals, waveforms, and modulation.
Click me to view the 2016 article – Made by RadCom
A Tool That Made Radio Waves Visible
The DS1054Z was—and still is—a highly respected entry-level oscilloscope. With four Channels, 50MHz bandwidth, 1GS/s sample rate, and a vibrant 7” display, it offered incredible value for students, hobbyists, and professionals alike.
But what made it truly special was how it was used. The NRC team created a unique interactive exhibit around the oscilloscope to demonstrate amplitude modulation (AM). When visitors pressed a button and spoke into a microphone, the oscilloscope instantly showed the waveform of their voice being modulated onto a carrier signal, illustrating in real time how analogue voice signals are transmitted via radio.
For many, this was their first encounter with seeing their voice translated into a waveform. A complex topic, made simple and memorable, through a single, reliable piece of equipment.
If you’d like to see this in action – you still can! Click here to see the NRC’s website.
Looking Back, Looking Forward
It’s easy to overlook milestones like these, but they tell a story worth celebrating. In the nearly 10 years since this donation, Rigol Technologies has evolved into one of the most dynamic manufacturers in the test and measurement space. Their product range has expanded into high-bandwidth scopes, spectrum analysers, waveform generators, and more, offering advanced functionality at accessible price points.
Telonic Instruments has grown alongside them, continuing to provide expert advice, product support, and technical guidance to engineers, educators, and industry professionals across the UK and Ireland. Our partnership with Rigol has remained strong because we share the same vision: to empower people with tools that demystify the complex, foster curiosity, and drive innovation.
Why These Stories Matter
Donating an oscilloscope to a museum might seem small in the grand scheme, but this one piece of kit became a learning experience for thousands. It bridged the gap between concept and comprehension, theory and practice. And that, after all, is what great test equipment is meant to do.
As we look ahead, we’re proud to continue this mission. Whether it’s supplying cutting-edge instruments to universities, supporting RF engineers with high-performance tools, or simply making a child’s first brush with science unforgettable, Telonic Instruments is here for it all.
Here’s to the next generation of innovation, and the next great story we’ll tell together.
Discover why this oscilloscope became a modern classic—perfect for learning, experimenting, and everyday electronics work.
From signal generators to spectrum analysers—see how Rigol has continued to raise the bar in performance and value.
