I love test instruments.In 1996, I fell in love with a Tek swept spectrum analyzer. This instrument introduced me to the world of frequency domain measurement. These were my college years, and I was easily influenced. The time domain just didn't seem sexy anymore. I would never go back.A few years later, I fell in love with an Agilent 89441A Vector Signal Analyzer. She was a sophisticated older woman with big bones and wisdom. She was probably out of my league. But we had a good time together, and she taught me valuable lessons.As the years wore on, my eyes started to wander. New instruments could record RF signals. The recordings were short, but they were undeniably beautiful. 89441A couldn't do that. So I had a little fling with a Celerity CS2010 RF Recorder. It didn't last long. She had big bones, but no wisdom.Afterward, I realized that generic RF instruments made by other people would never bring me long-term happiness. If I really wanted a special instrument in my life, I would have to build her from scratch.These were the best and worst of times. A roller coaster ride on the bleeding edge of digital TV and RF technology. At the end of the ride, a new instrument was born, and it bore a model number I had made up all by myself. I was very proud of this bastard child.I convinced a bunch of people that my child was beautiful, and they paid me good money to make clones and ship them all around the world. It was fun. But, my clock was ticking, and it was time to settle down. Plus, there was a new suitor in town.Her name was PCI Extensions for Instrumentation, but most people just called her PXI for short. She had a lot of cute friends. It was clear that PXI could bring me stability in a long term relationship. PXI was a little gangly at first, but I grew to love her. I mean, not in the same way that I loved 89441A, but in a different, more mature way.We've been together since 2009.I love test instruments. Can I help you fall in love with one too?