What instrument is commonly used by radio service technicians to monitor frequency, modulation, check receiver sensitivity, distortion, and to generate audio tones?

The service monitor is the correct instrument used by radio service technicians for a variety of tasks related to radio frequency (RF) evaluation. This device is particularly versatile and serves multiple functions, making it essential for maintaining and troubleshooting radio equipment.

One of the primary functions of a service monitor is frequency monitoring, which ensures that the transmitted signals are operating on the correct frequency. It can measure modulation types such as Amplitude Modulation (AM) and Frequency Modulation (FM), providing valuable data about the quality and performance of the signal being transmitted.

Additionally, a service monitor assesses the sensitivity of the receiver, which is critical in determining how well the receiver can pick up weak signals. This feature helps technicians identify any issues with the receiver that may affect performance.

It also measures distortion levels, helping ensure that audio signals are transmitted clearly without unwanted artifacts that could degrade quality. Finally, it can generate audio tones for testing purposes, which is useful for aligning radio equipment and ensuring proper functionality.

While other instruments like signal analyzers are also used in various RF applications, they may not encompass all the specific features of a service monitor in one device. Multimeters are primarily designed for measuring electrical values such as voltage and current, and audio processors focus mainly on audio signal processing