Oscilloscope Survey

One of the nice parts of my time working for Sperry Univac/Unisys corp. was that we were able to bid on surplused equipment used in our shops. we could bid on equipment that we worked with in the plant and therefore knew whether or not they were fully functional. I bid on a HP 141 network analyzer but was shortly outbid. It worked out fine as the unit had one of its drawers replaced to repair another unit. the one sold was a big doorstop as a result, unless another drawer could be found.

I have a Energy concepts Test Equipment Rack with built in FET Multimeter, AF & RF Gen, Combination Power Supply 2 Each DC power supplies (0-10) and (10-25) VDC and (0-300) VDC and (0-130)VAC and also a filament power supply of two 6V and jumpered combination 12 volts. With AC power strip and built in Speaker. But no O'scope. Those Pictures look like Tektronix scopes.

I have two Scopes both Tek's 2213 and 465. I would use them for alignment  and bandwidth adjustments of The I.F. cans.
----
I sold my Tek 922 and Heath IO-12.

I had never heard of Energy Concepts until I bought one at a radio club auction for $10 and it works great. It's the one I usually use. I probably should thin the heard, too, Cliff.
Right now I have the Energy Concepts 20 MHz, 2-channel (I forgot the model number), the little ATTEN single channel 10 MHz unit, a Tek 922, a Tek 2225, a Rigol DS1052, and an old Eico 460 that works well for an old unit (I restored it and can't part with the old thing.)

I'm kind of on a signal tracer kick at the moment. I would like a few of those for my collection and bench use. I'm just a test equipment addict.

The 141's are nice units. I used to use them when I did microwave site work.

Those things were a real lug. We would usually have one along in the vehicle and exchange drawers if necessary. It seems all the test equipment was "portable".

Tektronix 2465A here. Certainly overkill for radio work, but I do more than just repair radios.

I used to have a 1964 "portable" Zenith B&W 19" like that. I'm surprised the handle could stay on it.

Polaraligned wrote:Tektronix 2465A here.  Certainly overkill for radio work, but I do more than just repair radios.  

Can't have too good of one.

Back to the 465s: The only 465 I had I picked up at an auction only to find the CRT had no vacuum. Very disappointing. I really would like to have another.

I have 2 scopes now but have had quite a number of 500 and 7000 series scopes along with a couple dozen plug-ins for each series. My current scopes are a Tek 2465 in the rack and my old Tek 454 on the shelf. I use scopes mostly for transmitters as well as the occasional receiver IF sweep, and when doing development projects. A scope can tell you quite a lot at a single glance.

Mostly for devoloping new circuits for me.

I used to have ten or so scopes but they crowded out any meaningful progress on getting organized so I sold all but two, my 2465 and 454. Whether or not you use a scope depends on what you're doing, of course, but the first TEK scope I used in the 50s made me a believer, there is no other brand. :<)  

Very nice installation for the 2465!

Very nice bench, Mike.

Lately I been fiddling with the old public 11 meter band...CB. Still waiting on my ARRL study guide to arrive so's I can try for my Technician's License. ...Anyway, I dragged my Tek 2225 out of storage and have been using it exclusively, even though it is a bench hog compared to my little T922 or the Chinese 10 MHz unit.

I have a Tek 465 with a DMM on my bench. I also have an Iwatsu ??? don't know the # off hand. It is on the bench also. I just tested a Sencor I got from a friend. I have a scope from DeVRY tech that I used to use. I also have an old Eico that works.

I have one of those pld Eico 460s too. It's a pretty decent scope for what it was marketed for. Much beyond AM broadcast frequencies you really need the demodulator probe to see anything much. Mine came with the demodulator probe, fortunately, so it could be used on TVs, etc, with modulated signals. I had to get used to calibrating the screen to known voltages and frequencies as is typical of these old service grade models. Hey for $10, and a few caps and tubes and resistors...it's pretty cool.

This is my scope and I love it. More than I know what to use but I use it on radios often. I don't have a signal tracer. It was free so I can't complain.
Jerry

Free is good.
A scope makes a great tracer if you know what to look for. A tracer is quick though...not much set-up.

Tektronix 465/DM44 analog scope withe DMM and a Rigol DS1102E digital scope. I use the Tek for scope functions and use the Rigol digital scope more as a all-in-one DMM as it has a readout that gives me everything I need to know at a glance all at once like P-P voltage, AC and DC voltage, frequency, etc.

Thank you all for the nice comments.

The 2247 is a pretty nice scope.   The only thing I would like to have is a tek scope with screen capture, but so far I haven't seen one in the $150 range.  

The rack mount kits don't show up all that often on E-bay but are usually dirt cheap when they do.   I think I paid about $20 for it.  In addition to getting the scope up off the bench the provisions for mounting BNC connectors is really handy.  



The "Rx Ant", and "Tx Load/Patch" cables go overhead to the antenna distribution amp, and station patch panel, on the radio bench behind me when I'm facing the scope.

I don't use an o-scope that often, but my go to if I need one is a Hitachi V-355 35mhz. Found it at a local hamfest for $45 about 10 years ago.
Had a manual with it and power cord, but of course no probes (no big deal)  I also have a couple tube Hewlett-Packard's

That ought to be plenty for this kind of work. I started using my Rigol 50 MHz just lately for its built in frequency counter. Been fixing up and tuning some CB transceivers lately, as I mentioned before. Needed a break from just vintage radio...although I guess the CBs I've been messing with are sort of vintage...late '70s solid state. That frequency counter function has been priceless.

Ok, I have a cute little BK scope that was removed from some sort of machining or possibly electro deposition equipment. I use it for troubleshooting old or new Audio gear mostly. Not at all glamorous but a great asset compared to having no scope. It's also very good for aiming FM antennas, using the "multipath" outputs on my FM tuner

Also have a Tek 453 that's inop. I think it's the HVPS because the trace was bright and clear before it conked out. I obtained a 5000 V Fluke HV probe, which showed 0 VDC when the PS was tested. I need to fix it! One of these days.

Regards, V-M

Greetings to the Forum:

I have two Tektronix 465's and two Tektronix 465B's, one with the DVM and TV sync options.   It is a rare day that I don't have my principal 465B fired up... I find a scope just about indispensable for most of what I do.   Case in point:   I am currently working on a Yaesu FT-225RD 2-meter all mode radio.   This isn't a tube radio, but you did ask about scopes.   I had a problem in which CTCSS tones were rolled off considerably at the lower end; it was impossible to switch tone frequencies and have the levels remain constant.   The problem turned out to be in a limiter stage which controls FM deviation.   Some engineer at Yaesu picked out a chip that is intended for work in IF amplifiers.   It works all the way up to 20 MHz or so.... but quits at 1 KHz.   No wonder it won't pass CTCSS tones without a drastic level shift with frequency!

Anyway, the scope picked this up right away.... as I said, I wouldn't (and couldn't) be without one.

Regards,

Down to just one now, a Tenma 72-330, used occasionally.

Ha, ha, old posts never ...

FWIW TV techs would seldom use a scope, time is money hardcore analysis could not be sold to the consumer, most would trash the set and buy new.
three are rack mount and dedicated to support of the amateur installation, modulation monitor, RTTY tuning, etc. Two scopes on the bench One a SOAR solid-state scope good to about 5 mhz, the other an old workhorse Dumont 401a also an audio scope.

When I was employed I spec'd and used a two channel Tek 100mhz and a 4 channel Tek 300 mhz. The value of a "high speed" scope cannot be underestimated for high speed design. I used both frequently to analyze timing, noise and pulse circuits.

The Dumont is used most often, to look at strange phenomena in power supplies and AVC circuits...

Chas

i have 2 but have never found the nerve to try to understand how to use them--what probe for what and so forth-perhaps this winter