[time-nuts] HP5532A for free

[Magnus Danielson]

From: Rex <rexa at sonic.net>
Subject: Re: [time-nuts] HP5532A for free
Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2007 18:33:18 -0700
Message-ID: <v9rq939j8dhoncrm4ueb95p809964iqqci at 4ax.com>

> ); SAEximRunCond expanded to false
> Errors-To: time-nuts-bounces+magnus=rubidium.dyndns.org+magnus=rubidium.dyndns.org at febo.com
> 
> On Tue, 17 Jul 2007 21:19:40 EDT, SAIDJACK at aol.com wrote:
> 
> >Dixie tube
> 
> An old neon tube display for those South of the Mason-Dixon line?
> (vs. Nixie tube for those North.)
> 
> Sorry, couldn't resist.

I thought Dixie tube was a feature on the steam engine on one of those
Mississippi boats.

My old HP 523C does not have Nixie-tubes, such modern shit. No, it uses pure
neon lamps which light up a little display of 0-9. :)
I only have a 5-digit one, but there are others that had 6 digits.

I have the deluxe variant with a CRYSTAL OSCILLATOR. 100 kHz. Phantastron
dividers. The normal version has a Phantastron divider which you tune for a
divide by 5 or 6 depending on 50 or 60 Hz. That divider is set for 10 when
having the crystal oscillator assembly. As I recall it, the Phantastron uses up
a penthode and diode, but since double-diode tubes is used the tube count isn't
that high.

The fun thing is that IT STILL WORKS! Maybe not as high in frequency as it is
supposed to (it seems to garble things up at 120 kHz but it should handle 220
kHz or so since it has the high speed (!) counters in it. It has a thad lower
singel shot resolution compared to the 5370B and Wavecrests.

I scored a Marconi Nixie counter while dumpster-diving. Also works but it had
some minor issue as I recall it.

Last friday I tune up a friends 5243L and succsesfully counted 490 MHz with the
module. It has a large oven which was out of tune, but it was easy enought to
tune it up. He also has the 3 GHz and 12.4 GHz modules that is only supposed to
go into the 5245L, as the counter needs slightly more than 50 MHz counting
range and the 5243L is limited to a little more than 30 MHZ. 

Cheers,
Magnus