[time-nuts] Frequency counter recommendation

Dave M dgminala at mediacombb.net
Mon Dec 20 22:51:37 UTC 2010


> I don't believe anybody is speaking to perceived value as much as
> historical market cost at various times over the years.  I paid $200
> for my 5370B last year and it's in superb condition and well inside
> factory specs.  There is no way I'd sell it though.
> My guess is Bob C and most of us perceive the
> value to be much greater, never mind the actual cost.
>
> -Bob
>
> On Mon, Dec 20, 2010 at 4:55 AM, Rex <rexa at sonic.net> wrote:
>
>> Why worry, Just get Bob C to sell you one of his several $200
>> 5370A/B's for a reasonable $100 profit (plus shipping) and you'll
>> beat anything I've seen on eBay in the last year. Everyone should be
>> happy. Bob can can take the profit then (soon) easily get another to
>> replace it at his perceived value.
>>


OK... you have piqued my interest.  Who is Bob C (is it Bob Camp?) and how 
can I contact him for one of those $200 HP 5370 counters?  I'd much rather 
spend $200-$300 on a unit that has a high probability of working than $700 
on a "powers up, unable to test" unit from the 'Bay.
Hope he has at least one to sell.

As to whether I would rather have a dedicated purpose counter-timer strictly 
for these measurements... I can live with a used/surplus unit that I can get 
my hands on now (or in a short time) and wait until the designers in the 
group can design and make a project that we can buy (whether it be kit or 
preassembled) and put to good use.
I understand the issues of platform, connectivity, value, servicability, 
parts availability, etc., but any project, whether it be a commercial 
product or a dedicated, special purpose product, is going to be confronted 
with the same issues.  I've subscribed to the S.E.D. group when they have 
tried to design and build test instruments (a capacitor ESR meter, for one) 
that never got off the launchpad because of their inability to come to 
consensus on a set of features. I had to conclude that too many cooks 
spoiled the broth. Everyone that had input to the project was unwilling to 
yield on anyone else's ideas.   Hopefully, our project won't degrade into 
another such fiasco.
I would jump at a chance to be a small part in this project, and would do 
whatever I could (my limited engineering knowledge noted) to help it get 
realized.

My $0.02 USD worth...
Thanks,
David
dgminala at mediacombb dot net







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