[time-nuts] Test Equipment

Thu Jan 21 21:30:58 UTC 2010

Aww...  come on. Almost ALL SAs are 19" wide or less.

-John

================

> Another advantage, they don't take 6 feet of bench space and weight 600#
>
> Didier
>
> ------------------------ Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless thingy while I
> do other things...
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: John Ackermann N8UR <jra at febo.com>
> Date: Thu, 21 Jan 2010 16:13:46
> To: <john.foege at gmail.com>; Discussion of precise time and frequency
> measurement<time-nuts at febo.com>
> Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Test Equipment
>
> If RF measurement is your bag, and you're able to spend a couple of $K
> (actually, <$2K if what I've seen recently holds), consider a
> communications service monitor like the HP
> 8920A/8920B/8921/8924/8935/E8285 (all pretty much the same thing).
>
> You get an RF generator, RF power meter, RX frequency meter and
> modulation analyzer, audio generator, audio analyzer, digital o'scope,
> and in most units a spectrum analyzer (many have a tracking generator,
> too) in one box.  And I've probably forgotten a few things.  If you get
> one with spec analyzer and tracking generator, there's software that
> lets you do swept insertion/return loss and cable fault finding.
>
> None of its capabilities are as good as those of a dedicated box
> performing a single function, but they're good enough for the vast
> majority of uses.  An 8920 was the first significant piece of test gear
> I bought, and if I ever have to sell out, it'll be the last one to go.
>
> The prices came down a lot when Lucent surplused hundreds (thousands?)
> of them from their portable and cell phone production lines.  I saw an
> 8935 with spec an, fully functional (as far as I could tell) for about
> $1500 this summer.
>
> A guy who sells and services a lot of these boxes is Rick at
> http://www.amtronix.com -- that web site will give you lots of info
> about the various versions and options.  (I just noticed he has some
> Agilent 8285As as a "hobbyist special" with spec an and tracking
> generator for $650.  That looks like a deal.)
>
> John
> ----
> john.foege at gmail.com said the following on 01/21/2010 03:43 PM:
>> Just that John, I'm looking to setup a general purpose lab. I'd lean
>> towards RF type stuff since I'm a HAM.
>> Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: "J. Forster" <jfor at quik.com>
>> Date: Thu, 21 Jan 2010 12:22:11
>> To: <didier at cox.net>; Discussion of precise time and frequency
>> measurement<time-nuts at febo.com>
>> Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Test Equipment
>>
>> I made the mistake of setting up a purpose-built lab once, and soon
>> discovered to do most things, you really need at least a basic general
>> purpose lab.
>>
>> The only exception is, I suppose, if you are going to repair a specific
>> instrument and do nothing else.
>>
>> Also, as others have pointed out, you really need to define what are
>> your
>> area(s) of interest. Specialized gear gets $$$ pretty quickly.
>>
>> -John
>>
>> ====================
>>
>>> John,
>>>
>>> That sounds like asking what is the best vehicle for you to buy. If you
>>> do
>>> not know what you want to do with it, I am not sure we can help you all
>>> that much. However, if you have a specific objective, I am sure you
>>> will
>>> get a lot of valuable information here.
>>>
>>> You have a (good) analog scope, you may want a power supply or two, a
>>> soldering iron and maybe a desoldering station if you do surface mount.
>>> You also want a good hand-held multimeter. Some sort of signal or
>>> function
>>> generator may be useful too. These vary widely depending on frequency
>>> range and features. There is no good single answer to any of these
>>> questions without knowing more about what you do with it.
>>>
>>> Many of us on this list have more than one of pretty much everything (I
>>> am
>>> guilty of that too) to reflect the fact that no single instrument is
>>> universal, with possibly one exception: my favorite hand held DMM is a
>>> Fluke 8060A, but I am sure some people will have another favorite :)
>>>
>>> Don't start spending what little money you have until you know what you
>>> need. If you just need to spend money, may I interest you in a
>>> wonderful
>>> business opportunity in Nigeria?
>>>
>>> Didier KO4BB
>>>
>>>
>>> ------------------------ Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless thingy while
>>> I
>>> do other things...
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: John Foege <john.foege at gmail.com>
>>> Date: Thu, 21 Jan 2010 13:35:22
>>> To: Discussion of precise time and frequency
>>> measurement<time-nuts at febo.com>
>>> Subject: [time-nuts] Test Equipment
>>>
>>> I realize that this e-mail is somewhat off topic, however, I also
>>> believe that I will get some of the best answers from the members of
>>> this list:
>>>
>>> I have recently started to build an electronics lab, and am currently
>>> trying to acquire test and general equipment for my little basement
>>> workshop of horrors. So far, being on a limited budget, I have
>>> acquired a Tek 2465A in good working order, a Fluke 1953A counter, and
>>> my little gem (ok not quite so little) HP5345A with the 4-ghz freq
>>> converter plugin w/ opt 11 & 12.
>>>
>>> I'd just like to ask everyone what they would be, if they were in my
>>> shoes, attempting to acquire. Unforunately, however, I am just out of
>>> engineering school and not working with much of a budget here. I'd
>>> kill to have all the fancy gear some of you nuts have.
>>>
>>> I'd really love a DSO instead of the Tek 2465A I have. I'd kill for a
>>> good spectrum analyzer or VNA etc.
>>>
>>> Any suggestions on what I should acquire and/or suggestions for
>>> economical equipment that I should make that is a must have? I am a
>>> good DIYer when it comes to building equipment, so often I attempt to
>>> build that which I cannot afford.
>>>
>>> I appreciate everyone's' opinions in advance. Thank you.
>>>
>>> Sincerely,
>>>
>>> John Foege
>>> KB1FSX
>>> starving-engineer!
>>>
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>>
>>
>>
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