I got an ocilloscope, Now what?

[TVman]

Hi all,                  (Who-nor)
My name is Hunor and I'm 11.
For my birthday I got A vintage 30MHz BK Precision 1474 Analog Oscilloscope.
Whats next?  Function generator? Spectrum analyzer? Power supply? what?


Thanks,
Hunor

[c4757p]

The next thing you wish you had while working on a project.

[zapta]

Hi all,
For my birthday I got A vintage 30MHz BK Precision 1474 Analog Oscilloscope.
Whats next?  Function generator? Spectrum analyzer? Power supply?

Thanks,
Hunor

First, use it to build something. It doesn't matter what tools you have, it's matter what you do with them.

[nowlan]

Dont know enough about your experiences.

I would suggest a cheap DDS pcb/box from ebay, so you can create some signals to drive your experiments. Alternatively a used old school freq gen, but i think the dds are better value.

Then you can start playing with bread boarding some simple circuits. Something with transistors like audio amps, 555 timers, 317 low voltage psu (get a 24v ac plug pack).

Later on you can get a cheap korad style psu or something when you save some money.

I think its time to start building a parts collection, either from grab bags, kits, or salvaging broken equipment. Not sure I would recommend you play with mains equipment.

[TVman]

You should start salvaging parts

Been there, Done that. 

I would suggest a cheap DDS pcb/box from ebay.

Have a few.


I will post some pictures of my lab tomorrow if I can and all will be explained.  But for now  .


Hunor

[TVman]

Here it is.....

[GeoffS]

Your image insertion didn't work. You can't just put a file name between the IMG tags.
Best way is to use the Attachments option and upload your file to the forum.

Ask if you have any problems.

[dr.diesel]

Definitely a power supply, and you can use your new Scope to check it out once completed.  Be super careful on the line side, deadly voltage, or use a ~12v wall wart or your dad's battery charger etc.

[jaxbird]

Step 1: Acquire oscilloscope.
Step 2: Build time machine.
Step 3: World domination  (duh, it's obvious once you've completed step 2)

Nah, congrats on the nice scope, when I was 11, I only had an old analog multimeter. And we had to walk 10 miles to and from school, up hill both ways, in 10 feet of snow, with no shoes. 

Surely a multimeter and something to power your projects must be on the wishlist unless you are already covered.

[Stonent]

Your image insertion didn't work. You can't just put a file name between the IMG tags.
Best way is to use the Attachments option and upload your file to the forum.

Ask if you have any problems.

Another option is upload the image to Imgur.com and copy the BBCODE line and paste it here, that's what I do mostly.

[TVman]

I realize that, sorry!


I do have two meters.
A crap meter and A good analog meter.
I also have A cheap( it's all I can afford ) USD $9.00 soldering iron.
(Soldering iron in upper left corner)

Edit: I had to draw out my dads license plates.
Glad I saw it before I uploaded it!

[Rigby]

Oscilloscope, power supplies (proper ones, but an atx computer supply will do in a pinch), function gen, good soldering iron. Hot air gun.  Parts.  Electronic things that need fixing or need building.

By far the most important part of any lab is the human using it.  Have goals. Find something that needs made and make it.  Find something that is broken and figure out what is wrong with it.  If you have the parts, or can get them, fix it.  Etc.  Just spend time working on this kind of thing.

At age 11 your mind is a sponge, so start soaking stuff up.  Projects.  Projects projects projects.

[TVman]

Your image insertion didn't work. You can't just put a file name between the IMG tags.
Best way is to use the Attachments option and upload your file to the forum.

Ask if you have any problems.

One problem.

I don't like the maximum KB thing on uploading photos.
I had to take 23 pictures till I Found one that was under 1000kbs.
It was very tedious.


Hunor

[Rigby]

Imgur.com is your friend.

[GeoffS]

One problem.

I don't like the maximum KB thing on uploading photos.

Hunor

Resize your images before you upload them. There are any number of ways to do this depending on your operating system.
Or as suggested, use an online image storing service such as imgur, photobucket, flickr, tinypic, etc. etc.

[true]

You've got more lab space than me by a vast margin, I'm a bit jealous

[TVman]

this was my dads place full of junk,
he gave it to me, so i cleaned it out then got it messy again.

[TVman]

eletrolux has offered a psu to give to me....

[GeoffS]

eletrolux has offered a psu to give to me....

Shipping from the UK could get expensive. It might be worth looking on places like Craigslist to see what people are getting rid of.

[xwarp]

eletrolux has offered a psu to give to me....

Shipping from the UK could get expensive. It might be worth looking on places like Craigslist to see what people are getting rid of.

Thrift stores and estate sales are also places to find them cheap.

[TVman]

eletrolux has offered a psu to give to me....

Shipping from the UK could get expensive. It might be worth looking on places like Craigslist to see what people are getting rid of.

20-30 pounds?

[xwarp]

eletrolux has offered a psu to give to me....

Shipping from the UK could get expensive. It might be worth looking on places like Craigslist to see what people are getting rid of.

20-30 pounds?

The only way you are going to know is to get a quote.

Is electrolux giving you the psu and paying for shipping also?

If you are covering the shipping, then specs on the psu might be of use to get an approximate of whether the psu is even worth the cost of shipping.

Next question is do you need a power supply right now?

If you can be patient, you will find one at a good price.

Patience young one, "scores" don't find you, YOU have to find them.
 

[TVman]

eletrolux has offered a psu to give to me....

Shipping from the UK could get expensive. It might be worth looking on places like Craigslist to see what people are getting rid of.

20-30 pounds?

The only way you are going to know is to get a quote.

Is electrolux giving you the psu and paying for shipping also?

If you are covering the shipping, then specs on the psu might be of use to get an approximate of whether the psu is even worth the cost of shipping.

Next question is do you need a power supply right now?

If you can be patient, you will find one at a good price.

Patience young one, "scores" don't find you, YOU have to find them.

So what do I do?
Go on eBay?

I'm confused now.

[xwarp]

eletrolux has offered a psu to give to me....

Shipping from the UK could get expensive. It might be worth looking on places like Craigslist to see what people are getting rid of.

(previously posted)

[TVman]

eletrolux has offered a psu to give to me....

Shipping from the UK could get expensive. It might be worth looking on places like Craigslist to see what people are getting rid of.

(previously posted)

I tried Craigslist but it reminded me of E14.

Too many things to click on.....