Peaker Pattinson Collective auction

[MadTux]

Datron 1271 in unknown condition: £960

Battery was due for replacement in 2004.

These Li-Ion batteries actually last surprisingly long, if standby current is low enough.
But the lack of info on whether any options are installed (without options => nice DC voltmeter, useless for anything else) and the fact that this thing is absolutely full of custom unreplaceable parts would scare me more. Maybe it's just me, but I don't like owning equipment that can turn from $1000+ to paperweight with the demise of a single component.

[woodchips]

Well, dropping from useful to paperweight with one dead component just about covers every piece of test gear since the mid-70's, unfortunately. What about all the whizzy chips in HP stuff, the similar in the Tek 2465 series, both of mine which have now died, back to the 7613!

I got the 8640, amazingly. But it is like my Marconi 2019, all of a sudden non-synthesised generators are worthless.

Some of those old DVMs, and counters, are worth more for the Panaplex displays they use.
 

[tggzzz]

Well, dropping from useful to paperweight with one dead component just about covers every piece of test gear since the mid-70's, unfortunately. What about all the whizzy chips in HP stuff, the similar in the Tek 2465 series, both of mine which have now died, back to the 7613!

Of course, but it does limit the price I'm prepared to pay.

If/when that 42V chip in my 2465 dies, I'll find a way to replace it with a modern device, probably an MCU programmed with the existing cal data.

Some of those old DVMs, and counters, are worth more for the Panaplex displays they use.

That thought has crossed my mind for my Solatron 7075.

[Astrodev]

This is why if I can get old equipment at the right price it is worth getting hold of and putting to one side as sources of parts for repairs on equipment I want to get back into working condition.

One additional source I have found for donor parts is old high end lab equipment as certain items did use the no expense spared approach in terms of the components used and there are a lot of useful bits in the analog sections that had to be ultra stable over long periods of time.

The great thing about this is that a lot of this kit can almost be picked up for scrap value, as an example I recently got hold of a Perkin Elmer spectrometer for £20 which has so far yielded about 40 low tempco precision resistors from the detector boards that were mounted in an environmentally sealed chamber that even had a compartment filled with desiccant packs to avoid any moisture build up.

Still looking at the rest of it as there are a lot of very nice Burr Brown and Analog devices elements that are all socketed as well as about 20 precision 2G ohm resistors on one of the boards.

[_Wim_]

This is why if I can get old equipment at the right price it is worth getting hold of and putting to one side as sources of parts for repairs on equipment I want to get back into working condition.

One additional source I have found for donor parts is old high end lab equipment as certain items did use the no expense spared approach in terms of the components used and there are a lot of useful bits in the analog sections that had to be ultra stable over long periods of time.

The great thing about this is that a lot of this kit can almost be picked up for scrap value, as an example I recently got hold of a Perkin Elmer spectrometer for £20 which has so far yielded about 40 low tempco precision resistors from the detector boards that were mounted in an environmentally sealed chamber that even had a compartment filled with desiccant packs to avoid any moisture build up.

Still looking at the rest of it as there are a lot of very nice Burr Brown and Analog devices elements that are all socketed as well as about 20 precision 2G ohm resistors on one of the boards.

Wow, you snatched some really interesting items at this auction (wavelength meter and the tunable lasers...) If only I had lived in the UK...   

[Astrodev]

Yes I thought they would go nicely with an Anritsu optical spectrum analyser I picked up from a recycling place for£30 last year.

They actually had the older version made by Ando in this auction but it went for quite a bit, which may be a disappointment to whoever got it as these things as they have be handled with kid gloves as any knocks or even moving it in any orientation other than level can cause the optical bench inside the instrument to go out of alignment rendering the instrument useless.

[_Wim_]

Yes I thought they would go nicely with an Anritsu optical spectrum analyser I picked up from a recycling place for£30 last year.

They actually had the older version made by Ando in this auction but it went for quite a bit, which may be a disappointment to whoever got it as these things as they have be handled with kid gloves as any knocks or even moving it in any orientation other than level can cause the optical bench inside the instrument to go out of alignment rendering the instrument useless.

Wow, I should buy my optical gear trough you. I will gladly pay double! I also have an Anritsu MS9710C spectrum analyzer and MF91A wavelength meter which I restored to working condition, but I paid quite a bit more for these in non working condition. In this case you have at least a chance they work ok...

[Astrodev]

That one I got was only an MS9720A

[_Wim_]

That one I got was only an MS9720A

Yes, but paid "quite" a bit more means increasing your number AND adding an addional zero to the price...

[zii]

Huge thanks to KJDS for posting this! 

I managed to score 3 frequency counters & some other items totalling in 35kg (8 units). Sadly, the (unrealistic) dream of a spectrum analyser for a wallet of my size went by though.
Will reveal more of what I got, when I sort delivery things out.

As I am from abroad (Latvia), I am (stressfully) trying to get someone to pick them up for me before the 6th of April. 
I found a great deal for delivering it to my country, but they can pick it up only on Sunday (ppauctions non-working hours). Maybe someone locally is going there (to Ausby) for their stuff and could take mine with them until Sunday?

Tomorrow will talk to DHL to see if they can offer something reasonable. Any courier suggestions?

Cheers,
Zigmars

P.S. What did You score?

[tggzzz]

Have a look at other threads about previous PPAuctions. I've previously posted PPAuction's suggestions for pack-and-send operators, but have never used them.