Its so nice to see that I'm not the only one that has trouble in ignoring the bargains to be had on Ebay etc when it comes to old test equipment.
It all started for me when I was an apprentice electrical engineer way back in 1964 when I would go along to ogle the test meters in the local radio spares shop window, frustrated because I could not afford to buy them in those days. Then one of the local Marconi factories had a clear out and the shop brought up some of the test gear and they had in their window a Cossor 1035 dual beam oscilloscope that I saved up and purchased a few weeks later. The rest was history from there, followed by a new test meter TMK500 which I still have today. I then got married and along came children which meant that once again I could not afford anything so I thought I was cured and settled down to the humdrum world of sofa sitting watching TV for years. This was injected with the odd purchase later on as the kids got older of the occasional meters etc. until I lost my job last year at the age of 67 and I had time to reflect on what I was going to do with my time as I thought it would be the end of my working life so I decided that I could buy up old radios etc that needed repairs and then sell them on, to provide something to keep me occupied and maybe bring in the occasional odd bit of money to aid my pension, well that was the idea.This of course meant the purchase of more test gear etc in order to do that.
I now am the proud owner of the following items of test gear in my kit.
Working items.TMK 500 multimeter,
TMK 700 multimeter,
Robin 1503 multimeter,
Robin OM 840 digital multimeter,
Proster VC97 digital multimeter,
2 x Beside ADM08A digital multimeters,
Iotech UA6243L LCR meter,
Avo Model 8 multimeter,
HP 3466A digital bench multimeter,
Philips PM 2521 digital bench multimeter,
Heathkit V7A valve voltmeter,
Isotech IDM 203 digital bench multimeter,
Tech TE20D AM RF signal generator
Marconi TF 995a/5 AM/FM RF signal generator,
Rapid 7025A 20Mhz analogue oscilloscope,
Iwatzu SS5710 60Mhz analogue oscilloscope,
LG Goldstar OS 9100D 100Mhz analogue oscilloscope,
Hitachi V525 50Mhz analogue oscilloscope,
XJW01 LCR and ESR meter,
Minghe MHS-5200A function generator and counter,
Kikusui 1502 digital bench multimeter,
Velleman DVM13MFC multi function counter,
2 digital display bench power supplies (1 linear and 1 SMPS),
Digital Hakko 966D clone solder station,
Digital 858D hot air gun for smd work,
Digital Duratool desoldering station.
Heathkit IG 4505 oscilloscope Calibrator
Items under going repairsHameg HM408-1A 40Mhz analog storage oscilloscope,
HP 1740A 100Mhz analog oscilloscope,
Peachtree Type 450 AM/FM RF signal generator.
Along the way I have manged to buy / obtain a few bits and bobs, repair them and sell on again, although nowhere near what I was planning to do, there was always a nice piece of test gear to tweak etc ... and so it goes on and on ....
So do you think that I fit into the TEA category or not, I certainly need help
Wait there's help just around the corner, I think there's a prospect of a job again so I'll have less time to buy more test gear thats for sure if it comes off.