Wavetek Model 801 50 MHz Pulse Generator: Testing vs. Scrapping

[Dumpsterholic]

Hi all:

Just brought home this piece of late 1970's test equipment. Owner was asking $10 for it, along with BNC cables, fancy oscilloscope probes, power cord and user manual. It was last calibrated in 1999, and so far all I have done is to check if the power-indicator LED lit up, which it did.

Now, my question is: Can anybody recommend a simple "go/no-go" test I could do? The manual was written for people who know what they're doing (which I don't), and includes a long list of calibration/test procedures which I don't really understand either....

I do have an oscilloscope, and was tempted to just hook up a BNC cable from one the 801's six different outputs to one of the 'scope's inputs and see if I get a readout. But it occurred to me that I don't really know how to set up my Rigol 1054Z properly for this task, and that bad stuff could happen if I did something stupid. Any ideas?

And also, assuming the thing is kaput, might there be any useful parts inside that would be worth salvaging? The owner ended up not even accepting my ten spondulicks, so it's all upside to me. Thanks for reading.

[CJay]

I'd probably want to try and do some basic safety checks, check fuses, mains cables etc.

However, bad things are highly unlikely to happen and a pulse generator is a pretty good way to learn about how to use a 'scope!

[coromonadalix]

just start with the basics  if you have it

https://neurophysics.ucsd.edu/Manuals/Wavetek/Wavetek%20Model%20801%2050MHz%20Pulse%20Generator.pdf

and lucky you  you have an auto setup on the scope  ...

just power up the generator,  if no smoke  loll   

Output an continuous pulse of 60hz  at say 1 or 2v pk pk   and check with an simple meter if you see some voltage  

if so  use the scope

for the scope you have basics on youtube  how to use them

[Dumpsterholic]

A pulse generator is a pretty good way to learn about how to use a 'scope!

Precisely. For non-technical types, oscilloscopes can be rather daunting to understand and use. Ditto for function/signal/pulse generators. I do read textbooks on electronics (even user manuals for equipment I own!), and have watched many YouTube videos, but my mind just doesn't seem to catch on. It's kind of a chicken-and-the-egg, Catch-22 situation for people like me.

[Dumpsterholic]

Output an continuous pulse of 60hz  at say 1 or 2v pk pk   and check with an simple meter if you see some voltage ??

This is the kind of idiot-simple advice I was looking for. The people who wrote the user manual wouldn't provide suggestions like this; if they did, most of their users would probably feel insulted, as if they were being talked down to. But I'm not like most users....

[TimFox]

If you can access an oscilloscope, just set the trigger to "auto" and set the pulse generator to a reasonable frequency and a pulse width at, say, 1/4 of the pulse period (1/frequency).
You should be able to find the waveform on the scope by trial and error with the "time/div" horizontal control, followed by trial and error on the "volts/div" vertical control.

[coromonadalix]

Output an continuous pulse of 60hz  at say 1 or 2v pk pk   and check with an simple meter if you see some voltage ??

This is the kind of idiot-simple advice I was looking for. The people who wrote the user manual wouldn't provide suggestions like this; if they did, most of their users would probably feel insulted, as if they were being talked down to. But I'm not like most users....

eh   be  generous to tell us you knowledge / experiences  before asking  things on a forum  ... and be respectful ... if you are afraid of bad stuff happening as you wrote, ask professional people here as you did, and be warned that you may receive some unwanted answers,  or go elsewhere 

you posted in the "begginner section"

If you are afraid to blow things,   dont buy used stuff ,  "go no go tests" are not always the easiests to explain here

If you know some DMM and or Scope basics,  its almost impossible to blow them  BTW   do your own readings as you say ...  still you have tons of youtube videos / tutorials once
again

and sometimes an user manual do provide some insights of how you can do some tests / verifications and how to output signals

pipsqueak

[CJay]

A pulse generator is a pretty good way to learn about how to use a 'scope!

Precisely. For non-technical types, oscilloscopes can be rather daunting to understand and use. Ditto for function/signal/pulse generators. I do read textbooks on electronics (even user manuals for equipment I own!), and have watched many YouTube videos, but my mind just doesn't seem to catch on. It's kind of a chicken-and-the-egg, Catch-22 situation for people like me.

Agreed, the very best way to learn most things is to do it and no amount of YT vids will give you the experience of having messed about with stuff for yourself.

Doesn't have to be productive, just play and watch what happens.

You'll catch on pretty quickly.

The only problem is that the more you learn, the  more you realise there's so much you need to learn