What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!

[Mechanical Menace]

*Heavily upgraded

Even more heavily upgraded than I thought. What I thought was just a 68040 accelerator card is a BlizzardPPC  with a socketed 60Mhz full 68060 and (like the base A1200) maxed out on RAM upgrades.

Not sure if I should feel guilty or chuffed. Will have to get in touch with who gave me them again. If they still have no problem will have to swap it out for the 68EC060 I've got laying about that I know for some reason just so happens to have a working MMU and FPU and put the full fat chip into something more suitable.

[GreyWoolfe]

GreyWolfe, only the half round or flat ones, it seems the other shapes are no good for nails. ~Oh and your side cutters, seems they are better for cutting nails than a nail clipper too.

She only goes for my tweezers.  They are in a different drawer than the flush cutters.  If she ever grabs it and uses it to cut nails, I will give it to her and go pull out 1 of my 2 identical spares.   The files are also buried in the top section of the toolbox under a bunch of other stuff.  She won't go through the effort of looking (I hope).  It has to be a quick snatch and grab.

[xrunner]

Just arrived from Canada - a vintage Kenwood R-2000 communications receiver I got off Ebay. It's in really good condition. Has the typical issues with radios this old - volume and tone pots noisy, and also the selectivity switch. The back-up battery needs to be replaced, and then the typical clean-up. But I'm pretty pleased with what I got. 

[GreyWoolfe]

Nice score X.  It wasn't a purchase so doesn't actually qualify for the thread, but I did a radio trade with a fellow club member.  He is very involved with the National Traffic system and was using a Yeasu FT-1000MP for passing digital traffic, though the radio wasn't well suited for it and was always giving him issues.  I traded him a Kenwood TS-850S with the IF-232 interface for the Yeasu ad he threw in a Yeasu SP-8 speaker.  He kept the mike because he knew I was getting the better end of the deal and since I use headset/boom mics anyway, it didn't matter.  Dollar wise, we both spent about the same amount of money, but the Yeasu is a better radio.  It is way nice to have a radio with a second receiver, makes working split much easier.  I am still keeping my Kenwood TS-940SAT, I wouldn't trade that for anything (OK, maybe a Kenwood 990), but it might become my backup radio.

[AF6LJ]

I haven't bought anything recently but I did trade my labor for an HP-5245L counter with VHF, and UHF converters.
I like old gear, this is all discreet transistor diode logic, so when a decade counter goes bad you fix it.

[firewalker]

I had a big list of things to buy for the summer. But we are under capital control now and can't use my bank accounts for buying something out of the country. 

Alexander.

[xrunner]

Nice score X.  It wasn't a purchase so doesn't actually qualify for the thread, but I did a radio trade with a fellow club member.  He is very involved with the National Traffic system and was using a Yeasu FT-1000MP for passing digital traffic, though the radio wasn't well suited for it and was always giving him issues.  I traded him a Kenwood TS-850S with the IF-232 interface for the Yeasu ad he threw in a Yeasu SP-8 speaker.  He kept the mike because he knew I was getting the better end of the deal and since I use headset/boom mics anyway, it didn't matter.  Dollar wise, we both spent about the same amount of money, but the Yeasu is a better radio.  It is way nice to have a radio with a second receiver, makes working split much easier.  I am still keeping my Kenwood TS-940SAT, I wouldn't trade that for anything (OK, maybe a Kenwood 990), but it might become my backup radio.

Cool. 

I've been going through the service manual checks and adjustments for the R-2000 today. Most everything is pretty spot-on. It's working good and although it doesn't hold a candle to today's modern DSP receivers, it's still fun to tune the shortwave bands with, for a retro sort of adventure. I need to retrofit it with an LED next. The whole radio had but a single incandescent lamp, and it was for the S-meter. The LED conversion is child's play and will look good.

But if you like that one - wait till I show you what's arriving next off Eaby. Just stay tuned ... 

[AF6LJ]

Nice score X.  It wasn't a purchase so doesn't actually qualify for the thread, but I did a radio trade with a fellow club member.  He is very involved with the National Traffic system and was using a Yeasu FT-1000MP for passing digital traffic, though the radio wasn't well suited for it and was always giving him issues.  I traded him a Kenwood TS-850S with the IF-232 interface for the Yeasu ad he threw in a Yeasu SP-8 speaker.  He kept the mike because he knew I was getting the better end of the deal and since I use headset/boom mics anyway, it didn't matter.  Dollar wise, we both spent about the same amount of money, but the Yeasu is a better radio.  It is way nice to have a radio with a second receiver, makes working split much easier.  I am still keeping my Kenwood TS-940SAT, I wouldn't trade that for anything (OK, maybe a Kenwood 990), but it might become my backup radio.

Cool. 

I've been going through the service manual checks and adjustments for the R-2000 today. Most everything is pretty spot-on. It's working good and although it doesn't hold a candle to today's modern DSP receivers, it's still fun to tune the shortwave bands with, for a retro sort of adventure. I need to retrofit it with an LED next. The whole radio had but a single incandescent lamp, and it was for the S-meter. The LED conversion is child's play and will look good.

But if you like that one - wait till I show you what's arriving next off Eaby. Just stay tuned ... 

Looks like you both ended with some nice gear.
Much Coolness.

[VE7FM]

Agilent N1996A spectrum analyzer. Talk about good times, 100 kHz to 6 GHz with 10 Hz RBW and tracking gen 1 MHz through 6 GHz. Built in return loss bridge, cable fault analysis, modulation analysis, AM/FM demod and spectrograph(waterfall) display. The spectrum analyzer actually goes to < 9 kHz and the tracking gen still works at 100 kHz. So much fun to be had! I now know the length of every piece of coax in the shack, it even measured the jumpers that are under a foot in length. It will be fun to sweep some antennas in the 5 GHz range once I build some decent open/short/loads and get more adapters.

[ruffy91]

Keithley 2000 in perfect working condition calibrated 2 years ago, located 10km from me for 200 CHF (~200 USD/280AUD).
Sadly no printed manual, but Keythley manuals are available on their website. Pics when I get it on thursday.

Got it for 100 CHF/USD, because the soft keys were a bit hard to press and because the seller knows the university where I study.
Cleaned the key membrane, now the keys are like newa.
The case is a bit yellowish but this can be expected for a 1996 vintage instrument, can this be reverted? (bleach the case in a ultrasonic bath?)
The firmware is A06, I ordered some EPROMs to update (seriously, why are there UV-erasable EPROMs without window? I'm so tempted to just decap them).
Electrolytics look good, instrument was used every 2 years (for calibration) according to the owner. Should I replace them nonetheless?

Edit: I will replace the electrolytics with Panasonic FR and FC, as the nichicon inside are prone to leaking (same series and period as the big leaky mainboard caps epidemic).

[nfmax]

The case is a bit yellowish but this can be expected for a 1996 vintage instrument, can this be reverted? (bleach the case in a ultrasonic bath?)

Google for 'retrobrite'. Supposed to do the biz, though I haven't tried it myself. It seems the yellowing arises from the presence of brominated flame retardants in the plastics of that vintage, and is reversible.

[Mark]

SmartTweezers ST5S!  Never before has a man been so excited about a pair of tweezers, thanks eevblog!

[GreyWoolfe]

Looks like you both ended with some nice gear.
Much Coolness.

The Yaesu is definitely a lot of radio.  It has about the fastest autotuner I have ever seen in a radio and it constantly retunes as I scan the bands.  It even has that newfangled DSP stuff in it .  I am still getting used to the receive audio.  It sounds much different than the Kenwood.  Not better or worse, just different.  I am still of the opinion that no ham radio gear has receive audio as good as the more vintage Kenwoods.  I love the audio out of my TS-940 and also enjoyed the audio out of the TS-850.  What's funny about the whole thing is my friend is a diehard Yaesu guy.  Everything he owns is Yaesu except for the Kenwood because it does what he needs better

[Deathwish]

Hmm,on top of the DSO, a fluke 75, a set of smd tweezers, a few spares, set of bisely drawers to hold spares, laptop screen, 8 port switch for my network, varying other goodies from aliexpress.

[AF6LJ]

The Yaesu is definitely a lot of radio.  It has about the fastest autotuner I have ever seen in a radio and it constantly retunes as I scan the bands.  It even has that newfangled DSP stuff in it .  I am still getting used to the receive audio.  It sounds much different than the Kenwood.  Not better or worse, just different.  I am still of the opinion that no ham radio gear has receive audio as good as the more vintage Kenwoods.  I love the audio out of my TS-940 and also enjoyed the audio out of the TS-850.  What's funny about the whole thing is my friend is a diehard Yaesu guy.  Everything he owns is Yaesu except for the Kenwood because it does what he needs better

It is a good radio.
I am not that big of a fan when it comes to DSP, especially early DSP. I have an Icom IC-756 (non pro) and even with the noise reduction shut off when listening on SSB / CW / RTTY the fourth IF is all digital and the sound of the background noise is like someone dragging sand paper through one's ears. I have had the same experience listening to a K-3 it just seems to be something related to the technology. On the other hand I don't have the same problem with my Softrock SDR receiver.

[GreyWoolfe]

I am with you on the DSP.  It isn't turned on in the Yaesu and I probably won't.  I have listened to/used more modern DSP radios and I do find the sound somewhat unpleasant, tinny even.  I do have some mid and high range hearing loss in both ears so there are sounds that bother me more than my wife, who tends to look at me funny when I say something about it or I can't hardly hear them in the first place.  That is why I really like the Kenwood 940.  No DSP artifacts, no crap, just good clean audio.  The Yaesu is almost ready for prime time.  My headset adaptor is in, I just have to go to Radio Shack for a phono plug as that is how the PTT is done in the back of the radio.  Once the foot pedal is wired up, I can give the microphone back to my friend.  I have been using headset/boom mics for so long now, using a mic felt weird.

[AF6LJ]

The newer gear does seem to have less of that harsh audio quality.
I have a friend who has an FTDX5000 and the noise reduction seems to work better than on my IC-756. Most likely the difference between a $2300 radio back in the late 90's and a $6000 radio that is still in production.

Next month the plan is to get one of these to improve reception here.
I have noise issues at this location and I think this will help.
 http://www.dxengineering.com/parts/pxl-rf-pro-1b
I also have a Timewave ANC-4 which worked great until i moved my main antenna and the sense antenna was rendered useless.
Looking forward to knocking 12-18DB off my man made noise level.

[xrunner]

Before I show what I bought today, a follow up on the Kenwood R-2000. The LED retrofit looks great, and the radio works really well. I'm very pleased with this retro find.

Now, what I got today is really nice. It's a Drake SSR-1, which uses a Wadley loop circuit to generate 1 MHz harmonics to cover all the shortwave bands in 1 MHz steps. This radio worked when turned on, and picked up WWV on 10 MHz with no problem with the built-in telescoping antenna. But what amazed me is the condition of this radio. Many radios this old (like the Kenwood) had bulbs that burned out by now - this radio has two bulbs and both are working. They could have been replaced but I'm not sure it's ever been opened.

You know the plastic protective covering that they put on aluminum? Well there was still some unpeeled parts behind a couple of knobs. When I took the cover off it just had that look of never having been mucked with. It has a battery holder too for D cells that is pristine. I wonder where this thing has been sitting all these years? I'm really excited about this find and I'll be taking it apart to do a very clean cosmetic makeover. One problen is that is smells a little of nicotine, but I can take care of that.

I'll post some pics in the ham radio thread. 

[AF6LJ]

Nice SSR-1 The wadley synthesizer is not a loop there is no feedback.
It is however a very ingenious design. Even Wikipedia gets that wrong, which is no surprise.
I have repaired Drake SSR-1s before and I am a happy owner of a Yaesu FRG-7.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wadley_Loop

No feedback, just mixing and remixing of the high frequency first local oscillator.

I love my Frog.

[Deathwish]

I got a Fluke 25 coming from Kev, and today I got a set of Bisely drawers that i intend to put spares in, obviously not as good as purpose designed kit but at the price it was a steal.

My local super market may end up losing a trolley as well to put my scope etc on..... but i never said that.

[VK5RC]

A SoftRock Ensemble III Rx Kit, a few toroids to wind and some SMD, nothing too nasty. I am interested to compare it to my HPSDR (Atlas, Mercury, etc).

[Mark]

A couple of x100 high voltage oscilloscope probes (2.5kV) and a x1000 Tek P6015 high voltage oscilloscope probe (20kV)    

[SeanB]

IMy local super market may end up losing a trolley as well to put my scope etc on..... but i never said that.

Make sure that the wheels are in good condition, and when you modify it add a small length of chain
( if not present already) on the back non turning wheel so that 2 links can dangle on the ground to avoid static build up.

Depending on the trolley ( 2 basket only or the larger type with a steel mesh basket) you might want to make a top wooden cover, and cut a hole in the mesh for access when it is on.

Small trolleys you want to make the basket frame level, most are sloped and things will slide off.

No, I bought the trolleys I modified, from the local shelving supplier.........

I did make some trolleys for work, but they complained about the cost. They have outlasted the cheap ones though, those cheapies all were scrapped after breaking. The ones I made from angle iron, and which were hot dip galvanised, are all still in daily use.

[AF6LJ]

A SoftRock Ensemble III Rx Kit, a few toroids to wind and some SMD, nothing too nasty. I am interested to compare it to my HPSDR (Atlas, Mercury, etc).

It was a fun kit to build, I have the transceiver kit started but have been too busy to get back to it. (all boxed up and the printed manual in the book case). It works okay, the receiver does about a microvolt for 6DB SNNR, It is certainly usable. It wasn't a hard kit to build although, if your eyesight is worse than my eyesight (20/300) you might want to get someone to build it for you. A lot different than that Heath SB-301 I built back in 72.

[bitseeker]

Recently bought a Rigol 1054Z DSO. Should arrive shortly and is a nice upgrade to my good old Kikusui CRO.