Being a bit of a vintage test gear nerd, I scored these beauties which arrived today!!
For new players and those that are not familiar with UK test gear brands, these are the legendary Avo 8, possibly the best analogue multimeter ever made.
First pic is the Mk4, dated 1972, in mint condition, I doubt it has ever been used! Complete with leather case, leads, probes and destructions!
Second pic is the Mk5, dated 1973, same condition and accessories.
I've been after both versions, in this condition, for years! They weren't cheap, but then again not expensive considering what they cost new!
The Mk5 was £500 in it's day! So my Avo collection nears completion, I need a model 9, which is extremely rare, a Mk6 and a Mk7, those not so rare but difficult to find as new. The 7 was the last Model 8 made when production ceased in 2011, list price then was just shy of £800! According to Megger, the company that produced Avo meters then, production only stopped because certain parts could no longer be produced, demand was actually still there!! They didn't have the extra high voltage range though, evident by the lack of extra terminals at the top of the front panel. The Mk5 could read upto 3KV!! One of my favourite things about these meters is the test leads, thick, flexible, heavy duty, and very high quality! Even though they have never been silicone they have always been so flexible, even in cold conditions!
Avo I made a replacement 15V battery pack, using stacked Cr1216 cells in a block, made from some scrap PTFE I had around. Low leakage, flat voltage curve, and very cheap to replace the cells, only $5 for the pack of 5, which will probably last 15 years plus here.
Being a bit of a vintage test gear nerd, I scored these beauties which arrived today!!
For new players and those that are not familiar with UK test gear brands, these are the legendary Avo 8, possibly the best analogue multimeter ever made.
First pic is the Mk4, dated 1972, in mint condition, I doubt it has ever been used! Complete with leather case, leads, probes and destructions!
Second pic is the Mk5, dated 1973, same condition and accessories.
I've been after both versions, in this condition, for years! They weren't cheap, but then again not expensive considering what they cost new!
The Mk5 was £500 in it's day! So my Avo collection nears completion, I need a model 9, which is extremely rare, a Mk6 and a Mk7, those not so rare but difficult to find as new. The 7 was the last Model 8 made when production ceased in 2011, list price then was just shy of £800! According to Megger, the company that produced Avo meters then, production only stopped because certain parts could no longer be produced, demand was actually still there!! They didn't have the extra high voltage range though, evident by the lack of extra terminals at the top of the front panel. The Mk5 could read upto 3KV!! One of my favourite things about these meters is the test leads, thick, flexible, heavy duty, and very high quality! Even though they have never been silicone they have always been so flexible, even in cold conditions!my father had an older twin knob Avo type model but a whole lot more beat up then this unit,
Avo I made a replacement 15V battery pack, using stacked Cr1216 cells in a block, made from some scrap PTFE I had around. Low leakage, flat voltage curve, and very cheap to replace the cells, only $5 for the pack of 5, which will probably last 15 years plus here.
Being a bit of a vintage test gear nerd, I scored these beauties which arrived today!!
For new players and those that are not familiar with UK test gear brands, these are the legendary Avo 8, possibly the best analogue multimeter ever made.
First pic is the Mk4, dated 1972, in mint condition, I doubt it has ever been used! Complete with leather case, leads, probes and destructions!
Second pic is the Mk5, dated 1973, same condition and accessories.
I've been after both versions, in this condition, for years! They weren't cheap, but then again not expensive considering what they cost new!
The Mk5 was £500 in it's day! So my Avo collection nears completion, I need a model 9, which is extremely rare, a Mk6 and a Mk7, those not so rare but difficult to find as new. The 7 was the last Model 8 made when production ceased in 2011, list price then was just shy of £800! According to Megger, the company that produced Avo meters then, production only stopped because certain parts could no longer be produced, demand was actually still there!! They didn't have the extra high voltage range though, evident by the lack of extra terminals at the top of the front panel. The Mk5 could read upto 3KV!! One of my favourite things about these meters is the test leads, thick, flexible, heavy duty, and very high quality! Even though they have never been silicone they have always been so flexible, even in cold conditions!
Lesson learnt
Being a bit of a vintage test gear nerd, I scored these beauties which arrived today!!
For new players and those that are not familiar with UK test gear brands, these are the legendary Avo 8, possibly the best analogue multimeter ever made.
First pic is the Mk4, dated 1972, in mint condition, I doubt it has ever been used! Complete with leather case, leads, probes and destructions!
Second pic is the Mk5, dated 1973, same condition and accessories.
I've been after both versions, in this condition, for years! They weren't cheap, but then again not expensive considering what they cost new!
The Mk5 was £500 in it's day! So my Avo collection nears completion, I need a model 9, which is extremely rare, a Mk6 and a Mk7, those not so rare but difficult to find as new. The 7 was the last Model 8 made when production ceased in 2011, list price then was just shy of £800! According to Megger, the company that produced Avo meters then, production only stopped because certain parts could no longer be produced, demand was actually still there!! They didn't have the extra high voltage range though, evident by the lack of extra terminals at the top of the front panel. The Mk5 could read upto 3KV!! One of my favourite things about these meters is the test leads, thick, flexible, heavy duty, and very high quality! Even though they have never been silicone they have always been so flexible, even in cold conditions!The Mk3 that I have a few of was never quite enough until I got a tidy Mk5 especially for its 3kV range.
My solution to the 15V battery issue was a stack of LR44 with a little copper tube each end to pack out to the 15V battery length, all excepting the very ends covered in heatshrink which allowed for a neat fit into the OEM 15V battery holder.
The lead set for yours looks in spectacular condition along with those darn hard to find hook grabbers of which I also have a pair.
Nice find, treasure them.
Although my collection is nothing compared to a fellow collector I know, about 40 miles north of me, he has just about every Avo meter and accessory ever made, and, a huge stockpile of parts! A whole room in his house is dedicated to their storage and display, shelves all around the room, about 5 or 6 high, it is truly incredible! And, he repairs and restores them!
My MOD surplus Racal-Dana 1991 nanosecond Universal Counter has arrived ... promptly from Rays-Tek, thanks guys.
My MOD surplus Racal-Dana 1991 nanosecond Universal Counter has arrived ... promptly from Rays-Tek, thanks guys.
Missed your post previously, very nice.
Pity I didn't realise you wanted one, I have half a dozen in the garage I intended to sell at some point but never quite got round to doing so
Although my collection is nothing compared to a fellow collector I know, about 40 miles north of me, he has just about every Avo meter and accessory ever made, and, a huge stockpile of parts! A whole room in his house is dedicated to their storage and display, shelves all around the room, about 5 or 6 high, it is truly incredible! And, he repairs and restores them!Any chance of some picccies? Would make for great test equipment porn, I guess.
QuoteLesson learnt
Which was...?
My SMD test fixture arrived today. Not a name brand, so required a bit of cradle adjustment. Otherwise it works great.
OK. You didn't say why they were useless - could have been the size of the mounting holes or anything
My SMD test fixture arrived today. Not a name brand, so required a bit of cradle adjustment. Otherwise it works great.
Where did you buy that? I'm currently looking for affordable fixtures for my impedance analyzers from the same HP "series"