Author Topic: HP 3326A value untested  (Read 1931 times)

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Offline davorinTopic starter

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HP 3326A value untested
« on: June 26, 2014, 08:39:49 pm »
I've on Ebay a HP 3362 2 channel synthesizer with no guarantee that it is working...

Im not sure if I should go for it or not or if this item might be easy to repair...

Do you think around US$ 300 is too much for this item?


« Last Edit: June 27, 2014, 06:46:22 am by davorin »
 

Online wn1fju

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Re: HP 3362A value untested
« Reply #1 on: June 26, 2014, 11:28:00 pm »
First of all, I assume you meant to say HP 3326A, not 3362A.  What is easy to repair for one person might be hard for another.  However, let me warn you that there about 30 little boards in the thing, each enclosed in their own metal compartment.  So you might need a good set of extender boards.  The service manual is a work of art and the unit has an elaborate set of self-tests and diagnostics.  However, unless it is a power supply problem, which should be fairly straightforward to repair, you could be entering the world of ECL chips and proprietary HP ICs.  With a lot of duplication between the two channels, at least board swapping can tell you a lot.  The one I have was an easy fix - channel A was working, but channel B was not.  Took off the case, reattached the dangling coax cable, and presto!  But I think that's the exception, not the rule.  $300 is OK, but not great, for a working unit.  A buddy of mine bought one on eBay a couple of months ago for less than $100 in "condition unknown," and he got lucky - it worked fine.  I didn't spend more than $100 for mine either a few years ago.  I wouldn't take a chance for $300, but that's simply my threshold of pain.  You probably can do better if you keep an eye out on eBay for a while.  Having said all of this, the 3326A is a great piece (for moderate frequencies) and does a lot of cool stuff well.
 


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