List your test equipment "scores" here!

[PaulAm]

I was wandering around my local Univ surplus store the other day and picked up a Tektronix 7s12 TDR/sampling plugin with S4 sampling head and S53 trigger recognizer for $10.  So it's setup for a 14 GHz sampler.  I was hoping for the TDR setup, but I can't really complain.

[gadgetjunkie]

My most recent score was an Hp 34401a 6 1/2 digit meter.  It was part of a "for parts" lot with a power meter, listed as doesn't turn on.  I paid $70 for the lot.

After spending a few bucks on parts, it is now a perfectly functional meter.

The reason it wouldn't power on?  It was missing the fuse.  Along with a fuse cap for the amps fuse, and a new display lens (total parts cost approx $50), she's as good as new  -- I didn't even have to open the meter. 

[blackbird]

After seeing a lot of scores here, some of which made me a bit jealous  , I have scored some nice equipement yesterday.

At my uni they had some RF related test en measurement gear they want to get rid off. I've made them an offer and to my surprise they said 'Oke' 

Here is my score:

- HP 8590A Spectrum analyzer - 10kHz-1.5GHz
- HP 5315B Universal counter - up to 100MHz
- R&S AFG Function generator - 10mHz-20MHz
- R&S SMP02 Signal generator - 2GHz-20GHz

I've tested them all and as far as I can see they are all working as advertised and are within specs.

To make the story almost to good to believe...... I only paid €345,- for the lot. 

For all equipement I've found manuals except for the R&S AFG so if anyone has this as pdf, would you be so kind to share?

[tautech]

For all equipement I've found manuals except for the R&S AFG so if anyone has this as pdf, would you be so kind to share?

Nice score. 
You'll need to tell us the model. 

[blackbird]

Ah, I see AFG is not enough.  Is 377.2100.02 the correct model number?

[tautech]

Ah, I see AFG is not enough.  Is 377.2100.02 the correct model number?

Yep. seems that is the model number. 

I've found R&S manuals tricky to find, their coding can be cryptic.
But this is one of the better sources of their manuals, see how you get on with this:
http://www.ko4bb.com/manuals/index.php?dir=Rohde_Schwarz
You'll have to check a few, like I've said the model numbers aren't always apparent.

[corax]

Not as great of a score as some of these, but I'm pretty happy with my latest acquisition so far.
It's an Advantest R3162 spectrum analyzer with the tracking generator option for $850 USD.
The only repair needed was a new battery on the CPU board; once the battery was replaced, the analyzer passes all self-tests and self-calibration. 

While I had the thing apart, I noticed that it uses a compact flash card for firmware storage, so I figured it'd be a good idea to make a backup of the card.  I was glad to see a CF card rather than a mechanical hard drive.

I had been planning to pick up a Rigol DSA815-TG, but this Advantest is an 8GHz analyzer (TG goes to 3GHz).
Next will be to see if one of the USB stick floppy drive emulators will work in it; not strictly needed, since I can probably do screen grabs over GPIB.

[PTR_1275]

I saw a HP 3456a come up on e-bay, ended up winning it for $63USD + $27USD shipping to Australia (I think someone stuffed up the figures there. I don't know the weight of these things, but I know they are huge). Listed as for parts or not working. Every listing on their account is for parts or not working, so they buy, don't even plug in, and then sell. It is a bit of a gamble, but at that price I am willing to risk it. Now to find a home for it on the bench with the 2 3478's, 3457 and keithley 2015.

Edit
I just checked the paperwork and it is being sent out via e-bays global shipping program. I know that program is quite expensive so I am going to guess that the seller hasn't put in the correct dimensions or weights. I wonder who has to pay the difference once they realise.

[PaulAm]

If that was the one with free US shipping, you beat me 

As to who pays the difference?  guess    Within the US they would have cleared maybe $30 after shipping costs if they didn't have a shipper's discount.

[PTR_1275]

Not sure as it doesn't mention anything about free shipping. Maybe because I'm in Australia it doesn't mention it. I've attached a pic of the listing so you can see if it is the same one.

I do often wonder how far and wide the eevblog community goes and how many of these people I'm bidding on are fellow eevblog members.

[Muxr]

Been chasing an analog scope with some decent bandwidth for awhile now. And really wanting a Tek 2465B but haven't been able to find one that looks in a good enough condition and also isn't too expensive. All the ones that look clean are overpriced imo. I mean it makes sense, it's considered one of the best analog scopes ever made. It's just some people want exuberant prices for them.

I looked at some LeCroys, and I found some that I liked but they just seem too big. So I bit a bullet and got a HP 54610B. Really like its form factor, since it's not going to be my main scope, just something to measure fast rise times on repetitive signals. Also I am a sucker for retro looking green CRTs. It will serve as a channel expander to my rigol dso2000 and it can still capture some single shot stuff at a measly 20Ms/s in a pinch, if I need to monitor a slow non repetitive signal (things like chip selects on SPI come to mind).

Also there is very little posted about them so I might do a tear down post.

It was an as-is deal so hopefully fingers crossed it won't require repair. Cosmetically at least it looked to be in great condition. One thing that worries me though is the front end. While I hear it's excellent. It can only take 5V in 50ohm mode, so the channels are fragile enough to be fried. However in reading the manual they mention that they have auto protection from over voltage, so maybe not, we shall see.

[PaulAm]

Yup, that was the one I was bidding on, you beat me by $6    It was a really good deal with free shipping.  Hope it works out for you (I'm not really disappointed, I already have a 3456a in my stack)

[Muxr]

Yup, that was the one I was bidding on, you beat me by $6    It was a really good deal with free shipping.  Hope it works out for you (I'm not really disappointed, I already have a 3456a in my stack)

sorry man yeah will post an update when I get it.

[Muxr]

Picked up a little 140Mhz Phillips PM 6671 frequency counter for $50.

[VintageNut]

Bought a General Resistance DV-4107 Kelvin Varley Divider. A look of the inside shows that the resistors are matched, coded with batch numbers and serial numbers.

It appears to be linear down to 1ppm which is as good as I have a use for. If it is actually 0.1ppm good, I need better equipment to need it.

[Vgkid]

Thanks for finally tearing it down.

[Muxr]

VintageNut, that's beautiful!

[cncjerry]

Don't know why I bought it, maybe boredom, but I picked up a really clean HP 3852a with 5x FET scanners and a high speed volt meter for $50.  Works perfectly.  I then bought the ARB waveform DAC for it on eBay for $13, a relay accessory as well as the integrating volt meter, all for under $20per.

This thing is amazing.  I could wire my entire house, actually the entire hood, if I wanted to use it as an alarm.  Each FET mux of which there are five, has 24, two wire ports.   The high speed volt meter will do 100k measurements per second and can be used to load the arbitrary DAC.  I found code for the DAC that will do all kinds of waveforms out to about 200k square wave. 

If I ever figure out an application for it, at least I'll have one... 

[VintageNut]

Thanks for finally tearing it down.

Happy to share. I believe that the resistors are ridiculously labor intensive and expensive to match into groups for each decade. When I had the 2002 DMM it showed me that each resistor in a decade is just about exactly the same ppm above its nominal value. The string for the decade measures 10X the bottom resistor including ppm deviation from nominal. Research says that it was probably built in the 1960s. I bet they used a very good bridge to match the resistors.

I am very happy to have acquired it. I think that if I can get another one and place the inputs in series, I can use the pair to measure 1000V. The individual unit is rated at 700V max.

[Vgkid]

Do you happen to have a spec sheet on it, also how much did you pay?

[VintageNut]

This is a Fluke 731B that arrived this week. The 10V output was low 18 ppm so I adjusted that up. The 000 to 999 delta-E was jammed. I removed the dial pot and found that it was just pushed in too far and that jammed it. I followed the instruction manual to re-seat it and it works perfectly. The rear panel is badly dented, not a big deal. Battery is missing, I shall build a new pack.

10V


1V


Delta-E, mostly on 00.00012, bounces to 00.00011 occasionally.


1.018 plus Delta-E


1.019 plus Delta-E

[VintageNut]

Do you happen to have a spec sheet on it, also how much did you pay?

Attached is the D-version manual with specs. That is all the presently owning company has. I was glad to get this.

I paid $50 shipped. It was a bargain to say the least.

[Fsck]

Got an HP 6624a power supply for 240$ shipped.

[N2IXK]

Pragmatic Instruments (now Tegam) 2414A Arbitrary Waveform Generator.   Free from dumpster.   Appears to be working fine.

Bit of cleaning up and this one is headed to eBay, as I haven't any need for it....

[TerraHertz]

This is more of a 'kids these days' sigh than a score. A friend who works in the education dept gave me three soldering irons. They'd been tagged Unsafe by the electrical tester guy. Because... the kids had applied the soldering irons to the soldering irons. The plastic cords and stands.
There seems to have been a contest to see how close to the iron the iron could burn its own cord. See 2nd pic.

He also had a nicer model from the same source, disposed of for the same reason. I fixed that for him with a bit of plastic welding using some scrap plastic of about the same color as filler, then filing the surfaces flat. Looked much better without all the tip-melt-holes through the case. Didn't think to take pics of that one.

These three, I'll do minimal repairs and keep as spares.