What's your favorite cheap test gear?

[Alex Eisenhut]

I like my Radio Shack 22-306 Frequency Counter. Goes to 1.3GHz, designed to pick up stuff with an antenna but also happy with logic levels up 10MHz, runs off cheap and cheerful AAs, backlit display, small and light yet in a metal case.

I wanted to test something the other day but the Duracell crap garbage AAs leaked and I had to rip out the holder and put in a new one. (For 50 cents who wants to keep a corroded holder?)

So it's simple to fix too.

[ShreveCC]

Hard to choose... I guess my favorite is the Siglent SDM3055 meter for its price\usefulness to and for me.  However, its price may push the limits on the definition as considered cheap gear.? less than $50 or under $500 U.S. Dollars?

[rdl]

I think I have one of those RadioShack counters in a box somewhere. Does it really go to 1.3 GHz? For some reason I had it in my head that it was 50 MHz and I've been shopping for one that would do better than 1GHz.

[KE5FX]

Yep, every once in a while, Radio Shack screws up and puts something truly great in the catalog.  I still have my older 22-305 counter too.  

Duracell batteries are not allowed in or near my house.  I'd rather work with all of the chemicals that the Things I Won't Work With guy won't work with, than use Duracells.  Absolutely no excuse for battery leakage in 2015.

[GreyWoolfe]

I got my counter for free, all it needed was batteries.  I've checked VHF radio output frequency for accuracy.

[Lightages]

Yup, that Radio Shack 22-306 is a pretty good piece of kit. I thought mine was deaf on the front end, but it turns out I was blind when trying to operate it. RTFM! It is one of my favorite cheapish pieces of gear too.

The Uni-T UT10A is also a nice little cheap pocket meter. It is light and works well enough.

[Alex Eisenhut]

Yep, every once in a while, Radio Shack screws up and puts something truly great in the catalog.  I still have my older 22-305 counter too.  

Duracell batteries are not allowed in or near my house.  I'd rather work with all of the chemicals that the Things I Won't Work With guy won't work with, than use Duracells.  Absolutely no excuse for battery leakage in 2015.

Same here. I'd rather use the Sunbeam brand dollar store alkalines, which work great and I've never seen leak.

[joeqsmith]

Re: What's your favorite cheap test gear?

That's pretty difficult.  These wide band high voltage probes I made where very cheap if you don't consider the time I spent on them and I use them a fair amount. 

[nidlaX]

I like my Radio Shack 22-306 Frequency Counter. Goes to 1.3GHz, designed to pick up stuff with an antenna but also happy with logic levels up 10MHz, runs off cheap and cheerful AAs, backlit display, small and light yet in a metal case.

I wanted to test something the other day but the Duracell crap garbage AAs leaked and I had to rip out the holder and put in a new one. (For 50 cents who wants to keep a corroded holder?)

So it's simple to fix too.

10 MHz limit for logic levels? That's too bad, I was considering picking one up, but not for over the air work.

[G0HZU]

When it comes to cheap and homebrew I'd have to say my homemade E and H field probes and various other RF pickup and detector probes.

I rarely use them for EMC purposes however. The main use is to measure or characterise components and transmission lines etc. I use these a LOT and they cost me nothing because I made them from salvaged semi rigid cable and SMA connectors

[dr.diesel]

That's pretty difficult.  These wide band high voltage probes I made where very cheap if you don't consider the time I spent on them and I use them a fair amount.

Awesome!  Those cases don't look to neck down enough to be 30-06, are they 8MM Mauser?

[lowimpedance]

That's pretty difficult.  These wide band high voltage probes I made where very cheap if you don't consider the time I spent on them and I use them a fair amount.

Awesome!  Those cases don't look to neck down enough to be 30-06, are they 8MM Mauser?

Heh, That is a novel use indeed and they do look like 8mm.
Id bet that one 375 H&H would do the job too !!.

[retrolefty]

Favorite CHEAP test gear has to be the Asian $25 semiconductor tester that has a long marathon thread on this site. Tests most passive and semiconductors very quickly.

[joeqsmith]

That's pretty difficult.  These wide band high voltage probes I made where very cheap if you don't consider the time I spent on them and I use them a fair amount.

Awesome!  Those cases don't look to neck down enough to be 30-06, are they 8MM Mauser?

Heh, That is a novel use indeed and they do look like 8mm.
Id bet that one 375 H&H would do the job too !!.

Thanks.   The one towards the rear is a 25-06.  This attaches to a 35 Remington.  On the front is a 223 Remington.   

If you want to see more about how they are made or their performance I made a few videos of them.


The main link is here.
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/teledyne-lecroy-waverunner-64xi/60/

[TheSteve]

Is this supposed to be gear that is cheaply priced or gear we managed to purchase cheaply?

[VK5RC]

Does home brew count?  A transistor tester,  design and software from practical wireless M1GRY, used a out-dated weather watch box and lcd ($5, NOS)  and a $5 PIC,  "beauty-mate". ?