Electronics Forum / Equipment / December 2003

Looking for recomendations on buying a used tube tester - would prefer
something that will handle high current TV tubes (late 50s 60s).
What do you like? What to avoid?
Also where to buy? eBay?

Long ago I wondered why the phones and then modems were made the way
they were, why transformers had the word HIPOT on them, and other
mysterious things.  Then I found out about FCC Part 68, and its
requirements.  Later, I saw some designs that were seriously

Some interesting statistics about Ebay
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/techinvestor/2003-12-29-ebay-cover_x.htm

I'm looking for a meter that will measure inductance and capacitance. I've
come accross an AW Sperry DM-9100, used, for a decent price, I think:
http://tinyurl.com/xzkz
Has anyone had any experience with this model? Please tell all.

I just bought a Herald Electronics SWR/power meter, and have a question on
operation.  The only SWR/power meter I am familiar with is the old Radio
Shack CB tester I bought about thirty years ago.  It has a multi-position
rotary switch that you set to Cal for calibration (where you ...

Anyone know anything about the Supercricket TF30 Transistor/FET testor?  Do
they run on batteries/AC?  Reliable?  Personal experiences with these?
I'm thinking about getting one, but don't really know anything about
transistor testors.  Are there better models for the price?  Should ...

I am in the process of designing a general coverage shortwave receiver and am
interested in conducting a spurious signal analysis.
I would appreciate any input regarding a systematic procedure for doing the
analysis and selecting an appropriate IF frequency.

I want to view a frequency spectrum, displayed such that I can see the center
f of a resonant circuit.
What do I need to do this? I have a sweep generator and oscilloscope. Is this
sufficient to the task? Or does this require a spectrum analyzer?

I was looking at some AC panel voltmeters in my friendly neighborhood
surplus shop the other day.  There seem to be two kinds, "rectifier type"
and "iron vane".  They make rectifier type meters that go as low as 1V FS -
for instance, see http://www.simpsonelectric ...

The U400 hybrid IC in the Tek 24xx 'scope models is infamous for its short
life.
Has anyone attempted heat-sinking it (if it is not already) and blowing it
with a small fan (a la pentium and PowerPC)?

I have been given a Simpson 260 without batteries. I know the top battery is a
"D" call but need to know what other battery I need.
The movement says it a 260 and with ink has added 52 after the word SERIES.
The meter looks like a standard but it also has a white RESET button to ...

I need to sink some T-18 package zeners. This package is an axial epoxy
cylinder, looks like a typical diode, except for the diameter. The zeners
are rated at 5W dissapation. They do get hot when not sinked.
I mistakenly ordered from Digikey some TO-18 heatsinks, which obviously do

I've got at Tektronix P6019 AC Current probe (presumeable 10Hz to 40MHz) at
Ebay.com pretty cheap. I do not have the '134 probe amplifier, but I have
been testing it and it seems to work ok with 50 ohms termination at the
scope input directly.

I have a Weller WTCPS soldering station with a 201U power supply and 201P
iron, using a 700 degree F tip. Last night I powered it up in preparation
for soldering some connectors, and a few minutes later I saw that the tip
and metal shaft of the iron were glowing red-hot.

Is anyone aware of a commercial device i could send to some troops in iraq
to block those road side remote controlled bombs?  Or even a device to
explode them ahead of the troop vechicles.
I dont have any details on the frequencies in use, what are your