O-scope question for you old EE's

[Buck Buchanan]

Hi all

At 08:10 AM 6/17/98 -0700, John Speth wrote:
>Been there recently because I needed to replace my old 5MHz Heathkit
O-scope.  
>I got a reconditioned 100MHz Tek 465B from Tucker Electronics.

Excellent choice!!!!  Did that come with probes?

>I learned that low bandwidth scopes aren't really the usable bandwidth you'd 
>need especially in the digital world.  For example, at 5MHz bandwidth a 5MHz 
>square wave looks like a weak and wimpy sine wave.  There can be lots of
high 

Definately!  Expecially for digital work, the rise-time spec is key.  

Clist wrote:
>If you were going to spend $450 on a scope, would you get a brand new
>20MHz, no frills, LG-Precision or BK-Precision, or would you get an
>older used 50 or 100 MHz Tek or HP with delayed sweep or some other
>nifty things?

That's one I've pondered many times.  The old Teks (say 465Bs) are 5x the
scope of the cheap $400 units for roughly the same cost.  On the other
hand, repairs on higher end test equipment are often {not always} A)
difficult to do properly at home and B) obscenely expensive done by a "pro".  

Try to find one that's "fully tested and verified" or better yet, complete
with Certificate of Calibration to prove everything is in spec.   Ask to
speak to their Metrologist/calibation manager - sometimes the basic
"certificate of quality" they give you free is based on the exact same
testing as the "NIST Traceable Certificate of Calibration" they charge
extra for (the only real difference being a s*%!load of paperwork that
satisfies MIL-SPEC and ISO 9000 requirements). I was a Metrologist in my
last job and unfortunatly found that many calibration houses suck but
still, some kind of  Cert. of Cal usually provides some confidence that all
is well.

Tucker is very well known and has a good rep for things working properly
when they say so.  They cost a little more than the others but that's
likely better than finding out two months later that the delayed time base
doesn't work right or something.

On the other hand, the cheap new 20MHz scopes are fine for synth work and
since they're brand new you KNOW that all is well.  I bought a $400 Hitachi
20MHz job 10 years ago (brand new) and it's still my main scope!  I've
noted too (Jorgen) that those kenwood boxes look nice!

Ok, I don't know if any of this helps out or not but it may be something to
think about.

Have fun!




Buck Buchanan  V-209U   x84377
RF Eng. Tech  4GP

"Many Shubs and Zules knew what it was to be roasted in the depths of the
Slor that day!"   -Vince Glortho, Keymaster of Gozer-