Re: Help on testing/picking an oscilloscope

From: dh (devious_henchman_at_yahoo.com)
Date: 09/26/04 

Date: Sun, 26 Sep 2004 00:44:08 GMT

The little lost angel wrote:
> My friend found for me what appears to be a cheap oscilloscope on sale
> at a used parts place. He took down some details for the Tektronic
> scope's three modules
> 5110 (the 2 chan thingy?)
> 5A14N (4 Chan amplifier??)
> 5D10 (Waveform Digitizer???)
>
> The 5A14N has four inputs but he couldn't get four traces on the
> screen no matter what. It seems broken since according to him, the
> scope would display two traces from the other module.
>
> The working bit with two channels seem to be ok. I think he missed out
> the part number for this, but it's the most recognizable piece to me
> from his description of what clearly are the two analog voltage
> setting dials
>
> But without any sort of input, Chan 2 appears to be faulty as there
> are signals around half the screen in amptitude when he turned it to
> the smallest voltage level 1mv, viewing at 100usec.
>
> The last piece is the triggering piece 5D10 I think (my friend forgot
> to note down the position of the modules)
>
> So our problem is how do we tell if the scope is working sufficiently
> to be worth the $100 the shop is asking for? We don't have any
> sophisticated instrument to test with and the scope doesn't come with
> any leads/probes. Are there some ways to conduct a quick on the spot
> test with some very basic items?
>
> Is it even worth considering or way too old to spend any money on? I'd
> like to have 10Mhz to 20Mhz, this is only 2Mhz according to the web
> but for the price, neither of us have found anything close to it yet.
>
> thanks!!!
>

Not worth it. Check eBay. I picked up a 465B (100MHz, probes, bag,
manual, perfect condition) for $99 plus $25 or so shipping. That would
be infinitely better than this old dog you're looking at.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Help on testing/picking an oscilloscope
    ... > My friend found for me what appears to be a cheap oscilloscope on sale ... > scope would display two traces from the other module. ... > Is it even worth considering or way too old to spend any money on? ...
    (sci.electronics.basics)
  • Re: simple(?) question...
    ... and *thought* that would prevent overloading. ... doesn't even cause a wiggle on the scope with my X10 probes and the ... How could one signal become two traces, ... I'd guess it's unlikely that it's the resistors. ...
    (rec.radio.amateur.homebrew)
  • Re: simple(?) question...
    ... I may *be* overloading it, but I thought that would result in clipping ... doesn't even cause a wiggle on the scope with my X10 probes and the scope ... How could one signal become two traces, ... I'd guess it's unlikely that it's the resistors. ...
    (rec.radio.amateur.homebrew)
  • Re: A relic from my boyhood - worth refurbishing?
    ... rebuild the scope, if for no other reason that it was your Dad's scope. ... > When I was young my father, a> do-it-yourselfer, built a telescope. ... > There is an elliptical, flat secondarymirror, about 1" by 1.25". ... > So, my questions would be, is this thing worth fixing up? ...
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  • Re: whats an old Tasco worth?
    ... > The scope was made by Vixen and the optics are supurb. ... > I mounted the Tasco 60mm on the Celestron GOTO mount and have a very nice ... He was thinking that it might be worth much more than that, ... The wooden mount is a big wooble alright and I had ...
    (sci.astro.amateur)
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