XPost: sci.electronics.design   
   From: klauskvik@hotmail.com   
      
   On 01-04-2024 09:01, Jan Panteltje wrote:   
   > On a sunny day (Sun, 31 Mar 2024 18:41:18 +0100) it happened Cursitor Doom   
   >  wrote in <9k7j0jlnbhs8qfg5m17pium0835meean83@4ax.com>:   
   >   
   >> Hi all,   
   >>   
   >> I'm starting to get a bit fed up with having my test equipment blow up   
   >> just when it's needed. This is the drawback with vintage gear; if it's   
   >> not used frequently then it can go *bang* the next time you switch it   
   >> on. It makes for good practice in repairing stuff, but wastes a lot of   
   >> time which could be better spent doing other things.   
   >> I think it's time I modernised my test gear. I was just wondering if   
   >> anyone has any recommendations they can share. Is there a particular   
   >> piece of test equipment you couldn't live without? Something you're   
   >> particularly impressed with? I'd be interested to know so I can   
   >> perhaps acquire said item and thereby reduce the number of explosions   
   >> I experience.   
   >>   
   >> Thanks,   
   >>   
   >> CD.   
   >   
   > My 10 MHz Trio dual trace analog scope is from 1979 or there about, I blew   
   up a channal once myself in the first week   
   > when I accidently touched a booster diode in a TV I was repairing with it,   
   fixed it locating the problem with the other channel.   
   > Later I cracked the graticule when a soldering station fell on it from the   
   table (scope stands on the ground)   
   > Made a new graticule.   
   > So, and still working perfectly, OK for all things I build with micros.   
   > For RF to about 1.6 GHz I use RTL_SDR USB sticks and the spectrum analyzer I   
   wrote.   
   > and for AC DC measurements I have some made in China digital meters and an   
   analog one.   
   > also a Voltcraft clamp-on meter for current when you do not - or cannot   
   interrupt things with the meter impedance.   
   > Also have a Voltcraft soldering station.   
   > Blew up one of my digital meters a while back (volts on the resistance   
   scale) but fixed it again (replaced resistor).   
   > Many other test equipment I designed and build, like amplifiers LF and RF,   
   SWR meter, radiation meters, gamma spectrometer,   
   > GHz stuff for satelite, transmitters low and very high power, what not,   
   > a frequency converter to use the RTL-SDR sticks and so the spectrum analyzer   
   on higher and lower frequencies.   
   > Have a SARK100 SWR analyzer too.   
   > Things last forever here...   
   > Scope used on a regular basis..   
   > RTL-SDR stick 24/7.   
   > Digital meters used every day.   
   > Use my self designed lab power supply every day..   
   > What more do you need?   
   > Learn to use the stuff, understand what's important, and that is it   
   > When I started in electronics as a kid I did not even _have_ a meter, still   
   stuff worked.   
   > Build my own scope at some point back then when I somehow got the parts   
   > Not much pocket mony as a kid.   
   > UNDERSTAND your systems, what electrons do.   
   > Showing of with boat anchors may impress people, especially the clueless...   
   > But it does not help you one bit.   
   > Anything with an accuracy better than 1 percent in most cases is just like   
   apes screaming load trying to impress other apes.   
   >   
      
   Very true about specifically the 1% statement. Sidebar, at an earlier   
   employment, we needed to equip a new lab. Guys wanted GHz scopes. When   
   asked if the ever looked at edges faster than 1ns, no one did.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)