Tektronix SUCKS!!!!!
Frank Gilliland
my local dealership that they are required by contract to destroy every scope
which is traded in for a new Tektronix scope, regardless of age or condition. So
if you decide to trade in that old scope for a Tektronix, know ahead of time
that it is NOT going to end up in the hands of a ham, or of some kid learning
and experimenting in electronics on a tight budget like I was thir... er, twenty
years ago. No, Tektronix needs to raise their profits by destroying every used
scope they can get their greedy little hands on, regardless of who feels the
pinch!
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Brenda Ann
"Frank Gilliland" <spa...@NOSPAMaimcomm.net> wrote in message
news:qm20rvs80uqe4m407...@4ax.com...
> Tektronix is trying to manipulate the oscilloscope market. Today I learned
from
> my local dealership that they are required by contract to destroy every
scope
> which is traded in for a new Tektronix scope, regardless of age or
condition. So
> if you decide to trade in that old scope for a Tektronix, know ahead of
time
> that it is NOT going to end up in the hands of a ham, or of some kid
learning
> and experimenting in electronics on a tight budget like I was thir... er,
twenty
> years ago. No, Tektronix needs to raise their profits by destroying every
used
> scope they can get their greedy little hands on, regardless of who feels
the
> pinch!
>
Interesting, last I heard (and that was only a few weeks ago) the Tek
Country Store was still in business, selling their used trade-ins, among
other things. Could your dealer be blowing smoke up your behind?
Dave VanHorn
> Country Store was still in business, selling their used trade-ins, among
> other things. Could your dealer be blowing smoke up your behind?
The scope I'm using now was purchased as a used demo unit, at a significant
discount.
<$10k! :)
Frank Dresser
"Frank Gilliland" <spa...@NOSPAMaimcomm.net> wrote in message
news:qm20rvs80uqe4m407...@4ax.com...
learned from
> my local dealership that they are required by contract to destroy
every scope
> which is traded in for a new Tektronix scope, regardless of age or
condition. So
> if you decide to trade in that old scope for a Tektronix, know ahead
of time
> that it is NOT going to end up in the hands of a ham, or of some kid
learning
> and experimenting in electronics on a tight budget like I was thir...
er, twenty
> years ago. No, Tektronix needs to raise their profits by destroying
every used
> scope they can get their greedy little hands on, regardless of who
feels the
> pinch!
>
>
>
"Tucker Electronics is a proud reseller of New, Used and Refurbished
Tektronix Test and Measurement Instruments and we stock many late model
Tektronix Instruments. "
http://www.tucker.com/java/information/tek_splsh.jsp
There must be others. Tucker was at the top of the Google page when I
entered "new used tektronix oscilloscopes"
Frank Dresser
Larry Johnson
favors for you, they're in business to make money. Period.
Teletype Corp. used to do the same thing with used Teletype machines.
Motorola used to do the same with traded-in 2-way radios (I had a friend
who drove the truck to the crusher.)
That's the way it works, Frank....
LJ
Dr. Anton Squeegee
spa...@NOSPAMaimcomm.net says...
> Tektronix is trying to manipulate the oscilloscope market. Today I learned from
> my local dealership that they are required by contract to destroy every scope
> which is traded in for a new Tektronix scope, regardless of age or condition. So
<snip>
Do you have hard evidence of this, such as an official statement
from someone at Tektronix in authority to make such statements?
I think your local dealership is pulling your leg. I visited the
Tektronix company surplus store less than four months ago, and found a
generous assortment of older 7000 and 11000 series mainframes and plug-
ins, many of which were in perfectly usable condition.
Don't even get me started on the seemingly vast quantity of Tek
scopes and other such goodies that seem to be in constant availability
on the surplus side of things (hamfests, stores like Kaiser Technologies
in the Bay Area, etc.)
--
Dr. Anton Squeegee, Director, Dutch Surrealist Plumbing Institute
(Known to some as Bruce Lane, KC7GR)
kyrrin a/t bluefeathertech d-o=t c&o&m
Motorola Radio Programming & Service Available -
http://www.bluefeathertech.com/rf.html
"Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati" (Red Green)
Steve
Tek scopes for about 30 years (!), and love to see kids, hobbyist,
and hams get their hands on them.
Realistically, 'scopes Tek gets in
on trade will be a very small percentage of the number out there, so
it should have little effect.
Steve
G.Beat
news:qm20rvs80uqe4m407...@4ax.com...
from
> my local dealership that they are required by contract to destroy every
scope
> which is traded in for a new Tektronix scope, regardless of age or
condition. So
> if you decide to trade in that old scope for a Tektronix, know ahead of
time
> that it is NOT going to end up in the hands of a ham, or of some kid
learning
> and experimenting in electronics on a tight budget like I was thir... er,
twenty
> years ago. No, Tektronix needs to raise their profits by destroying every
used
> scope they can get their greedy little hands on, regardless of who feels
the
> pinch!
<Troll check>
Please supply the name of this Tektronix dealer or distributor -
I will make a personal call - and then if verified to Tektronix.
G. Beat
Frank Gilliland
companies rely on their longstanding reputations as 'good guys'. The info I
received came from the GM of Radar, Inc. in Spokane. Whether the policy was
initiated by Radar or by Tektronix, or applies to any other brand, he didn't
say. What he -did- say was that he has had to send several dozen scopes the the
incinerator since this policy began not long ago -- and some nice ones, too.
Either way, it still sucks.
Dr. Anton Squeegee
spa...@NOSPAMaimcomm.net says...
> Yes, this is how business works, but that doesn't mean it works well, as many
> companies rely on their longstanding reputations as 'good guys'. The info I
> received came from the GM of Radar, Inc. in Spokane. Whether the policy was
> initiated by Radar or by Tektronix, or applies to any other brand, he didn't
> say. What he -did- say was that he has had to send several dozen scopes the the
> incinerator since this policy began not long ago -- and some nice ones, too.
>
> Either way, it still sucks.
Has to have been Radar's policy (and a stupid one it is, too). I
don't see Tek doing it because Where do you think they get so much of
their inventory for the company surplus store?
Larry Johnson
units used as test fixtures, etc. that wouldn't have much appeal to
end-user customers as much as to experimenters.
Frank Gilliland
<Spammers...@dev.null> wrote:
>In article <tsh0rv8tgvua3h0al...@4ax.com>,
>spa...@NOSPAMaimcomm.net says...
>
>> Yes, this is how business works, but that doesn't mean it works well, as many
>> companies rely on their longstanding reputations as 'good guys'. The info I
>> received came from the GM of Radar, Inc. in Spokane. Whether the policy was
>> initiated by Radar or by Tektronix, or applies to any other brand, he didn't
>> say. What he -did- say was that he has had to send several dozen scopes the the
>> incinerator since this policy began not long ago -- and some nice ones, too.
>>
>> Either way, it still sucks.
>
> Has to have been Radar's policy (and a stupid one it is, too). I
>don't see Tek doing it because Where do you think they get so much of
>their inventory for the company surplus store?
Is that a trick question?
Frank Dresser
"Dr. Anton Squeegee" <Spammers...@dev.null> wrote in message
news:MPG.1a19f522b...@192.168.42.131...
>
> Has to have been Radar's policy (and a stupid one it is, too). I
> don't see Tek doing it because Where do you think they get so much of
> their inventory for the company surplus store?
>
>
compitition to a new Tek scope, but it presents much more compitition to
the new scopes of the lower price manufacturers.
Frank Dresser
private
--exray--
schemes like this. You're right, Frank, a $500 used model isn't hardly
competition to their latest-greatest $20,000 model. Mr. Bean-Counter
would like to think they could eliminate such competition but odds are
Mr. Bean-Counter wouldn't know a o'scope if it bit him in the arse.
If Tek is really doing this nowadays the only purpose it serves is to
make them appear as knuckleheads.
One rather large electronic mfr that I used to deal with had an "outlet
store" where they sold the trade-ins, factory refurbs, etc. Basically a
scratch-and-dent outlet. Prices were only maybe 25% less than the good
stuff...the biggest advantage was not having to step thru the corporate
ordering nightmare spending days, if not weeks, playing phone tag with
some "account representative" who was the only person authorized to take
your order.
The outlet store made too much sense so they closed it.
-Bill
Alfred Carlson
think, I know better. My uncle (Warren K. Dallas) helped establish the
groundwork for a reputation since 1947, that prevails within Tektronix to this
day. Any doubts, read the book "Winning with People: The first 40 years of
Tektronix. I rest my case. 73 de Fred.
Dave VanHorn
> "Tucker Electronics is a proud reseller of New, Used and Refurbished
> Tektronix Test and Measurement Instruments and we stock many late model
> Tektronix Instruments. "
They certainly are proud of their gear!
Their prices are, IMHO, about 2-3x what they should be.
--exray--
I've never heard anybody say Tek was a "bad" company or made bad gear.
Tempramental, maybe, but not bad. But this day in time (since the book
came out) big corporations aren't run by the good guys like Warren K....
-Bill
RP Jones
to replace those new off seas plastic cheap ones one under warrantee.
I called them about a Tek 2232 and someone on the other end got all pissed
off, said call GTE for service ?
"Frank Gilliland" <spa...@NOSPAMaimcomm.net> wrote in message
news:qm20rvs80uqe4m407...@4ax.com...
Dave VanHorn
"RP Jones" <rpar...@verizon.NOSPAMnet> wrote in message
news:MI7sb.8866$bQ3....@nwrdny03.gnilink.net...
> Could it be they don't want to do anymore service, perhaps it cheaper just
> to replace those new off seas plastic cheap ones one under warrantee.
> I called them about a Tek 2232 and someone on the other end got all pissed
> off, said call GTE for service ?
I had quite the opposite result when I called them on an encoder failure on
my TDS-420a
They were very helpful, and the replacement encoder was surprisingly
inexpensive.
They took a few minutes to verify that we were ordering the right part,
because of an ambiguity in the part number, but it was resolved quickly.
The whole thing was less than $50 and I even got spare encoders at that
price, in case of a future failure.
Bob Liesenfeld
Frank Gilliland wrote:
> Tektronix is trying to manipulate the oscilloscope market.
Perhaps. However I know in some industries, the same thing is done to prevent
something like this happening:
Original owner of functioning, well cared for unit sells it at a flea market etc.
New owner modifies/breaks unit, then sells it to 3rd owner
3rd owner is dissatisfied and blames manufacturer, perhaps with little effect,
perhaps with significant damage to manufacturers reputation.
I know from first hand experience that this was the case with 2 well known 2 way
radio companies. If you were caught sneaking a trade-in out of the path of the
crusher, you got canned.
Larry Johnson
W7TI wrote:
>
> On Tue, 11 Nov 2003 00:40:03 GMT, Larry Johnson <lar...@teleport.com>
> wrote:
>
> >Frank - this is how big business works. They're not in business to do
> >favors for you, they're in business to make money. Period.
>
> _________________________________________________________
>
> Not true. Like all businesses, Tek must please their customers while
> making money or soon there will be no customers. The trick is to strike
> the right balance. Tektronix has been in business for ~50 years now, so
> I'd say they are doing it right.
>
> --
> Bill, W7TI
>
> p.s. I'm an ex-employee, so grains of salt will be distributed as
> necessary.
private
I'm the one who made the comment about Tek. The place
sucks.
private
Shitty management, too. If you go back far enough
it was a good place.
I got the propaganda and it doesn't change a thing.
private
I was there training some of those fuckers.
gw
the last time frankenstein bought a scope it was $1200.00 new.....So
now he thinks the company sucks because he is a tight ass.
Larry Johnson
the stories by Wayne Green and Byron Kretzman about the machines that
used to go to the landfill. Same with Motorola - a few hams spoiled it
for everyone by reselling 2-way radio gear back into commercial service
after they had "promised" (and signed waivers) that the equipment would
be used only for ham radio use and not resold into commercial service.
Sometimes it's just cheaper in the long run to dispose of gear than try
to support it and lose a potential new equipment sale.....
LJ
Dave Holford wrote:
>
> When I applied for a used Teletype machine I only had to sign a waiver
> that it would never be put back in commercial service. I found out about
> the program from several friends who had also obtained used machines
> this way.
>
> Dave
Avery Fineman
writes:
>On Tue, 11 Nov 2003 00:40:03 GMT, Larry Johnson <lar...@teleport.com>
>wrote:
>
>>Frank - this is how big business works. They're not in business to do
>>favors for you, they're in business to make money. Period.
>
>_________________________________________________________
>
>Not true. Like all businesses, Tek must please their customers while
>making money or soon there will be no customers. The trick is to strike
>the right balance. Tektronix has been in business for ~50 years now, so
>I'd say they are doing it right.
>
>--
>Bill, W7TI
>
>p.s. I'm an ex-employee, so grains of salt will be distributed as
>necessary.
Bill, I've never worked for Tektronix. My personal oscilloscope is a
Philips 50 MHz dual-trace used demo unit bought at a fair deal from a
Philips representative in 1981. On the other hand, I've been very
much acquainted with their line of instruments since 1954 and can
say that their quality, maintainability, and holding-of-accuracy is
excellent. I can afford them for contract jobs...just can't afford them
for personal use.
The price of ALL electronics instruments has constantly gone up in
the last half century...the major reason probably in that the
performance and range and flexibility has also increased...which
leads to the various companies amortizing new instrument
development costs back to the buyers. Like TS for all those who
want high-performance goodies at Knight-Kit prices.
Len Anderson
retired (from regular hours) electronic engineer person
Pete KE9OA
They did the same thing with engineering units. I can't tell you how many
XTS-3000s went to the crusher.
Pete
Larry Johnson <lar...@teleport.com> wrote in message
news:3FB02EC0...@teleport.com...
Ed Price
"W7TI" <no...@nohow.com> wrote in message
news:vca2rv88fs8ai43v6...@4ax.com...
> >favors for you, they're in business to make money. Period.
>
>
> Not true. Like all businesses, Tek must please their customers while
> making money or soon there will be no customers. The trick is to strike
> the right balance. Tektronix has been in business for ~50 years now, so
> I'd say they are doing it right.
>
> --
> Bill, W7TI
>
> p.s. I'm an ex-employee, so grains of salt will be distributed as
> necessary.
Your analysis might be true, IF there was any continuity to typical
management. Businesses that have been "doing the right thing" for 50 years
can suddenly do bizarre things, often from bringing in a "breath of fresh
air" in the form of a manager hired from competition, or, even worse, from
some totally unrelated industry. Or the management level fills up with
lawyers and bean counters. Got synergy?
Other things, like management loosing their collective nerve or direction,
can also produce this effect. Remember Coke? For 90 plus years, brand leader
with an unchanging formula. Then the data comes in from some market focus
group, and we suddenly get New Coke!
BTW, this "news" about destroying obsolete products is very old news. Seems
like more than 10 years ago, HP was doing this on 141-series analyzer
mainframes. Come to think of it, HP ain't the old HP anymore, huh?
Ed
wb6wsn
Ghost writer
news:pznsb.23360$mb5.1962@fed1read02...
In this current time, NOTHING is as it used to be.. As the man pointed out
with management, ideas, formulas and so on, it seems all of what "used to
be" common sense has gone out the window. Nothing should come as a surprise
in this day and age.
But, speaking of trashing items, I too know of a few companies that trash
their items with no regard to future use, and so on.
This world is run by a whole different set of rules now and even they aren't
set in stone. It is a shame to see such equipment still with some life to it
demolished, but such is life. G.W.
Radioman
They even advertise, The New HP!
Phil Kane
>> Come to think of it, HP ain't the old HP anymore, huh?
>
>They even advertise, The New HP!
IIRC HP broke into several different companies - the one that makes
computers absorbed Compaq (or was it the other way around) and the
one that makes printer stuff is the "new HP".
The one that made (from the start) and still makes some of the best
test equipment now has a new name.
It shudd'a been the other way around.
--
73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane
From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest
Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon
John Walton
been going down. a TEK7704a with 4 plug-ins cost as much as a car when it
was introduced -- today you can get same performance (well actually more
since you have FFT and math) in a TDS3034 for 1/2 the price of a car.
RP Jones
Actually "now that I remember"
I had called Tek to enquire about a 465 B faceplate, this guy totally "lost
his wig" before I even got to speak about owning a 2232.
$^% 465 !! jokingly told me "THIS ISN'T SANFORD AND SON"
I have since sold the 2232 and baught 465B and a little NLS battery operated
(NLS are VERY very nice people, they sent me a manual, alignment/service
procedure and schematic free!! )
I also have a 545 on a cart to I use in the basement (winter) people love
looking at it :)
-RP
"private" <pri...@private.com> wrote in message
news:3FB145DC...@private.com...
gw
isn't it true that the older stuff is built like a battleship and
isn't as proprietary and can be repaired with user obtainable parts?
I always heard tek for scopes and hp for analyzers. Any thoughts on
that?
Mike Andrews
> isn't it true that the older stuff is built like a battleship and
> isn't as proprietary and can be repaired with user obtainable parts?
> I always heard tek for scopes and hp for analyzers. Any thoughts on
> that?
My experience is that HP scopes are OK-to-great, while Tek scopes
are excellent-to-superb. Similarly, HP generators and analyzers are
excellent-to-superb, while OK-to-great.
There are other manufacturers that make excellent-to-superb hardware,
such as Fluke.
--
Mike Andrews
mi...@mikea.ath.cx
Tired old sysadmin
Scott Dorsey
>I don't know I wasn't stupid enough to even think about calling GTE.
>Actually "now that I remember"
>I had called Tek to enquire about a 465 B faceplate, this guy totally "lost
>his wig" before I even got to speak about owning a 2232.
> $^% 465 !! jokingly told me "THIS ISN'T SANFORD AND SON"
The repair depot in Washington DC has one old guy who likes working on the
older gear, and has some limited parts supply for them. Last year he spent
an awful lot of time getting the 100V supply on my 610 video monitor working
reliably, and I can strongly recommend the DC folks.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
RP Jones
and crushed.
"Built in absolesance" Its a dam shame !
Id agree on Tek for scopes and HP for analyzers, if you look on Ebay HP
"as is" scopes with problems must out number the Tek's 10-1.
(Many developed push button/switchpad related problems)
"gw" <g...@webhideout.com> wrote in message > isn't it true that the older
Chuck Harris
fault. When they made the horizontal timing knobs for their 80's
vintage scopes, they made them out of plastic, and carved large slots in
the space between the outer part you turn with your fingers and the
inner part that turns the knob. This left very little plastic to take
the torque of turning the knob. Once they break there is no easy way
of repairing them.
The other big problem is their use of delrin gears with aluminum hubs
just about everywhere. And after 15 years, they are all broken. The
HP8640B is built like a tank, but everyone I have ever had came with
several gears that had split due to shrinkage.
-Chuck
jakdedert
jak
"Bill Turner" <no...@nohow.com> wrote in message
news:74earv0qu5kkn9bo5...@4ax.com...
> On Fri, 14 Nov 2003 03:21:29 GMT, "RP Jones"
> <rpar...@verizon.NOSPAMnet> wrote:
>
> >I had called Tek to enquire about a 465 B faceplate, this guy totally
"lost
> >his wig" before I even got to speak about owning a 2232.
> > $^% 465 !! jokingly told me "THIS ISN'T SANFORD AND SON"
>
> _________________________________________________________
>
> I've read the above several times and can't quite figure out what you're
> complaining about. Try it again in English.
>
> --
> Bill, W6WRT
>
gw
what is a good spectrum analyzer to have for a home shop in your
opinion, and also what is a good scope to have and do you have to
break the bank on this stuff? thanks.
johnm
> what is a good spectrum analyzer to have for a home shop in your
> opinion, and also what is a good scope to have and do you have to
> break the bank on this stuff? thanks.
What specs do you want, and how much do you want to spend? The HP 141T
series is great for technically-inclined hams. Very maintainable, very
reliable once you understand its quirks, very competitive performance...
and very big and heavy. Typically $1K or less on eBay for a working
outfit.
Tek's 492-497 series are also excellent analyzers. Newer and much more
portable than the 141T series, but still easily maintainable (via parts
units and aftermarket suppliers, not through Tek). Quite a bit more
expensive in most cases. $2K - $7K depending on model and options.
HP 8560-series analyzers are also very nice; I have no personal
experience with these, though. Stay away from the cheaper (8557/8/9) HP
units. Tek's older 491 is probably also best avoided in favor of the
141T line (this is probably where the saying "HP for analyzers" came
from.)
Tek analyzers from the 2780 series should also be avoided by most users.
They are still extremely expensive ($7K and up), and like the older
490/2750 analyzers no parts or manuals can be ordered from Tek anymore.
However, unlike the 490/2750 units, they can be calibrated only with
special PC-based configurations connected to specific test sources via
GPIB and running obsolete software. Worse, Tek supported them only via
module exchange, never releasing any component-level schematics. These
are very powerful instruments, but keeping a 2782 or 2784 running
nowadays would be a serious, ongoing research project in itself. These
were symptomatic of the "bean-counter" generation at Tek, where customer
needs were considered secondary to high-priced, proprietary product
support and finite market lifetime.
-- jm
------------------------------------------------------
http://www.qsl.net/ke5fx
Note: My E-mail address has been altered to avoid spam
------------------------------------------------------
johnm
> The saddest problems I have found with the HP gear is purely their own
> fault. When they made the horizontal timing knobs for their 80's
> vintage scopes, they made them out of plastic, and carved large slots in
> the space between the outer part you turn with your fingers and the
> inner part that turns the knob. This left very little plastic to take
> the torque of turning the knob. Once they break there is no easy way
> of repairing them.
>
> The other big problem is their use of delrin gears with aluminum hubs
> just about everywhere. And after 15 years, they are all broken. The
> HP8640B is built like a tank, but everyone I have ever had came with
> several gears that had split due to shrinkage.
>
I heard someone on the test-equipment reflector (http://www.qth.net) was
going to fabricate some replacement 8640B gears out of metal. You might
check with that list to see if it ever happened.
Roger Halstead
wrote:
>The saddest problems I have found with the HP gear is purely their own
>fault. When they made the horizontal timing knobs for their 80's
>vintage scopes, they made them out of plastic, and carved large slots in
>the space between the outer part you turn with your fingers and the
>inner part that turns the knob. This left very little plastic to take
>the torque of turning the knob. Once they break there is no easy way
>of repairing them.
That sounds just like the knobs used in the HT 32, 33, and SX101
series. They have a very thin flange, or lip around the front that is
very fragile. I saw one on e-bay a couple days ago that was described
as excellent, yet it had at least two sections of that lip missing.
>
>The other big problem is their use of delrin gears with aluminum hubs
>just about everywhere. And after 15 years, they are all broken. The
>HP8640B is built like a tank, but everyone I have ever had came with
>several gears that had split due to shrinkage.
But Delrin is very easy to machine.
Also unless the gears are of a very odd size (most are spur gears or a
pair of 45 degree bevel gears) that can be replaced with something
more modern and durable.
I do like a lot of the new, lighter weight gear as I have a bad back.
(Probably from man handling that old stuff that takes two good size
men to load it into a trailer)
Roger Halstead (K8RI EN73 & ARRL Life Member)
www.rogerhalstead.com
N833R World's oldest Debonair? (S# CD-2)
gw
how about a 8569b ? some guy has one on ebay now for about
$3,000.00......i might pull the trigger on that one.....I would be
using it for hf work. I was considering a 141t from tucker . it cost
more but at least you know it works. i was going to get the 8552b and
8553b plugins with it. then you have to round up the connecting cables
and manuals for them. comments? oh by the way i have read good things
about the hp 8569b's. if they work.
Dave VanHorn
> what is a good spectrum analyzer to have for a home shop in your
> opinion, and also what is a good scope to have and do you have to
> break the bank on this stuff? thanks.
A tek 7000 mainframe is my spectrum analyzer, and backup scope.
I have a 7L5 plugin for 0-5MHz, and 7L13 for 0.1 to 1800 MHz
I also have the companion tracking generator.
This stuff was all aquired piecemeal at hamfests, and in total, probably set
me back <$1k.
I've had it for (eek!) 13 years!
The 7000 series is getting long in the tooth, but there's a ton of plugins
out there cheap, and they are very nice instruments.
Generally, get the best scope you can afford, and "give till it hurts". :)
My current scope is a TDS-420 4 channel DSO. It wasn't cheap, except in
relative terms, but it's my main tool for earning a living, and I wouldn't
want to work with less.
Depending on what you want to do with it, you might be ok with a 100 or even
60 MHz non-storage analog scope. You want the bandwidth to be >> the
frequency you'll be working at. Assuming 11M applications, I'd say 60 would
be marginal, 100 definitely better.
Also, GET GOOD PROBES! I just re-probed at Dayton this year, I think I
spent $800 or so on probes. I got two sets of very nice probes (8 probes
total) plus a set of lesser quality "everyday" probes that I use when I'm
not really pushing the limits. Save the good ones for when it matters.
Some old BNC cable with clipleads will work at audio, but you wouldn't want
to debug a switching power supply with it!
John Miles
g...@webhideout.com says...
My guess is that the 8569b would be a very passable unit. Its specs
seem competitive with an optioned-out Tek 492 in most respects, except
that it only goes down to 10 MHz (perhaps there's an underrange
capability that lets it see lower frequencies?) That might be a concern
if you're going to be using it mostly for HF work.
I see that there's some modern GPIB software for it at www.febo.com,
which is VERY good to have. (I've written my own for the Tek 49x
analyzers, but it's never been tested on the HP jobs.)
But since I've never actually played with an 8560-series model, I can't
speak with any authority. Maybe someone who owns one will pipe up.
The 141Ts at Tucker seem like a pretty good deal. I believe they all
come with new CRTs. I personally like to buy broken models on eBay and
fix them up. It's cheaper, you get really familiar with the gear inside
and out, and you always have spare parts on hand. But that strategy
isn't for everybody.
Ed Price
"John Miles" <jmi...@pop.removethistomailme.net> wrote in message
news:MPG.1a1f6f2ab...@news-central.giganews.com...
> In article <235a74db.03111...@posting.google.com>,
> g...@webhideout.com says...
> > johnm <jmi...@pop.removethistomailme.net> wrote in message
news:<MPG.1a1f0b5db...@news-central.giganews.com>...
> > > > what is a good spectrum analyzer to have for a home shop in your
> > > > opinion, and also what is a good scope to have and do you have to
> > > > break the bank on this stuff? thanks.
SNIP
> > how about a 8569b ? some guy has one on ebay now for about
> > $3,000.00......i might pull the trigger on that one.....I would be
> > using it for hf work. I was considering a 141t from tucker . it cost
> > more but at least you know it works. i was going to get the 8552b and
> > 8553b plugins with it. then you have to round up the connecting cables
> > and manuals for them. comments? oh by the way i have read good things
> > about the hp 8569b's. if they work.
>
> My guess is that the 8569b would be a very passable unit. Its specs
> seem competitive with an optioned-out Tek 492 in most respects, except
> that it only goes down to 10 MHz (perhaps there's an underrange
> capability that lets it see lower frequencies?) That might be a concern
> if you're going to be using it mostly for HF work.
SNIP
> The 141Ts at Tucker seem like a pretty good deal. I believe they all
> come with new CRTs. I personally like to buy broken models on eBay and
> fix them up. It's cheaper, you get really familiar with the gear inside
> and out, and you always have spare parts on hand. But that strategy
> isn't for everybody.
>
> -- jm
As I have HP-141's, an HP-8569, an 8566B and an 8562A, let me drop a few
comments here.
The 141's are the best deal for a hobbyist. You can acquire the slightly
better 8552B IF section, and then get only the RF plug-in that suits your
needs (an 8556, with it's built-in tracking generator, for a few Hz to 300
kHz, or an 8555, for 10 MHz through umpteen GHz, assuming you also get the
external mixers). Unfortunately, by the time a hobbyist gets one of these,
it has been abused and neglected by its last commercial owner. CRT burns are
common, and the flood-gun analog memory may be very quirky. For an advanced
hobbyist, either get an associated Polaroid scope camera, or build your own
camera hood. You can capture a lot of transient things that way, and you can
scan the pixs to input into your computer. Also, HP made a line of
oscilloscope plug-ins that fit the 141 mainframe, so you can use the 141 as
a multi-channel analog memory oscilloscope too. 141's are a pain in two
ways; first, you have to externally store extra plug-ins, and secondly, the
hard side handles make carrying one a painful experience beyond about 50
feet. Also, you tend to injure your fingertips sliding those bulky plug-ins
in and out past the big metal front handles. The 141 may also be the last of
the hobbyist repairable analyzers; newer analyzers use proprietary chips and
are built too dense to let you get fingers and probes into them.
The 8562A is old (1987) but a superb analyzer, 1 kHz to 18 GHz, all digital
and synthesized. This will do everything you want, except drive a parallel
or RS-232 printer directly. If you're smart enough to talk to it by
IEEE-488, then you can do everything through the computer. Other 856x series
units have lesser capabilities, but are still great analyzers, and just
might be priced low enough for a very serious hobbyist. Also, the HP-859x
series are very good, although some have odd frequency, memory and IO
capabilities. All 856x & 859x series units are one-man portables, until your
knuckles turn white and numb.
The 8569 is, in my opinion, a transitional beast between the analog and
digital worlds. It's not as stable and simple as the 8562A, although it's a
leap above the 141. Since it's wide, it's also awkward to carry using it's
handle. I'm not much of a fan of the 8569.
The 8566B is HP's top-of-the-line analyzer. They threw down the benchmark
for everyone else to try to meet. Mine is customized a bit, covering 20 Hz
to 22 GHz, and with an external tracking pre-selector, optional detectors,
programmable attenuators, RF path switching and low-noise pre-amps. My
company has a number of somewhat more plain-vanilla 8566B's and 8566A's.
There isn't anything I need to do that these units fall short of (uhh, with
the help of some external IEEE-488 linked computers). OTOH, these are now
obsolete, non-supported by Agilent, and need two guys to carry one. Mine is
in a 60" tall dedicated rack. Typical used price is around $20k.
Most companies will be better served with one of Agilent's newer EPA or SPA
analyzers. Anritsu and Rohde & Schwartz are also making fine analyzers.
IIRC, Leader makes an analyzer that a hobbyist may aspire to affording.
I would say that a 141 is still the best hobbyist choice. A company needs to
be sure that they get a usable item for their money, so buying on eBay is a
gamble. A company should buy from some place like Tucker, where they get a
warranty backed by a reputable source. Yeah, it initially costs more. But
it's a lot safer than having to try to repair an analyzer when you need that
analyzer to do the real work of your company. A hobbyist can afford to spend
50 to 100 hours to get something going; in a business environment, where the
clock is always ticking, that's unacceptable.
Ed
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