Home lab suggestions?

[Ken Smith]

You phase lock the WWV signal to a 10 MHz TCXO to filter out the
noise.

Yes, this works well as a permanent or semi permanent system. The ease I
was refering to is that you don't need to construct anything to do it with
and existing radio.

[....]

I had to zero the 10 MHz TCXOs to our in house, GPS derived 10 MHz
frequency standard for the Microdyne RCB-2000 series receivers. I did
it with a Tek 1465 four channel scope.

That sounds like overkill. Any cheap 2 channel scope would have done the
job. One nice thing about the method is that it seems very natural to tune
something to make a scope picture hold still. It is easier than looking
at a number while tuning.

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

You phase lock the WWV signal to a 10 MHz TCXO to filter out the
noise.

Yes, this works well as a permanent or semi permanent system. The ease I
was refering to is that you don't need to construct anything to do it with
and existing radio.

[....]

I had to zero the 10 MHz TCXOs to our in house, GPS derived 10 MHz
frequency standard for the Microdyne RCB-2000 series receivers. I did
it with a Tek 1465 four channel scope.

That sounds like overkill. Any cheap 2 channel scope would have done the
job. One nice thing about the method is that it seems very natural to tune
something to make a scope picture hold still. It is easier than looking
at a number while tuning.

That wasn't the only job that i did at my bench. The others required
at least three channels, and all the bandwidth available. I had the
best scope in the board and module test department.


--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

 

[joseph2k]

Not exactly "instruments" but you'll need some breadboards, good
lighting, probably a magnifier, complete set of hand tools, electric
drill (maybe a drill press), tin snips, chassis punches, etc. too
to actually build something.

Tim.

A word of caution on drill presses. Cost is no guarantee of quality. The
real test is: does it drill accurately sized holes both large and small?
It is a sure bet that it won't if you can check up a small bit and the bit
wobbles visibly.

 

[joseph2k]

Well, after raising two very fine daughters who both turned out to be
gifted in fuzzy subjects such as languages and history and bunk like
that, my son is showing signs of technical aptitude and interest.

Therefore, I'm putting together a lowish-budget home lab off ebay, with
an eye to doing some Jacob's ladders or Tesla coils or stuff like that
there, with maybe an electro-optical thing now and again, such as a
machine to detect deer and hit them with paintballs.

So far, I have:

Tek 475A 250 MHz scope with DMM;

2x HP 6286 20V, 10A power supplies;

1x HP 8013B 50 MHz pulser;

HP 400A AC Voltmeter;

Various Simpson meters and Fluke DVMs and such like.

Enough probes and test leads for now.

I already owned the DVM, but so far the rest have cost me about $400 all
told. Some of this stuff I had to get my second line manager's approval
on, when I bought it for work long ago! Nice old test equipment is
monstrous cheap.

I'm bidding on various HP universal counters and Exact function
generators, which I like. Haven't got enough dough for a spectrum
analyzer, unfortunately. Remaining budget is ~$400.

So which of your favourite old instruments have I forgotten?

Cheers,

Phil

Read the thread. I suggest jumping right into building kits. I did as a
kid with far far less. I don't have nearly that much now. Also, i would
look into USB based microcontroller and CPLD/FPGA experimenter kits. About
$100 for kit of each type.

 

[John Woodgate]

The real test is: does it drill accurately sized holes both large and
small? It is a sure bet that it won't if you can check up a small bit
and the bit wobbles visibly.

Yes, you need to check the chuck, Chuck, and if it's off-centre, chuck
it!

 

[krw]

Yes, you need to check the chuck, Chuck, and if it's off-centre, chuck
it!

Chuck, even a good chuck won't correct a crap spindle.

 

[richard mullens]

Well, after raising two very fine daughters who both turned out to be
gifted in fuzzy subjects such as languages and history and bunk like
that, my son is showing signs of technical aptitude and interest.

Therefore, I'm putting together a lowish-budget home lab off ebay, with
an eye to doing some Jacob's ladders or Tesla coils or stuff like that
there, with maybe an electro-optical thing now and again, such as a
machine to detect deer and hit them with paintballs.

So far, I have:

Tek 475A 250 MHz scope with DMM;

2x HP 6286 20V, 10A power supplies;

1x HP 8013B 50 MHz pulser;

HP 400A AC Voltmeter;

Various Simpson meters and Fluke DVMs and such like.

Enough probes and test leads for now.

I already owned the DVM, but so far the rest have cost me about $400 all
told. Some of this stuff I had to get my second line manager's approval
on, when I bought it for work long ago! Nice old test equipment is
monstrous cheap.

I'm bidding on various HP universal counters and Exact function
generators, which I like. Haven't got enough dough for a spectrum
analyzer, unfortunately. Remaining budget is ~$400.

So which of your favourite old instruments have I forgotten?

Cheers,

Phil

What about some chemicals and glassware. That can be fun too.

I was turned on to chemistry when my father mixed some vinegar and sodium carbonate.
Then you can do some electrolysis,
Make Hydrogen with zinc and HCl (add a small crystal of Copper sulphate)
add water to a mixture of Magnesium powder and Silver nitrate (Careful with this experiment - use very small quantities indeed)
Then of course there are more conventional things lke gumpowder.
Copper sulphate solution with a drop of ammonia is impressive too.

 

[Ken Smith]

Chuck, even a good chuck won't correct a crap spindle.

Don't use the same one for electronics as wood working. You what they say
about a wood chuck.

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

Don't use the same one for electronics as wood working. You what they say
about a wood chuck.

"How much wood would a wood chuck chuck, if a wood chuck could chuck
wood?"


--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

 

[RST Engineering \(jw\)]

Somehow the ham radio gear got left off of this list. Best way in the world
to get a hands-on feel for electronics.

Jim

 

[John Woodgate]

Somehow the ham radio gear got left off of this list. Best way in the world
to get a hands-on feel for electronics.

Nah. The boy will get a 'feel' for a nice YL on 2 metres and lose all
interest in electronics. (;-)

 

[RST Engineering \(jw\)]

Nah. The boy will get a 'feel' for a nice YL on 2 metres and lose all
interest in electronics. (;-)

I found a nice YL on 2m and made an XYL out of her {;-)


Jim

 

[Jim Thompson]

I found a nice YL on 2m and made an XYL out of her {;-)


Jim

;-) Amazing how time flies when you're having fun... my XYL will turn
65 on Saturday.

...Jim Thompson

 

[RST Engineering \(jw\)]

Or, as Kermit noted, time's fun when you're having flies. My XYL is KB9MII.
Yours got a ticket?

Jim
WX6RST (was, WB6BHI)

 

[Jim Thompson]

Or, as Kermit noted, time's fun when you're having flies. My XYL is KB9MII.
Yours got a ticket?

Not anymore. My ticket was K7ZAE but I let it lapse around 1970. I
can't remember what my wife's was.

Jim
WX6RST (was, WB6BHI)

...Jim Thompson

 

[RST Engineering \(jw\)]

I even remember my X-XYLs call. KC6QBV -- the Quiet Blonde Virgin. One out
of three ain't bad.

Jim

 

[Jim Thompson]

I even remember my X-XYLs call. KC6QBV -- the Quiet Blonde Virgin. One out
of three ain't bad.

Jim

I lucked out on the first try, been married for almost 47 years!

...Jim Thompson

 

[RST Engineering \(jw\)]

I did the first one for 25 years, just to see if I liked it. THis one is
now 10 going on forever.

Jim

 

[Joel Kolstad]

I lucked out on the first try, been married for almost 47 years!

Maybe she's just staying married with you for your money, Jim!

Just kidding.

 

[Jim Thompson]

Maybe she's just staying married with you for your money, Jim!

Just kidding.

For my charming personality ;-)

...Jim Thompson