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Old 3rd Aug 2009, 7:09 pm   #1
PJL
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Default Polyskop III - any info in English?

Occassionally I put a low bid on stuff that looks interesting and today I became (will become when I collect it) the proud owner of a Polyskop III - whatever that might be.

It wasn't a completely blind decision as I found the German manual for the II on BAMA and concluded it was Rhode and Schwartz attempt to build the world's largest and heaviest wobbulator?

Anyone have any experience of using this? Is it any use at all for radio work? Does anyone have a service manual in English?
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Old 3rd Aug 2009, 7:12 pm   #2
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Default Re: Polyskop III - any info in English?

I've used a Videoskop many years ago. Think low frequency version of a Polyskop. ISTR it was a pretty good machine but don't try to lift it unless you've eaten your spinach. From the Rhode & Schwartz iron and steel foundry
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Old 3rd Aug 2009, 8:16 pm   #3
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Default Re: Polyskop III - any info in English?

43Kg of iron and steel apparantly. It is a non-worker I think, covered in spiders webs but it was only a couple of pints. I have found the two channel (this ones 4) version here http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/rohde_p...ob_bn4247.html but a web search does not bring up an English manual. 100KHz to 1250MHz range suggests it should be pretty usefull if I can get it to work.
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Old 4th Aug 2009, 8:54 am   #4
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Default Re: Polyskop III - any info in English?

Quote:
Originally Posted by PJL View Post
Occassionally I put a low bid on stuff that looks interesting and today I became (will become when I collect it) the proud owner of a Polyskop III - whatever that might be.
We had a Pollywobble for many years at work - until the split between (what was then) Crown Castle and Merlin. I think the Crown Castle lot claimed it as an asset, and took it off site. I only used it once, but I shall have a look around and see if there's any info lying about. If there is (don't hold your breath) I'll let you know.

A grand doorstop!
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Old 4th Aug 2009, 10:25 am   #5
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Default Re: Polyskop III - any info in English?

I downloaded the manual from BAMA as I was interested in the thing as well but it was too far to drive & collect. Good news is that there is an English version at the back of the manual see P95 on.

Hope you get it working.

Phil
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Old 4th Aug 2009, 4:59 pm   #6
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Default Re: Polyskop III - any info in English?

So there is...thanks Phil. The III looks quite a bit later in design (70's?) and I suspect is all transistor. I have found an English datasheet on the IV but only German documentation for the III and it cost about 5 times the price of the Polyskop!

If I can get it going it looks like fun for aligning FM and you could sweep the an entire radio waveband which could reveal interesting results on a radio.
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Old 4th Aug 2009, 10:39 pm   #7
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Default Re: Polyskop III - any info in English?

Unless the Polyskop III is rather more sophisticated than the II, you can't use it as a swept receiver- it will have a swept oscillator synchronised with the horizontal deflection on the display with a broadband detector input for the vertical deflection.

Used a SWOB II many years ago for setting up filters at Racal- definitely a very useful piece of kit and just as definitely a "two-man lift"

Chris
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Old 4th Aug 2009, 11:44 pm   #8
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Default Re: Polyskop III - any info in English?

Hi Chris, I was thinking it would be interesting to see how bad image rejection is and how the gain varies by frequency. I might get over to pick it up tomorrow and see whether it's serviceable..
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Old 5th Aug 2009, 8:01 am   #9
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Default Re: Polyskop III - any info in English?

It should be useful for that, but the biggest problem might be checking whether the output and detector level and gain are constant, or at least complement each other if you want to use it for wide frequency sweeps.

I would think for image rejection measurements, a sig gen and RF mV meter would be better.......

Chris
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Old 6th Aug 2009, 9:14 am   #10
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Default Re: Polyskop III - any info in English?

I have picked it up and it is 0.1MHz to 1000MHz and has two differential input amps and 2 50ohm amps. I also found a spec and the output level is supposed to vary less than 0.05dB/MHz and 1dB from 0.1-1000MHz. It's all transistor, uses varactors, and the display is about the size of a portable telly!
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Old 6th Aug 2009, 10:15 am   #11
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Default Re: Polyskop III - any info in English?

Is it a scalar thing or has it any vector abilities? How big is it overall?

I once looked at a picture of the earlier Polyskop and thought it looked like a nice little unit, maybe about this size of a Tek 465.

Then I checked the scale and realised it was the size of two Tek 500 series scopes side by side - and with a weight to match
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Old 6th Aug 2009, 10:28 am   #12
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Default Re: Polyskop III - any info in English?

AFAIK the Polyskops are scalar analysers. Willing to be proven wrong.

I think the R&S Polyskop/Videoskop really defines the term "boatanchor" in the professional testgear field. Maybe with the exception of the Tek 555 true dual beam scope. Picture here: http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~postr/MRT/Spring09.htm which doesn't show the external PSU which is about 2/3 the size of the scope itself.
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Old 6th Aug 2009, 11:57 am   #13
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Default Re: Polyskop III - any info in English?

This is the 'all new' version III which is silicon transistor so is probably from the mid 70's? The predecessors were stacked with valves so must have weighed a ton. I have found a datasheet in German here http://www.classicbroadcast.de/downl...ohde_SWOB3.pdf. The screen is enormous which gives the illusion of a smaller size. It was from the clearance of a defunct broadcast equipment company most of which was sold years ago - there were a few odd items leftover.

It was very dusty and there is tarnishing and some spots on the framework so I will probably be spending a weekend cleaning all the internal connectors to get it going. That said, it looks serviceable assuming the tube is OK.

GMB, if it goes your more than welcome to borrow it if you want a play.
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Old 6th Aug 2009, 12:11 pm   #14
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Default Re: Polyskop III - any info in English?

Quote:
Originally Posted by ppppenguin View Post
I think the R&S Polyskop/Videoskop really defines the term "boatanchor" in the professional testgear field.
With the possible exception of the Farnell H60/50 PSU and similar H-P beasts

Chris
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Old 6th Aug 2009, 1:16 pm   #15
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Default Re: Polyskop III - any info in English?

Your all just jealous . The sweep oscillator(s) is reasonably compact given the range, accuracy, and precision 70dB attenuater. The display unit is another matter - clearly designed for the near blind or for reading at distances of 100 meters.
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Old 6th Aug 2009, 3:40 pm   #16
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Default Re: Polyskop III - any info in English?

*** HELP *** anyone know what the value of a M0.63C/250 fuse might be? Is it going to be 0.63Amps?

The sweep is working and the screen is working but all I get is a vertical line moving across the screen. A fuse is gone on the LT so nothing much else doing.

I am not sure I am going to be able to get this to work without a circuit diagram. It must be chopped as it's four channel so I would guess the vertical line suggests a problem there.

Last edited by PJL; 6th Aug 2009 at 3:53 pm.
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Old 6th Aug 2009, 7:48 pm   #17
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Default Re: Polyskop III - any info in English?

It has seen some damp which has caused damage to a couple of presets on a PSU board and the 8 leaded active devices are marked only with an S.

So it's heading to the loft whilst I look for a service manual with at least the PSU voltages (German or otherwise). All in all it looks serviceable as most of the important boards, coils and attenuater are sealed, and the display and ramp generator which were also exposed seem to be working. It's all plug and play PCB's/modules so I will strip it down so I can clean the grime off and replace any suspect electrolytics etc.
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Old 9th Aug 2009, 12:49 am   #18
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Default Re: Polyskop III - any info in English?

Give us a shout if you need a lift with it. Would be interested to se it working.
Rob.
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Old 12th Dec 2009, 2:13 am   #19
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Default Re: Polyskop III - any info in English?

Quote:
anyone know what the value of a M0.63C/250 fuse might be? Is it going to be 0.63Amps?
Yes, it's 0.63 amps 250V and middle blow (not slow, not fast)

Peter
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Old 3rd Mar 2010, 8:05 pm   #20
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Default Re: Polyskop III - any info in English?

Hello PJL,

I'm very interested in this unit. Can you pls confirm it can be used for FM tuners alignment ?

Best regards

Stelios
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