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Vintage Test Gear and Workshop Equipment For discussions about vintage test gear and workshop equipment such as coil winders. |
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18th Mar 2019, 7:58 pm | #1 |
Hexode
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Aberystwyth, Wales, UK.
Posts: 358
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Spectrum Analyser
Managed to pick up an HP8557A Spectrum Analyser with an HP184A display unit at Wythall Radio Rally for a very reasonable price, I was assured by the seller it was working but was unable to try it. Upon getting home I have had a play with it and it appears to be in excellent working order. It even came with the manual for the 8557A plugin. The plugin does not have a probe power socket fitted but a much more useful local oscillator output, I hope to use this output to feed a crude homemade tracking generator.
Dave GW7ONS |
18th Mar 2019, 8:09 pm | #2 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: London, UK.
Posts: 3,687
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Re: Spectrum Analyser
That's a pretty good win. I don't think anything I've got from a radio rally has worked even if assured. A lot of the time it tends to explode after a couple of minutes
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18th Mar 2019, 9:32 pm | #3 |
Octode
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Dorridge, West Midlands, UK.
Posts: 1,483
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Re: Spectrum Analyser
Its always the RIFAs that get you!
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19th Mar 2019, 9:59 am | #4 |
Nonode
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Dukinfield, Cheshire, UK.
Posts: 2,037
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Re: Spectrum Analyser
A lovely scope. I used to have a 180 years ago and the quality of the display was second to none - bright, sharp as a pin and easily visible at even the highest speeds. I think HP used one of their posh tubes in it.
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Andy G1HBE. |
19th Mar 2019, 10:59 am | #5 |
Heptode
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Bromley, London, UK.
Posts: 702
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Re: Spectrum Analyser
Odd, I thought I had posted a reply just now, but it's not showing. Anyway the gist was that the HP184A mainframe is a storage version of the 180 series of 'scopes. So, I hope yours is not suffering from screen burn due to the brightness being turned up too much in 'normal' mode. The display should really always be used in storage or variable persistence modes. There have been previous threads on the 184A and how it should be driven by others more qualified than me. You can get some nice plug-ins for the mainframe as well - anything up to 100MHz, 4-channel Y amps and corresponding dual timebases.
I expect the carrying handle has broken as the plastic hardened. It may have been replaced by one with an internal steel strap if you are lucky. Mike |
19th Mar 2019, 1:03 pm | #6 | |
Rest in Peace
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Chard, South Somerset, UK.
Posts: 7,457
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Re: Spectrum Analyser
Quote:
Al. |
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19th Mar 2019, 1:21 pm | #7 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: London, UK.
Posts: 3,687
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Re: Spectrum Analyser
Wasn't it the same tubes as the 1740 series as well?
I had a 1740 for a while and that was rather nice, apart from the flood gun illumination. I couldn't get on with that. |
19th Mar 2019, 1:50 pm | #8 |
Hexode
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Aberystwyth, Wales, UK.
Posts: 358
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Re: Spectrum Analyser
The tube appears fine and you're right Mike the handle is broken.
Dave GW7 ONS |
23rd Mar 2019, 10:53 pm | #9 |
Heptode
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Wellington, New Zealand.
Posts: 653
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Re: Spectrum Analyser
Great - if I had a cent for every time I was assured an item was working despite not being able to try it, I'd be laughing. So it's nice to know the assurance is not always false. Mind you part of the fun is getting it going regardless.
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24th Mar 2019, 12:26 am | #10 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: London, UK.
Posts: 3,687
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Re: Spectrum Analyser
It’s ok until you’ve got four broken ham fest Tektronix scopes in the cupboard and no time to do anything about it
I may have to pass these on at some point. |
24th Mar 2019, 3:54 am | #11 |
Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
Posts: 22,876
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Re: Spectrum Analyser
You can get sampling scope plug-ins to 1GHz and beyond.
a TDR. There's even a logic analyser. David
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Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done |
24th Mar 2019, 11:51 am | #12 |
Heptode
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Bromley, London, UK.
Posts: 702
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Re: Spectrum Analyser
Yes I forgot the sampling plug-ins, although they are pretty rare. I have got the logic analyser plug-in (1601A). It's very basic - 12 bit and only able to display 1s and 0s, not octal or hex. The probes are the most fragile bit as usual.
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