Hitachi analog scope

[kaptain_zero]

It's funny how things go sometimes.

This morning, while attending the usual Saturday morning coffee meet of local ham radio operators, I was presented with a used Hitachi V-1065A 100MHz by a fellow ham who knew I was looking for an old scope. I have no idea where this scope ranks in the analog scope world, but it has two channels, no burn in on the screen that I can see and it powers up with a delightful self test that ends with all being OK. Being a 100MHz scope, it would appear that it's not a basic model.

One of the hams at the coffee meet who used to work as an electronics tech, said it's a nice scope and it's easy to use.....  Me... I'll have to grab the manual that starts with the sentence:

Step one: Sit down.

I don't think I'll be as bored as I usually am when the temperatures plummet into the -30/40C range this winter. 

Regards

Christian 

 

[tekfan]

Looks like a very nice scope indeed. It seems it is a microprocessor controlled analog scope. Readouts, cursors, dual delayed time bases, the whole lot.

[kaptain_zero]

Thanks for the kind words.... Now, if only I could get this thing to make coffee.... I'd have something to drink! 

I've been looking at the book of words, dug out my 87V and checked the probes, they are 10x but not switchable to 1x. I'm not sure if that's an issue for me at the moment, I rather suspect not. There is this little button on the side of the probes marked REF and the ol' 87V sez it shorts the probe to the ground wire. I assume that is a simple way of grounding the probe to set 0V on the screen? I only ask because I could not find reference to it in the manual.

(Spoken in the voice of Carnac the Magnificent, but the words are mine...)  Q:"Why do I smell smoke?"  A:"Just so I have this straight, I connect + to - and run everything else to ground, right?"

Regards

Christian
 

[Kiriakos-GR]

Congrats about the Hitachi scope.. 

I am seeking locally for something similar, but I had no luck so far.
I am looking for a used Hameg mostly because there is a better supply of spare parts in EU.

Will we see any pictures from your Hitachi ?

[tekfan]

I've been looking at the book of words, dug out my 87V and checked the probes, they are 10x but not switchable to 1x. I'm not sure if that's an issue for me at the moment, I rather suspect not. There is this little button on the side of the probes marked REF and the ol' 87V sez it shorts the probe to the ground wire. I assume that is a simple way of grounding the probe to set 0V on the screen? I only ask because I could not find reference to it in the manual.

Unless you need to measure low level low frequency signals a 10x probe is all you need. The REF button is exactly for that purpouse.

[Zero999]

You can make your own 1x probe from coaxial cable and BNC connectors. A 1x probe is useful because you can get 10 times the gain which is useful for audio. The only thing to bear in mind is that an uncompensated probe is no use over a few 100kHz.

[alm]

Capacitive loading will be huge, however. Even for audio. A two meter piece of RG-58 will have a capacitance of about 200pF, its impedance at 10kHz is only 80kohm. At 1MHz, it's 800ohm.

One solution is to terminate the cable in its characteristic impedance and make it a resistive probe, but then you have to deal with the low DC resistance. especially without divider.

[w2aew]

Thanks for the kind words.... Now, if only I could get this thing to make coffee.... I'd have something to drink! 

I've been looking at the book of words, dug out my 87V and checked the probes, they are 10x but not switchable to 1x. I'm not sure if that's an issue for me at the moment, I rather suspect not. There is this little button on the side of the probes marked REF and the ol' 87V sez it shorts the probe to the ground wire. I assume that is a simple way of grounding the probe to set 0V on the screen? I only ask because I could not find reference to it in the manual.

Be sure to check out the videos that are linked in the "stickied" thread at the top of the Beginners section on Oscilloscope operation and other scope topics.  There's a LONG 2+hr video that takes you soup-to-nuts on analog scope, as well as a number of shorter topic videos from my YouTube channel that cover a bunch of basic scope topics (including 1X and 10X probes). Congrats on the new scope!  My YouTube Channel is:

https://www.youtube.com/w2aew

(There's some ham radio and other videos there too...)

[kaptain_zero]

Thanks,

Alan, it's your videos fault that I started looking for a scope in the first place! 

I'm sure the XYL will be all too miffed at me spending so much time with my new "toy" and staring at "stupid, boring videos about electronics" instead of painting the house and keeping her company as she watches her favorite horror movies on the toob. <sigh>

Be sure to check out the videos that are linked in the "stickied" thread at the top of the Beginners section on Oscilloscope operation and other scope topics.  There's a LONG 2+hr video that takes you soup-to-nuts on analog scope, as well as a number of shorter topic videos from my YouTube channel that cover a bunch of basic scope topics (including 1X and 10X probes). Congrats on the new scope!  My YouTube Channel is:

https://www.youtube.com/w2aew

(There's some ham radio and other videos there too...)

Tekfan,

Thank you for the confirmation regarding not only not normally needed a 1x probe as well as that REF button....

Kiriakos,
 
Yes, I will try to post a picture or two... as soon as I can find my bench!  I've gotten it down to a 15 cm layer now.... I can almost see the surface between the books, printed manual pages, projects, tools, solder, chargers, power supplies and I don't even know what else....  I am NOT a tidy person when in my own workshop... When at the paying job, woe be him/her that messes up my work desk!

Hero999 and Alm, thanks for pointing out the home brew possibility and the inherent issues that come with it....  There's always some RG-174 and RG-58 coax and BNC connectors kicking around, so if I need it.... it's there. 

Well... back to bulldozing the bench top.... I'll find it yet!

Regards and 73 (morse code shorthand for "best wishes") de

Chris VE4SET/VE4GAT aka

Kaptain" Waddayamean you want me to paint the living room, THIS YEAR?!?!" Zero

[EEVblog]

Hitachi used to make excellent analog scopes.
You scored well indeed.
I don't particularly like the toggle button for the timebase on this one though, but otherwise a nice layout.

Dave.

[w2aew]

Alan, it's your videos fault that I started looking for a scope in the first place! 

I'm sure the XYL will be all too miffed at me spending so much time with my new "toy" and staring at "stupid, boring videos about electronics" instead of painting the house and keeping her company as she watches her favorite horror movies on the toob. <sigh>

Yikes!  At least I'm too far away for her to throw rocks at me!

You could always remind her to be glad you're not at the pub chasing women!

[kaptain_zero]

Yikes!  At least I'm too far away for her to throw rocks at me!

Not to worry, she never blames anyone else for my shortcomings!

You could always remind her to be glad you're not at the pub chasing women!

I think there are days when she might just prefer that.... Come to think of it, I've offered to introduce her to a few chaps I don't much care for......... alas, she always declines.....<sigh>.

I have to admit though... it really is me.... I don't just have one hobby..... I have half a dozen or more and I keep hopping from one thing to the next... when I get bored. Electronics is one of the standby's together with Amateur Radio, Photography, Woodworking, Metal Working, Motorcycles, Model Airplanes (RC and Line control) and of course Computers! The rest are just temporary distractions.....

Getting a grip on an Oscilloscope is one of my "bucket list" things to do... Now I have one and all that's left is to wrap my brain around it.  Thanks again for those videos, you make it easy to understand and follow, just like Dave and his videos, which I also find informative, thought provoking and sometimes annoyingly funny! 

Christian