List your test equipment "scores" here!

[Ice-Tea]

Just wondering.. what are you missing by not having a display? Seems easy enough to use the keys for most functions?

[nctnico]

Just wondering.. what are you missing by not having a display? Seems easy enough to use the keys for most functions?

Without the display you don't see what you are doing. For example: the SMIQ can do sweeps. I don't see how you can set these up with just the keys. And then there is self-calibration. How are you sure there are no self test errors?

[Ice-Tea]

I assume errors can be read through GPIB?

[nctnico]

I assume errors can be read through GPIB?

I don't know. If all is well your SMIQs should also have a serial port which might be easier to use. You can type commands using a terminal emulator (like Hyperterminal) on your PC. A common problem seems that the backup battery is flat which causes the SMIQ to lose the self adjustment values. In turn this can cause several other errors and weird behaviour.

[Ice-Tea]

Yeah, I have a SMIQ03 that probably has that issue. Might make a good test case to see if those problems can be read remotely.

[WackyGerman]

An Electronic Load from Ebay for 25 € plus shipping . Sold as unknown status but works fine after cleaning the board from solder splatter and some small mechanical issues . 

[Neomys Sapiens]

An Electronic Load from Ebay for 25 € plus shipping . Sold as unknown status but works fine after cleaning the board from solder splatter and some small mechanical issues . 

Deal of the month! Especially for an ET!

[bitseeker]

At least it wasn't in unknown status due to not providing power output.

[giovannirat]

Vision Mantis with a 6x and a 10x lens for 50€. 

[Ice-Tea]

I love those! Great score that!

[WackyGerman]

The seller didn t have the equipment for checking it so he sold it as unknown function .  Gool luck for me 

[0culus]

Very nice HP 8566A. My plan is to track down the parts I need to convert it into a B RF section.

[Neomys Sapiens]

Very nice HP 8566A. My plan is to track down the parts I need to convert it into a B RF section.

Whoa! Weight of TWO fully grown pigs?

[0culus]

Very nice HP 8566A. My plan is to track down the parts I need to convert it into a B RF section.

Whoa! Weight of TWO fully grown pigs?

About that.  I don't have a scale handy, but from a purely qualitative standpoint the 8566 RF section is MUCH heavier than the 8568 RF section.

[Berni]

Yeah the thing is hefty, i think i remember the thing being around 50 kg (110 lb) all together. So they had a very good reason to split it into two boxes, even just lifting half of it takes a good bit of effort.

The HP engineers that worked on it called it the "doomsday spectrum analyzer" and was for a good time among the highest performance spectrum analyzers in the world.

[xwarp]

Very nice HP 8566A. My plan is to track down the parts I need to convert it into a B RF section.

I've got an 8568b. Don't really use it for much over the FM band, but I am still on the lookout for an 8566 rf section.

[xwarp]

Local electronics supply store pick up. 43 dollars.....because I needed it less than I think.....

[Neomys Sapiens]

Now this 'Modulation Meter' makes sense to me. Opposed to, for example, the Marconi  TF 2304. How can a modulation meter be a untuned instrument? Modulation of what? Or is it supposed to be fed with one signal only, like a transmitter monitor? But for FM, it must still be told somehow where the carrier is!

[0culus]

Yeah the thing is hefty, i think i remember the thing being around 50 kg (110 lb) all together. So they had a very good reason to split it into two boxes, even just lifting half of it takes a good bit of effort.

The HP engineers that worked on it called it the "doomsday spectrum analyzer" and was for a good time among the highest performance spectrum analyzers in the world.

The 8568B system is 112 lbs I believe. The 8566A I just got...could be as much as 130 lbs. The RF section is definitely heavier than the 68B RF section.

Very nice HP 8566A. My plan is to track down the parts I need to convert it into a B RF section.

I've got an 8568b. Don't really use it for much over the FM band, but I am still on the lookout for an 8566 rf section.

Me neither at the moment...until I move I'm going to try to avoid digging into any serious projects. Makes band surveillance fun though. My plan eventually is to do ham work in the microwave bands, up to Ku band. Prices for connectors and things start to go up very fast above that.

[xwarp]

Yeah, I'm almost tempted to offer up for trade an 8591e for a working 8566b rf section.

The FM/AM modulation meter I posted above works. Had to track down a failure that prevented the "Set FM Cal" function from working. Turned out to be a bypass cap being shorted.

Now to bench the Tek 485 scope that just crapped out on me....

[bitseeker]

Local electronics supply store pick up. 43 dollars.....

Nice score!

because I needed it less than I think.....

also:  need < have < want 

[sambonator]

If they work this would be a nice score.
https://www.shopgoodwill.com/Item/64632129

[0culus]

Yeah, I'm almost tempted to offer up for trade an 8591e for a working 8566b rf section.

The FM/AM modulation meter I posted above works. Had to track down a failure that prevented the "Set FM Cal" function from working. Turned out to be a bypass cap being shorted.

Now to bench the Tek 485 scope that just crapped out on me....

That would be a good trade in terms of performance, but not portability. 

[xwarp]

The portability of the 8591 is a big reason I've not parted with it, but the "two is one and one is none" philosophy is the bigger reason.

[Neomys Sapiens]

It was a slow week in aquisitions. Especially regarding the ESVD fiasko.
But newly in: a Weston light sensor and a Electro-Metrics 'Electrostatic Probe' (E-field close range antenna).
And a spare for the Spitzzange (radio pliers) which I hold most dearly.