Decent ic test equipment suggestions?

[Jesset1996.5]

So i have to test some ic's ,transistors and mosfets. I already have a scope and a benchtop multimeter but i need something that can test components.  For the transistor and mosfet tester i plan on getting a cheep one since its a very simple test. But as for the ic tester i need help. Are they worth it? Im not looking to spend 1k on one, im a college student so thats not an option. Any suggestions? Im mostly testing ic's that are about 40years old, the ones in cans. I will occasionally test new ones though.

[ataradov]

Why do you want to use 40 year old ICs? Common logic is pretty cheap, it is just not worth messing with oxidized pins. Spend your money on new parts and you won't need a tester.

[Jesset1996.5]

I cant do that.  The 40 year old ic's belong to an old radio.  I cant simply replace them with newer ic's.  Id have to rework the whole circuit which is not an option. I just need something to test them so i can figure out what the problem is.

[iampoor]

Cheap Commercial "IC testers" usually only check jellybean logic parts IIRC?

[ataradov]

There is no generic way to test an arbitrary IC. There are (were?) testers for common logic (74xxx series). Those ICs have not changes since the time they've been conceived.

[vk6zgo]

You can test transistors & FETS with your multimeter.
If the ICs are digital & have multiple gates you can compare each gate with all the others.
If one is low resistance,that gate is faulty---fairly common with old ICs.

Or you can set the ICs up on a breadboard or whatever--apply inputs & look at the outputs with your DMM or Oscilloscope.
In most Electronics Workshops,the Transistor Tester languished in the back of the Equipment cupboard,never seeing the light of day.

You say "an old radio"---what kind of radio?

[Jesset1996.5]

Its a prc 320.  I have track down almost every ic in the radio. The problem seems to reside somewhere in unit 6.  Ive tested everything in it but the ic's.

[ataradov]

What IC types does this unit have? If it is something actually radio-related, then it will be extremely hard to test them outside of the actual circuit. It is better to have the thing powered and poke around with the scope under normal operating conditions.

[Jesset1996.5]

From what i know they are not radio ic's. Ther multipurpose. They are used to generate different waveforms. Some are used to activate relays and whatnot. There basic ic's to my knowledge.  Nothing special! The radio and transfer work its the acg line that has an issue.  The acg line has many ic's that amplify signals switch filters and whatnot. 

[ataradov]

Do you have actual part numbers?

[iampoor]

From what i know they are not radio ic's. Ther multipurpose. They are used to generate different waveforms. Some are used to activate relays and whatnot. There basic ic's to my knowledge.  Nothing special! The radio and transfer work its the acg line that has an issue.  The acg line has many ic's that amplify signals switch filters and whatnot.

You need part numbers. None of this information helps.

[iampoor]

No.  Unfortunately there on my computer at home. I do know one of them is a cn589t and a CN593f

Then wait till you get home and update us. 

[vk6zgo]

cn589t is a AM/SSB demodulator circuit,so it is an analog device.----there are similar commercial devices still available.
From what I can see,CN593f is a digital device which had a number of simple logic gates internally,so you could probably make something up on a 'piggyback" board to do the same job.

You need to spend quite some time on the circuit diagrams & descriptions,to make sure you are looking in the right places for signals.
I would also suggest to email some of the groups devoted to these radios.
They may well have some ideas on the possible fault,&/or have ideas on replacement parts.

[vk6zgo]

But wait!
There's more!!
Here's the Yahoo Group.

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/prc320/info

[PA4TIM]

I have a lot of component testgear. Started as hobby but since I repair test gear for a living it is often very handy. For logic IC's I use the USB-MiniPro-TL866CS. A very handy thing that can test logic IC's.
I also use for making firmware backups, programming Arduino sketches in a ATMEGA328 etc. Also made an opamp tester (go/nogo), and an opamp parameter tester.

Besides that some other IC testers:  optocoupler tester, 78xx and 79xx tester,

For non-IC components I made things like a small currentsource (30V and 3 to 25mA) to test zeners and leds. A saturation tester for smps inductors, a smps transformer tester. For passive components I have a curvetracer and two component testers (a VU-data huntron clone and a home made one that connects to a function generator for higher frequency tests.

Some  are just fixtures/test jigs that I can connect easy to other gear. That saves time and a lot of hassle with testleads that won't stay in place. For instance, an opto tester is made from headers to insert several type opto's, a small potentiometer, 2 pins for a powersupply two resistors and a led. Turn the pot and the result is the led going from off upto bright.

Also a whole battery of GR-bridges and some LCR meters, a few ESR meters. A small collection of transistor testers (including this beauty in it's original box including all papers. I only miss the backpanel from the battery compartment)

When I need to test components I often make a little test fixture for it. I also make notes for how to use it (like where to connect power, how to set and connect other gear etc, this because they are often very basic and made from a small piece of raw pcb-material with just some pins and sockets.

Also made a breadboard-like universal fixtures. It has several male/female headers and IC sockets parallel, a few "loops" to connect a currentprobe, some bananasockets, 2 bnc's and it is split in two. So one input and an output.

Just make what you need when you need one.