Vintage Test Equipment - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: inteljoe
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2015, 08:49:35 pm
content: This is NOT a for sale or trade post.I wanted to share some of the vintage electronics test equipment I've collected and sourced locally.Each piece was had for only $10 each (a damn good deal).The meters and scope work, though they need to be calibrated. The trace on the scope is still very clear and strong, but the CRT tube takes time to warm up. I have not tested the signal equipment yet (I'm not confident of the ancient 2-prong plugs and cords). Overall, they are in good condition, no obvious abuse and only show their age, with very little to no damage.I have plans to take each piece apart, replace any faulty components if possible (busted caps, for example), clean everything and reassemble it. Basically a semi-restoration. Not sure if I will ever use most of it besides the meters and scope, but I still find it fascinating and interesting to explore their designs and circuitry.If anyone has interest in these, upon request, I can take pictures of the internals when I open them up, and possible also share a before and after.Fluke Model 8800A:Data Precision Model 2480R:EICO Model 147A:Tektronix Model T921:Heathkit Model AG-8Bliley Electric Co. Model No. 1A:Heathkit Model AG-10:...

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2015, 09:37:48 pm
content: Nice start, those will keep you busy, but it is fun.The Tek looks from the era when they acquired UK Telequipment.

author: TimFox
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2015, 09:54:42 pm
content: Yes, Tektronix sold the Telequipment CROs with the "T" prefix.

author: inteljoe
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2015, 10:52:43 pm
content: Quote from: TimFox on June 01, 2015, 09:54:42 pmI did not know that. I have not had a chance to research each piece of equipment yet.The only thing I know for sure if they range from the 1940's and up, with the most recent being the multimeters (being digital obviously). It would be cool to get a more exact date range for each piece.

author: kc9qix
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 01, 2015, 11:27:52 pm
content: 1976 to 1981 on the scope.http://w140.com/tekwiki/wiki/T921

author: inteljoe
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2015, 12:36:25 pm
content: Quote from: kc9qix on June 01, 2015, 11:27:52 pmVery cool. That is older than I am.I'm curious to about the other equipment. Aside from the meter's, I'm sure the rest of it is pre-1970's without a doubt.Just need the time to research it and get to work tearing these things apart.

author: PaulAm
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2015, 12:55:12 pm
content: The DMMs are mid 70s, at least the Fluke is. If those are LED displays on the data precision, then it is too. LED displays did not exist in the 60s..I'd guess late 60s to early 70s on the other gear.

author: mojoe
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2015, 07:45:35 pm
content: That Bliley oscillator is from the 1950's. I had one, but traded it off. If you Google, you will find quite a bit of information on the Bliley. BTW, Bliley is still in business.That oscillator was used for doing alignments on what are now vintage AM radios. Pre-WW2 radios used several different IF frequencies, which is why the Bliley has such odd frequencies. Eventually, everyone standardized on 455 KHz.

author: mojoe
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2015, 07:51:19 pm
content: One other thing about the Bliley. The audio and RF output connectors are the old style microphone connecters that were commonly used on many similar pieces of test gear by Eico, Heathkit, Knightkit, etc. If you have the matching cables, great. If not, those mic connectors often show up at Hamfests and other swapmeets. If you don't want to keep the Bliley in original condition, some folks replaced those mic connectors with BNC.

author: inteljoe
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2015, 11:10:02 pm
content: Thanks for the information!It's great to learn some of the information and history of these pieces, as I know little or nothing about them.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2015, 11:20:36 pm
content: Quote from: tautech on June 01, 2015, 09:37:48 pmThe T921 is from Tek in the US. The Telequipment models are completely different. I expect political infighting keep two separate lines of lower cost scopes alive. I think they made the T921 at multiple locations, including their Channel Islands plant. There were two channel and storage scope variants of the T921.

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2015, 11:30:51 pm
content: Quote from: inteljoe on June 01, 2015, 08:49:35 pmI do the same thing here. I get 'em off Ebay for a good price, and recondition them. Most of them end up working just fine. If you want a good basic volt/ohm/current meter on your bench some of these are really good bargains and have that cool retro look.

author: PaulAm
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2015, 12:22:07 am
content: On the older vacuum tube equipment, you'll probably need to replace all the paper capacitors as well as the electrolytics. Check the resistors too. Unless they were precision, they were probably 20% tolerance and may have drifted beyond that.The Heathkit and Eico may have been kits, so there is a very real possibility they weren't assembled correctly and never worked. See if you can find the manuals on those and verify they were constructed correctly. Some of them were also constructed by people with little or no skill, so you may get a surprise (good or bad) )when you open them

author: inteljoe
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2015, 08:28:04 pm
content: Here is another piece I picked up yesterday locally for $25...HP 3311A function generatorThis picture is after I broke it all down, cleaned the panels and case, and then put it back together...The inside is in perfect condition, nothing obvious and required essentially no cleaning...It works... Here is a picture of oscilloscope hooked up to the 3311A displaying a random waveform... It's only a few Hz off, and for my purposes it is more than adequate.