Got a lot of stuff for very cheap, including a frequency counter! - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: asgard20032
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2016, 02:06:12 pm
content: I just got a deal (getting the stuff tonight). A whole lab for 250$. It's a woman that is selling her husband (that died) electronic stuff, all his lab for 250$. In this lab, there is an hp frequency counter (don't know the exact model, but from the image, but it has this layout :http://www.atecorp.com/ATECorp/media/ProductImages/53132A-Agilent-Counters.jpg). So maybe not the sane nodele as the image, but the 100% exactly same button layout. On ebay, they cost between 600-200$ used, depending on which model. I was wondering what could I do with that device. I will know tonight what are the other item. There is also a cos6100 oscilloscope (5 channel, 100mhz, Japanese, don't remember the brand name). 4 big drawer compartment organizer, full of component.If that guy had a frequency counter, he surely also got other high frequency related stuff.

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2016, 02:14:21 pm
content: Hells yea - good buy!

author: RogerRowland
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2016, 02:21:56 pm
content: FFS, if the poor woman has just lost her husband, don't add insult to injury by ripping her off. Do the decent thing and pay her a decent price.

author: saturation
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2016, 02:25:32 pm
content: Maybe a 'ham radio' operator who has gone 'silent key'. COS is a highly rated Kikusui brand analog scope from the 1990s and 6100 is very popular among hams and still worth a lot. The scope alone is in the $250 range, used, enjoy.

author: asgard20032
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2016, 02:27:36 pm
content: Quote from: RogerRowland on June 09, 2016, 02:21:56 pmShe listed it at that price, and I don't even know if the stuff work. And I don't know, maybe its been a while she lost her husband, and she now try to do some cleanup. And she live very far from city, so I think she doesn't want to announce on ebay and do all the shipping. She just want someone to come and pick up the stuff. She live 2 hour from city.And the description of what come and not with the 250$ is pretty vague, she just said an hp device, and oscilloscope, lot of part... I needed to use a low quality picture to identify the scope and the frequency counter. (at first, i was searching for signal generator... but i found out after 30 min of search it was a counter.)

author: Stuartambient
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2016, 02:28:11 pm
content: Quote from: RogerRowland on June 09, 2016, 02:21:56 pmMany people in her situation are just glad to have stuff removed for whatever reason. Most likely she knows the time and financial investment her husband made into the shop. Perhaps she felt good about the OP and was happy it would benefit him and clearing the stuff would help her as well.

author: RogerRowland
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2016, 02:33:58 pm
content: Quote from: asgard20032 on June 09, 2016, 02:27:36 pmIf you've got any heart at all, and you're any sort of man, I'm sure you'll make the right judgement when you see her. If she has no idea of the value of what she has, just imagine she's your mother, selling your dad's gear and don't do to her what you wouldn't like someone else to do to your family.So, I'm not saying you're wrong or dishonest, I'm just saying don't take advantage of her. By all means grab a bargain but tread carefully. Please?

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2016, 04:45:37 pm
content: Quote from: saturation on June 09, 2016, 02:25:32 pmIt's a 100MHz model, similar to the Tek 465. The going price in the US is $50-100.The counter is more likely to be a 53131A, still a good deal.

author: asgard20032
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2016, 05:03:26 pm
content: Here is a link to the picture with some stuff :http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NjAwWDgwMA==/z/b8oAAOSwnFZXViQ1/$_27.JPGhttp://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NjAwWDgwMA==/z/arAAAOSwLnBXViQ1/$_27.JPGhttp://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/ODAwWDYwMA==/z/b~gAAOSwnFZXViQ3/$_27.JPGhttp://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NjAwWDgwMA==/z/-jgAAOSwzJ5XViQ4/$_27.JPGI wonder what is the device in the middle in the first picture, and what is the big device in lower right corner in the second picture

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2016, 05:30:35 pm
content: Quote from: asgard20032 on June 09, 2016, 05:03:26 pmLooks like an audio generator or maybe a function generator.QuoteSweep generator?And yeah, if you get all that stuff you should probably offer to pay more than $250.

author: asgard20032
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2016, 06:32:48 pm
content: It would not bother me to give her a little more (50-150$ more), but its hard to give more when i don't even know the value of the stuff there. Maybe the component in the drawer got humidity and rusted, maybe the frequency counter is a defective one he was trying to repair, maybe the oscilloscope is not in a working condition... She didn't really give much info, and good picture. I don't even know what are most of the device in the picture. If there was a better indication of what is included in the deal, and the model # of those device, and some good quality picture to actually see the condition of the stuff... then i could better estimate the value of whats there, and offer more if I judge it is a rip off...

author: DLJ
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2016, 07:22:04 pm
content: The big object in the 2nd picture looks like a variant of the RCA AR88 general coverage receiver - 1945 vintage and fairly collectable.The only ones I have seen are black, and that one doesn't look black.Be warned they are VERY heavy.I have one that I bought as a teenager (40 years ago), I will never sell it.If it hasn't been used for a while the capacitors may require attention.These old radios deserve some tlc73'sDavid

author: asgard20032
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 10, 2016, 03:25:26 am
content: The radio receiver was not included, and most of the stuff is... meh. Lot of thing is garbage, self made power supply, nothing really interesting. There is a set of 3 hp probe : pulse probe, current probe, and logic probe. The big device with a wheel is a signal generator. The frequency counter (53131A) is in bad shape(cosmetic), and I need to test the scope and make sure it work. I will try to sell back most of the stuff probably. And the fluke thing is a current sensing probe. Most of the component in the driver is not good. I should get my 250$ back if I try to sell those thing. I will keep the component storage box with drawer and the few good part.All price in CADScope cos6100 : around 100$Frequency counter 53131A : 250-500$ (Depending on how it work and how can i clean it up, it doesn't have the handle, cost more than 700$ USD on ebay, but in better cosmetic shape)Frequency generator (Advance Instruments model J3) : 40-75$(hard to find any info on that thing on internet, or its value)Lots of handmade power-supply (All in bundle): 15-30$The three HP probe (545A & 546A & 547A bundle) : 100$-150$ (they sell around 250$ USD in bundle on ebay)The extra $$ of my transaction will probably go to a DP832 or a tektronix 2465a or 2465b scope or an lcr meter. So well, was not that great deal. The guy was an ham, but lot of stuff was given to school and the ham community. I think I got most of the left over and junk.If someone interested, I live in canada, quebec. Except the set of three hp probe, I won't ship anything (too much trouble packaging those device). Also be warned that those are not official price, but just my rough estimate of how much I think I could sell those thing.I am happy I didn't pay more. Well, I don't think I will try such bargain again, even if I do profit, it does not worth the trouble. Lost my afternoon in transport. I just started doing my shopping on site like ebay, and I think I got too much enjoyed at every deal that looked nice. That meh bargain will surely cure me from ebay and the like. Altought, yesterday I scored an agilent e3620 at 200$ CAD (pickup, so no shipping cost). My first purchase on ebay if we exclude some 3$ probe set for multimeter. And the best, Its almost new, shiny from everywhere, except few scratch on the underside plate. The screen still has its small plastic transarent pellicule protector on it

author: Shock
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 10, 2016, 11:33:03 am
content: Quote from: asgard20032 on June 10, 2016, 03:25:26 amGive you $250 for it all and I will come over and no cost to you move it all myself.(sarcastic joke)

author: asgard20032
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 10, 2016, 01:06:36 pm
content: I will try to get more than 250$ to at least also recover the road trip expanse (fuel)

author: asgard20032
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 11, 2016, 10:05:40 pm
content: Cool the frequency counter seem to work. I also tried to do the full test (power on with recall button hold, then click recall until on test full, then press enter), and it pass all the test. I also connected the back 10Mhz output to the front channel 1 and 2, and channel 1 show 10 , 000, 000 . 00 hz, and channel 2 show 10 , 000, 000 . 00 hz, but the channel 2 has like 0.30 hz jitters (maybe need calibration). The cosmetic damage is not that bad, just don't have the handle but has the rubber, and it has some discoloration because it came from a smoking environment, although i tried my best to clean it up. So in working condition, with a small jitters on channel 2. Since channel 2 still work, should be easy to fix, for someone that know those thing.Since the cheaper sell on ebay for around 550$, in non working condition, I guess I could sell mine for 600$, but with some cosmetic flaw (because of smoking environment), and the fact that channel 2 is not calibrated correctly. What do you guy think about this price? Does it look correct? Is it too high to sell, or do I sell it to low?Now I need to check the scope. I was able to trigger on one channel, but I need further testing.