Oscilloscope info - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: InoTech3D
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 16, 2014, 02:42:36 am
content: Hello everyone, I'm new to the Forum but have been watching EEVBLOG for a while!I would consider myself a beginner but have learned and experienced enough to where I really do need an oscilloscope to delve deeper into my electronics fascination! I'm a father of 4 girls, plus my wife, im surrounded by woman (nothing wrong with that) I love going into my office/ workshop/ lab and tinkering away, learning everything I can. I was the IT Manager of a large Call Center where I worked for 7 years when the entire building caught fire and burned down! It was a complete loss, and the owner decided to throw in the towel and close the business. Now im helping with another call center while on the phones part time so nowadays money is very tight! I have checked a few different places and universities to see if they have any old analog oscilloscopes they would be willing to donate but so far have had no luck. I've put together a protection circuit for probes running through my PC sound card oscilloscope, this is the closest I've gotten.I know I'm asking a lot but I was wondering if anyone knows where I could get an oscilloscope donated to me or maybe someone who has one they are willing to donate. Money is a big issue with us at the moment, we don't have much as the reason I'm asking for donations. I would love to refine my skills and learn as much as I can and I know an oscilloscope would be a way for me to increase my knowledge.Thank You!

author: Skimask
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 16, 2014, 05:53:11 am
content: really........

author: xwarp
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 16, 2014, 09:32:44 am
content: Did you keep your red stapler?Where are you located?

author: InoTech3D
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 16, 2014, 03:26:09 pm
content: Red Stapler ...... Check!I ended up getting 3 new acer 22 inch wide screen LED monitors from the room not touched by fire, only smoke damage, it took a lot of cleaning for sure but that's now what I use for my 3 monitor display but that is about it.I am located in the state of Maine USA.

author: InoTech3D
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 16, 2014, 03:34:32 pm
content: Quote from: Skimask on July 16, 2014, 05:53:11 amI'm only following one of David Jones suggestions, post to the forum to see if anyone could help out. Just following advise from the guy who runs all this!

author: mrflibble
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 16, 2014, 03:58:50 pm
content: Quote from: InoTech3D on July 16, 2014, 03:26:09 pmSell one of those monitors. Buy $50 scope on ebay. Problem solved.

author: InoTech3D
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 16, 2014, 04:16:37 pm
content: I don't know if I could get much for them as they still have a slight smell of fire/smoke and the plastic on them are all discolored, plus all the suet from the fire and smoke damaged the little boards on the front that control the power switch and menu/navigation, I just hacked them and hard wired them to turn on when it is plugged in to get them to work. So I don't think that will solve the problem. Although if they were in sell-able condition that would be a great idea, i could deal with one less monitor if it meant I would have a scope!

author: madshaman
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 16, 2014, 08:35:44 pm
content: It's is a hard ask for a free scope. I'm assuming you expect to pay the shipping cost, which could be up to $80 or so.The absolute best I could do for you would be to sell you a *good* analog scope at $175 plus shipping :-(.Have you looked at the range of used scopes available at a low price range?My condolences for your hardship. It sounds like time in the lab is being good for your mental health, even if money is tight, it could be worth it to invest *some* in something non-critical and morale boosting. My offer stands, so please consider you have that option should you not be able to find a donation. I'm sure other forum members would also be willing to meet you half way and ensure you get good value for any money you'd be willing to spend.Also, and it makes no difference to me, I know how the enthusiasm of a new hobby can grab one, but I think some forum members might notice that all your posts in the forum are related to your asking for a scope donation. I'd recommend participating in some topics that interest you and maybe writing a separate intro post so that we can all get to know you.I find people are more willing to reach out once someone is less of an unknown.Congrats in the new interest! If you love this stuff it can really get into you, and honestly, I think you can get just as much out of it by reading some online or real texts and taking advantage of some greet online EE media. For review or advancement, there's a lot you can fill your time with, completely free of charge!Cheers

author: InoTech3D
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 17, 2014, 03:30:04 am
content: Yes I know its a lot to ask, and chances are it will not happen in all reality, when I get up some money I would love to take you up on the offer or anyone else who has a decent deal at that time. I've been into this hobby for a long time since I was a kid I was taking everything apart, I had learned a lot as a kid and in High School, unfortunately I was in a bad car accident at 26 (I'm 33 now) which thanks to god I am still here but I lost a lot of what was in my memory before 26 so i've had to learn everything all over again literally everything! I'm not trying to create a sob story or anything but it was a while before that electronics bug bit me again, it has been a little over a year since I was bitten again and it does grab hold of you pretty tight, a lot of things I had learned prior to the accident start to come back slowly once I'm getting dirty into the circuits I find my brain just knows what to do without me really knowing the why but its still all there I imagine, just gotta get at it.I just joined the forum, and was watching an EEVBLOG where he recommended doing what I did, so I figured what the heck, worst thing to happen is I still have no oscilloscopeBut believe me this is not the only reason I joined and I will be participating all over the place on the forumn.I just entered into the Hackaday Prize with my new Delta 3D Printer I designed myself with inspiration from the Kossel, its called the RosBot, link below:http://hackaday.io/project/1892-RosBot-KosselSo now I have 2 deltas, a Rostock Max V1 and my RosBot-Kossel. I love 3d printing!I understand what you are saying, my expectation was not very high, I just figured I might as well see what happens. Thanks for the advice though, I appreciate it!Thank You!

author: hlokk
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 17, 2014, 07:36:53 am
content: If you can scrounge up $20-50 you should be able to find a scope (with some patience..... not sure where to buy that). Might be worth checking out any electronics faires if any are in your location, have a look in the local paper periodically (classifieds/craiglist...?), put some alerts on ebay.Although, I think someone (maybe it was Dave) suggested to talk to local Hams, who may have some spare old (but good) scopes they wouldn't mind parting with for a 6-pack or less. I think meeting one of them face to face increases your chances of them giving you an old cheap one compared to online. If you put in the leg work (like asking Universities as you said) I think people will be more likely to help you out than some slacker expecting something for nothing (which I don't think covers you). Good luck either way

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 17, 2014, 12:58:58 pm
content: Hlokk makes a good point about talking to local hams. I suggest you take it 1 step further. Find out when and where the local hamfests are. I scored a Tek 2235 for less than $50 USD. If you wait toward the end of the day or the end of the 2nd day, your chances for a deal will go up if the sellers don't really want to haul their stuff back home. Put in the leg work and be patient and good things will come your way.

author: InoTech3D
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 17, 2014, 07:41:58 pm
content: Yes, good points, I hadn't yet tried to check out the Ham scene around here, I'm sure there is on for sure I think they are everywhere...lol. Thank you for the ideas guys, I will definitely run with them! I like it here, I was expecting to get a bunch of rubbish from a lot of people for such a post, but instead I get some helping handsVery cool guys, Thank you!

author: neslekkim
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 18, 2014, 05:31:35 am
content: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/buysellwanted/auction-(starting-0-99)-tektronix-485-dual-trace-350-mhz-portable-oscilloscope/

author: Shock
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 18, 2014, 01:27:26 pm
content: That auction is in the UK. OP doesn't want to pay even $50 locally for one He wants free. So UK would be out of the question especially with the suffering, lost job, many children, wife, IT career, electronics hobby and memory loss etc that the OP has had to endure.

author: neslekkim
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 18, 2014, 04:30:58 pm
content: The OP doesn't put his location in the profile, and reading everything to see if he wrote it somewhere is a nogo..

author: InoTech3D
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 18, 2014, 11:14:22 pm
content: I never said I would not be willing to buy one or pay shipping or any of that, I do not suffer from oh so many hardships or anything, I was just providing background info, not looking for sympathy, Christ, I only posted this because Mr David Jones of EEVBlog suggested to do just that if you couldn't afford even a old used analog scope from Ebay, so that's what I did, if I could get a do-over I for sure would not submit a post such as this!Yes money is tight, but in all reality, with the American dollar going down the shitter you would be hard pressed to find people who aren't in a tight spot in the US!Please don't view me as such a poor soul with great hardships or anything, that is not the picture I was trying to paint, rather I was referring to the strength of this "Electronics bug" and how it grabs you and holds on tight. Lifes hard, shit gets tough, but you keep moving forward through it and come out stronger on the end for doing so.I will get an Oscilloscope, somehow, not sure when but I know this isn't how I'm going to get it! lol

author: InoTech3D
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 18, 2014, 11:16:11 pm
content: Oh yeah, I'm from the state of Maine in the USA.

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 19, 2014, 07:28:11 pm
content: You should change the subject line to something like "wanted (US): free or cheap oscilloscope"...

author: neslekkim
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 19, 2014, 08:38:56 pm
content: Or put it in the profile so the flag shows..