anyone else like using 'older' test gear like AVO meters?

[kiriakos-gr]

I do not think that this BAMA site is active any more, the upload folder looks full and no one moves those files in the proper category.

 

[Reloadron]

I do not think that this BAMA site is active any more, the upload folder looks full and no one moves those files in the proper category.

The mirror site seems to work fine. The actual site is under construction as far as I know. That is why I linked to the mirror site. Considering it has been a long time I really don't know.

Sucks about the upload folder. It was such a good and useful site.

Ron

 

[squishy36]

they are helping me to repair a HP 16500C Logic analyzer, i am just waiting for the PSU to arrive now wich has come from the states. then it should be good to go very much looking forward to putting the beast through it's paces! a great machine i got for £50!!!!!!!

ghostman11, those were good machines in their day. In the early 90's I had changed my career from science (thin film stuff) to software at HP and I used those to troubleshoot firmware problems on SCSI devices. We had quite a few of them in the lab and they were pretty expensive, even at "transfer cost", which was what HP divisions got other divisions' products for (basically, the manufacturing cost). HP had a great two or three day course on logic analyzers and digital stimulus testers and I got to go to it; if you can track down the materials, they'd be worth having (it was a well put-together course). Alas, I threw all that junk out years ago... But those logic analyzers would be a canonical example of a boat anchor today. However, even if they're boat anchors, they're still very useful. What plugins do you have for it?

I've got another HP boat anchor -- a number of years ago a friend sent me an HP 3326 in perfect condition (he bought about 15 of them government surplus). This was a 1980's instrument that had two 3325 function generators in it; the 3325 was a very popular function generator in the 80's and they're still selling on ebay. This 3326 works perfectly, but it weighs a ton and is pretty noisy because of a large fan. It's a dream to use (best UI design of any function generator I've ever used) -- but you practically need a crane to put it on a table.

 

[ghostman11]

i have the following installed 2x 16555A, 1x 16522A(pattern generator) and also have a 1Ghz oscilloscope card ready to fit but cant remember the number of it at the mo lol. its a fabulous bit of kit, i got it because it was offered to me extemely cheaply! little ghostman collered the Logic Analyzer i origanaly got (1661AS) wich has been another great machine and has a realy nice 250Mhz scope built into it. funny you should mention training stuff as i went and ordered one of theese **broken link removed** the board is also unused!! and because i ordered the PSU from them i got them to post it in the same box so it didnt cost postage! i thought £10 for the training stuff was a real bargain, looking forward to learning how to use it properly, the pdf's are avaliable online but i prefer ready a real book anyday!, i also like the modual system so i can configure the main frame as i want and some the cards come up cheap time from time. as i already have a office HP laserjet printer it connects to that straight off and i can also connect it to the network! very very pleased with it i have to say. yeah they are big machines but the build quality is superbed and probaly reflects HP at its very best, the alluminium frame is massive! i will post pics of it once i get the PSU sorted, i am also going to swap out the hard drive and fit a compact flash instead as per the HP groups recomendation. i would never have gone out and got a pattern generator but seeing as i have card for one i might as well have a play with it

 

[squishy36]

I started at HP in 1980 and worked for them for 25 years. The 80's were really golden years for me, as it was by far the best company I've ever worked at (I had worked at 3 or 4 other companies before HP). I was always equipment-starved at the prior companies and where I went to college, so going to HP to a division with a HUGE budget was a dream come true -- we R&D engineers usually got whatever instruments we wanted. Alas, those days are gone. I think you're right about the late 80's and early 90's stuff being the best HP quality -- I still remember the ethics concerning product quality in the division I worked for and they did things right. I'm still using my beloved HP 3456 digital voltmeter and it was probably built in the early to mid 80's. My HP 3400A was built the year I entered college in the 60's and is still working today. I can guarantee that none of the electronic crap made in China today is going to be working that long...

 

[kiriakos-gr]

I can guarantee that none of the electronic crap made in China today is going to be working that long...

The major problem is that the 2-3 samples/S rate, that the Taiwanese advanced DMM of 1988 was having,
did not improved by the replicas that many Chinese companies assembly today, not even the latest and shinny ones are even faster,
looks like that the clock about new fast and innovative products, had stopped the last 24 years.

If you have time to kill , read this link.
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=4913.0