On 2/23/07, Charles H. Dickman <chd_1 at nktelco.net> wrote:
I just got ahold of a Tek RM503 oscilloscope.
According to some
documents I have found DEC sold this as the VR01-A. This one is probably
not from DEC. First, does anyone know if there were any modifications
made to use it as a point plot scope? It looks like there was just a
cable that connected to the Z-axis/crt grid input on the back.
Second, this scope has differential amplifiers for both horizontal and
vertical inputs. I can't get the amplifiers to balance and so for any
setting more sensitive than .1v/cm I can't get the trace on the screen.
This shouldn't be a problem for how I want to use the scope, but I would
like to have it fully functional and calibrated.
Digging around inside, I see that the bias voltages for the cathode
followers are not the same and this throws the whole differential amp
out of balance. It can be compensated for at low gains by using the
POSITION knob. If there are any valve or Tek scope experts out there,
they can contact me offline so I can ask some naive questions about tubes.
-chuck
This yahoo group is your friend.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/TekScopes/
Nearly 3000 people that know a lot about old Tek scopes, including
some who probably built your 503. Hmm, that is a long time a go, at
least some who have worked on them.
Pax
--
Paxton Hoag
Astoria, OR
USA