22 May
2004
22 May
'04
12:45 a.m.
I would hold out for a newer solid-state but not
'digital' scope. I got
a Tektronix 7000 series mainframe at auction last summer for $5 and a
Having used a Tekky 7000 series a few years back (actually a 7904 +
assorted plug-ins) I will agree they're great 'scopes _but_ they're
stuffed with custom chips that are long-since unobtainable. I wouldn't
want to have to repair one...
To keep it on topic, I used to own a 547. The
greatest general purpose
tube-type (hybrid, actually) tube mainframe Tek made. If you want to be
a purist, though, you should stick to a 545, which is all-tube (when I
had one I counted over 100 tubes just in the time base)
Eh? The 545 is complicated, but 100 valves in the timebase? I could
believe -- just -- 100 valves in the mainframe, particularly with that
distributed Y amplifier, but not in just the timebase.
Personally, I have a 555. Mostly valved (but with some transistors in the
trigger circuits), twin everything. Twin beam (with 2 distributed Y
amplifiers), twin timebase, twin EHT PSU, twin box (separate HT PSU unit
that sits on the bottom of the scopemobile), etc. Fortunately I have the
service manual.
-tony