Tektronix vrs Fluke Scopes?

[PlainBill]

A local recycler has several scopes available. It's reached the point where I should get something more reliable than my old Heathkit. The buyer will be given the opportunity to see the unit in operation, but there is no warranty.

The choices are a Tektronix 2230, several Fluke Combiscopes, Models PM3380A, PM3382A, PM3380B. Any suggestions?

PlainBill

[Toasty]

Re: Tektronix vrs Fluke Scopes?

He's also on Ebay. Those Flukes have been up for a while.

I'd go with the DSO Tektronix.

Got a battery operated sig gen you can take to test it?

[Krankshaft]

Re: Tektronix vrs Fluke Scopes?

If you don't have that bring a tiny AC output wall wart at least you'll see if it can display a sine wave.

The transformer is for isolation.

[PlainBill]

Re: Tektronix vrs Fluke Scopes?

Good ideas. Somewhere I have a Heathkit scope calibrator, which would also serve the same purpose.

Actually, I may be getting ahead of myself. I picked up a Tektronix 466 a couple of years ago at a GSA auction. IIRC, this is an analog storage scope. It functions as a converntional scope, but I haven't had a lot of luck with storage mode. Which raises the question - do I really need a storage scope?

But Honey, it's so cool!!!!

PlainBill

[Krankshaft]

Re: Tektronix vrs Fluke Scopes?

I'm happy with my Tektronix 475 plentiful and cheap no digital storage.

If I wanted that I'd rig up an old pc and buy one of those oscilliscope cards.

Sure digital storage is cool but how often will you use it?

[PlainBill]

Re: Tektronix vrs Fluke Scopes?

I'm happy with my Tektronix 475 plentiful and cheap no digital storage.

If I wanted that I'd rig up an old pc and buy one of those oscilliscope cards.

Sure digital storage is cool but how often will you use it?

Each type has it's own advantage. I started off building a Heathkit IO-4550 about 30 years ago. It beat the heck out of borrowing a scope from work, but it had stability problems. I fixed a lot of TVs with that scope. Other than drifting as it warmed up, it also took up a lot of bench space. It's 0-10 Mhz frequency response limited it's usefulness with digital troubleshooting, so about 10 years ago I picked up a used H-P 1220A. It was about half the length of the Heathkit, weighed half as much, and was steady as a rock. That died about 7 years ago at a time when I had about stopped working on electronics.

About three years ago I bought a Tektronix 765 (with camera) and the 766 at a GSA auction for about $35 for the pair. My son got the 765, I kept the 766. There are times where it is helpful to know what happened BEFORE the trigger event, or to be able to see a single event clearly.

I've looked into the various USB scopes, but they have the same disadvantage at the IO-4550 and the Tek 466 - by the time you add up the space taken by the usb scope and the computer, you've lost a significant amount of space on the workbench.

Of course, the bottom line is the most antiquated, unstable, low bandwidth scope beats the dickens out of guessing if the DVM is showing a steady voltage, or something with a lot of ripple, noise, or other undesirable characteristics.

PlainBill