[ARC5] Minimum test equipment

[Kenneth G. Gordon]

On 21 Feb 2012 at 9:55, Ian Wilson wrote:

> A decent signal generator. I use a URM-25/D for most things.

Yes, but how "decent" depends, sort of, on what you are trying to do. I find 
those really cheap OLD signal generators like the Eico and Heath jobs, quite 
adequate for aligning receivers to frequency...as long as I have some means 
of setting the frequency accurately. They are quite stable and reliable 
enough.

I also have an HP-8640B (with the delicate nylon gears), and an AN/URM-
25F, in addition to two Eicos, a Heathkit, and the two BC-221s, besides a 
couple of LMs.

The only thing I have against the BC-221s and LMs is that they take a rather 
long time to get them set to frequency.

According to the manuals on those, they should be able to be set to within 30 
Hz if they are set up carefully. I find mine to be within 50 Hz easily enough.

I also have a couple of frequency counters (a Heathkit and another make) 
which are very fast, and quite accurate enough for most work.

Ken W7EKB