[Boatanchors] [Hallicrafters] Fluke 6060a/an or HP 8640b ?

[W4AWM at aol.com]

I have never worked with the Fluke, so I am not in a popsition to comment  
on that one.  There is one main problem with the HP, and that is the  
failure of one of the drive gears. HP parts replacements are no longer available  
for that gear as I understand it, but the gear may be found from another  
source. Someone listed that source on one of the reflectors recently. Possibly 
 that person could list it again. This time, I will copy it which I did not 
do  the first time.  Also, someone had proposed to reproduce the gear if 
there  was enough interest. I don't know what happened with that.
 
I personally have a pair of 8640s and one has the gear problem. I find that 
 if I am careful with it, it works. I tend to leave that one on one band 
and use  the other one for moving around.  If I can get those gears somewhere, 
I'll  replace both of them.
 
Otherwise, I think the 8640 is a fine piece of gear. Not a boatanchor tube  
wisem but certainly heavy enough to be used as one!
 
73,
 
John,  W4AWM