[Boatanchors] Inexpensive Scope Probes

[Bob W5UQ]

If you can trouble shoot and repair scopes, then I've seen and bought 
TEK 2445 and 2465 scopes on Ebay for reasonable prices.  I bought a 2445 
for $200 recently.  Of course, be careful.  I've been pretty lucky I guess.

If you want to get some expert help in TEK repair, then subscribe to: 
TekScopes at yahoogroups.com
This is a very helpful and knowledgeable group.  Many of them are in 
Europe.  Several are high quality Tektronix techs.

As for my stash, I have the TEK 212, 453, 465, plus the 7603 and 7903 
scopes with plug ins.  However, my main scope is a TEK 2445.

The features on the 2445 scopes are great.  One can measure voltages 
more accurately and even get pretty close on freq/period measurements.  
Once you've used one for a while you will be spoiled.  Plus it has up to 
4 inputs.  I've used them and they helped in looking at delay in digital 
circuits, IC counters, etc.

Scope probes can be a real problem. Especially when they become 
intermittent. I have well over ten of them now and have repaired them 
over the years.  When I worked at TV stations(retired now), over a 
period of 50 years, I have repaired many probes that worked fine for 
years later.  Some can be repaired, some can't.  Knowing the difference 
is helpful.  There is nothing worse than a probe that lies to you and 
you miss repairing something because of it. So test them regularly... 
most scopes have the calibrator.  Put the probe on the calibrator, check 
the vertical level, then look at the squareness of the pulse, rotate the 
sweep rate control from low to high watching the trace.  It should stay 
square over a wide range.  If not, then learn why and learn how to 
adjust it or repair it. Or replace it.

If one doesn't have much money to spend, then getting four $20 probes 
and testing them to know what they will do, then rotating them to keep 
wear and tear down helps.

I remove probes from my roll around scope and lay them so they have no 
stress on them while stored.  I lay them along the side of the scope.  
Long cable probes may start on one side and loop around to the other 
side of the scope.  They tend to last longer this way.

I'm also fastidious about the probe tip covers.  If cover is missing, 
then the sharp point can be bent or broken off easily, rendering the 
probe useless.

Take care of your probes.  It is good engineering practice to be careful 
with them at all times, especially while working with them.

Bob  W5UQ

and the BEAT goes onnnnnn....

See W5UQ.com
&  QRZ.com is accurate for W5UQ
Also see QRZ.com for A25UQ,V31UQ,VP2EEU and VP2MUQ.


On 2/9/2011 2:39 PM, J. Forster wrote:
> The 7A26 and 7B53 are good units. I'd stay away from the 7A18 and the 5xxx
> and T9xx series stuff.
>
> FWIW,
>
> -John
>
> =================
>
>
>
>> Ya'll might want to check this guy out:
>>
>> http://shop.ebay.com/805oddsnends4u/m.html
>>
>> I don't know anything about him, but he's selling
>> some of the things you're discussing for very low prices.
>> He's got some feedback issues, but then you aren't going
>> to find these plug-in's at Wal-Mart....
>>
>>
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