[Elecraft] Test and Repair Equipment

Mon Nov 10 13:33:01 2003

Paul,
 It may be a bit off the mark, but the best , most expensive test 
equipment is only as good as the technician using it. I have seen guys 
with some very expensive equipment. Guys with a plethora of equipment 
... and guys with benches full of old stuff ... in terms of modern 
digital applications ... going no where...
that being said here are a few of my thoughts:
If your going to build or service old tube equipment then a vtvm, an rf 
/ af generator set is about all you'll need ... maybe a tube tester as 
well ... an oscilloscope would be great too.
If your going to build fairly modern digital equipment a good scope [dc 
to 100 MHz] is going to be mandatory ... that and a very well based 
knowledge on how to use it properly.
 If you plan to do advanced digital electronic work involving IF and RF 
circuitry, a spectrum analyzer is going to be a must have item ...

If you plan to do this for a living ... make certain you have a good job 
to support you while you build up your electronics position. And don't 
forget the other gear too, cantennas for dummy loads [or an equivalent], 
lot's of different connector types ... vswr bridge meters,  cap and 
resistance boxes ...etc.

 Modern digital circuitry demands a very through understanding of 
microprocessors and processor programming, digital fundamentals [an ever 
expanding field] and modern digital transmitter circuitry is an even 
more demanding and changing field. Do you plan to do this as a hobby, or 
for a living? 
Restoring older equipment is a limited field...there seems to be plenty 
of gear out there, but the market is a difficult one for resale at a 
cost (price) that one can actually make a living in ... it's just plain 
hard to beat Wal-Mart minded folks ... the cost of a K2 is comparatively 
high compared to a commercial available unit new or used with the same 
and possibly more features ... thus buying a K2 is primarily driven buy 
the desire to build ... and that is not a living .... even for the pro 
builders. Having built a K2, and now it is on the air operating properly 
... I could call myself a "pro builder" ... but I doubt I could make a 
living at it. I won't work for free cuz I can't afford to, and there are 
a lot of builders out there who will build for free ... so where is the 
market? Before you buy a bunch of gear, think about these things. I 
rebuilt a set of 6 PRC-6  WWII handitalkie radios for a movie set 
outfit. They were for a movie... I had $3,800.00 into the project when 
they were done ... I got $5000.00 for the work because they were "Time 
period specific, and they actually worked..." that was two years ago... 
I rebuilt a WWII radio HF set for application in a B-17 that is flying 
around the country now.... kinda lost my but on that one but it was 
great fun ... have a WWII field radio set here in my shop that needs 
restoring but haven't the time, the $$ or a customer for it... even the 
venerable old "5 tube set" of yesteryear is a difficult market. There 
are some beautiful old sets out there, and it cost a fortune anymore for 
parts to repair them, so the market is limited and tight ... one end 
starves and the other end makes big bucks on a few items that have 
sentimental and collectable value ... and a huge gap in between ... 
Just the thoughts of an old fart ... and lovin my K2. I learned a lot 
just from building it and analyzing the circuitry ... and learning more 
every day. I am not aiming to dissuade you ... by all means get 
involved... just don't focus on the equipment aspect alone.
73, Mike KD7YLA

Paul Clay wrote:

>All -
>
>Hope this is not too far off-topic.
>
>I working on my K2 so much, I think I want to get 
>into repairing and restoring (probably older, 
>mostly tube type) radio gear (mostly receivers, 
>but transmitters too), and maybe building 
>projects out of the ARRL manual.
>
>What types and brands of repair and test equipment 
>do you all recommend for a modest to medium (not 
>extravagently) equipped ham shack?
>
>"Standard" equipment in the old days when I was 
>last very active (lates 60s early 70s) was a 
>multimeter or DVM, RF and AF frequency 
>generators, dip meter, signal tracers/probes, and 
>(if you had the bucks and room) an oscilloscope.
>What's recommended today?
>
>- Paul, N6LQ
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-- 
73, de Michael Heit KD7YLA
"Real Hams do it at a high frequency"

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