[Elecraft] Test and Repair Equipment

Mon Nov 10 20:58:00 2003

A good quality frequency counter is nice - I found a very good buy in an old
commercial grade unit on eBay for around $35.  I find a capacitance bridge
of great value in checking capacitor values, but many modern DVMs have
capacitance ranges.  An antenna analyzer like the MFJ-259B is very useful -
even used mine to check out the low-pass filters in the KPA100 amp.  The
259B will also function as a dip meter with the optional dip coils.  I still
use an old RCA large-meter VTVM when reading voltages while peaking tuned
circuits.  An RF probe for the VTVM is another useful tool.  Don't forget a
good dummy load - one that can take the full output power of your
transmitter and/or linear for extended periods of testing without
overheating or changing load resistance value.   I used all this stuff while
building and testing the KPA100.

K8AC

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Paul Clay" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, November 10, 2003 1:42 PM
Subject: [Elecraft] Test and Repair Equipment

> 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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