[Elecraft] Oscilloscopes

[Alan Bloom]

On Thu, 2009-05-21 at 08:13 -0700, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:

> I agree with Don, I like analog scopes. Any time a signal is taken to bits
> (literally!) and then reassembled there are display artifacts and some
> accuracy of the waveform is lost but, you're quite right, analog scopes are
> *big* and heavy.

I also dislike most digital oscilloscopes.  On most of them, it is
obvious that the user interface was designed by a software person, hot a
hardware engineer.  I hate having to search through multiple layers of
menus to access some simple function.

However, the HP54600-series oscilloscopes are different.  They combine
the advantages of digital with the look and feel of an analog scope.
There are separate knobs for all the most-used functions.  The design
team was lead by Bob Witte K0NR who knows a thing or two about what a
hardware engineer wants in an oscilloscope.  

HP/Agilent no longer sells the 546XX, but you can occasionally find one
on the used market.  Scanning down the list on Ebay I see an HP54620A
(version with built-in logic analyzer) with a starting bid of $200, two
54610B's (500 MHz, dual channel) starting at $700 and $725, HP54600A
with optional GPIB module $500, etc.

> Again, good digital scopes are the more expensive scopes. 

Generally true.  I bought mine brand new (with employee discount) some
years ago and have never regretted it.  For once in my life, it's nice
to have a no-compromise, reliable piece of test equipment.

By the way, if you do decide on analog, the HP1740 100 MHz scope is a
very good choice.  (Much better than most of the analog scopes HP came
out with over the years.)   They often show up on Ebay.

Al N1AL