[Milsurplus] FR-114 Digital Frequency Counter

Thu Apr 13 16:44:49 EDT 2017

I used those a lot in the Air Force. Some had neon columns for all the 
digits, and some had two zero center meters for the last two digits. 
They would stay centered during the count and then  swing to the digit. 
Fortunately, they sat on the bench all the time, usually used to 
calibrate signal generators for aligning receivers, between trips to the 
calibration lab. We had a couple early Hewlett Packard solid state 
counters that used nixies for readout, small, light, and easy to carry 
around for exams and service calls. All of these were used for work on 
the original series Collins URG setups we had, as well as lots of 
R-388s, 390s, KWM-2 setups, and GRC-27s.

       Bruce Gentry, KA2IVY

On 4/13/17 4:04 PM, w8au at sssnet.com wrote:
> At 11:18 AM 4/13/2017, Peter Gottlieb wrote:
>> I have a General Radio frequency counter which uses the edge lit 
>> displays, pretty cool looking. 
>
> How about the HP 524B with all the decade step counters blinking at 
> you....  those were the days.
> (Not to mention the 1 cubic yard cabinet and weight)
>
> Perry  w8au
>
>
>
>
>
>> On Apr 13, 2017, at 11:08 AM, Bruce Gentry <ka2ivy at verizon.net 
>> <mailto:ka2ivy at verizon.net>> wrote:
>>
>>> I used these in the Air Force, they were very reliable and easy to 
>>> use, but limited in frequency range, so I have not tried to find 
>>> one. The Hewlett-Packard 524 is big (AND-I am interested in one-the 
>>> model with Nixies!), but with the plug-ins it can go up to the VHF 
>>> region. They also "wrote the book" on early frequency counter 
>>> accuracy. As for another device of that era, I'm trying to find a 
>>> military or lab rack mounted electric (as opposed to electronic) 
>>> digital clock. Not a flip card or anything like that, but stepping 
>>> relays activated by a motor driven switch to light indicators with 
>>> lamps on the edges of engraved plastic plates. Like huge Nixies, the 
>>> numbers dance in depth as they change. Some of these also had 
>>> calendars as well.  I totally empathize with the attraction of older 
>>> technologies, many of the instruments of that era exuded a vibe of 
>>> confidence, optimism, and craftspersonship that has been supressed 
>>> for too long and may never rebound.  Our computers and instruments 
>>> today are truly awesome with what they can do, but the soul and 
>>> often style of the classic gear is sadly missing. RAY- do you /did 
>>> you ever have a PDP- "straight"8?  Now THAT would be way cool!
>>>
>>>      Bruce Gentry, KA2IVY
>>>
>>> On 4/13/17 10:08 AM, Peter Gottlieb wrote:
>>>> Oh, come on Ray, it's not THAT large!  And the technology is very 
>>>> cool.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Peter
>>>>
>>>> On Apr 13, 2017, at 9:54 AM, Ray Fantini < 
>>>> <mailto:RAFANTINI at salisbury.edu>RAFANTINI at salisbury.edu 
>>>> <mailto:RAFANTINI at salisbury.edu>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Quite often it turns out that you want something just because you 
>>>>> want it, not for any good reason or practical purpose but just 
>>>>> because you want it. For some unknown reason I have now decided 
>>>>> that I want a FR-114U Digital Frequency Meter.
>>>>> For those unfamiliar with this device itâ€™s a first generation 
>>>>> vacuum tube digital frequency counter that counts up to about 1 
>>>>> MHz, it uses something called a Trochotron beam-switch counters 
>>>>> controlled by a 100 KHz time base firing a 6D4 thyratron.
>>>>> Think I posted something in the past about the HP-524 family of 
>>>>> counters but for now have given up on trying to locate a 524 
>>>>> thinking that the size and space requirements may be a bit too 
>>>>> much for the current shop, keep in mind that this is being posted 
>>>>> by someone who already has a couple full size PDP-11 systems along 
>>>>> with a ton of other radios currently in the shop. Although I did 
>>>>> sell off a broadcast transmitter that I had on 160 so that 
>>>>> provided a hole.
>>>>> But there it is, insanity has no limits. I want a first generation 
>>>>> huge digital frequency counter.
>>>>> Nothing happens in a vacuum, this weird desire to want a FR-114U 
>>>>> stems from seeing one on EBay at:
>>>>>
>>>>> http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-Military-Sentinel-FR-114A-U-Digital-Nixie-Tube-Frequency-Meter-TESTED-/122368130037?hash=item1c7db57bf5:g:Xc8AAOSw2gxYrgPT 
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Just donâ€™t want to pay that much money plus shipping!
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Ray F/KA3EKH
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