[Test-Equipment] Bench meter recommendation?

[Gary Schafer]

I would also add that the 8840 is an excellent meter but it is a major job
to calibrate it. A complete calibration needs to be done if anything is
changed. Lots of the parts are proprietary and no longer available for it.
To repair one in many cases requires robbing parts from another. 
Never the less it is a super meter.

73
Gary  K4FMX

> -----Original Message-----
> From: test-equipment-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:test-equipment-
> bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Eric Lemmon
> Sent: Friday, April 06, 2007 11:59 PM
> To: Test-Equipment at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: RE: [Test-Equipment] Bench meter recommendation?
> 
> Dave,
> 
> I would be cautious about buying a used bench meter, since there is
> probably
> a good reason why the previous owner got rid of it.  There are many
> excellent meters that are available new in the $300 range.  One such meter
> is the Instek GDM8145:
> 
> <www.testequipmentdepot.com/instek/pdf/GDM-8145.pdf>
> 
> Regarding the Fluke 8840, it is a good 5 1/2 digit meter, but it is DC
> only
> unless it includes Option 09 which adds True RMS AC measurement
> capability.
> I consider True RMS AC to be a mandatory feature, along with single-pot
> calibration.  Some of the older HP and Tektronix meters have more than a
> dozen pots to adjust, and calibration is not a trivial exercise.
> 
> Regarding the definition of a bench meter, I expect such a meter to be
> convenient to operate and read when it is on a shelf above the bench work
> surface.  Its display and controls should be easy to read and unambiguous.
> It should be AC-powered and ready to operate without any appreciable
> warmup
> time.  I don't think a good and cheap bench meter exists!
> 
> 73, Eric Lemmon WB6FLY
> 
> 
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