[Test-Equipment] PTS250 - was General Radio module

[GandalfG8 at aol.com]

In a message dated 25/12/2011 21:01:30 GMT Standard Time,  
pete at petelancashire.com writes:

Yes PTS  is such. Thanks for the manual offer, and this one does not
have GPIB but  I've got quite a bit of non GPIB that I've build various
little programmers  for. I'm in no rush.  Unfortunately it does not
have the 0.1 HZ  module. I'll just put that on the if you find it for
next to nothing list  now that I know what one looks like.
----------------
Hi Pete
 
Units with the GPIB interface do seem to be less common, I only scanned  
that section following a specific request, but the more usual BCD interface is 
 quite usable and the PTS160 manual has the information for programming  
that.
 
Ah well, thought it was worth a try re the 0.1Hz module and I must  admit I 
was surprised to see it in the PTS500 I mentioned. It looked to  have been 
fitted from new so perhaps it was a rush order and quicker to just  modify 
what was on the shelf.
 
If you can find a spare module, and assuming it's working ok, it's just  
drop in and go in any slot below 100KHz, perhaps also adding an extra switch 
on  the switched version or just extending the bus bars if a switch is  
already  fitted.
Hmmm, trying to remember now, and not having much luck:-), if some  other 
wiring might need extending below the motherboard if 0.1Hz wasn't  planned 
for to start with, but that would be straightforward enough  anyway.
---------------------
 



Tomorrow I'll grab a counter and see if it is putting  anything out (or
a short wire and a radio). Hopefully next week I'll have a  place on
the bench that has the S/A so I can look at the  signal.
-------------------
These are generally pretty reliable but assuming it's basically working you 
 do need to check for instability or errors in specific digits as a unit 
might  appear ok at 123.456700, for example, but then show instability if set 
to  123.456780, but not to 123.456709.
A decent counter locked to GPS is helpful here, and although the internal  
PTS oscillator, when fitted, is pretty good, I generally use an external  
GPS locked or Rubidium external oscillator these days, depending on phase  
noise requirements at the time.
 
The PTS500 unit I mentioned wasn't working properly when I first tried it,  
and this turned out to be misplaced internal connectors to the BCD 
interface  module. Although PTS are very good at marking their modules and 
connectors to  indicate relative positions there's some gaps in this particular area 
and it's  not too intuitive as to where they should go if already misplaced. 
I should  still have my notes on that somewhere if needed.
-----------------------

now looking a Fluke 6160A or B, and maybe the oddball 6039A to add  to
the collection.
 
-----------------------
I bought a 6160A with a fault around 10 years ago, below 2.5MHz  it added 
2.5MHz to the dialled frequency, and I never did fix it or  find any service 
data.
 
This one is different to others I've seen online, it has all eight  setting 
switches but as I remember it the function switch only has on/off  
positions, the attenuator section is missing, and upper frequency range is  limited 
to around 30 MHz.
I've since found a manual for the 6160B so should really dig it out  and 
try again, but if anyone has any information for the 616A, any variant,  a 
copy would be much appreciated.
 
regards
 
Nigel
GM8PZR