[Test-Equipment] Q meter?

[Carl]

Brian, Id suggest staying away from the Boontons as they are all based upon 
30's technology, touchy to use, easy to damage the thermocouple, and finding 
a NOS special selected version of a 2A6 for the 260A will cost more than the 
whole meter. The Boonton tube is a BRC 535A.

And to add insult to injury the readings will only agree .....maybe....with 
another of the family and not the current industry standard HP 4342A. If all 
you are interested in is relative readings then the 260A will at least let 
you make comparisons. A Heathkit QM-1 is a better choice if all you want is 
relative readings. It is somewhat based on a Boonton 190A with less hassles 
and kit accuracy.

I used a 260A for many years at National Radio and bought it years later at 
auction with a set of "standard" coils. It was in need of an overhaul and 
recal and required a bit of work to get the oscillators to agree with the 
dials.

I sold it in 1999 (kept the standard coils) after picking up a HP 4342A at a 
local belly up auction for $200.

The military had the TS-617/U, plus an A, B, and C version. All but the C 
used the Boonton circuit. The C is a completely different design from a 1975 
USAF contract and has none of the Boonton idiosyncracies. I picked one off 
of Fleabay for $75 in 2006 and it worked well within spec without any work. 
It is tube based but no paper caps, uses A-B resistors and mil-spec 
electrolytics. All tubes tested as new.
I use this one primarily for coils used in tube gear such as rewinding a 
front end receiver coil or input/output coils in transmitters and amps. The 
HP is used at VHF and with Litz wire at IF frequencies.

Here is some good reading
http://www.qsl.net/k5bcq/qmeter/qmeter.html

Carl
KM1H



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Brian Burns" <brian at lessonsinlutherie.com>
To: "'Discussion of Electronic Test Equipment'" 
<test-equipment at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2014 5:39 PM
Subject: [Test-Equipment] Q meter?


> Hello All,
>
>
>
> There has been quite a bit of chat about Boonton Q meters, in a peripheral
> sort of way, over on the funwithtubes group. It's made me curious about 
> the
> usefulness of that device, or some other brand, on an RF experimenters 
> test
> bench. Opinions?
>
>
>
> Cheers,
>
>
>
> Brian
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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