http://humancond.org/ 2012-05-19T21:54:52-04:00 http://humancond.org/ http://humancond.org/lib/tpl/arctic/images/favicon.ico text/html 2010-08-01T21:41:18-04:00 http://humancond.org/wiki/user/ram/electro/used_equip/0main?rev=1280713278&do=diff Test Equipment Classics Welcome to my test equipment page. If you're interested in the practicalities or aesthetics of older used electronic test equipment, you've come to the right place. Used test equipment can be a good buy This is especially true of “lab grade” test equipment. This is very high-quality equipment intended for industrial or research use that was generally near state-of-the-art at the time it was produced. Because the state of the art keeps moving, equipment that is 10 years… text/html 2010-06-08T19:00:23-04:00 http://humancond.org/wiki/user/ram/electro/used_equip/dealers?rev=1276038023&do=diff Used Test Equipment Dealers This page has become rather degenerate, because I haven't bought anywhere but eBay for a while now. eBay is probably the best starting point, as many low-price dealers use the eBay online stores. One of the biggest link lists is Used Test and Semiconductor Production Equipment Dealers. text/html 2010-05-31T15:21:20-04:00 http://humancond.org/wiki/user/ram/electro/used_equip/ebay?rev=1275333680&do=diff My favorite haunt for recreational test equipment buying these days is the eBay auction site, especially the test equipment category. If your goal is to fill up your basement, this is the way to go. Some observations: * Equipment that is highly obsolete, has an obscure function, or a less popular brand often goes begging. It is common for items to go for less than the shipping cost. This also happens randomly for not so obscure items due to lack of serious bidders. * The other side of the … text/html 2010-05-31T15:21:43-04:00 http://humancond.org/wiki/user/ram/electro/used_equip/hamfest?rev=1275333703&do=diff Hamfests In case you didn't know, a “ham” is a radio amateur, someone who like to mess around with radio. However, hamfests are by no means restricted to hams, and are a great way to equip your home shop. Hamfests are a good place to find old test equipment at low prices, and are also good for small items: text/html 2010-08-01T21:41:18-04:00 http://humancond.org/wiki/user/ram/electro/used_equip/market?rev=1280713278&do=diff The Used Equipment Market Depending on who you buy from, you will get vastly different prices and guarantees: * At the high end of the range are dealers who sell guaranteed (usually calibrated) lab grade test equipment at a (substantial) fraction of the new price. Their web sites are probably most interesting for the information that they have about particular items, since some of the cut-rate guys only say something like “HP200CD”. Tucker is a good resource for identifying items and gettin… text/html 2010-05-31T15:22:41-04:00 http://humancond.org/wiki/user/ram/electro/used_equip/stores?rev=1275333761&do=diff Electronic Junk Stores If you're in physical proximity to a store that sells used instruments or odd electronic junk, then give it a visit. The San Francisco bay area is the mecca for electronics junks stores, but they are also scattered in odd places around the country. I look in the yellow pages when I'm in a new city. text/html 2010-05-31T15:23:08-04:00 http://humancond.org/wiki/user/ram/electro/used_equip/test_manufacturers?rev=1275333788&do=diff * Fluke Leading maker of handheld DMMS, but also makes fine calibration standards and bench meters. * Kepco Makes solid power supplies that sell for less than HP, Lambda, etc. They have a specialty in analog power supplies such as the BOP bipolar operational supply, which is really a LF power amp. * Krohn-Hite Active filter instruments and other LF phase/frequency stuff. * Keithley Leading make of “sensitive measurement” instruments such as electrometers * General Radio Although no …