Minimum Test Bench Equipment

[MIKE BRYCE]

I wondered when someone was gong to mention this... minimum ..

now, assuming there is a little bit of a budget for test gear.. Here's my
top ten list.

1. really good digital vom. Not hamfest junk. a fluke 75 comes to mind

2. an old vtvm, any heathkit product, your choice! Nothing beats a analog
vtvm for "adjust L2 for a dip then C4 for a peak."

3. old weller soldering iron. Not for soldering, but for signal injection!
they just ooze ac at the tip, use the tip as an ac signal for tracing audio
sections.

4. programmable scanner, any flavor... great signal source for working on
two meter equipment. just add 10.7 to the frequency you need and then
program the result into the scanner.  for example, you want a signal on
146.52 then add 10.7. the result, 157.22 will produce a balls to walls
signal on 146.52.

5. transistor broadcast receiver. any flavor any model. Great for picking up
tweaks and chirps when working on transistorized amplifiers. (you can hear
the transistors singing if the amp is unstable )

6. Although some would place this item up higher on the list, but a scope
would be really great. You don't need a 100 mhz textronic scope either. just
a cheap of heathkit 4150 would work.. all you need is the ability to see if
a signal is there or not and how much of it is there.

7. Hollow shaft nut drivers. Not that expensive, but why carve up a front
panel with a slip joint pliers to get a control nut off.

8. screwdrivers that really fit the screws you're trying to remove. get a
set just for the workbench, then another set to use on the lawn mower and
family buick.

9. general coverage receiver. It's save my balls from the fire many a time.
When working on a transmitter, can you hear the signal in the receiver? If
you can, then the problem is that of gain  in the pa section or driver. If
you can't then the problem lays in the mixers and oscillators down the line.

10. Never be afraid to ask for help!


There's a lot of smaller things to add to the work bench too. Like a counter
or signal generator. but that's over the top for most guys who what to set
up a work bench.


on the other side of the fence, I worked with a ham in the steel mill.
Barney would take a schematic, run his hands over it for a few minutes and
then stop. He would look down at the schematic and then tell me the problem
with my radio was located in this area. He could "feel the pain" of the
broken radio. I know I know.. Barney was quite a character. I say was
because barney has been a silent key now for a year.. Quite a
character AD8E SK.

Mike Bryce, WB8VGE
SunLight Energy Systems

http://www.seslogic.com
http://www.theheathkitshop.com

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