Amps
[Top] [All Lists]

[Amps] Cheap network analyser on eBay

To: "amps@contesting.com" <amps@contesting.com>
Subject: [Amps] Cheap network analyser on eBay
From: David Kirkby <david.kirkby@onetel.net>
Date: Sat, 25 Jun 2005 00:44:47 +0100
List-post: <mailto:amps@contesting.com>
There is on eBay at the minute what appears to be a very cheap HP 
network analyser, which I guess would double as a cheap power meter too.

The "buy it now" is under $75. Cheaper than the amateurish instruments 
that give "some idea about the magnitude of the impedance".

It's an HP 3570A, which the tucker web site give a bit of info

http://www.tucker.com/java/jsp/doorway_partnoH-P3570A_invid2370.htm

although I think the max frequency is 13MHz, not 500 as stated there. 
Hence the frequency range is a bit limited.

Here's a bit more info.

http://www.tucker.com/images/images_spec/00004350.pdf

The unit on eBay has option 004, which is the GPIB interface, so you can 
read (and often set) the instrument via a computer.

The seller is definitely in what I would call the "doggy" category. 
Although he has over 1000 feedbacks, there are a lot of negatives (94.8% 
positive).

A friend tells me the model number indicates it is likely to be very old.

Anyway, here's the link to the eBay site.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=97192&item=7525812615&rd=1

It's clearly not without its risks, and I don't know much about it, but 
on the face of it, the unit would seem quite cheap and useful. But 
perhaps someone knows otherwise.

You could extend the frequency range with mixers and a couple of sig 
gens, but then calibration would be much more difficult.

PS
If you do buy it, do your homework. Don't blame me if it needs an XYZ 
that is impossible to obtain, or if its dead and the seller will do 
nothing about it.

-- 
David Kirkby,
G8WRB

Please check out http://www.g8wrb.org/
of if you live in Essex http://www.southminster-branch-line.org.uk/


_______________________________________________
Amps mailing list
Amps@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/amps

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>