[Amps] HP 3490A DMM

[Will Matney]

David,

See below;

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On 7/30/05 at 10:41 AM David Kirkby wrote:

>Will Matney wrote:
>> David,
>> 
>> For one to be in as good of shape with 5-1/2 digits, I figured was a
>bargin for a bench meter. 
>
>$9.99 is pretty cheap, although it is a big beast. Not quite sure I 
>would want something that big.
>

It's not as big as it looks. It's about the same size of the HP counter I bought a week or so ago. It weighs about the same as a VCR. I thought the counter would be larger and heavier than it was. It, I was totally satisfied with. However, these are for bench use only, and not made to be used out on a job.

>> I know when you see them at Tucker, and Usedline.com, they run way more
>thant they 
>>  do on eBay costwise.
>
>Tucker's site is good for information, but their prices are just silly - 
>for hams anyway. But if you needed to do a job quickly, and needed 
>several bits of kit, finding them all on eBay and taking a chance might 
>not be so attractive.


Tucker, and several others are way too expensive and are really overpriced for what they have. However, I think some stuff on eBay if you catch it right is being sold too cheap. Condition has a lot to do with this though in used equipment.

>
>> That brings up a topic I was going to post later but might as well now.
>I'm thinking about getting into the calibration business for folks like us
>who don't have several hundred bucks to pay for calibration. I'm looking
>at buying some more calibration standards to calibrate DMM's, and
>frequency counters with. Before I do, I wonder if anyone one would use the
>service if the prices were reasonable where one could afford it? If not,
>I'll hold off on buying the equipment.
>
>The problem would be one of trusting your results. Would you pay to have 
>all your kit regularly calibrated professionally?

If I were to do calibrations, I would have standards here that were NIST traceable. You can buy full blown DMM calibration rigs at a decent price anymore. However, they need a fresh cal themselves before work could start. The hardest thing to find at a decent price is a rubidium or other frequency standard. The other cal rigs aren't that bad.


>
>I have been looking for a bench DVM myself. I'm limited by weight more 
>than anything else, as my room is upstairs, but I might move into the 
>garage. But then it can get stolen. Catch 22.


It's according to what you want, something that can be held by hand, or something with major precision like a 5-1/2 to 6-1/2 DMM. Most handheld meters are either 3-1/2 or 4-1/2 digits. A lot of the smaller bench meters are only this too. I've seen several smaller Tektronix DMM bench meters for sale but the are mostly 3-1/2 digits like the CDM-250. HP has some mid sized meters with LCD displays. I prefer the old LED readout because I can see it better than a LCD unless it's backlit. A decent meter with a smaller size that I have is a Data Precision 3500 which is a 5-1/2 digit. They made a 3600 too, and is a good one. Both have LED displays and can be bought around $45-$50. The mid sized HP's generally run higher.

>
>> 
>> HP 3490A;
>> 
>>
>http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7533169098&category=58275&rd=1
>> 
>> Best,
>> 
>> Will
>> 
>> 
>> *********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********
>> 
>> On 7/28/05 at 2:05 AM David Kirkby wrote:
>> 
>> 
>>>Will Matney wrote:
>>>
>>>>All,
>>>>
>>>>I just won a HP 3490A 5-1/2 digit bench DMM pretty darn cheap. It was in
>>>
>>>very good shape cosmetically and looked to have not been used much. I'm
>>>wondering what the pluses or minuses are for this meter? Also, where a
>>>scanned manual in PDF might be available? I would be interested in buying
>>>a copied or original manual too if I can't find one in PDF. I checked
>Bama
>>>and there wasn't one there. Anyhow, I ended up with a whole $9.99 in the
>>>meter not counting S&H. I would like any and all comments on the meter
>and
>>>what it might be worth. last, any help on a manual would be appreciated.
>>>
>>>>Thanks,
>>>>
>>>>Will
>>>>
>>>>_______________________________________________
>>>>Amps mailing list
>>>>Amps at contesting.com
>>>>http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/amps
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>Ignore my silly comment about it being 6 1/2 digits. That is the 
>>>replacement for it. You were correct, it is 5 1/2 digits.
>>>
>>>
>>>-- 
>>>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 at contesting.com
>>>http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/amps
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
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>> 
>> 
>
>
>-- 
>David Kirkby,
>G8WRB
>
>Please check out http://www.g8wrb.org/
>of if you live in Essex http://www.southminster-branch-line.org.uk/