Oh lord , I remember me and dad etching circuit boards using ferric chloride solution on the kitchen stove
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On Mar 18, 2022, at 17:22, Dave McGuire via groups.io <mcguire@...> wrote:
?On 3/18/22 18:00, Zentronics42@... wrote:
Zen is one of my names I guess. Living in the digital age you seem to collect things like names.
I have gone by Zenwizard on line for going on 25 years now. For off line use I am an Eric, however there are also some that know me as Adain (there is a LONG off topic story there).
Ah, sorta. I've been living in that same digital age, but never did the nickname thing. We don't have rigid rules here, but this is a mailing list of mostly professional types, so we do prefer the use of given names. I'm by no means bossing you around on that, but just consider it a light suggestion from a list moderator.
Either way, welcome!
I am honestly looking to push the lab in to the RF space. But even now the gear is cost prohibitive to acquire at a rapid pace. I have recently (with in the last year) been able to acquire proper spectrum analyzers for the lab. HP E4411B and HP 8596E. I have my 10 Mhz reference sorted this year as well. So lab building is going well but it is slow. I am targeting some VNA and some microwave equipment as well as precision DC and calibration standards. I am in to the expensive toys it seems.
RF is great fun, and a wonderful thing to sink your teeth into. But yes, it does get expensive. The "good/fast/cheap (pick any two)" rule applies here; amazing deals can be had if you're patient, but personally I think patience isn't all it's cracked up to be. If we keep waiting, by the time we're dead, we'll have great stuff...No thanks! But really good deals do come along from time to time, if you're lucky.
Your E4411B and 8596E are a great start. You'll need some good signal sources too, and a good microwave counter. Next would probably be a power meter. Fortunately these are all pretty easy to come by, with the possible exception of a sensor for the power meter.
As for background it is extremely wide and varied. But most of it has been electronics based, computer based, or getting the two to talk to each other in some way.
I'll also be taking two students to their first swap meet in a few months... their first one will be the Dayton Hamvention. So we are going to start small?
Hahaaa yes, trial by fire indeed. ;) If their minds aren't totally blown by that, they might survive! B-)
I'm about 4.5hrs East of Dayton; I may have some gear for you, but you'd need some car space. That may be a challenge after Dayton. ;) I also run the Large Scale Systems Museum (google it) which you might find interesting, if it would be convenient for you to extend that Hamvention road trip.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire, AK4HZ
New Kensington, PA
