Hello Alwyn,
?
You make some very good points. Decades ago a good friend of mine went to the Gathersburg Maryland USA HP office off of Shady Grove Road to review and look at the then new HP1740A 100MHz scope that my friend wanted to buy for his TV service shop.
?
Kenny was tired of the normal TV shop grade of test and measurement gear so I suggested that he look into HP, as I was acquainted with them from my college and first years work out of school as an EE. This was probably around 1978. That is when we met with HP sales engineer, Jack Molcan. Jack really impressed us as he knew the instrument well.
?
Jack told my friend Kenny to take his demonstrator scope home and he would drop by and pick it up in a week or so as that would give him time to make sure that the scope met his needs.
?
Now that is what I call great sales service! True to his word Jack dropped by (it was a 2 hour drive for him to my friends house) and picked up the scope. On that day Kenny give him an order for a 1740A and Jack delivered it about a month or so later.
?
I will always remember the way Jack handled the sale and his professionalism.
?
I had a few occasions to contact him later in my career and he was always helpful. I still wonder what happened to him.
?
My friend passed on in the late 1980's and his wife told me that Kenny wanted me to have the scope. I still have it and the original box. The scope is still in mint
condition ,works like new and is still in calibration. I still use it from time to time.
?
I could never bring myself to sell or trade it but I have had many offers as it is museum quality. It will probably still be working 47 years from now!
?
Best regards from across the big pond!
?
Sam
W3OHM
Sam Reaves