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Who here, runs these find beasts?
My HP 2401C Integrating Digital Voltmeter (SN 811-02807 opt 21,31,146) and HP 2410B AC - Ohms Converter Dymec (SN 644-01126) are about to be restored, interconnected and calibrated.
They don't appear to have been mentioned in this forum before, but I'm betting someone out there is also keeping these in working order.
Incidentally, they are both in pristine condition, remarkable for their age, and the?2410B has a asset sticker from a previous owner, the NASA?Goddard Space Flight Center, which will be left on the instrument.?
Kind regards,
Terry
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On 12/13/19 6:37 PM, Terry Gains wrote: Who here, runs these find beasts?
My HP 2401C Integrating Digital Voltmeter (SN 811-02807 opt 21,31,146)
and HP 2410B AC - Ohms Converter Dymec (SN 644-01126) are about to be
restored, interconnected and calibrated.
They don't appear to have been mentioned in this forum before, but I'm
betting someone out there is also keeping these in working order. I believe they are fairly rare. I have one, as yet untested, along with what I believe is its successor, a 2402A. The 2402A works but is beyond its calibration range, so I need to dig into it. I hope I can get the 2401 working someday. I do have the service manual, just need time. I'd never even heard of the AC/Ohms converter. Neat! Incidentally, they are both in pristine condition, remarkable for their
age, and the?2410B has a asset sticker from a previous owner, the
NASA?Goddard Space Flight Center, which will be left on the instrument.? Nice, I used to live right down the street from there. -Dave -- Dave McGuire, AK4HZ New Kensington, PA
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I have also a set in the repair queue.? My 2401C sounds to be a bit older than yours, Terry, as it's the Dymec-labeled version, s/n 622-01154.? The 2410B is 644-01052, and despite having a lower serial number than yours, mine has an HP-labeled front panel. I'll need to fabricate some boards to integrate them, though, as they weren't a set and the 2401C is not equipped with the boards needed to let it talk to the 2410B. Gotta love a full rack width, 20+ inch deep, 13-1/2" tall nearly 100lb stack of gear that will measure DC and AC voltage, and resistance.? One of these years, in my spare time (so called because I have so little of it...)? Cool old boat anchors - it's nice to know others are keeping them alive, too. Some photos of the 2401C are at? -Pat
On December 13, 2019 at 6:37 PM Terry Gains <terry.waihi@...> wrote:
Who here, runs these find beasts?
My HP 2401C Integrating Digital Voltmeter (SN 811-02807 opt 21,31,146) and HP 2410B AC - Ohms Converter Dymec (SN 644-01126) are about to be restored, interconnected and calibrated.
They don't appear to have been mentioned in this forum before, but I'm betting someone out there is also keeping these in working order.
Incidentally, they are both in pristine condition, remarkable for their age, and the?2410B has a asset sticker from a previous owner, the NASA? Goddard Space Flight Center, which will be left on the instrument.?
Kind regards,
Terry
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Hey Pat,
What good fortune to find you here. On behalf of many, thanks for your photo essay on the?and other fine HP instruments. Your work is no-doubt preserved as the screen saver or desktop image of choice by many HP fans. Maybe your?2410B might get the same treatment one fine day?
If I recall correctly, we once bought?HP 3460B digital voltmeters from the same source?
Re: "I'll need to fabricate some boards to integrate them, though, as they weren't a set and the 2401C is not equipped with the boards needed to let it talk to the 2410B".
Magic! You might be speaking of the A9 Units Coupling and the A3 Delay Gate boards. I'm not expecting to find those installed when I open the 2401C and will need to look at getting some PBCs made to order and share them with folk like yourself.?
I'd also like to have Option 29 Frequency Measurement to 1.2 MHz, so this is another PCB to be ordered and shared. If you have to go to extent of making option 29, then you might as well look at pushing the frequency.?
Please let me know if you were thinking of additional options.
I'll be re-producing the PCBs from images using the service manual as a reference, so there's no telling how long this might take.
Re: "Gotta love a full rack width, 20+ inch deep, 13-1/2" tall nearly 100 lb stack of gear that will measure DC and AC voltage, and resistance.? One of these years, in my spare time (so called because I have so little of it...)? Cool old boat anchors - it's nice to know others are keeping them alive, too.".?
Absolutely. HP certainly believed this when placing them prominently in a number of late 60's advertisements.?
Hello Dave,
Thank you for taking the time to reply.
It's amazing to hear that you keep both a 2401C and an working order?2402A. I've never heard of a 2402A for sale, so you have an?ultra rare part of HP history on your hands. Well done. I've seen two 2410Bs and one?2410A?on eBay in the last ten years and was lucky enough to win a?2410B.
Some of my Christmas leave will be devoted to at least getting the?2401C?operational and recalibrated. That and reproducing some PCBs to interface the 2401C and 2410B.
I apologise for a quality of the picture below (1. I'm no Patrick Manning, and 2. it was taken with an old phone just now) but if you've never seen a?2410B, my?2410B is between the 2401C?and the 3460B?at the bottom.
Let's stay in touch.?If you ever want some options for the?2401C,?I'm looking at reproducing some.
Kind regards,
Terry
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There is also a 3461A, which is the AC-Ohms converter for the 3460A. It¡¯s the equivalent of the 2410, I believe. I¡¯ve never seen a 3461 outside of a catalog.
Jeremy?
On Fri, Dec 13, 2019 at 10:39 PM Patrick Manning < pbmanning@...> wrote:
I have also a set in the repair queue.? My 2401C sounds to be a bit older than yours, Terry, as it's the Dymec-labeled version, s/n 622-01154.? The 2410B is 644-01052, and despite having a lower serial number than yours, mine has an HP-labeled front panel. I'll need to fabricate some boards to integrate them, though, as they weren't a set and the 2401C is not equipped with the boards needed to let it talk to the 2410B. Gotta love a full rack width, 20+ inch deep, 13-1/2" tall nearly 100lb stack of gear that will measure DC and AC voltage, and resistance.? One of these years, in my spare time (so called because I have so little of it...)? Cool old boat anchors - it's nice to know others are keeping them alive, too. Some photos of the 2401C are at? -Pat On December 13, 2019 at 6:37 PM Terry Gains <terry.waihi@...> wrote:
Who here, runs these find beasts?
My HP 2401C Integrating Digital Voltmeter (SN 811-02807 opt 21,31,146) and HP 2410B AC - Ohms Converter Dymec (SN 644-01126) are about to be restored, interconnected and calibrated.
They don't appear to have been mentioned in this forum before, but I'm betting someone out there is also keeping these in working order.
Incidentally, they are both in pristine condition, remarkable for their age, and the?2410B has a asset sticker from a previous owner, the NASA? Goddard Space Flight Center, which will be left on the instrument.?
Kind regards,
Terry
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I can't help marveling at the workmanship that went into that equipment.
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On 12/14/19 12:39 AM, Patrick Manning wrote: I have also a set in the repair queue.? My 2401C sounds to be a bit older than yours, Terry, as it's the Dymec-labeled version, s/n 622-01154.? The 2410B is 644-01052, and despite having a lower serial number than yours, mine has an HP-labeled front panel.
I'll need to fabricate some boards to integrate them, though, as they weren't a set and the 2401C is not equipped with the boards needed to let it talk to the 2410B.
Gotta love a full rack width, 20+ inch deep, 13-1/2" tall nearly 100lb stack of gear that will measure DC and AC voltage, and resistance.? One of these years, in my spare time (so called because I have so little of it...)? Cool old boat anchors - it's nice to know others are keeping them alive, too.
Some photos of the 2401C are at
-Pat
On December 13, 2019 at 6:37 PM Terry Gains <terry.waihi@...> wrote:
Who here, runs these find beasts?
My HP 2401C Integrating Digital Voltmeter (SN 811-02807 opt 21,31,146) and HP 2410B AC - Ohms Converter Dymec (SN 644-01126) are about to be restored, interconnected and calibrated.
They don't appear to have been mentioned in this forum before, but I'm betting someone out there is also keeping these in working order.
Incidentally, they are both in pristine condition, remarkable for their age, and the?2410B has a asset sticker from a previous owner, the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, which will be left on the instrument.
Kind regards,
Terry
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A lot of us around here feel that way. :-)
-Dave
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On December 14, 2019 12:18:37 PM "cjt" <cheljuba@...> wrote: I can't help marveling at the workmanship that went into that equipment.
On 12/14/19 12:39 AM, Patrick Manning wrote:
I have also a set in the repair queue.? My 2401C sounds to be a bit
older than yours, Terry, as it's the Dymec-labeled version, s/n
622-01154.? The 2410B is 644-01052, and despite having a lower serial
number than yours, mine has an HP-labeled front panel.
I'll need to fabricate some boards to integrate them, though, as they
weren't a set and the 2401C is not equipped with the boards needed to
let it talk to the 2410B.
Gotta love a full rack width, 20+ inch deep, 13-1/2" tall nearly 100lb
stack of gear that will measure DC and AC voltage, and resistance.? One
of these years, in my spare time (so called because I have so little of
it...)? Cool old boat anchors - it's nice to know others are keeping
them alive, too.
Some photos of the 2401C are at
-Pat
On December 13, 2019 at 6:37 PM Terry Gains <terry.waihi@...>
wrote:
Who here, runs these find beasts?
My HP 2401C Integrating Digital Voltmeter (SN 811-02807 opt 21,31,146)
and HP 2410B AC - Ohms Converter Dymec (SN 644-01126) are about to be
restored, interconnected and calibrated.
They don't appear to have been mentioned this forum before, but I'm
betting someone out there is also keeping these in working order.
Incidentally, they are both in pristine condition, remarkable for
their age, and the?2410B has a asset sticker from a previous owner,
the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, which will be left on the
instrument.
Kind regards,
Terry
--
Dave McGuire, AK4HZ
New Kensington, PA
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Yeah, that's a rare one apparently - have had it in my evilbay watch list for years now with no hits other than an occasional manual for it. -Pat
On December 14, 2019 at 12:05 PM Jeremy Nichols <jn6wfo@...> wrote:
There is also a 3461A, which is the AC-Ohms converter for the 3460A. It¡¯s the equivalent of the 2410, I believe. I¡¯ve never seen a 3461 outside of a catalog.
Jeremy?
On Fri, Dec 13, 2019 at 10:39 PM Patrick Manning < pbmanning@...> wrote: I have also a set in the repair queue.? My 2401C sounds to be a bit older than yours, Terry, as it's the Dymec-labeled version, s/n 622-01154.? The 2410B is 644-01052, and despite having a lower serial number than yours, mine has an HP-labeled front panel. I'll need to fabricate some boards to integrate them, though, as they weren't a set and the 2401C is not equipped with the boards needed to let it talk to the 2410B. Gotta love a full rack width, 20+ inch deep, 13-1/2" tall nearly 100lb stack of gear that will measure DC and AC voltage, and resistance.? One of these years, in my spare time (so called because I have so little of it...)? Cool old boat anchors - it's nice to know others are keeping them alive, too. Some photos of the 2401C are at? -Pat On December 13, 2019 at 6:37 PM Terry Gains < terry.waihi@...> wrote:
Who here, runs these find beasts?
My HP 2401C Integrating Digital Voltmeter (SN 811-02807 opt 21,31,146) and HP 2410B AC - Ohms Converter Dymec (SN 644-01126) are about to be restored, interconnected and calibrated.
They don't appear to have been mentioned in this forum before, but I'm betting someone out there is also keeping these in working order.
Incidentally, they are both in pristine condition, remarkable for their age, and the?2410B has a asset sticker from a previous owner, the NASA? Goddard Space Flight Center, which will be left on the instrument.?
Kind regards,
Terry
?
?
Jeremy Nichols
6.
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Hi Terry -? Yes, I believe that we did get the 'twin' 3460Bs that were listed a few years ago. I guess whichever of us gets the time to do the boards will then have to share with the other.? I'll be happy to if I get to them first, for sure.? They're on my 'to reproduce' list, as I mentioned, and one of these years I'll get them laid out in OrCAD unless you get to it first.? I have the manual buried here somewhere, too, and anticipated working from the schematics and images therein.? All the more motivation now knowing are others who would benefit, too.? The option 29 sounds like a good one, too - go big or go home! -Pat
On December 14, 2019 at 5:17 AM Terry Gains <terry.waihi@...> wrote:
Hey Pat,
What good fortune to find you here. On behalf of many, thanks for your photo essay on the?and other fine HP instruments. Your work is no-doubt preserved as the screen saver or desktop image of choice by many HP fans. Maybe your?2410B might get the same treatment one fine day?
If I recall correctly, we once bought?HP 3460B digital voltmeters from the same source?
Re: "I'll need to fabricate some boards to integrate them, though, as they weren't a set and the 2401C is not equipped with the boards needed to let it talk to the 2410B".
Magic! You might be speaking of the A9 Units Coupling and the A3 Delay Gate boards. I'm not expecting to find those installed when I open the 2401C and will need to look at getting some PBCs made to order and share them with folk like yourself.?
I'd also like to have Option 29 Frequency Measurement to 1.2 MHz, so this is another PCB to be ordered and shared. If you have to go to extent of making option 29, then you might as well look at pushing the frequency.?
Please let me know if you were thinking of additional options.
I'll be re-producing the PCBs from images using the service manual as a reference, so there's no telling how long this might take.
Re: "Gotta love a full rack width, 20+ inch deep, 13-1/2" tall nearly 100 lb stack of gear that will measure DC and AC voltage, and resistance.? One of these years, in my spare time (so called because I have so little of it...)? Cool old boat anchors - it's nice to know others are keeping them alive, too.".?
Absolutely. HP certainly believed this when placing them prominently in a number of late 60's advertisements.?
Hello Dave,
Thank you for taking the time to reply.
It's amazing to hear that you keep both a 2401C and an working order?2402A. I've never heard of a 2402A for sale, so you have an?ultra rare part of HP history on your hands. Well done. I've seen two 2410Bs and one?2410A?on eBay in the last ten years and was lucky enough to win a?2410B.
Some of my Christmas leave will be devoted to at least getting the?2401C?operational and recalibrated. That and reproducing some PCBs to interface the 2401C and 2410B.
I apologise for a quality of the picture below (1. I'm no Patrick Manning, and 2. it was taken with an old phone just now) but if you've never seen a?2410B, my?2410B is between the 2401C?and the 3460B?at the bottom.
Let's stay in touch.?If you ever want some options for the?2401C,?I'm looking at reproducing some.
Kind regards,
Terry
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Hi Pat,
The trick about using eBay for rare items is to set your search to world wide. I learned this the hard way after missing out on a 3461A AC/Ohms Converter, DC-Preamplifier?the was sold on Ebay in Hamburg in March last year..........for less than $100 USD. You could have knocked me over with a feather when I found out the price.
This was the 2nd?3461A?I had seen sold in Europe in the last 5 years, which gives me hope that there are more out there.
I'm getting on in years now but If ever I purchase a 3461A, it's good to know I can pass on ownership one of the many fine folk of this group.
Images are attached with a small PDF.
When connected to the 3460, it makes for a very capable and attractive looking offering from HP.
The search goes on.
Kind regards,
Terry
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I guess whichever of us gets the time to do the boards will then have to share with the other.??
You bet. There are many crowds that can make the PCBs with cut outs and edge connectors etc. For example the work could be sent to?although they will probably squawk when I ask for "Gold PCB tracks". :) I have a old, much-used 2410B manual to work from, but will get a new one to make the job easier. Kind regards, Terry
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On 12/16/19 3:40 AM, Terry Gains wrote: I have a old, much-used 2410B manual to work from, but will get a new
one to make the job easier. Any idea if that manual has been scanned? A quick Google doesn't turn it up anywhere. -Dave -- Dave McGuire, AK4HZ New Kensington, PA
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Hi Dave, Sorry for the late reply.
"Any idea if that manual has been scanned? A quick Google doesn't turn it up anywhere."
I've found no scanned copies of the 2410B manual looking around the usual places on the net, which leaves few options. 1) There are some service manual reproduction companies with proper copyright permission that are open to requests of what other manuals they should offer. I used one such company today, ArtekManuals.com. For $12.95 I got a scanned copy of a rare HP 5376A Programmer manual for the HP 5360A computing counter. In this case, I was wondering what it would take to substitute a small single board computer, such as a Raspberry PI 4, in place of the ultra rare HP 5376A programer. As expected, it's a fascinating document, but I'll have to throw many many hours at it just to plan a result. I'll ask ArtekManuals if they will scan a?2410B manual and get back to you with a PM. 2) If you haven't tried it, there is a group called?[manualexchange] where you could ask. 3) If your prepared to wait till about late Jan or early Feb, I'll e-mail you a copy of my yet-to-be scanned manual. When scanning a manual, I usually re-type the text, instead of just imaging the whole page, as this allows the reader to do a word search. Images of circuit diagrams etc are still scanned from the original manual. Images of circuit boards don't always scan well, so I substitute high resolution colour photos if I have the actual boards. But the goal is always to have a verbatim copy that's indistinguishable from the original in fonts, layouts and page count.? Kind regards, Terry.
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Hi David,
Absolutely correct and I'd certainly persist with OCR if I was getting good results. OCR with newer manuals may be less of a problem, but the only scanner I own, a HP OfficeJet Pro 8710, really struggles to recognise text from older, yellowed, faded, and well thumbed pages.?The OCR on that device always needs plenty of manual correction, especially with data presented in tables, captions and footers, and it's not always happy working with text layed out in two columns.
Maybe I'm not using the OCR correctly, but the time taken to scan and then reassemble the jigsaw of OCR always seems more than the time taken just typing at 80 words per minute.
To all of you getting good results with OCR: I am insanely jealous!
Kindest and warm regards,
Terry
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Hi again,
My newer 2410B manual arrived (my other had hand-written notes in ball-point pen from the last tech agent that used it decades ago) and I've scanned it all. :)
I am now converting the scans into text with free Capture2Text software so that the resulting PDF if text searchable.
I am also assembling the text with a word processor so that the chapters, headings, index and table of contents structures are clickable so you can jump to the right page..
Should be done in about 2 weeks, then you can take a look if you wish.
If you can wait a bit longer, I am rescanning my 2401C manual as the copy available on the internet could be a little better. I'd like to append the 2410B manual to the 2401C manual and have it as a single document. But if you just want to read the 2410B manual, I'll e-mail it to you separately.
FWIW. I located a copy of the ultra rare 3461 AC/ Ohms converter, and that will be next on the must-scan list.
Kind regards,
Terry
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Dave McGuire
Cubdriver
Jeremy Nichols
David C. Partridge