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Re: 7T11 horizontal memory

 

On Wed, Dec 5, 2018 at 08:17 AM, Albert Otten wrote:

I might have good news for you.
The real time multivibrator doesn't work when you don't have a 7S11 adjacent
to (or otherwise connected to) the 7T11. So then the memory gate is always
blocked and you have no sweep output at the front panel.
Aha! Your news is indeed good :-) I put the 7T11 in to a slot next to my 7S11 and I now have a horizontal sweep in the rea ltime ranges.

You mean U512 I suppose.
It was U512 when I killed it, but I swapped it with U572 to check that it was actually faulty. My 741 kludge seems to work but I'm not convinced it's perfect. The Tek chip seems specified quite fast (80MHz gain-bandwidth product!) and I think the rather pedestrian 741 may be running out of speed (or slew rate) in the faster real-time ranges.

In real time ranges the horizontal amplifier now has
one continuous ramp as input during the whole sweep of the 7T11. It depends on
the time/div setting which outputs of U512 are really used in the amplifier
chain. Not used outputs can be overdriven within short time without any
consequence, and stay at some very high maximum level during the rest of the
sweep . It's what I see happening.
Yes, I've observed that in the U512A/B/C/D chain too. The ramp only really makes sense properly after the last stage.

The good news is that, coupled with my 7S11, I now have something resembling a working sampling system. I have three rather tired-looking sampling heads in unknown condition (an S-1 and two S-2s, one labelled 50ps risetime and the other labelled 75ps). I have only tried the S-1 but it does actually work. Observations so far:
- equivalent time mode works a lot better than real time mode. At least, the waveform I see on the screen in equivalent-time mode looks like what I'd expect. I haven't tried a really fast edge in to the sampling head yet to see how the performance is at the really short time'div settings.
- in real time mode, it's hard to get a trace that makes sense. presumably the 50kHz-ish clock from the real time multivibrator limits the display to about one sample every 20us, so some of the faster sweep speeds don't show a lot. Even on the slower sweeps, the edges of my test squarewave exhibit terrible risetime (about half a division) which is puzzling, and very different to the behaviour in equivalent time. Maybe it's something to do with the recovery time of the sampling head, or there's something amiss with the 7S11. I tried adjusting the 'dot response' control and making sure smoothing was switched off, but it didn't improve much.

Thank you for your help so far. You can probably tell that I'm new to the 7000-series sampling world. I regularly use my CSA803A/SD24 sampling setup, but that makes it all so easy...

Chris


Re: FS: miscellaneous Tektronix manuals

Dan Cordova
 

George,
These are really outstanding!?
Thank you very much,
Dan

On Wednesday, December 5, 2018, 6:46:28 AM PST, Glydeck via Groups.Io <glydeck@...> wrote:

Dan,

Dennis¡¯ curve tracer is the more complete solution, but if you¡¯re interested in the one on my blog its in the file section of TekScopes.

/g/TekScopes/files/Tek575TestFixtures.pdf

George
On Dec 4, 2018, at 11:01 PM, Dennis Tillman W7PF <dennis@...> wrote:

Hi Dan,
I can help you test tubes on your 575.

Like you I was very impressed with George Lydeck's (Glydeck) creativity and when a 575 fell into my lap for $20 it acted as a catalyst for me to build an adapter to test tubes. I went one step further than George: I came up with a way to test any tube on a 575, 576, 577, 7CT1N or 5CT1N.

You can read? about how you can do it in my paper which you can download at


If you want to get one of my adapter boards please contact me off list at dennis at ridesoft dot com.

Dennis Tillman W7PF

-----Original Message-----
From: Dan Cordova via Groups.Io
Sent: Tuesday, December 04, 2018 1:52 PM
Subject: Re: [TekScopes] FS: miscellaneous Tektronix manuals

Hi Brad,
Do you have or know anyone selling an adapter/fixture to match tubes on
a Tektronix 575?
Or, do you know if there is a schematic I can buy? Glydeck has a blog
about this, but there is no schematic or info to contact him.
Thanks,
Dan



--
Dennis Tillman W7PF
TekScopes Moderator



Re: 7T11 horizontal memory

 

Hi Chris,

I might have good news for you.
The real time multivibrator doesn't work when you don't have a 7S11 adjacent to (or otherwise connected to) the 7T11. So then the memory gate is always blocked and you have no sweep output at the front panel.
You mean U512 I suppose. In real time ranges the horizontal amplifier now has one continuous ramp as input during the whole sweep of the 7T11. It depends on the time/div setting which outputs of U512 are really used in the amplifier chain. Not used outputs can be overdriven within short time without any consequence, and stay at some very high maximum level during the rest of the sweep . It's what I see happening.
I didn't pay attention to this in my previous post about equivalent time sampling but you essentially have the same situation then.

Albert

On Wed, Dec 5, 2018 at 03:23 PM, cmjones01 wrote:


I have now replaced the faulty R541 and R542. I also found that U572B, a Tek
special op-amp, was dead, I think due to a careless slip of my scope probe.
For now I've kludged a 741 in its place. Joy of joys, I have a horizontal
sweep in equivalent-time mode! Still blanked in real-time mode. I think
there's still something not right about the horizontal memory, which seems to
only be used in real-time mode (or am I wrong?). Anyhow, when I select a
real-time-mode sweep range, the output of U572B wanders up to about +12V and
stays there. I do have real-time sweep on the way in to the horizontal memory,
though. Will investigate further.

Chris

On Wed, Dec 5, 2018 at 06:07 AM, Albert Otten wrote:
One more suggestion. Set the 7T11 for MANUAL scan. Set the test scope at 5
or
10 us/div, trigger from the 7T11 pulse output. Then probe all TPs 512, 515,
525, 555 of the horizontal amplifier. In each period you will see one
horizontal line at a level determined by the SCAN knob setting. The level
increases from ground to some maximum when you rotate SCAN from left (ccw)
to
right (cw). The amounts and ratios depend on the setting of the 7T11
time/div
within its range. At TP555 the maximum should always be 5 V.


Re: FS: miscellaneous Tektronix manuals

 

Dan,

Dennis¡¯ curve tracer is the more complete solution, but if you¡¯re interested in the one on my blog its in the file section of TekScopes.

/g/TekScopes/files/Tek575TestFixtures.pdf

George

On Dec 4, 2018, at 11:01 PM, Dennis Tillman W7PF <dennis@...> wrote:

Hi Dan,
I can help you test tubes on your 575.

Like you I was very impressed with George Lydeck's (Glydeck) creativity and when a 575 fell into my lap for $20 it acted as a catalyst for me to build an adapter to test tubes. I went one step further than George: I came up with a way to test any tube on a 575, 576, 577, 7CT1N or 5CT1N.

You can read about how you can do it in my paper which you can download at


If you want to get one of my adapter boards please contact me off list at dennis at ridesoft dot com.

Dennis Tillman W7PF

-----Original Message-----
From: Dan Cordova via Groups.Io
Sent: Tuesday, December 04, 2018 1:52 PM
Subject: Re: [TekScopes] FS: miscellaneous Tektronix manuals

Hi Brad,
Do you have or know anyone selling an adapter/fixture to match tubes on
a Tektronix 575?
Or, do you know if there is a schematic I can buy? Glydeck has a blog
about this, but there is no schematic or info to contact him.
Thanks,
Dan



--
Dennis Tillman W7PF
TekScopes Moderator



Re: 7T11 horizontal memory

 

I have now replaced the faulty R541 and R542. I also found that U572B, a Tek special op-amp, was dead, I think due to a careless slip of my scope probe. For now I've kludged a 741 in its place. Joy of joys, I have a horizontal sweep in equivalent-time mode! Still blanked in real-time mode. I think there's still something not right about the horizontal memory, which seems to only be used in real-time mode (or am I wrong?). Anyhow, when I select a real-time-mode sweep range, the output of U572B wanders up to about +12V and stays there. I do have real-time sweep on the way in to the horizontal memory, though. Will investigate further.

Chris

On Wed, Dec 5, 2018 at 06:07 AM, Albert Otten wrote:
One more suggestion. Set the 7T11 for MANUAL scan. Set the test scope at 5 or
10 us/div, trigger from the 7T11 pulse output. Then probe all TPs 512, 515,
525, 555 of the horizontal amplifier. In each period you will see one
horizontal line at a level determined by the SCAN knob setting. The level
increases from ground to some maximum when you rotate SCAN from left (ccw) to
right (cw). The amounts and ratios depend on the setting of the 7T11 time/div
within its range. At TP555 the maximum should always be 5 V.


Re: 7T11 horizontal memory

 

Hi Chris,

One more suggestion. Set the 7T11 for MANUAL scan. Set the test scope at 5 or 10 us/div, trigger from the 7T11 pulse output. Then probe all TPs 512, 515, 525, 555 of the horizontal amplifier. In each period you will see one horizontal line at a level determined by the SCAN knob setting. The level increases from ground to some maximum when you rotate SCAN from left (ccw) to right (cw). The amounts and ratios depend on the setting of the 7T11 time/div within its range. At TP555 the maximum should always be 5 V.

Albert

On Mon, Dec 3, 2018 at 05:13 PM, Albert Otten wrote:


Hi Chris,

It's not so easy to interpret the graphs 26 and 27 the correct way. The shaded
area in 26 actually consists of horizontal lines, the value of which are
sampled when the memory gate conducts. In 27 something similar for the rest
period between end of hold-off and next trigger event.
When probe TP555 at a slow sweep speed, 5 ms/div, trigger from this signal and
play with the SCAN rate of the 7T11, you can get a more or less stable
display. You will recognize the 7T11 sweep as a rising envelope with an
amplitude of 5 V. The output at TP564 is a nice 2X inverted, down going sweep
signal with amplitude 10 V. TP556 shows about the same as TP564 but with small
amplitude.

Albert

On Mon, Dec 3, 2018 at 01:06 PM, cmjones01 wrote:


Now I have healthy gate pulses at the collector of Q546. However, I don't have
any sweep at TP555 in equivalent time mode. Need to look in to this next.

Chris


Re: Tektronix 475A intermittent / lazy sweep

 

Hi, From my information, it is actually the Coulsdon Amateur Transmitting Society, not Crawley. The URL below gets you to the CATS Bazaar and there are links:



I, too have no association with the event, but I think I might try to visit next year....

Colin.

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of george edmonds via Groups.Io
Sent: 23 November 2018 23:59
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [TekScopes] Tektronix 475A intermittent / lazy sweep

Hi All
The CATS (Crawley Amateur Transmitting Society) rally is correctly known as the CATS Bazaar, it was not last month but is was held on the 15th November.
If you are into Amateur Radio or T&M kit it is a must go to event.
Just for the record I have nothing to do with the organising of the event.
73 George G6HIG

On Friday, November 23, 2018 8:35 AM, Tom Gardner <tggzzz@...> wrote:


On 23/11/18 06:18, Brian Cockburn wrote:
At the CATS rally (South London) ...
I'm in Cambridge but I'm not familiar with 'CATS Rally'. Googling didn't turn up anything non-feline. Could you elaborate a bit pleas
The canonical source for these rallies is

Since the Couldson (Surrey) rally was last month, it no longer appears there.


FS: 2465B A5 Boards

 

i have a couple of 2465B A5 boards for sale. These are the SMD version and will work in the 2445B, 2455B, 2465B, and 2467B scopes with serial # greater than B05XXXX. They have new socketed NVRAM modules and have had the electrolytic capacitors replaced. These boards have absolutely no damage on them from leaking electrolytic capacitors. Fully tested. $300 each shipped USPS Priority Mail to US 48 states. PayPal accepted.

Manuel W4SSB


Re: FS: miscellaneous Tektronix manuals

 

Hi Dan,
I can help you test tubes on your 575.

Like you I was very impressed with George Lydeck's (Glydeck) creativity and when a 575 fell into my lap for $20 it acted as a catalyst for me to build an adapter to test tubes. I went one step further than George: I came up with a way to test any tube on a 575, 576, 577, 7CT1N or 5CT1N.

You can read about how you can do it in my paper which you can download at


If you want to get one of my adapter boards please contact me off list at dennis at ridesoft dot com.

Dennis Tillman W7PF

-----Original Message-----
From: Dan Cordova via Groups.Io
Sent: Tuesday, December 04, 2018 1:52 PM
Subject: Re: [TekScopes] FS: miscellaneous Tektronix manuals

Hi Brad,
Do you have or know anyone selling an adapter/fixture to match tubes on
a Tektronix 575?
Or, do you know if there is a schematic I can buy? Glydeck has a blog
about this, but there is no schematic or info to contact him.
Thanks,
Dan



--
Dennis Tillman W7PF
TekScopes Moderator


Re: FS: miscellaneous Tektronix manuals

Dan Cordova
 

Hi Brad,
Do you have or know anyone selling an adapter/fixture to match tubes on a Tektronix 575?
Or, do you know if there is a schematic I can buy??
Glydeck has a blog about this, but there is no schematic or info to contact him.
Thanks,
Dan

On Tuesday, December 4, 2018, 1:31:54 PM PST, Brad Thompson <brad.thompson@...> wrote:

Hello--

I'm offering FS the following original Tektronix manuals-- all are in
very good condition
except as noted. Please note that some of these manuals are available
for downloading at no cost. However, some users prefer printed copies.
Postage is extra (except as indicated).

Scope-mobile 200-1 062-0870-00, May 1969 (R), 8 pp. double-sided. $3.00
postpaid via USPS first-class mail.
*
4957 Series Graphics Tablet Instruction Manual, 070-4784-01, Product
Group 15, Nov.1986 (revised); approx. 72 pp., in 9-inch by 7-inch three-ring
binder. $7.50 plus postage.
*
TDS 200-series Programmer Manual, 071-0493-01, approx. 220 pp., wire-bound,
in as-new condition. Asking $10.00 plus postage

Note1 : "This document supports TDS 210 and TDS 220 with FV:v1.09 and
above when used with TDS2CM version CMV:v1.04 and above, or TDS2MM any
version, and TDS224 when used with any version of TDS2CM or TDS2MM."

Note 2: Requires an optional RS-232 or GPIB interface (TDS2CM Communications
Extension Module or TDS2MM Measurement Extension Module).
*
11401 and 11402 Programmers Quick Reference, 070-6255-00, Product Group 47,
1988 first printing. approx. 80 pp., wire comb-bound (9-inch by 4-inch
format),? In very-good-minus condition (front cover creased). Asking
$7.50? plus postage.
*
DSA 601A and DSA 602A Digitizing Signal Analyzers Quick Reference,
070-8183-00,
Product Group 47, 1991 first printing. approx. 60 pp., wire comb-bound
(9-inch by 4-inch format),? In good-plus condition (front cover creased,
wire comb? slightly distorted).
Asking $7.50? plus postage.
*
P6231 10X Active Probe, DC to 1.5 GHz, Instruction Manual, 070-6027-00
Product
Group 60, revised 1987, (8 1/2 inch by 5 1/2 inch plastic comb binding)
approx 40 pp.
In very good condition (front cover slightly faded)? Asking $7.50 plus
postage.
****

Question welcomed, PayPal honored.

thanks, and 73--

Brad? AA1IP


Re: OT - Method of choice to sort and store assorted transistors (apart from having one bin for every part number)

 

How about plastic ice cube trays ?
HankC, Boston, Wa1HOS


Re: What is this soft metal, and is it toxic?

 

Hi John:
Did you find out what it was?


FS: miscellaneous Tektronix manuals

 

Hello--

I'm offering FS the following original Tektronix manuals-- all are in very good condition
except as noted. Please note that some of these manuals are available for downloading at no cost. However, some users prefer printed copies. Postage is extra (except as indicated).

Scope-mobile 200-1 062-0870-00, May 1969 (R), 8 pp. double-sided. $3.00 postpaid via USPS first-class mail.
*
4957 Series Graphics Tablet Instruction Manual, 070-4784-01, Product
Group 15, Nov.1986 (revised); approx. 72 pp., in 9-inch by 7-inch three-ring
binder. $7.50 plus postage.
*
TDS 200-series Programmer Manual, 071-0493-01, approx. 220 pp., wire-bound,
in as-new condition. Asking $10.00 plus postage

Note1 : "This document supports TDS 210 and TDS 220 with FV:v1.09 and above when used with TDS2CM version CMV:v1.04 and above, or TDS2MM any version, and TDS224 when used with any version of TDS2CM or TDS2MM."

Note 2: Requires an optional RS-232 or GPIB interface (TDS2CM Communications
Extension Module or TDS2MM Measurement Extension Module).
*
11401 and 11402 Programmers Quick Reference, 070-6255-00, Product Group 47,
1988 first printing. approx. 80 pp., wire comb-bound (9-inch by 4-inch format), In very-good-minus condition (front cover creased). Asking $7.50 plus postage.
*
DSA 601A and DSA 602A Digitizing Signal Analyzers Quick Reference, 070-8183-00,
Product Group 47, 1991 first printing. approx. 60 pp., wire comb-bound (9-inch by 4-inch format), In good-plus condition (front cover creased, wire comb slightly distorted).
Asking $7.50 plus postage.
*
P6231 10X Active Probe, DC to 1.5 GHz, Instruction Manual, 070-6027-00 Product
Group 60, revised 1987, (8 1/2 inch by 5 1/2 inch plastic comb binding) approx 40 pp.
In very good condition (front cover slightly faded) Asking $7.50 plus postage.
****

Question welcomed, PayPal honored.

thanks, and 73--

Brad AA1IP


Re: Large lot of Tek equipment for sale

 

Q: How many 'scopes does one person need? A: "Just ONE more"!

de G4LUA


Re: What is this soft metal, and is it toxic?

 

I have a 250g ingot of pure Indium. It was purchased during the developement phase of a 500W Band II amplifier module, to see if it could be formed into thermally-conductive washers (RF transistor flange to heatsink interface). The answer was no: despite being very soft, it was not soft enought to flow at the pressures involved in bolting down the transistors. Gram for gram it's close to silver in cost. Perhaps I should make up some solder for use on gold connections?

John


Re: OT - Method of choice to sort and store assorted transistors (apart from having one bin for every part number)

 

On Tue, 04 Dec 2018 04:36:40 -0800, you wrote:

If you want, you can color code the envelopes with colored dots from a
stationary store, or colored labels.

And for the OT?

If someone talks about spectrum analyzers, I'm not the right person.

Logic analyzers, yes.

OT? likely anything.

Harvey


Hello all,

Thank you everybody for all your valuable input.
I can't possibly summarize everything in an answer, or quote or give appropriate credit to each method, but - in general...
I started with this idea to categorize the transistors in a way that their physical placement would somehow reflect their key characteristics... all that in order to save space and minimize the number of separate "compartments"...
But in the light of all your answers - the idea of the plastic bags or coin envelopes catch my attention the most - I got convinced that it's not all that difficult to really have the transistors separate by individual part numbers.
The bags (or coin envelopes) don't take much space, are cheap, and allow to keep the parts organized, without the need of having that many number of compartments (the envelopes become the compartments).
The discussion about being anti-static or not, well, I`m in Sao Paulo (Brazil) and humidity is usually not lower than 50% so, static is rarely an issue here.
Still, I`ll look for anti-static bags and, if they're affordable, it will be my preferred choice.

Thank you again and Rgrds,

Fabio
P.S. It seems the more OT the subject is, the more it grabs the group's attention and triggers more collaboration than anything else...
It got me thinking... Does that say something about human nature? Or about our nature (as a social group)? No answers required!



Phoenix Az. Ham fest pickups

 

I attended the hamfest in Phoenix last Saturday. I was able to pick up a TM506 with a DC503 and a PS501 all working for $40. Also 3 2430A along with 2 TDS320 and a TDS420 for $100. One of the 2430A are a 10,000 serial number (sad face) and the other two are 30,000+ . The TDS420 has leaking SMD capacitors which I'm going to attempt to change and possibly a power supply issue. One of the TDS320s fails acq self test on channel one, but the other works perfectly. After some cleaning and swapping some broken pots on the 2430A I am left with two working 2430A a working TDS320, a working TM506 and 50/50 chance of a working TDS420. The 2430A all appear to come from the Marine Corps due to the Marine Corps calibration stickers and the TDS320 have Naval Air stickers on them. I really like how the front panel just pops off on the 2430A I was dreading changing the pots with broken shafts but the way the front comes off is pretty slick and made the job painless. The SMD caps for the TDS420 should be here Thursday so I will know more then. Hope everyone is doing well and thanks for letting me share.

Brendan


Selection criteria of TD3A in trigger circuit

 

In the manuals for some 500 series Tek scopes, the TD3A tunnel diode (4.7 mA, used in the astable rather than the pulse generation section) has 'selected' next to it. Does anyone know by what criteria the diode was selected?


Re: OT - Method of choice to sort and store assorted transistors (apart from having one bin for every part number)

 

eBay has several vendors selling small modular SMT / SMD Surface Mount Parts containers.
You can get them quite cheaply if you look for the bulk sales.

Just do an eBay (or better still Picclick - much better search engine for eBay) search for SMT or SMT Component Boxes.

They are a nice modular system of clip together boxes, originally designed for SMD / SMT component storage, which have transparent hinged lids that flip up 90 degrees & firmly latch closed.
Some boxes have a small metal spring to open the lid while others use a less durable system of a plastic spring.
These modular boxes are designed to clip together on all four sides & are made in a variety of sizes based on a multiple of the smallest size with a common 21mm height.
The smallest box is 25mm across the front with the latch & 31.5mm on the side (No. 1).? These boxes are ESD safe (antistatic) for storing static sensitive components.

The boxes are manufactured in a variety of colours by several different companies but some sizes are commonly available in only one or two colours on eBay.
Some similar looking clip together boxes do not fit these.? The incompatible boxes often have a module with many smaller boxes in a single unit.
Dimension L, Length, is the front side with the latch.

*No.1? 25 x 31.5 x 21.5 mm? L x W x H *
Black / Blue / Brown / Green / Pink / White / Yellow
ID: 21 x 18 x 18 mm??? This is the smallest module size.

*No.2? 75 x 31.5 x 21.5 mm? L x W x H? Green*
Normally only green but also rarely in blue & pink.
3 modules long (front) x 1 module back.

*No.3? 75 x 63 x 21.5 mm? L x W x H??? Pink *
Normally only pink but also rarely in blue & green.
3 modules long (front) x 2 modules back.

*No.4? 125 x 63 x 21.5 mm? L x W x H??? Yellow *
Normally yellow but also rarely in blue, green, & pink.
5 modules long (front) x 2 modules back.

The great thing about these is that you can clip them together in a nice sized stack for ease of handling.
You can colour code for contents but the "alternate" colours may be more expensive.

I haven't got around to it yet but I have a cheap tool box with drawers in the front that I am going to gut & use slides of plywood in aluminium channel to make the boxes into layer drawers.
Because they are so low & small, a lot of compartments can fit into a small area.

You do find a certain number of faulty boxes.
Sometimes the hinge sort of falls apart when the box opens - you may be able to tension the spring to stop that or keep those boxes in a row other than the back one.
Often they do not fall apart if there is another row behind them.
Sometimes a box will not open fully.? Exercising it will often get it to come right.

If you do end up with too many faulty ones from an eBay seller then they normally have to either send you more or do a discount.

There are some other similar containers that are not interchangeable, often in blocks of containers, so you need to check the dimensions.

Regards,
Brian.

On 04-Dec.-18 08:56, Harvey White wrote:
On Mon, 3 Dec 2018 17:04:15 -0500, you wrote:

If you have more than a couple of each, get small pill bottles with
snap on caps, write the device number on top and keep them in order.
Make small trays slightly higher than the bottle and you can stack
them in a drawer. You could probably stuff a couple hundred in a
drawer.

Not my idea, I saw a collection of smd parts organized that way
(using smaller vials) and it was pretty impressive.
I use bead organization containers for SMD parts. Locally, Michaels
or Hobby lobby may have them. You get about 20 screw top plastic
vials in a plastic case for not too much (look for sales). These are
about 1 inch in diameter.

I put a 3/4 inch colored dot label to discriminate between 1% and 5%
resistors, for instance.

Some containers are available in a 1 3/4 (or so) diameter. Those can
be used for tape mounted SMD parts.

Be aware that these containers are not necessarily anti-static.

Things that need static protection may be left in the tape which can
be cut or curled to fit the container.

Other containers for beads, especially with locking tops, are good for
screws and nuts.

Harvey

Paul


Re: OT - Method of choice to sort and store assorted transistors (apart from having one bin for every part number)

 

Hello all,

Thank you everybody for all your valuable input.
I can't possibly summarize everything in an answer, or quote or give appropriate credit to each method, but - in general...
I started with this idea to categorize the transistors in a way that their physical placement would somehow reflect their key characteristics... all that in order to save space and minimize the number of separate "compartments"...
But in the light of all your answers - the idea of the plastic bags or coin envelopes catch my attention the most - I got convinced that it's not all that difficult to really have the transistors separate by individual part numbers.
The bags (or coin envelopes) don't take much space, are cheap, and allow to keep the parts organized, without the need of having that many number of compartments (the envelopes become the compartments).
The discussion about being anti-static or not, well, I`m in Sao Paulo (Brazil) and humidity is usually not lower than 50% so, static is rarely an issue here.
Still, I`ll look for anti-static bags and, if they're affordable, it will be my preferred choice.

Thank you again and Rgrds,

Fabio
P.S. It seems the more OT the subject is, the more it grabs the group's attention and triggers more collaboration than anything else...
It got me thinking... Does that say something about human nature? Or about our nature (as a social group)? No answers required!