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TM500 Question

 

I was?semi-following the discussion on the LA501W and that got me browsing some of the other TM500 plug-ins which leads to a question.
?
I've thought that?it would be handy to get one of the scopes to pair with two function generators so I could have a simple sweep generator with a display.?It doesn't look like the SC501 or the SC502 support?X-Y mode display. Is that true?
?
I hadn't noticed the MR501 before but that looks like the better basis for building something like that from, but I'm not sure how common they are. I don't remember seeing any?around the times I've looked for TM500 plug-ins.
?
I have to admit the flexibility of the TM500 stuff just seems elegant to me...
?
73 de
Jim W4JBM

http://www.hamuniverse.com/w4jbm/

"With a soldering iron in one hand, a schematic in the other, and a puzzled look on his face..."
?
 

Jim,

Both the SC501 ans SC502 have X-Y modes. Bandwidth is limited.


Jerry Massengale



-----Original Message-----
From: Jim McClanahan
To: TekScopes
Sent: Fri, Oct 12, 2012 7:22 am
Subject: [TekScopes] TM500 Question

?
I was?semi-following the discussion on the LA501W and that got me browsing some of the other TM500 plug-ins which leads to a question.
?
I've thought that?it would be handy to get one of the scopes to pair with two function generators so I could have a simple sweep generator with a display.?It doesn't look like the SC501 or the SC502 support?X-Y mode display. Is that true?
?
I hadn't noticed the MR501 before but that looks like the better basis for building something like that from, but I'm not sure how common they are. I don't remember seeing any?around the times I've looked for TM500 plug-ins.
?
I have to admit the flexibility of the TM500 stuff just seems elegant to me...
?
73 de
Jim W4JBM


"With a soldering iron in one hand, a schematic in the other, and a puzzled look on his face..."
?
 

¿ªÔÆÌåÓý

I have the MR501, SC501, SC502, and SC504.

?

The MR501 is uncommon but it is specifically designed to do XY. It has an X amplifier instead of a timebase.

?

The SC502 does do YT and XY. I have used it a lot for XY and the X amplifier displays 10MHz signals just fine. IIRC the Y amplifier is spec¡¯d at 15MHz or 17MHz. Another nice feature of this SC502 is that it is a dual trace scope so the X amplifier input can allow you to monitor two Y signals against the same X reference. I have noticed the horizontal amplifier chain saturates after deflecting the beam several divisions. I don¡¯t know the cause of this but I see it on many different Tek scope models. I don¡¯t think the MR501 would have this problem since it is specifically designed for XY displays.

?

I don¡¯t recall using the SC501 in XY mode but it does have the capability to do XY displays.

?

The worst feature of the SC501 and MR501 is the plastic bezel. They were some of the earliest plugins for the TM500 line and the plastic Tek used is very inferior. As usual with almost all TM500 plugins it is rare to find one with intact corners. But the plastic on the SC501 and MR501 is much worse than nearly all other TM500 plugins. It aged poorly. After 35+ years it crumbles from almost any maintenance you may attempt to make on the plugin. Avoid even the mildest solvents. They will cause the plastic to start crumbling a day or two later. I found this out when I attempted to cobble together one good SC501 by cannibalizing parts from 5 parts mules. I always suspected this was due in part to the ozone generated by the HV and CRT anode components inside the scope.

?

I have heard from others that the SC501 HV oscillator circuit (or was it the HV inverter transformer?) was prone to failure although I never experienced this myself.

?

All of the SCxxx scopes are quite capable in spite of their size. Tek crammed a lot of performance and versatility into these very tiny instruments.

?

Dennis

?

From: TekScopes@... [mailto:TekScopes@...] On Behalf Of Jim McClanahan
Sent: Friday, October 12, 2012 5:23 AM

I was?semi-following the discussion on the LA501W and that got me browsing some of the other TM500 plug-ins which leads to a question.

?

I've thought that?it would be handy to get one of the scopes to pair with two function generators so I could have a simple sweep generator with a display.?It doesn't look like the SC501 or the SC502 support?X-Y mode display. Is that true?

?

I hadn't noticed the MR501 before but that looks like the better basis for building something like that from, but I'm not sure how common they are. I don't remember seeing any?around the times I've looked for TM500 plug-ins.

?

I have to admit the flexibility of the TM500 stuff just seems elegant to me...
?

73 de
Jim W4JBM

?
Alexandre Souza - Listas
 

The worst feature of the SC501 and MR501 is the plastic bezel. They were
some of the earliest plugins for the TM500 line and the plastic Tek used is
very inferior. As usual with almost all TM500 plugins it is rare to find one
Nothing that cannot be created by an old stratasys or some of the newer 3D hobby printers...
 

Alexandre,

This seems like a preposterous suggestion. I must be missing something.
Wouldn't this require at least the following:
1) You found a panel in perfect condition;
2) You removed the existing brittle panel without breaking it;
3) You drew a 3D CAD drawing of it;
4) You had a $1000+ 3D printer to use to make a duplicate;

What would the total cost be for this one-off panel in equipment, time, and
materials? How do you justify that time and expense?

Wouldn't it be much easier to make a mold of an existing part and duplicate
it that way?

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: TekScopes@... [mailto:TekScopes@...] On Behalf
Of Alexandre Souza - Listas
Sent: Friday, October 12, 2012 3:56 PM

The worst feature of the SC501 and MR501 is the plastic bezel. They
were some of the earliest plugins for the TM500 line and the plastic
Tek used is very inferior. As usual with almost all TM500 plugins it
is rare to find one
Nothing that cannot be created by an old stratasys or some of the newer
3D hobby printers...

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