Test equipment every amateur radio operator should have

[MUTNAV]

Interesting thread. Are we talking about the "What is this ham radio thing?" crowd, that s wanting a CCR, to dip a toe in the water, or more serious than that? How much more seriously is that person wanting to get involved?

Early stages of neophyte:
$5 DMM (Harbor Freight, etc)
Some decent hand tools. (Pawn shop, estate sale, etc)

Moving on from there:
Temperature controlled soldering station.
Soldering tools
NanoVNA
Dummy load
Power & VSWR meters (frequency appropriate)
Higher quality DMM
Analog VOM, if getting involved with tube/valve equipment.
Cabling tools (PowerPole, coaxial, Mole, etc)

That is just a starting point, and to be coupled with instruction on using said equipment properly.

I don't know if the temperature controlled soldering station is absolutely necessary... Sometimes, at least in my case, it was better to use a single tool for everything, and get really good at it.

Even in high reliability soldering courses, we didn't use temperature controlled stations (although I don't even know if they were available when I took them).

Of course a person could MAKE a lot of test equipment, that would be an adventure in and of itself, or even just make an accessory kit for a SWR analyzer ( a step attenuator would be nice ).

I think the ideal way to go would be to use a club that hopefully has test equipment to figure out what is wanted to begin with.

Thanks
Joel

 

[prcguy]

I've had a couple of Weller variable temp stations over the years and they failed. I also have a Weller WTCPL fixed temp station where the replaceable tip determines the temp that I bought used from Pace Communications about 45yrs ago. I believe it was used on the Pace 2300 CB assembly line for years before I got it. When I worked at Hughes Aircraft they used the same model on many production lines. Anyway, that thing just keeps on working and I've probably only had to replace the tip about 3 or 4 times over the last 45 years.

I don't know if the temperature controlled soldering station is absolutely necessary... Sometimes, at least in my case, it was better to use a single tool for everything, and get really good at it.

Even in high reliability soldering courses, we didn't use temperature controlled stations (although I don't even know if they were available when I took them).

Of course a person could MAKE a lot of test equipment, that would be an adventure in and of itself, or even just make an accessory kit for a SWR analyzer ( a step attenuator would be nice ).

I think the ideal way to go would be to use a club that hopefully has test equipment to figure out what is wanted to begin with.

Thanks
Joel

 

[krokus]

I don't know if the temperature controlled soldering station is absolutely necessary... Sometimes, at least in my case, it was better to use a single tool for everything, and get really good at it.

Even in high reliability soldering courses, we didn't use temperature controlled stations (although I don't even know if they were available when I took them).

The size of traces/pads, and thin/flex PCBs, take a lot of care. I want to dissuade people from the soldering gun, figuring that must be better.

 

[k6cpo]

Some folks lack the reading comprehension skills required when interpreting FCC rules. Then cite something out of context.

Or they interpret the rules to suit their own point of view. Case in point: §97.403 and §97.405.

 

[Lauri-CoyoteFrostbite]

Has it been said here already ? but I think the most important piece of equipment is something everyone already has---

Its between your ears

All the fancy goo-gaws in the world are useless if you don't understand the basics about what they are telling you


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[merlin]

I was going to make some snippy remarks about all the fancy equipment an 'average' ham needs, but after I got to a the Spectrum analysiz'r I calmed down.

A VOM and a frequency appropriate SWR meter is about all the "average" ham needs.
Having neat equipment and being able to meaning-fully be able to use it are two separate things. Modern radios have no 'user-friendly" parts and 99% of average hams that think they can diagnosis and repair surface mount technology...... Surprise !

Since I left my laboratory days I have gotten along very nicely with just my ancient Bird meter and a half dozen slugs---that -.and my ever present Fluke 77 multimeter. I have a Agilent 8591 that was given me, but now-a-days I hardly even know where I last left it, let alone use it......


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Before I ever owned any scopes or spectrum analyzers, my first good equipment was a Heathkit station monitor.
SB-610 I think. A swap meet special just needed a display adjustment. (focus/centering rings)
Look at your TX mod envelope, RX if signal. Back then, my dummy load was a 'CanTenna' and MFJ watt/swr meter.
When the local university upgraded their electronics labs, that is when I went fot the auctions and came home with a pickup full of equipment. The Tektronix scope is on my bench and used today. (wish I'd kept the scope cart)

 

[MUTNAV]

Before I ever owned any scopes or spectrum analyzers, my first good equipment was a Heathkit station monitor.
SB-610 I think. A swap meet special just needed a display adjustment. (focus/centering rings)
Look at your TX mod envelope, RX if signal. Back then, my dummy load was a 'CanTenna' and MFJ watt/swr meter.
When the local university upgraded their electronics labs, that is when I went fot the auctions and came home with a pickup full of equipment. The Tektronix scope is on my bench and used today. (wish I'd kept the scope cart)

The scope carts are interesting.... many years ago I checked the ground on the three wire outlet strip on the back of the cart, and surprise, the ground wire wasn't connected.... As I was filling out the safety report, a supervisor that was way smarter than me said that it was supposed to be like that.

Thanks
Joel

 

[kc9pfh]

Nobody has mentioned a high-wattage (>300 W) soldering gun for soldering PL-259s. Also a good (DX Engineering) coax prep tool. Don't forget a can of rosin flux.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

...and the knowledge to interpret the indications that your test equipment is telling you....and the knowledge of how to use the test equipment in the first place.

Our club (no names - no pack drill!) had the opportunity to buy cheaply a pair of HP signal generators, the 606B and the 608E, mainly to lend to the members. We held a couple of classes on how to use them. We bought a couple of the in-line fuses for a bit of protection. Later on both of them had the fuses blown and the attenuators busted. We should have bought a couple of Heathkit RF-1Us or similar.

When I first started work in a Motorola Lab back in about 1978 or so. I was presented with 3 of those old HP608 generators to test IM performance of Maxar 80 radios. I will tell you that it is a challenge getting three of those zeroed on their respective frequencies while making such a measurement. I struggled, I don't think I complained at all, but shortly after that I was presented with 3 HP8640B's which I proceeded to connect the timebases together. It was a much more efficient way to go.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

Has it been said here already ? but I think the most important piece of equipment is something everyone already has---

Its between your ears

All the fancy goo-gaws in the world are useless if you don't understand the basics about what they are telling you


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