Ed Price wrote:

That's my opinion. Do I care what Agilent or Tektronix thinks? Gee, do they
care what I think? And why are YOU worried about their feelings? Sounds like
your nose if pretty far up somebody's butt!

You should care. Unless you suddenly start building your own test
equipment, you are going to be "stuck" with using equipment geared
toward professionals, and manufactured by companies like HP(Agilent)
or tektronix.

OBTW, can you think of a less vulgar way of expressing your opinions?

I have no financial interest in any test equipment manufacturer. They
don't give me special favors, or punishments for stating my opinions.

The simple fact that your abilities at repair stop at thru hole,
technology, doesn't mean that devices that use hybrids, and surface
mount technology are not repairable.


By the average hobbyist? I don't think so!!!!!!!!!!!

The "average hobbyist" once made complete radios from hunks
of rock, metal and wood. A pretty extreme feat for the time.
Now if it requires a little study, or the acquisition of some
special skill, or tools, it is deemed impossible.


The hybrid front end on the
2465 is quite repairable, but requires a little optical help, just
like watch repair, an 1800's tecnology.


Sorry, I don't do watches. A "little optical help" isn't a magnifying lens
in a fluorescent work light. SM work calls for something like a B&L stereo
viewer, and that's as expensive as a very decent oscilloscope. BTW, turn on
your spell checker, a 1980's technology.


At least when I post, my spelling is the result of my own efforts.
Yours, apparently, comes from the efforts of a machine. I don't
think it hurt your eyes all that much to stumble over one of my very
few typo's. When you type at over 100WPM, a few will sneak in now and
then.

The parts in these hybrids are very large compared with mechanical watch
parts. A cheapy stereo dissection microscope works very nicely...
easily had for $250 new, or $100 on ebay. Back in the days of yore,
adjusted to today's dollar, a soldering gun cost as much.

From what I have heard, most
of the parts in the hybrid are standard off the shelf surface mount
faire... I have no direct knowledge of whether this is actually true.


Well, don't let lack of direct knowledge slow down your opinions.

You have some direct knowledge that says differently? I know that there
will be some parts that are special, but I doubt all are. I have
several friends that do a good business repairing these "special"
hybrids, they aren't great big companies, just individual hams that saw
a market.

I haven't needed to go inside the hybrids on my 2465, mostly because I
don't put my scope into positions where it is likely it will get zapped.

And to your assertion that I am a rich hobbiest, I am not an electronics
hobbiest at all! I am a self-employed electrical engineer, and I use
the test equipment I own to earn a living. Sadly, for me electronics
died as a hobby when I started getting paid to do it. The happy part
is I truly enjoy my work!


I wish you enjoyed reading the thread as well. I said you were either a
professional or a very rich hobbyist (as you had declared ownership of some
nice gear). OK, you are a professional. Do you hear me now? YOU ARE A
PROFESSIONAL!


REALLY?

------ your exact words------------
..............................If you have a 2465B scope (one of the
finest analog scopes I have ever used), then you are one extremely wealthy
hobbyist, and the economic constraints most everyone else lives by must
not apply to you.
------ your exact words -----------

Stop trying to bend the record to make me look bad, and you look good.

(I will admit that VERY obsolete electronics retains a hobby sort of
thrill for me... Old tube gear, and old minicomputers.)


Well, that's a good sign, as we have been yakking about this in the
boatanchors (and more) group. This is a hangout for hobbyists and very
frugal professionals.

It is a hangout for people with an interest in boatanchors, nothing
more, nothing less.

-Chuck, WA3UQV