Do a good dead and help a newby today

[Linear_DC]

High, Im the new guy on the block and could really use some advice.

First it seems proper to introduce myself.

My name is David Cooper (DC) Im 28 YRS old and I live in GA.

Im in school majoring in EE, and this is how I look at the end of each day...there is just so much to learn and absorb.

I consider myself somewhat a perfectionist, and also consider myself an audiophile.

I am a struggling student and hope to someday become as educated as some of you guys.
I try hard to learn as much as I can about anything, so I hope you can excuse my ignorance if I ask questions on some of your future posts for clarification of something I dont understand...I'll do extensive searches and try to learn it on my own first...asking only as a last resort.

I can see myself being engulfed by this board (I discovered it yesterday while surfing )
I love to build things, but I dont have the tools to do anything yet

Which brings me to my questions:

I need to get started with a few tools.

I just bought a DMM (Fluke 177) solder station (Weller WES51) and breadboard (Old ACE 245)

I need to purchase a DC power supply and O scope.

I am interested in an Instek GPS-3303 DC PS
http://www.tequipment.net/InstekGPS3303.html

and an Instek GOS-6103 scope (or the 200Mhz model)
http://www.tequipment.net/InstekGOS6103.html

I however have no experience with Instek products and dont really know if its cheap crap or just a good price for the product.
If anyone has any experience I would appreciate some guidance

Im also considering a Tektronix 465b, however Im worried about the age of these scopes. How bad would you say most are at being in calibration and reliability?

Thanks for any help

[sek]

Hi,

Im in school majoring in EE,
I am a struggling student...

why don't you do an obvious thing: ask the teachers and scientists in your EE school?

Considering you might need such tools in your study, they will understand your questions and might really be eager to help.

- Find out who the guys with the equipment knowledge are in your school.

- Make appointments. Running in through the door, asking for an opinion about a particular gear might lead them to a short "perhaps, try it!"...

- Prepare some material, e.g. print your links.

- Inform them about your budget (which doesn't seem too limited ). Sometimes, even schools have old stuff left to give away for little.

- Ask them if you can lend or hire some things for a couple of days (to compare).

As for the stuff on your list: the supply sounds almost okay, the scope seems too expensive. I've bought a comparable one for less than 250Euro off ebay...

Hope this helps

Sebastian.

edit:

Oh, and welcome to the board, DC
Hope we'll see lots of beautiful DIY from you

[Bill Fitzpatrick]

Unless you have lots of extra money I suggest a cheaper scope plus other needed items.

A 40Mhz dual trace scope such as the BK 1540 can be found quite
reasonable on ebay.

So can the:

HP204C Oscillator or HP3310B Function Generator
HP400EL AC Voltmeter

My BK1550 Dual Tracking power supply has served me well these many years.

[Linear_DC]

Thanks for the replies.

I guess Ill hold off on the scope if you think its not a good deal.
I kind of wanted to stay in the 100Mhz or more range.

Keep in mind its not that my budget is big, its that I beleive the philosophy buy the best once, or buy inferior many times over. The latter has cost me more frustration and money in the over all scheme of things, so I was just tying to plan ahead and do it right from the start.

Sek, I have done most of what you suggested already.
I attend a goverment owned university so selling or borrowing any equipment is not an option.
If anything gets replaced or breaks it is sent to a wharehouse to be auctioned, no exceptions.

My university has a few Tek 465 scopes, and I like them, Im just worried about reliability if I were to pick one up.
I would kick myslef for spending $200 only to have a dead scope after a short period of time...thats why Im looking into something a bit newer.

Ill take your advice and look elswhere for a scope.

[Da5id4Vz]

I bought a Tek 465 for $200 on Ebay. It was, as advertised, like new, removed from a rack in a communications hut. No probes in the deal

So far so good.

I had a job in college fixing scopes (B&K) that had been abused by the physics students. It was a great experience. But that was when things were still built with discreet components...

[AGGEMAM]

Uhm .. sorry .. I was just sort of perplexed by the title of the thread ..