OT - o scope

[LightSoundGeometry]

well it was between a BK 30meg that looked okay but worn/used and the Instek GOS-620FG 20MHz Analog Oscilloscope with Function Generator.

BK was 120.00 and the Instek was 119.00 total ...it was the cheapest I could find tested and rated as working. I went with the instek which also had the probes and a built in wave generator.

Will the 20meg be good enough for DIY and small repair type stuff mainly guitar and audio related ? 

just wanted to hear some thoughts from you guys.

[blackieNYC]

Yes. That's enough.  These sound good- are these available at that price? Pretty good. Amazon says $369.00

[GibsonGM]

^  For sure.    You should have FINE resolution for audio frequencies!   Function generator sounds cool! 

A suggestion:  Learn to use it the right way, and spend time being all cautious as you set your voltage input...too high an input on a low setting and you'll have to rip it apart to find out what popped!!   Read the manual...when I got mine, one channel wasn't working, and that was why....a diode had popped due to over-voltage. Luckily the other channel worked so I could compare voltages to find it. 

Is yours 1 or 2 channel?

Look up an "octopus" component tester, they are fun when you have a new scope! 

[LightSoundGeometry]

thank you guys!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/122104864411?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

its a two channel. I popped my first cap on the BB the other day..thought one of my mouse traps went off..had the red and black wires reversed lol.

yeah, we used the BK in labs out at school, but not much, so I knew how to mess with the BK already...most work in class/lab was done on the computer sims/models and I didnt learn much more than quick overview of the basic baseline stuf..mostly introducoray math lol - most of these classes are geared towards computers and IT/networking ..audio seems to be a thing of the past out at the local schools, and I am still looking at getting me a break out board. the microprocessor stuff is growing on me, but hard, and still an overview..we arent looking at clock waves of a cpu or anything..its a 100 level course. its kind of fun because we are building lego stuff with servo motors and programming the lego builds to do things like move around etc ..low level language

I seen that on feebay too around 350..the seller has 100% and described it in details , jargon I never heard of even lol, and shows pictures of it still in plastic. I think the guy stumbled on it cheap and let it go to get some quick cash ...I been pricing them for a few years and the market has finally come done to where you can get one for 100 bucks or so. I could not find much out on google concerning the bandwidth..some one needs to write an article on their blog, will probably get flooded with hits.

* https://www.google.com/search?q=%22octopus%22+component+tester&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

nice!!

I am in the process of researching a TV antenna build to ..and I have a quick question concerning that..as long as my copper tubing is inside the house, my lighting rods outside will protect my TV from a surge? I never installed an antenna but i am guessing one outside, like on a roof, is grounded to earth through the existing lighting rod system?

* my writing is horrible, good thing I am better with vocational stuff and sciences lol

[PRR]

> TV antenna build to ..and I have a quick question concerning that..as long as my copper tubing is inside the house, my lighting rods outside will protect my TV from a surge?

There is NO sure protection from lightning. If Thor wants you, Thor will get you.

What copper tubing?

What difference inside or outside? A lightning hit has come through 1000s of feet of thin air, how is 1/2" wallboard gonna slow it down?

There is Code for both Lightning Rods and TV antennas. An extract may come with a new antenna? My memory is VERY rusty. Assume I am wrong. But I recall fairly heavy conductor from mast by shortest straightest path to a fairly heavy dirt-rod. Anything else is inviting Thor to come *through* your house. Additionally you can get lighting arresters for TV cable. These may (ha) divert some near-misses to a dirt-rod more than your TV. A proper ground on the TV is tertiary protection.

[LightSoundGeometry]

> TV antenna build to ..and I have a quick question concerning that..as long as my copper tubing is inside the house, my lighting rods outside will protect my TV from a surge?

There is NO sure protection from lightning. If Thor wants you, Thor will get you.

What copper tubing?

What difference inside or outside? A lightning hit has come through 1000s of feet of thin air, how is 1/2" wallboard gonna slow it down?

There is Code for both Lightning Rods and TV antennas. An extract may come with a new antenna? My memory is VERY rusty. Assume I am wrong. But I recall fairly heavy conductor from mast by shortest straightest path to a fairly heavy dirt-rod. Anything else is inviting Thor to come *through* your house. Additionally you can get lighting arresters for TV cable. These may (ha) divert some near-misses to a dirt-rod more than your TV. A proper ground on the TV is tertiary protection.

I seen one today at walmart was so cheap, I might just buy that and forget it ! I did a test on a website and it shows I am in a low land area with signals pretty far away...which is odd considering I am 30 miles from a major city. but I am near saint louis which is the missippi valley ..we have highs and lows here , its right in the center where the weather splits into two near the bluffs towards cape giradeau.

we are protected by levees and prone to floods in parts here

[karbomusic]

If you need to stay in the 150 budget then this won't help but if the ~350 budget you can get a Rigol 1054z for 399 or so and hack it into a 1104z turning it into an 800.00 scope! I picked one up a couple months ago, outstanding value.

https://www.amazon.com/Rigol-DS1054Z-Digital-Oscilloscopes-Bandwidth/dp/B012938E76

[PRR]

I think this thread is forked.

TV reception is first Line Of Sight. Standing at the proposed antenna location, can you see the towers of St Louis? (Or wherever.) I know the general area, and compared to Bangor to me, your land is awful flat. But as you say there's bluffs much taller than a house, and houses down in lowlands.

Even if you had a clear shot to the Saint, if it is a long way you have a weak signal and will need a large wave-catcher.

If you have a grazing path from the tower, a little below line-of-sight, you get some scatter from the highland grazed, and may have signal but weak. Just for reception, you want your own tower to minimize the graze effect, and a large wave catcher. But this is costly and an invitation to Thor. (And out there on the prairie, I would have great respect.)

But do you have even a clue? If not, I would get the $29 WalMart toy and try it. If you are handy, try 10 feet any wire from TV input over a few wall hooks. That will at least clarify if a better rig will be probably useful or likely not enough help.

[karbomusic]

I think this thread is forked.

Ruh oh, you are correct. For some reason I thought we were looking for a good deal on an oscilloscope. As far as Thor, met him a couple times in real life, he doesn't mess around.

[ElectricDruid]

I used a 20MHz analog scope for audio for years. It was great. It cost me £50 from a radio ham. Since it was a 1965 Marconi tube-based scope, it also doubled as a space heater.

When enough of the tubes died that it stopped working, I replaced it with one of the Instek scopes like you mention. Had that for several years and it did the job perfectly well too. You don't need more than that for audio, really.

Since then I've started doing microprocessor stuff, so now I've gone digital and use a cheap Owon storage scope - an excellent piece of kit for the money, despite what engineering snobs might say about them.

Tom