Hi If the guy selling the 8590 also has a "backup" unit for parts - have him throw that in on the deal. Spending more money on a replacement board than on a "good deal" buy is a very real possibility. I have a parts donor backing up the one I own.
Bob On Feb 22, 2010, at 4:35 AM, Dave Baxter wrote: > Hi.. > > If the price is right, the 8590 analyzer if healthy makes a good > introduction to that class of instruments, you'll learn a lot. > > Yes, they are not the top of the range, but they are not shabby either. > > Get yourself signed up to the HP_Agilent group (also on Yahoo) for > detailed info, and they are not too dificult to fix either. > > There is a lithium backup battery that perhaps should be replaced if > there is no evidence it has already been done, but look up the correct > procedure before you go wading in. > > Re dim traces/screens. The faceplate protector often gets crudded up on > the inside, making things darker than you'd think. Bit of a task to > remove and clean, but not dificult. Manuals are available if you ask > in the right places. Again, ask before getting the toolbox out. > > It's also relativley trivial to make a crude "converter" to get up to > 3GHz. In essance, all you need is a stable oscilator, a mixer, and > perhaps a crude band pass filter. Not "calibrated" but you'll see > stuff that can help whatever you are trying to do. The choice of > frequencies is the interesting bit, avoiding any posible IF leakage, and > knowing how to identify (and ignore) images etc. > > As to usability, bit of a mixed bag. They can be easy to drive, but > there are layers of menus too. However, once you find your way round > them, no problem. > > As it has GPIB, look at KE5FX's GPIB software tools for sa's. Very > good indeed. > > As above, if the price is right, get it. A good first SA to own. But > see it working first, even if it's just looking at the local broacast FM > stations with a bit of wire in the front input socket. No signals > (especialy if no "0Hz" spur = no buy, unless the price is very very very > low, even then, it may just end up as a parts donor.) > > Dave G0WBX. > > > > ---- Original Message ---- > > Message: 1 > Date: Fri, 19 Feb 2010 17:38:50 -0700 > From: Joseph Gray <jg...@zianet.com> > Subject: [time-nuts] OT: HP 8590A > To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement > <time-nuts@febo.com> > Message-ID: > <c793a5fe1002191638j24a8913dnad62d8800dee3...@mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > Since the list members are familiar with lots of test equipment, I'd > like to ask what the folks here think about the HP 8590A Spectrum > Analyzer. Is this model ok? Are there any particular failures I should > be aware of in this 20+ year old equipment? > > I have a chance to buy one locally. The only option is has is GPIB. I > took a preliminary look at it and it passes the simple test/cal > procedure from chapter 1 of the Ops manual. This model only goes to > 1.5GHz, but would still be useful for Amateur use. I do wish it would go > up to 3GHz, however. I have never owned a spec an, but am somewhat > familiar with their usage. > > Thanks for the input. > > Joe > KA5ZEC > > _______________________________________________ > time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com > To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts > and follow the instructions there. > _______________________________________________ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.