Had to pick between a used Tektronix scope and a new Fluke meter for my bench setup

Found a Tektronix 465B from the 80s for $150 at a surplus sale, but I also needed a good DMM for continuity checks. I went with the old scope because it was just too good of a deal, and I figured I could grab a cheap secondhand meter later. The scope works fine for waveform tracing, but man, calibrating it took forever. Anyone else roll the dice on older gear for avionics work?

3 comments

3 Comments

riverwhite6d ago

@ross.jason sure those old Tektronix scopes are tough, but was the calibration really that bad?

ross.jason7d ago

Oh I read somewhere that those old Tektronix scopes are built like tanks, just takes forever to get them dialed in.

martinez.val6d ago

Man, I feel you on that calibration struggle... I grabbed an old HP scope from a swap meet a couple years back and spent a whole weekend just getting the trace to sit still. It was a steal at fifty bucks but man, I lost count of how many times I had to re-adjust the trim pots. But honestly, once you get them dialed in, those old scopes just feel right for bench work, you know? It's like they have personality compared to the new digital stuff that just boots up and works. Sucks about the meter though, but you can always snag a used Fluke 77 or something for cheap later. Hope your 465B treats you better than mine did at first.