Heathkit SG-8 Signal Generator

[vortalexfan]

Originally Posted by Notimetolooz

You know I thought you already had the SG-8.
Great that it has been re-capped. I'm not sure the selenium rectifier was replaced correctly.
Are you going to get the Heathkit IM-4100 ?
The manual I was able to find on the counter seems to be missing some pages at the front, but the service data is all there. There are also some videos about the counter.
Just so you know, a couple of years ago it was easier to find good info on Heathkit units. A company bought the rights to the info, I believe, and now charges for the manuals. There are still some copies still left here and there on the internet.

No, I had just bought it on ebay at the time but it hadn't been delivered until today.

As for the frequency counter I do need one that can do the FM Bandspread because I do Work on AM/FM Stereo Receivers as well.
So I will need a frequency generator that can do at least up to 200 MHz.

What do you mean the selenium rectifier wasn't replaced correctly? I think its original to the unit, which I'm thinking of replacing it with a 1N4007 Diode.

[vortalexfan]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Victor-VC31...temCondition=4

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Heathkit-Mo...temCondition=4

https://www.ebay.com/itm/B-K-Model-1...temCondition=4

Here's 3 more I've found that look promising, neither of them have a power cord though, specifically the last two, which uses the old style computer plug.

what do you think? Which one would be the best out of these 3 units?

[Notimetolooz]

I don't know anything about the Victor brand.
The Heathkit is older because Nixie tubes were used before LED displays were used. Also the corrosion on the BNC is not a good sign,
My first counter was similar to that B&K. The display on mine became unreliable, I believe because of a connector issue. My model didn't go very high in frequency so I decided to trade up.
Note that both the Heathkit and the B&K used a power cord connector with
round pins, unlike the common power cords now which have flat blades.
I not wild about any of those three.

[vortalexfan]

Originally Posted by Notimetolooz

I don't know anything about the Victor brand.
The Heathkit is older because Nixie tubes were used before LED displays were used. Also the corrosion on the BNC is not a good sign,
My first counter was similar to that B&K. The display on mine became unreliable, I believe because of a connector issue. My model didn't go very high in frequency so I decided to trade up.
Note that both the Heathkit and the B&K used a power cord connector with
round pins, unlike the common power cords now which have flat blades.
I not wild about any of those three.

Well that Hewlett-Packard one that that I previously Posted about that's like yours is still available, I'm just not too keen on having to pay over $60 for shipping on an item that's only $30, I'm not even quite sure why that the shipping on that is over $60 when other frequency counters that are similar in size and traveling a similar distance to get to me have only $10-$15 shipping costs.

[Electronic M]

Originally Posted by vortalexfan

Well that Hewlett-Packard one that that I previously Posted about that's like yours is still available, I'm just not too keen on having to pay over $60 for shipping on an item that's only $30, I'm not even quite sure why that the shipping on that is over $60 when other frequency counters that are similar in size and traveling a similar distance to get to me have only $10-$15 shipping costs.

In some cases that is the difference between packing it to survive shipping abuse, and just throwing it in box loosely or in the case of a friend who bought a used BT modulator off eBay throwing it in a plastic bag with a shipping label pasted on....but then again some sellers try to profit off the shipping if they can't get the margin they want on the item it's self...

[vortalexfan]

Originally Posted by Electronic M

In some cases that is the difference between packing it to survive shipping abuse, and just throwing it in box loosely or in the case of a friend who bought a used BT modulator off eBay throwing it in a plastic bag with a shipping label pasted on....but then again some sellers try to profit off the shipping if they can't get the margin they want on the item it's self...

I agree about packing things well so that it doesn't get damaged but that doesn't require a $60 shipping charge though, my Heathkit signal generator had a $20 shipping charge and it was well packed and survived the trip undamaged, and the packing job that was done on that didn't require no $60 shipping charge, I think that person is just trying to cover his butt because he probably isn't going to pack it well.

[vortalexfan]

Originally Posted by Notimetolooz

I don't know anything about the Victor brand.
The Heathkit is older because Nixie tubes were used before LED displays were used. Also the corrosion on the BNC is not a good sign,
My first counter was similar to that B&K. The display on mine became unreliable, I believe because of a connector issue. My model didn't go very high in frequency so I decided to trade up.
Note that both the Heathkit and the B&K used a power cord connector with
round pins, unlike the common power cords now which have flat blades.
I not wild about any of those three.

Isn't there a way that you could change the power cord plug-in on the back of the B & K unit so that it fits a modern PC Style plug in? If so then I would think that the B & K unit would be a fine alternative to the Hewlett-Packard one that has the rediculous shipping charges.

[vortalexfan]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Heathkit-Di...temCondition=4

I just found a Heathkit SM-2420 512 Mhz Frequency Counter on ebay buy it now price of $24.99 and $27.99 shipping costs, and it has a hardwired cord rather than an old school style computer cord.

[vortalexfan]

OK, so I just figured out that by reading the manual for the Radio City Products Signal Generator I'll be getting, that it actually has a hookup on it that can be used to hook up a frequency counter and monitor the frequency.

So the RCP unit might actually be a better unit than the Heathkit one in this case.

[Electronic M]

Originally Posted by vortalexfan

Isn't there a way that you could change the power cord plug-in on the back of the B & K unit so that it fits a modern PC Style plug in? If so then I would think that the B & K unit would be a fine alternative to the Hewlett-Packard one that has the rediculous shipping charges.

There are three different in compatible old style 'computer' power cord receptacles in old test equipment (somewhere here I posted a picture of them). They range from somewhat common to 'OMG this is the only cord for this I have ever seen' my Heathkit Nixie DMM had the later and I needed the cord for a much rarer Sony Badged Setchell Carlson monitor so I converted it the DMM to use a modern computer power receptacle(IIRC pirated off a dead PC PSU)... I had to enlarge the case opening with a file but it was easy enough to do....I could have converted it to a hard wired cord too but I wanted it detachable for convenience.

There's always a way to power something with a weird 120v power receptacle...I keep a cord with insulated alligator clips around specifically for portable TVs with weird proprietary jacks for Missing power cords....

[vortalexfan]

Originally Posted by Electronic M

There are three different in compatible old style 'computer' power cord receptacles in old test equipment (somewhere here I posted a picture of them). They range from somewhat common to 'OMG this is the only cord for this I have ever seen' my Heathkit Nixie DMM had the later and I needed the cord for a much rarer Sony Badged Setchell Carlson monitor so I converted it the DMM to use a modern computer power receptacle(IIRC pirated off a dead PC PSU)... I had to enlarge the case opening with a file but it was easy enough to do....I could have converted it to a hard wired cord too but I wanted it detachable for convenience.

There's always a way to power something with a weird 120v power receptacle...I keep a cord with insulated alligator clips around specifically for portable TVs with weird proprietary jacks for Missing power cords....

That's all I needed to know, I might just go for the B & K unit then because its will only come out to a little over $40 including shipping and taxes.

[vortalexfan]

I ended up getting the Heathkit SM-2420 Frequency Counter as it was basically the same price with shipping and taxes as the B & K unit and also had the same specs as well, and it had a hardwired power cord with it so then I wouldn't have to worry about messing around with changing out the plug-in for the cord, like I would of had to of done with the B & K unit.

[Notimetolooz]

Originally Posted by vortalexfan

What do you mean the selenium rectifier wasn't replaced correctly? I think its original to the unit, which I'm thinking of replacing it with a 1N4007 Diode.

Apparently some restorers connect a Si rectifier diode across the selenium one without disconnecting the selenium. I even saw that in a book about radio restoration. It isn't a good idea because the old rectifier can leak reverse current.Since your generator had been re-capped I thought that might be the case.

[vortalexfan]

Originally Posted by Notimetolooz

Apparently some restorers connect a Si rectifier diode across the selenium one without disconnecting the selenium. I even saw that in a book about radio restoration. It isn't a good idea because the old rectifier can leak reverse current.Since your generator had been re-capped I thought that might be the case.

It has no silicone diode going across the selenium in this unit, its just the selenium rectifier.

[vortalexfan]

Originally Posted by Notimetolooz

Apparently some restorers connect a Si rectifier diode across the selenium one without disconnecting the selenium. I even saw that in a book about radio restoration. It isn't a good idea because the old rectifier can leak reverse current.Since your generator had been re-capped I thought that might be the case.

I definitely double checked the Selenium Rectifier and it definitely doesn't have a Silicone Diode across it, so it was done correctly!