What to do with Heathkit stuff?

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orionstars
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What to do with Heathkit stuff?

Post by orionstars »

As the subject says!

I'm a newer learner in digital electronics and 15-20 years ago I was a fairly regular dabbler (not super experienced by any means) in more analogue stuff.

I'm starting to play with microcontrollers (arduno and Beaglebones - the propeller had just continually left me confused so I gave them to a buddy). I'm sorta starting from scratch for all intents and purposes.

I've come into several pieces of Heathkit equipment. An audio oscillator, grid dip setup, capacitor checker, and multimeter and a pair of substitution boxes (one resistor and one capacitor though labeled condenser).

So my question is do I keep this stuff? Is it useful in the grand scheme of learning or are there other more accessible tools that selling/trading these for would be a better idea?

I've had the editorial from N&V some time back about equipment you can take apart and service as opposed to all SMD ic stuff etc. and that's makes a lot of sense and is an attractive ide. But with the tube based stuff am I looking "back too far" and making this a harder consideration?

Thanks for the help. I've really enjoyed my subscription for the last few years but haven't posted here in awhile (maybe ever? Have to check)
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haklesup
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Re: What to do with Heathkit stuff?

Post by haklesup »

Unless you are an Analog purest I think the Tubes should be ignored though it does give insight into how bipolar transistors work. As for the heathkit stuff, they are probably quite old and built with average quality components from the 60 to the 80s so they are probably going to have poor tolerance by now. They may work but not exactly. Some things can be refurbished by replacing the electrolytic caps but I wouldn't go any deeper considering the replacement cost for a DMM and Oscillator can be quite low on todays market.

While the uController stuff may have seemed daunting, at least you don't need to solve differential equations to determine component values. A digital design bench does not need much hardware of space or tools, a PC with USB is the minimum tool to use a typical Dev Kit. Its a bit of a learning curve but once you are on to, I think you will find a lower cost project scenario with more online support for your toolkit. Most of the hardware design and construction has to do with integrating displays, lamps and sensors which can be done at a modular level since most of the interesting parts have been kitted for projects. See icstation.com and adafruit.com for example. Analog design in 2018 is often front end for a Digital system.

Now that article this month on the Analog computer is interesting. There is not much equivalent in todays electronic tool sets and these are cool tools for solving circuit performance math without the math. Basically the circuit serves as the differential equation and the solution is plotted using an analog plotter (at least that's how the one I used in lab at school worked). That's something probably worth refurbishing due to rarity. Today you would probably use Mathcad or math built into a simulator instead. That goes back to a day before calculators or when they were strictly one line at a time.
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