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I picked up a Tektronix 545B last year for $50. A lady elecroinc engineer had it laying around for years but said it still worked the last time she used it. Unfortunately she was missing the power cord.

I want to learn how to use it but want to first know if this was a smart purchase given that it works properly?

I want to be able use it to diagnose or check my tube amps (Dynaco MKIII's) when I decide to rebuild them. Will this do the job?

Thanks

Jay

The 545 was a basic "plain vanilla" scope mainframe that could use a wide variety of plug-in vertical and horizontal modules. If you post the module numbers (1A1, for example), we can better tell you if you're ready for audio work right out of the chute. If you're not, there are still a lot of plug-ins on the surplus and hamfest markets going for low prices.

The main two problems with the 545 are its size--of which I'm sure you're already well aware--and its heat producing capabilities. I worked in a R&D lab in San Francisco in the '70s, and we didn't bother with the facility heating in the winter . . . the Teks were more than up to the task.

I have no modules with it. I also have no idea what I would need to buy or add on to it. Maybe getting a manual would help....duh....

If you could give me a couple more modules to look at that would be great.

Thanks for the quick response.

Jay

Help me out here, fellow fossils . . . 1A3/3B4? I worked with a 547 that had a 1L5 spec annie in the vertical slot and I-can't-remember in the time base hole--if there was a hole--so I'm running on ragged memory. I think the aforementioned combo would be acceptable, but let's hear from the rest of the old farts to verify or suggest other combinations.

Looks like only one module slot w/ built-in time base?
http://www.thevalvepage.com/testeq/tek/545b/545b.htm

Plugin manuals:
http://bama.sbc.edu/tektroni.htm