Bangood kits!

[Murphyv310]

Hi.
On Andy's (Radioman) last visit he brought a couple of kits he purchased from Bangood. I was suitably impressed and ordered two myself:
http://www.banggood.com/DIY-M12864-Graph...97023.html
&
http://www.banggood.com/1Hz-50MHz-Crysta...59592.html

I've built up the tester this afternoon in around an hour and a half, calibrated it and been checking and testing various components, it seems to be accurate and considering the price I am more than chuffed.
I'll build up the frequency counter tomorrow and it will be put to good use too.
These are excellent kits but lack written instructions, they are straightforward enough though with some common sense.

[Joe]

They also appear to be available on AliExpress

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Wholesale....33.P158zk&ws_ab_test=searchweb201556_6,searchweb201602_3_505_506_503_504_301_10034_10020_502_10001_10002_10017_10010_10005_10006_10011_10003_10021_10004_10022_10009_10008_10018_10019,searchweb201603_2&btsid=d09b2873-318c-4d3a-baca-4763b1ce1fe5

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-ship....29.msDphS&ws_ab_test=searchweb201556_6,searchweb201602_3_301_10034_10033_507_10020_10001_10002_10017_10010_10005_10011_10006_10003_10021_10004_10022_10009_10008_10018_10019,searchweb201603_2&btsid=fec9c0a4-20ab-4763-97f9-7d0941c75371

I must say I like the look of the Transistor Tester; I recently blew my other one up. There's a manual here: https://www.copy.com/s/t%3AwBdnTSsdB3DBE...3Boid%3A34

— Joe

[Murphyv310]

Hi Joe.
I certainly can recommend these kits, great fun when you build them up and it works first time.
The boards are good quality as are the components. I'm looking at the site right now for some little kits to build once I've had my op!

[Mark Hennessy]

I built the transistor tester. I also built an oscilloscope for the same price: http://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/...p?tid=4823

It's a great time to be into electronics

[Yorkie]

Hi.
On Andy's (Radioman) last visit he brought a couple of kits he purchased from Bangood. I was suitably impressed and ordered two myself:
http://www.banggood.com/DIY-M12864-Graph...97023.html
&
http://www.banggood.com/1Hz-50MHz-Crysta...59592.html

For the extra cost, the cased tester looks a better bet than the 'bare bones' version, which has an infernal ZIF socket that makes it difficult to neatly case up. The term 'Transistor Tester' rather understates the versatility of the tester, which is also an LCR tester. I know that several forum members, myself included, have built bought these testers as  already built boards - I've got two which have worked well and continue to do so, but I struggled to remove the ZIF socket from the PTH PCB to case up the PCB, without damaging the board.  With a kit, you don't have to fit the ZIF socket if you don't need to.

I've had an Atlas transistor tester for many years - can't recall the model. It allegedly tests FETs, but the result in always the same - 'no or damaged part,' yet with the same FETs, the Chinese testers happily identify the connections and a readout of the test results.

As to the DFM kit, my only concern would be protection of the input. I can't see any reference to the maximum input voltage and there seems to be no  protection built-in. In reading the reviews I saw mention that a series resistor should be added if the input signal is over 5V. I would have thought that a cap would offer more protection, but then no-one is going to get too upset about blowing a fiver.

[Murphyv310]

Hi.
I removed the ZIF socket on mine to allow it to fit into the case.
I built up the FC this morning and its working perfectly. As far as I can tell its got a ways to programme it for an offset for use in a radio as a tuning display.
This is one thing I want to do to a tuner I have. I'll need to attenuate the input to avoid damage.
I quickly connected it to the frame aerial crystal set and lo and behold I have a crystal set with frequency read out when tuned in! A world's first I wonder

[radioman]

Hi Trevor,
I'm glad you're pleased with them - I've still not got round to boxing mine up...
I knew that loop of yours had a high output but even so, that's pretty amazing !
A bit late now seeing as you've already built yours, but there is a construction video on YouTube  for the frequency counter with links to more information here :-  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcbxG18FfOs

Andy

[Joe]

What attracts me to the naked version of the 'Transistor Tester' is that as well as the fun of doing the electronic assembly I've also got the fun of making a box.  Being self-assembly means that the ZIF socket won't be fitted in the first place.  I've also noticed that the case doesn't appear to have any outputs for the frequency generator functions — the Signal and Ground connexions are separate holes at the top of the PCB.

Of course the plastic case has a huge appeal for none-woodworkers and it's nice to see such a version available.  AliExpress also sell the cases but as a separate item.  It may be handy for anybody who already has the bare PCB version.

— Joe

[Murphyv310]

What attracts me to the naked version of the 'Transistor Tester' is that as well as the fun of doing the electronic assembly I've also got the fun of making a box.  Being self-assembly means that the ZIF socket won't be fitted in the first place.  I've also noticed that the case doesn't appear to have any outputs for the frequency generator functions — the Signal and Ground connexions are separate holes at the top of the PCB.

Of course the plastic case has a huge appeal for none-woodworkers and it's nice to see such a version available.  AliExpress also sell the cases but as a separate item.  It may be handy for anybody who already has the bare PCB version.

— Joe

Hi Joe.
They supply a red and black socket for the frequency generator output in the case fitting kit. 

[Joe]

That's interesting, Trevor. While looking at them last night I found a picture showing the 4mm sockets wired to the normal test terminals TP1 and TP3. Of course if you're making it yourself you can tweak the design as you like.

Any road, I've ordered one.

— Joe