Scope Calibration etc

[ppppenguin]

I routinely push my 400MHz Tek 2465B to the limits of its capability but then I do design work professionally. However most of the time, even when I'm doing design work, it's just idling along doing little that a simple instrument could not. The basic calibration accuracy of this sort of scope isn't much better than any reasonably modern instrument but what makes it much more accurate are the time and voltage cursors which I would find it difficult to live without.

Much of my work is TV related and it's worth noting that under almost any circumstance the 64us line period of a 625 signal is several orders of magnitude more accurate than the scope's calibration. Even when using the cursors. I use it as a routine check on the scope.

Because it's always there on the bench and I'm utterly familair with it I'll use the 2465 for vintage work too. Just have to remember that the lowest sensitivity is 5V/cm, hence 50V/cm at the tip of a 10:1 probe. Occasionally this is only just about OK for vintage work. Maybe I ought to get a 100:1 probe.

Again because it's always there I'll often do faultfinding with the scope which could perfectly well be done with an Avo or DVM. Even DC voltage checks where a quick glance will tell me if things are about right.