I guess you are thinking about the 576 curve tracer. With a heater and screen grid supply I agree that this superb tracer can do valves, and quite a number of people around the world have done that. It is a fine instrument.
But the 1960 575 (a semiconductor curve tracer that uses valves internally!) can do opposite sense collector/drain and steps. And if you get the mod 122C version that adds a voltage range up to 400V collector. The only downer is that the base steps that only go to 0.2V/step (so 2.4V maximum). Although you can get higher voltage steps by (1) setting base current steps to 1mA (2) connecting a 1k resistor across the base-emitter terminals. That gives 10 steps of 1V. Still nothing like the flexibility of the 576, but certainly better that using voltage steps.
I have a 90% finished uTracer; must get around to finishing it.
Craig
PS I have a 575 with 175 high current unit, a 575 mod122C, a 576, a 577D2 and a 7CT1N. Plus an AVOII (the valve curve tracer mule), AVOIII (the most often used), AVO CT160 and Taylor 45C. Pass the pills, dear chap....
But the 1960 575 (a semiconductor curve tracer that uses valves internally!) can do opposite sense collector/drain and steps. And if you get the mod 122C version that adds a voltage range up to 400V collector. The only downer is that the base steps that only go to 0.2V/step (so 2.4V maximum). Although you can get higher voltage steps by (1) setting base current steps to 1mA (2) connecting a 1k resistor across the base-emitter terminals. That gives 10 steps of 1V. Still nothing like the flexibility of the 576, but certainly better that using voltage steps.
I have a 90% finished uTracer; must get around to finishing it.
Craig
PS I have a 575 with 175 high current unit, a 575 mod122C, a 576, a 577D2 and a 7CT1N. Plus an AVOII (the valve curve tracer mule), AVOIII (the most often used), AVO CT160 and Taylor 45C. Pass the pills, dear chap....
