Difference HP3585A and HP3585B?

Joerg: I have a few old HP catalogs here, can't see much difference between the A (1986) and the B (1994). All RF specs appear to be equivalent. The B says it can output directly to HP plotters and graphics printers and ThinkJets. The B gives Video bandwidths 1 Hz - 30 kHz in 1,3,10 seq. The A doesn't mention video filters. RBW's are equal (3 Hz - 30kHz). Amplitude range, marker accuracies, spurs, IP, freq accuracies are all identical. Both have tracking generator. B has an option 001 Sweep Gating Mode. And the B weighs 7 pounds less, which means only a slightly smaller hernia.

Steve

I found the B already in my 1989 catalog but that was the oldest catalog I had.

It sounds alright then. Video filters are kind of necessary but not if the RBW extends down to 3Hz. That'll be low enough for the noise measurements we have to do. Thanks for that information.

ROFL!

Agilent has the 3585A manual on their site.

I've a 3585B SA and only the A version manual and never noticed a difference. Ok, I don't open the manuals very often, but...

Gasp! speaking of 3585, mine just decided its fan had to quit. Ok it was some time it was making alarming noise, but so do the other HP analyzers of the same vintage I have. Now it randomly slows down then blows full speed again, then... and I just learned I need to bring it with me at a client site tomorrow. Arghhh...

People have used lithium grease or, in a pinch, even a spritz of WD40 to make it work just for a few more days. HP used similar fans on all their big units. Maybe you could "borrow" a fan for tomorrow if grease won't get it going. Heck, I've heard folks borrow a complete Citroen 2CV engine for a day to pass the emissions test.

Well, we'll be ordering the 3585A now. Can't really go wrong with HP. I started with ye olde HP141T and even that old rig always got me home every time.

Teflon oil works great.

Is that the stuff Chevy Chase used on his snow disk in "Christmas Vacation"?

Problem is that I prefer walnut, olive and grapes pip oil to dress my salad, so I don't have Teflon oil in my kitchen :-)

Taking the fan apart and pressing plain ordinary grease through the bearings seals did it well enough for today and probably a few more weeks.

Try balsamico. Très délicieux. Should be even better over there since you are close to Italy where most of it comes from. But I wouldn't be surprised if farmers in sourthern France would also sell their special brand.

Lets see: That movie came out in 1989, and i haven't seen it in years so I can't really say. All I remember right now is when the cat supposedly bites the wires to the tree and explodes. You can buy a small pen oiler at Radio Shack full of PTFE lubricant for around $5. I've salvaged a lot of motors and fans with it in the last 20 years.

Why would one want to oil Teflon?? ;-)

When your local RS closes up shop, try a good bicycle shop. Most of them--at least ones around here--will also have Teflon-loaded lubricant.

One common problem with scintered bronze bearings is that when they go, they hole diameter gets bigger and oil is only a very temporary solution. Fred's grease packing may be more useful if that's the problem.

Cheers, Tom

That movie is a classic, worth to what it again.

Except that our Radio Shack became a, gasp, cell phone store. Grumble. There will come a day when kids don't even know what a soldering iron is :-(

It might be, but I'm not spending ANYTHING I don't absolutely have to until I figure a way to get rid of these two abscessed teeth.

I am considering a VERY dangerous hike north along I-75 to the VA hospital and having someone call the local TV station about the time I'm a few miles out of town with a sign on my back, "I'm DAMN tired of the VA refusing to treat my real medical problems!". Who knows? If I survive it might make the national news.

I think I have a spare, if you need it.

I'm fearing that one day even SMD resistors and capacitors have ball grid arrays underneath and then the solder iron is for the bin! :-(

I have well laughed over the swapped 2CV engine !! :-D

Jorgen

That's my preferred one and we have a quite descent 'mass' market one here. Anyway the best I ever tasted was in a excellent Italian friend's restaurant in Lyon (not the pizza blah restaurant...). He buys it from a small producer in Italy at a very dissuasive price.

Try this: leeks in a balsamico and fine walnut oil dressing. Serve chilled. That's to die for.

I prefer foods that are "To live for!" That used to be a "Butterscotch pie", but now that I'm diabetic, its completely out of the question. :(