Help Me Make up Mind on Modern LCR Meter

[Onelasttime]

So I want to get myself a present for Christmas. I am trying to decide between a tool in this case a Modern LCR meter and parts. The parts in question are hi power bjt transistors. I need a lot more than I have to build all the things I want to build. I have 3 boys though and a wife so I am really not used to buying myself anything for Christmas! Traditionally in my family Christmas is mostly about the kids in terms of presents not counting the religious significance. Normally I would get the tool since tools almost always save me money in the long run and allow me to be creative. That said hi power bjt's are slowly disappearing from the Earth! LOL

Other than the obvious use to test electrolytic capacitors which would be my primary use since I do sometimes buy NOS what else can I do with it to add utility to the purchase? Thanks guys!

 

[Tallman]

I bought one of these types and was not expecting much, but it is a very useful tool. In one thread in which they are discussing the ERF7530 This is the device I used to find the gate capacitance was for the IRF250. Check it out there is a lot of bang for the buck.
It does a nice job of testing capacitors and even gives you the ESR figures.
Like I said I have one of these types but not this one in particular. You can do your own gain matching for FET's or BJT's.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/12864-LCD-...364479?hash=item1ea05b6a7f:g:0scAAOSw~OVWzsVH

 

[Onelasttime]

I wat TRX Bench a lot and learn a lot too. He has a DE-500 I think it is. I can test ESR with the old outdated 40 year old device but no one uses that standard any more. This LCR would be a big step up since it is the modern standard everyone uses when testing caps today. Like you said I can do more with it. I guess I am just afraid Rednecks across the USA will burn through every hi power rf bjt before I get around to buying any to stock up! LOL I have nightmares of guys playing banjo's on the front porch with 55 gallon drums of MRF454's, 455, 2879's, 421's etc....Just shoveling them like coal into a furnace that represents their 48 pill amps poping transistors like my wife and kids pop popcorn! LOL

 

[Tallman]

The first thing I will tell you is: Do not buy any "Reconditioned transistors."
I have seen those listed on eBay and I could not believe it. From my military training transistors can be soldered on twice, once to install it in a circuit, and de-soldered to toss it into the trash can. I have never put used transistors in a circuit and never will.
Some of the pictures in my album are of brand new transistors that have never been installed in a circuit and have never been powered up.
I have not tested these transistor with the LCR bridge, although I do test before I install transistors in the circuit boards. Some transistors are so marginal that they will blow up in the circuit before you can even get to "Key up" the amp.I do check the gain matching on a batch before I set them to storage.

 

[Onelasttime]

Oh I want a curve tracer so damn bad! LOL Good grief have you ever checked ont he price on old Textronix, Lecroix(SP), HP, Iawatsu(sp) curve tracers???? If they still have a traceable NIST Cert even if they are from the 1980's $1500 to $14K......THe shop I worked at in H.S. used to go to Government Auctions and we would buy pallets of electronic gear from airforce and navy sometimes army and we must have had 20 curve tracers at one point and all kinds of signal generatos most of them with fresh certifications and we where talking $100 for 8 pallets of test gear. Oh the good old days!

I have a couple of 2SC1969's and other low power good used pulls but I have never actualy used them. If I have new I always install new and have been saving those old good pulls for " WWIII"

 

[Tallman]

I have a PROTEK 3502C It is only a 20 MHz but good enough for cb and ham radio use. It has the component tracer built in. below is a listing on eBay for a scope just like mine. Probes are cheap on eBay too. There has been a lot of discussion on the 20 MHz number which is only a bandwidth not the maximum frequency you can use it on. For alignment work you're only looking at the envelope for peaking or dipping and to verify modulation is not being over/under done. But I have the feeling you already know that.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/PROTEK-20M...383972?hash=item3afc24f664:g:vmYAAOSwCJxaSL1k
I don't think you can beat that price plus free shipping.