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The 511 was '''Tek's first product''', [[introduced in 1947|introduced in June 1947]]. | The 511 was '''Tek's first product''', [[introduced in 1947|introduced in June 1947]]. | ||
A revised version, the 511A, was [[introduced in 1950]]. [[ | A revised version, the 511A, was [[introduced in 1950]]. [[Howard Vollum]] was directly involved with the design of the 511. | ||
It uses a standard CRT, the [[5CP1A]]. The vertical output of the 511A is a pair of [[6AG7]] tubes, | It uses a standard CRT, the [[5CP1A]]. The vertical output of the 511A is a pair of [[6AG7]] tubes, | ||
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Tektronix engineer Frank Hood recollects: | Tektronix engineer Frank Hood recollects: | ||
<blockquote>My first assignment was to build or modify some special instruments for Bonneville Power. They wanted a device that would detect and record any lightning strikes or arc-overs on the high voltage power lines running between Vancouver, Wash. and other cities such as Longview, Spokane, etc. They wanted to detect each event, in a fraction of a millionth of a second, then to send a pulse of energy down the defective line and measure the time it took to return, (this was an application much like radar). They wanted markers displayed at each mile and fraction of a mile so that they could determine the exact location of the fault. They needed to record a photographic image for latter study. Two or more such instruments were built. We called these Type 511B. They worked very well and were used for several years. | <blockquote>My first assignment was to build or modify some special instruments for Bonneville Power. They wanted a device that would detect and record any lightning strikes or arc-overs on the high voltage power lines running between Vancouver, Wash. and other cities such as Longview, Spokane, etc. They wanted to detect each event, in a fraction of a millionth of a second, then to send a pulse of energy down the defective line and measure the time it took to return, (this was an application much like radar). They wanted markers displayed at each mile and fraction of a mile so that they could determine the exact location of the fault. They needed to record a photographic image for latter study. Two or more such instruments were built. We called these Type 511B. They worked very well and were used for several years. | ||
</blockquote> | |||
[[John Addis]] says: | |||
<blockquote> | |||
The 511 was indeed somewhat crude. The vaunted calibrator which Vollum introduced to give people the sense that you could make real measurements is actually just a 60 Hz sine wave off the power transformer, not even a square wave, so it is completely unregulated. Fortunately for Vollum, both the calibrator and the CRT HV are unregulated. When the line voltage goes down, the scope sensitivity goes up (reduced hv makes beam converge less after plates). So the displayed calibrator amplitude is not very sensitive to line voltage. | |||
</blockquote> | </blockquote> | ||
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==Specifications== | ==Specifications== | ||
[[Category:Specifications needed]] ''please add'' | |||
==Links== | |||
[http://richardsears.wordpress.com/2012/01/07/near-the-beginning-of-an-era-the-tektronix-511a/ Detailed article on 511A] | |||
==Pictures== | ==Pictures== | ||