Heathkit IT-3121 semiconductor curve tracer
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SeleniumFalcon
Posts: 3,489
in Electronics
I recently was able to buy a Heathkit transistor curve tracer in excellent condition and have been learning how to interpret the information it produces. This is a device that connects to an oscilloscope and provides dynamic specifications on transistors (including FET), diodes (including zener and tunnel). It can be used to tell if a transistor is within it's performance parameters and also to effectively match complimentary transistors.
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Here it is connected to my oscilloscope with a small signal transistor taken from the Revox A77 I'm rebuilding.
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The DUT (device under test) is a NPN type bipolar transistor and the display shows collector voltage along the horizontal axis, collector current along the vertical axis and a series of stepped base current curves. From these displays the DC and AC Beta (gain), saturation voltage, breakdown voltage and linearity can be determined.
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I imagine this device would be good for matching vacuum tubes.
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Yes, the vacuum tube version of this is all in one chassis (the oscilloscope and test setup are together) and are extremely sought after
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Sweet!
