Many repairs can be expedited with a scope and an RF probe for it so the
scope can basically cover audio.
Better would be at least 20 MHz scope coverage, so it could measure low
ham bands.
Better still would be 50 MHz, and above that 100 or 150 MHz.
Seldom do you need full all bands frequency coverage by a scope to still
be useful to repairs.
Scopes are great for audio problems, rough checks of frequencies,
digital state tracing, (On off of digital circuits), clock checking for
RF output, and so on.
A good scope working at a ham fest might only be $125.
An audio scope might be only $10. The older they are, the less they
should cost you.
Check any one you intend to offer to buy. Don't take just the seller's
word for it working. Very old scopes cannot be repaired even by the
manufacturer. You may have to replace, rather than repair if a CRT goes
bad, a transformer goes, etc.
Given the constraints, a scope can be a good insurance policy for
repairs. In theory, it expands your capability such there is nothing
you can't test.
Stuart Rohre
K5KVH
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