I am looking at replacing my HP 5315A universal counter (with 1.3 GHz option) with either a 53131A or 53181A.
I'm leaning towards a 53181A because I don't need the extra measurement functions of the 53131A.
Just after a good basic counter that can work to 11 GHz.
And then again, there's the BG7TBL FA-2 counter that now goes to 12.4 GHz.
I'd have one of those already if it weren't for the tiny display and the pointless last four digits.
I'm impressed with the Cojotech HP/Agilent 531xxA prescalers, but only has 3 GHz and 8 GHz variants, and I find the "Channel 3 Guide" does not discuss the basic 225 MHz counters (ie; never fitted with any prescaler options) and any upper measurement limits that I believe can be coded into the counter's EPROMs. A real pain to remove, edit, re-program and refit. And hope that it will still work.
I notice that BG7TBL are now producing 12.4 GHZ prescalers for the 531xxA counters.
These are a recent thing, with the signature date on the board, these being '2019-11-14'.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/12-4G-option-frequency-counter-OPT-for-AGILENT-HP-53131-53132-53181/274130156096
https://www.ebay.com/itm/12-4G-Option-Frequency-Counter-Meter-For-AGILENT-HP-53131-53132-53181-dt55/174124120434
I'm fully across setting the scale to 4.0 in the math function, but can someone translate the Chinglish on these listings please;
attention:used this option,should be install 3G option,can test 2.0G signal.
Huh?Note:
- Please install 3G parts to your frequency meter first before applying our product, so that 2.0G signal can be measured.
"3G parts" ???
Is this referring to the 030 option?
Wouldn't this be removed to make way for a 12.4 GHz board?
Although these BG7TBL products can be a bit hit & miss, has anyone fitted one of his 12.4 GHz prescalers to a bog standard HP Agilent 531xxA 225 MHz counter?