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Pretty much any vacuum tube device is going to require some work to bring it online before use. This Heathkit AF-1 I'm working with is no exception. The device is kind of not working right now, so the first thing to check is the power supply.

The trace on my scope should be a nice clean DC with minimal (mV) of ripple. This one is showing 11.6V peak to peak, so the AC is basically going through the filter like piss through a tin horn. It still comes up (see the purple regulator tube) but doesn't do anything and won't do anything correctly until I replace the big filter capacitors first.

Pretty much any vacuum tube device is going to require some work to bring it online before use. This Heathkit AF-1 I'm working with is no exception. The device is kind of not working right now, so the first thing to check is the power supply. The trace on my scope should be a nice clean DC with minimal (mV) of ripple. This one is showing 11.6V peak to peak, so the AC is basically going through the filter like piss through a tin horn. It still comes up (see the purple regulator tube) but doesn't do anything and won't do anything correctly until I replace the big filter capacitors first.
[–] 0 pt

Yeah, those little $60 battery powered scopemeters are quite amazing.

[–] 1 pt

Better than the old O-scopes? Not as cool though.

[–] 0 pt

Not as cool, but I can carry it in my pocket and it doesn't blow breakers when it grounds out.