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SOLARTRON CD1212

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Front View [38K]

  • Dual Trace
  • 54 Valves - I think !
  • 15-20MHz Bandwidth (estimated from
    available timebase switches)
  • Original cost unknown.
NOTES

Solatron's attempt to compete with the mighty Tektronics 545 range pehaps ? Lets see if they were successful :-

  Tektronix 545   Solatron CD1212
Build Quality : Extrodinary 1 - 0 Fairly good but ...
Features : Loads 1 - 0 Basic
Bandwidth : 15Mc/s No-score
draw. 		15Mc/s ?
Valve count : >100 2 - 1 ~55
Cost : £600 (!) Postponed Unknown
Weight : Heavy 1 - 0 Damn heavy !
The CD1212 was almost certainly intended for military use containing as it does almost soley CV numbered valves. Some of the non-CV numbered valves include no fewer than six EL86's , valves that would normally be used in audio amplifier stages of later valve radios. Although the EL86 is lower noise, doesn't hum and is more robust than, say, a PX4 they aren't of any use in high-end audio as they don't cost a lot of money. I suspect in this scope they are the pass devices in various power supply HT regulators.

The timebase switch steps in factors of ten, with a second switch acting as a x1, x2, x5 etc multiplier, instead of the more usual single timebase switch of other 'scopes - perhaps not the biggest problem in the world but it'd really bug me in use, and all no doubt due to some bean counter somewhere deciding that a 25-way multipole switch (as used in a Tek) costs more than a pair of 5 or 6-way switches used in the CD1212.

The two EHT connectors on the CRT suggest the use of a post deflection anode. The idea behind this is to keep the speed of the electron beam low in the vicinity of the deflection plates (the longer an electron exists between the plates the more it gets deflected for a given deflection voltage) and only then accelerate it hard enough to get a nice bright picture.
SERVICE
DATA		 Nope :-(
CURRENT
STATE
Apart from a slight dent on the front right-hand side case, it's basically good condition and complete except for the missing cover for the huge rear fan.
WHERE
FOUND
Another donation from Allan.

Chassis view 1 [33K]
Like the Tek, this scope also has a whole bunch of valves
hanging upside down like sleeping bats. Don't show
very clearly in the above photo though :-(

Chassis view 2 [33K]

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THE OSCILLOSCOPE GALLERY		 Last updated
18th July 2004