The Smell of Molten Projects in the Morning

Ed Nisley's Blog: Shop notes, electronics, firmware, machinery, 3D printing, laser cuttery, and curiosities. Contents: 100% human thinking, 0% AI slop.

Day: June 27, 2012

  • Tektronix P6401 Logic Probe

    Mad Phil gave me his EMI Go-Kit, which contained a Tek P6401 logic probe (along with a short ton of ferrite cores):

    Tek P6401 Logic Probe - kit
    Tek P6401 Logic Probe – kit

    It’s slightly younger than dirt (copyright 1974, please forgive me) and still works fine on TTL-level logic. The red & green indicators use tiny grain-of-wheat incandescent bulbs, of course, so the thing draws nigh onto a quarter of an amp with both lights on.

    The front of the instruction card shows what the blinky lights mean and the back gives the specs; it’s doubled up so you can pass one along to a friend:

    Tek P6401 Logic Probe - Specs and Usage Card
    Tek P6401 Logic Probe – Specs and Usage Card

    If you have one that doesn’t seem to work, check the internal thermal fuse: tack it back down with a hot dry soldering iron and it’ll probably outlive you…