Have you, by any chance, checked Craigslist? I just got a Tektronics scope for free from my local one.

http://www.craigslist.org/about/sites#EU

Just select the city in Spain you're closest to (or check a few of them) and do a search for oscilloscopes. You might turn up something.

 

Wow, there are a lot today that ship to Spain!

What about this one?...
Hitachi Oscilloscope V-209 20MHz

 

Have you, by any chance, checked Craigslist? I just got a Tektronics scope for free from my local one.

http://www.craigslist.org/about/sites#EU

Just select the city in Spain you're closest to (or check a few of them) and do a search for oscilloscopes. You might turn up something.

Checked, there are no ads for oscilloscopes. But anyway, now my hops of getting one have finally gone up thanks to those ebay ads.

 

Wow, there are a lot today that ship to Spain!

What about this one?...
Hitachi Oscilloscope V-209 20MHz

Hitachi is a great company. That's a very decent scope, just looks like it might need a bit of cleaning. I'm slightly concerned about the condition of the volts/div cal knob on channel 2--looks like it's split and is falling off. But for the price, it seems pretty good. Just keep in mind you'll have to purchase a power cable and probes as well, as they are not included.

Matt

 

Another one!

Hameg HM203-4/5 Oscilloscope

 

Hitachi is a great company. That's a very decent scope, just looks like it might need a bit of cleaning. I'm slightly concerned about the condition of the volts/div cal knob on channel 2--looks like it's split and is falling off. But for the price, it seems pretty good. Just keep in mind you'll have to purchase a power cable and probes as well, as they are not included.

Matt

Bade for it.

 

Also a cheap small single channel oscilloscope

 

Another one!

Hameg HM203-4/5 Oscilloscope

Hameg scopes also tend to be very nice. Just keep in mind that the price will probably shoot up, since there's still 6 days left on that one. Definitely worth putting on a watch list though!

Matt

 

Also a cheap small single channel oscilloscope

I wouldn't bother at all with single-channel scopes. They won't get you very far.

 

Jesus, there are dozens today!!!

 

... and not a single cheap second hand one on ebay.es

 

So, it looks like you're finding a few possible 'scopes, that's excellent!

Honestly though, if it doesn't work out, you're welcome to have my old PC scope, so long as you have a computer old enough to have a parallel port on it XD

Dunno how much shipping might be though, I live in the US (Kansas).

Good luck!

 

I don't even remember what I was looking for on ebay.... where do I send my address?

I just looked, and both have parallel ports; though I'm not risking using it on my new computer. Just bought it this Christmas and I already burnt the USB ports on a previous one.

Seriously, Thanks a lot... but if I can get one of those on ebay.co.uk for less than £75 I'm going for it; you would not believe how many years I wanted to have one of those. Today we found a lot of them under £50 (including P&P), but let's see how the auctions end.

I'll keep you all updated... probably will also need help when I get my hands on one.

 

Also been looking for function generators; just to have the full set of tools... any recommendations? would a DIY or small handheld do?

 

@adam..

Thought about your post today whilst breezing through eBay... Just something to perhaps consider a bid on?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Oscilloscope-by-HAMEG-20-MHz-HM-203-4/390646609887?rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222002%26algo%3DSIC.FIT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D286%26meid%3D837757541494939948%26pid%3D100005%26prg%3D1048%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D5%26sd%3D231040817259%26

I just cancelled my bid for that oscilloscope; apart from the fact that the postage is £80 (around $120), I noticed it has at least 4 broken buttons.

 

Also been looking for function generators; just to have the full set of tools... any recommendations? would a DIY or small handheld do?

I wouldn't recommend it, but did you know you could use your computers sound card as a very simple function generator and oscilloscope?

I've haven't done it too much myself, but I do know from experience that it works.

I didn't mention it before because it's severely limited, even more so than those handhelds. The input and output voltage range is terrible unless you use some sort of external amplification. Inputs are expected to be on the millivolt level, and outputs are less than 1V.

On my PC I found that ultra-low frequencies (under 5 hertz or so) were attenuated because of decoupling caps in the computer itself, to block DC offsets that could damage audio equipment and waste power, both on the mic inputs and on the speaker outputs. I never tested the higher-frequencies, but I wouldn't expect it to work higher than 20kHz, which is the top threshold for human hearing.

You can get cheap USB audio adapters, usually less than 5 bucks, to add some isolation/protection for your PC. I'd be willing to bet that they, unlike your on-board sound card, don't actually block DC too(So you can measure slow-changing voltages without a problem).

You could also make your own digital function generator, using a microcontroller and a DAC. Which I also know from experience works.

Anyways, just PM me your address if you're interested in that scope.
I'll probably throw in a few other things to help get you started too. I want your electronics interest to stick this time, haha, and I have more than enough junk already. I too have a wide area of interest, and tend to switch my focus often. I've found that electronics and computer science are so deep in their own right that I can be free to wander while still learning and gaining experience that is all cross-relevant (if that makes any sense)

 

I wouldn't recommend it, but did you know you could use your computers sound card as a very simple function generator and oscilloscope?

I've haven't done it too much myself, but I do know from experience that it works.

I didn't mention it before because it's severely limited, even more so than those handhelds. The input and output voltage range is terrible unless you use some sort of external amplification. Inputs are expected to be on the millivolt level, and outputs are less than 1V.

On my PC I found that ultra-low frequencies (under 5 hertz or so) were attenuated because of decoupling caps in the computer itself, to block DC offsets that could damage audio equipment and waste power, both on the mic inputs and on the speaker outputs. I never tested the higher-frequencies, but I wouldn't expect it to work higher than 20kHz, which is the top threshold for human hearing.

You can get cheap USB audio adapters, usually less than 5 bucks, to add some isolation/protection for your PC. I'd be willing to bet that they, unlike your on-board sound card, don't actually block DC too(So you can measure slow-changing voltages without a problem).

You could also make your own digital function generator, using a microcontroller and a DAC. Which I also know from experience works.

I tried a couple of programs the other day that turn the microphone from the PC into an oscilloscope, but it works really bad. The first program was nothing more than a spectrum analyzer, and the second, as you say, was very limited; for example: it doesn't tell you the voltage, can't measure DC, has just two time settings. Apart, and also as you said, I'm afraid of damaging the computer; I wouldn't even know what's the maximum voltage that it could take, I guess it's not much since it's meant for a microphone.

Haven't tried any PC function generators, but saw this, which seems easy to make:

Anyways, just PM me your address if you're interested in that scope.
I'll probably throw in a few other things to help get you started too. I want your electronics interest to stick this time, haha, and I have more than enough junk already. I too have a wide area of interest, and tend to switch my focus often. I've found that electronics and computer science are so deep in their own right that I can be free to wander while still learning and gaining experience that is all cross-relevant (if that makes any sense)

Thanks a lot!

I see you share my views: you only live once, so better learn about everything while you're here.

Anyway, thanks a lot... I'll let you know at the end of the week how it went. Don't throw away the USB oscilloscope yet.

 

Don't throw away the USB oscilloscope yet.

Actually, it connects to a parallel port, and unfortunately using a USB to Parallel port adapter won't work

I can't seem to find a single picture of it online, but it goes straight from a parallel port to two banana plugs.

32 seconds in I show it on camera, but it's only a short glance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpZ8QfEZuTY

And in case you were wondering, that sine wave super-imposed on the oscilloscope is 60Hz interference from mains power in my house. I'm not 100% sure why you're not seeing something similar with your soundcard 'scope. Perhaps it's because the soundcard isn't referenced to earth ground?

 

My mistake; you told me yesterday it was parallel. I'm still winning an auction that ends in less than 2 days; and for this week it looks like my last option -everything else is over £100 including P&P-.

 

My mistake; you told me yesterday it was parallel. I'm still winning an auction that ends in less than 2 days; and for this week it looks like my last option -everything else is over £100 including P&P-.

No prob.
Good luck with the auction, it's a much better alternative to the PC scope for sure, and well worth the cash you'll put into it.

I'd recommend getting an adjustable DC power supply next.
Something like this: http://www.thelashop.com/30v-dc-con...m_medium=cpc&gclid=CPXiyZecmbkCFeRj7Aod5loAUQ