The Tools

In this page I will go into all my preferred tools in the lab.

On a daily basis I use:

• Atten AT938D Temperature Controlled Soldering Station

A good soldering iron is a must. I used Antex brand 25W irons for many years, but more control is possible with a temperature controlled iron. Maplin Electronics does a good clone of this iron for about £60. (Order Code A55KJ).

• MultiCore Savbit Solder

I personally only use leaded solder, as the lead free alternative is crap. Multicore’s Savbit also has added copper to help preserve the plating on the soldering iron bit. (The iron plating dissolves in the solder over time, once this plating is gone, the bit’s toast). This solder is expensive, but well worth the cost. A 1lb roll usually lasts me over a year.

• Vichy VC97 Multimeter

A multimeter is essential when doing any amount of electronic work. This meter is only a cheap one, but it’s accurate. Expensive meters don’t really have much more use for me. These can be had for around £20 on eBay.

• Hameg HM303-4 30MHz Oscilloscope

While a scope isn’t essential to the electronics lab, it’s extremely useful when troubleshooting circuits. This one isn’t any good for the frequency bands I currently operate on in the world of Amateur Radio, but it’s perfectly good for testing lower frequency stuff. These can be had for around £100 on eBay.