Wednesday, July 13, 2011

HAMFEST FIND

I like this -- and for a dollar, how could I go wrong?United Television Laboratories was, it turns out, a tech school in Lousiville, KY; searching for them turns up a fascinating blog post, with a promotional audio clip and a lot of memories from graduates. "UTL" gave way to "United Electronics Institute" some time in the 1950s; eventually, UEI declined but in their heyday, the school (supposedly, I can't confirm it) even ran its own UHF TV station! (At one time, FCC handed out UHF TV licenses practically for the asking -- and even at that, not all of them made a go of it.)

A version of the meter even showed up in some of their magazine ads. It looks a lot like a Triplett prewar 666-H VOM, both inside and out; if I can find mine, I'll post a photo for comparison, later: (Similar one here). The specific arrangement, with the "OHMS" zero-adjust and pin jacks above the meter, was only used in a few models of Triplett's 666 and it is very likely the United Televison Labs meter is a clone. Update: Or, on reflection, maybe not; at least not of mine, which, Triplett-like, has but a single mode-changing switch. Some earlier versions of the 666 did have an AC/DC selector, though.(Later versions of Triplett's compact meter retained the test-lead lacks at top, in a case otherwise similar to their top of the line VOM, which is still in production).

Though the front panel is a bit bent and some of the hardware is loose, the meter movement seems to have some life in it and if it's intact and the meter rectifier (copper-oxide, a bit difficult to replace) is okay, the VOM can probably be brought back with a little bench time and elbow grease.

9 comments:

  1. I've got a very similar Triplett. DC volts on the left half of the rotary, AC volts on the right half, and five Ohm range choices across the bottom (half?). No AC/DC slider. Found it at a yard sale for five bucks.
    Nice find!

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  2. For a dollar? Even if you can't get it working, it will make a good bookshelf piece.

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  3. ditto, Jake.
    Worth a buck just to put on the shelf as a work of art.
    Q

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  4. that is pretty cool. I like the items with some history attached.

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  5. I was thinking, "It'll be a kewl paperweight even if it's not repairable," when I bought it. It was delightful to find the history of the source.

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  6. Dare I say it? Your Triplett has a prettier knob than mine!

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  7. I can't be sure that "chickenhead" pointer knob (one of the three basic variations of the convex-pointer type) is original but it works. --H'mm, I can be a little more sure, I have the manual. I'll get back to you.

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  8. Tha battery adjust knob on mine has no frilly doodles on top. Original or not, the fancy-work makes it more retro. Very nice.

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  9. Oh, that one! They did drop the checkerboard/hashmark from that knob.

    They're good little meters. Triplett's 666 is probably one of the best small VOMs out there.

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