Thanks, Mike.

I did remember there were differences, but did not remember the details.

This was always a selection criterion because one version didn't cover the ham band.

- Leigh

Not to impugn the quality of old HP signal generators, but one of the remarks outsiders make about threads like this is, newcomers to the antique radio hobby are often being told that they need better test equipment than the engineers who originally designed the radios had! If one is simply interested in learning how radios work and fixing up a few five tube or six transistor AM/SW radios, those old Heathkit, Eico, or RCA signal generators are a very reasonable and economical type to get. They put the sons and daughters of a lot of radio repairmen through college.

The HP-608 series of signal generators use UHF pencil tubes which are still available but not all that common. The 606 uses more common tubes but it can go through a lot of them if it is pushed to output high signal levels. Both are complicated, high maintenance instruments which have demanding alignment procedures and circuits that can be difficult to troubleshoot. I think somebody just getting into the hobby would be better served by a simple, practical, low maintenance generator like an Eico 324 than they would be by an HP 606 that may need a lot more than just a few capacitors or a tube or two. They can always sell the Eico or whatever and get something more advanced later on if they want to go further.

Thanks everyone for all the input. You all are the best and you all have educated me on test equipment. Now the only thing I have left to do is decide what to buy!!

Darrell

My basic set of equipment is a VTVM and a signal generator like the EICO 324. I've used a Knight VTVM since 1959 and it and the 324 are when calibrated according to their manuals plenty accurate enough to service ordinary radios. Since they are now cheap, I'd add a DMM to that list.

The most important thing needed is an understanding of basic electricity and electronics. All the test equipment in the world isn't going to help if you don't know what you are doing. Add a full understanding of residential ac power distribution to keep yourself safe.

RRM

Pretty safe to say many of us have a lot more equipment on our hobby benches now than the radio repair shops did in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s.
If you're restoring AM broadcast band radios you really don't need much. You can easily get away with just a VTVM, a signal generator, and a soldering gun.
Even then, a signal source is an option since the AM band is still viable.