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  • Author Author: dougw
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What is the Ideal Prize?

I am curious what the most desirable prizes might be within the community.

I have selected items from each of the following categories for this poll but feel free to indicate something else in the comments below.

  • Measurement instrumentation
  • Fabrication tools
  • Communications devices
  • Computers
  • Cameras
  • Toys/Entertainment

What is the item you would most like to see offered as a prize in a design contest?

  • in reply to dougw

    I like that idea as well - something crafted from stone local to the Avnet HQ and engraved rather than a gold cup would have far more meaning.

     

    • Along the same theme - a signed photo from the E14 team ?

     

    • A VIP trip around your local Avnet distribution center - look at the stock, see some new products, have some lunch and a beer, meet some of the roadtest sponsors/manufacturers for a chat?
  • in reply to shabaz

    GWInstek have been around a long time (like me) but sadly I've never used any of their equipment before, and I'm not quite sure why that is. Thinking back I believe Hameg probably owned a large chunk of the 'medium priced oscilloscope'  market back in the 90's and later, as digital oscilloscopes became more affordable, the like Picoscope filled the gap; whilst Tektronix, Lecroy, HP/Agilent and R&S remained the higher priced units.

     

    That's a great add on for educational/training establishments to use. Away from such settings an SDR would probably be better value for money and allow greater flexibility.

  • One prize I failed to include would be a trophy instead of something useful or better yet in addition to something useful.

    I like the idea of a trophy.

  • in reply to 14rhb

    I vaguely remember an Instek 'scope or other test equipment at either uni or my first job, but I wonder why the products are not more popular. I noticed when reading the 'scope roadtest page, that the GW Instek instrument supports a spectrum analyzer mode that is more useful than the regular FFT capability on typical 'scopes, and it is close to a full spectrum analyzer except with dBV instead of dBm (since it has a regular 'scope input).

    The instrument you mention seems to offer more than a regular full spectrum analyzer, since it has built-in preamp, tracking generator, and really useful resolution bandwidth settings (down to 1Hz : ) and also settings for EMC compliance work too) as well as the tracking generator you mention, and the portability!

    So it seems both of these GW Instek instruments offer much more than expected.

    This looks really coolThis looks really cool.. currently out of stock at Farnell. Would be a nice bundle for a spectrum analyzer prize:

    image

  • in reply to Fred27

    I think that is a really good point - I feel that way about everything I win. If I could afford it, I would already have it.

    Somehow it is more special than an equivalent voucher, even if the voucher is more useful.

  • in reply to shabaz

    I'm glad you like it and noticed the power pack; always a bonus not having to run power out and should appeal to telecoms engineers out in the field/up masts etc. It's also got a tracking generator. The unit is quite feature rich for the price, many of which cost extra on similar priced units. Seeing as recently gwinstek kindly offered up their oscilloscopes for roadtesting they may decide to do the same with this unit image

  • For me, the ideal prize - whether it be as a contest prize or a road test product - is something that I couldn't justify purchasing for myself but kinda want even if I don't really need it. The trouble with a voucher is that I would probably still make some sort of sensible choice.  A good example is the RTM3004 'scope I road tested a while ago. There's no way I could justify that grade of oscilloscope as a purchase even to myself. However, I can easily tell my wife that I'm not going to sell it and buy a new car / kitchen instead because "it's mine, it was free and I'm keeping it".

  • in reply to 14rhb

    Very capable looking instrument according to the datasheet.. nice that it is portable with optional battery-pack too!

  • Maybe a slightly different format could be taken regarding prizes, combining snippets of thoughts from the comments above.....

     

    A choice of prizes (perhaps three) are offered and the grand prize winner can select one they would like most. Similarly there are some pools of lower value prizes in the tiers below and those runners up can also choose accordingly. One of those could include the shopping voucher(s) for those who wish to go wild !

  • in reply to kmikemoo

    Not sure what limit is being set on this but the following would be a great 'grand prize' IMO: GSP-9300 Gw Instek, Spectrum Analyser, Bench, 9kHz to 3GHz | Farnell

    image