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Heathkit Model IM-5284 Multi-Meter From 1979

🕑 Added 2024-07-09 19:07:56 +0000 UTC

Comments

Circuitmike

I had that exact same clamshell multimeter from Radio Shack! If I remember correctly, a friend of mine loaned it to me and never asked for it back, so after a couple of years it just defaulted to being mine. I'm pretty sure that would have been in the mid 80s. That, and so many other things I had acquired, were unceremoniously trashed in the year 2000 when my father paid some local junk hauler to clean out his basement. I was living in Florida at the time. He asked what I wanted to keep and I said "everything!" and he thought I was kidding. I never quite forgave him for that. I lost everything from that multimeter to a functioning PDP-11/03L (complete with dual 8" floppy drives!) and a VT-102 terminal, in a 6-foot 19" rack.

Donald J Arndt

https://www.rsp-italy.it/Electronics/Kits/_contents/Heathkit/Kits/Heathkit%20IM-5284%20Multimeter.pdf

John Verne

All measurements are -ish, of course. We just think three decimals of output is meaningful now!

Robert Sanges

We have digital displays on every kind of test equipment now, but I like to remind people that the readings are still "-ish".

James Ekins

Fran, did I miss something? When you measured the resistor it seemed to be muck less than 14.88. more like 4-point something.

Matt Wietlispach

Wow! A real acid flashback! I assembled one of these in the same year +/- 1 year. I had forgotten about it, but the little circuit board and wafer switches brought all the memories back. I think this is one of four Heathkit products I assembled. Heathkit even had a store(s) in the Chicago area and I remember that if I got stuck, the adult professionals would be able to point out what I wired incorrectly right away. Can you imagine that kind of tech support today? Thanks Fran for the memories. Unfortunately, my memory doesn't recall what I did with it.

Bob Zox

Carbon composite resistors *lose* resistance over time? The few I have replaced were open, ergo they gained infinite resistance. 😉 But please confirm your observations Fran, I'm open to new data.

Motten

Even though the readings aren't the most accurate, the cool looking analogue displays make up for it. The little Radio Shack one is nifty. I like that you have a tub of "about to explode" alkaline batteries. 😆