Re: Microwave apparatus

["Donald E. Simanek" <dsimanek@eagle.lhup.edu>]

On Thu, 25 Sep 1997, kyle forinash wrote:

> I've got 5 recievers which have quit working (the senders all still work).
> I'm pretty sure its the reciever diode (9.5GHz 1N23C 8801). CENCO and Sgt
> Welch don't sell the unit or the diode anymore. The diode manufacurer went
> out of buisness. Our tech person has not found an alternate supplier.
> Anyone run into this and found a work around? How about an alternate lab
> exercise?

Almost any microwave diode which will physically fit the socket will work.
We found some from military surplus. They must be handled with care, for
they are static sensitive and can be destroyed by a charge build-up on
your hands. They come wrapped in foil. In the apparatus they hardly ever
fail. The only ones we've lost were lost when too-inquisitive students
unscrewed the cap to see if there was a diode inside. Oh, yes, once a
student tried to measure the resistance of the diode. We now put a tag on
the cap warning that anyone unscrewing the cap will be condemned to being
tossed into a black hole.

	-- Donald

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Dr. Donald E. Simanek                            Office: 717-893-2079
Prof. of Physics                    Internet: dsimanek@eagle.lhup.edu
Lock Haven University, Lock Haven, PA. 17745          CIS: 73147,2166 
Home page: http://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek            FAX: 717-893-2047
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