This valve oscilloscope is considerably smaller than the others on this tour but operates on the same principles. It has a small circular screen, 6 cm in diameter and three dual knobs for controlling the beam focus/intensity, vertical gain/shift, and horizontal gain/timebase. Its controls are uncalibrated but it has the useful feature of a 'vertical output' socket so that it can be used as a general purpose amplifier. It is a type 301 oscilloscope made by Laboratory Electronics at 96 Osborne Road, Mitchelton, Brisbane. Although major factories were required to make components like valves, transformers and capacitors, the construction of electronic instruments was largely a matter of mounting the components on a metal chassis and soldering them together correctly, so many small manufacturers operated in Australia at this time. Radios and television sets were also made, and with tariff protection, the industry thrived for a time. There were even factories making valves in Sydney and Melbourne.
The University of Queensland purchased three of these miniature oscilloscopes in the early 1960's for £85 each. For reference, the basic wage at the time was £15 per week.
This item is part of the UQ Physics Museum Oscilloscopes Tour
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JDB, SN
