Eberline E600 manual and calibration software available

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gamempire
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Eberline E600 manual and calibration software available

Post by gamempire »

Hi All,

I just recieved the manual and calibration software for the Eberline E600 series ratemeter. This thing is the ferrari of radiation meters, but I was lucky enough to scoop one up for a few hundred bucks (this was after a Ludlum Model 12 that I had bought on eBay was a complete failure.)

If anyone is interested in the material, let me know, as its a very large pdf. The software is copyright 1994, and sure as hell looks like its from Windows 95 or earlier, but somehow mysteriously it works like a charm on vista.

I have a contact now who sells the smartpacs and various cables for the E600 series at a much lower price then eberline does (example: smartpack from them costs 350, I bought mine for 75). If anyone wants the info, let me know. He has a few ASP-1's for around 200, and E600's for around 400-450 as well.

I'll be testing this when I head down to Washington DC next weekend, and will def report back to let you all know how it went. But from the looks of the software, and how easily I calibrated the device for a BF3 neutron tube, this thing is a keeper.
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Richard Hull
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Re: Eberline E600 manual and calibration software available

Post by Richard Hull »

I found two Eberline 600's at a hamfest with no probes for $5.00 for the pair, as is.

They didn't work due to corrosion and other minor issues, which I ultimately fixed (7 hour job). I have used them around the house with 2" LND pancakes that I made up into probes.

For the software buff and those who have the proper interfaces designed specifically to allow Eberline to continue to milk customers, these are very versatile indeed. For me, they are just another GM system I snagged and rescued.

I absolutely despise the readouts which range between unreadable to valueless. These are a product of the days of the "featre creature" ...... Once the early microproc's came out, engineers, (both hardware and software) tried to see just how many cool features they could pack in a box. But, given only six keys, and a 10 or 12 digit display, they created a 43,655 step 2,834 tree branching stoftware to do anything cool on a worthless display, linked to a 590 page instruction manual. To ease the pain, they used an interface that allowed computer link up if you had the extra, post list price bucks. But hey, one man's meat is another man's poison.

I'll continue to use them as they look cool and, if left alone, seem to work OK.

Not raining on any parades, but I was considerably under impressed.

As part of the original computer revolution from S-100 buss onwards and having hand coded for 5 different microprocessors (pre-assembler), I know the routines practiced and grew to despise the entire effort and all it brought forth, as stuff got smaller with fewer keys, trashy readouts, and exponentially growing software trees to reach or achieve various functions on something that fits in a shirt pocket. I'm an old techno burnout who was complicit in creating monsters.

Richard Hull
Progress may have been a good thing once, but it just went on too long. - Yogi Berra
Fusion is the energy of the future....and it always will be
The more complex the idea put forward by the poor amateur, the more likely it will never see embodiment
DaveC
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Re: Eberline E600 manual and calibration software available

Post by DaveC »

Richard, you've a way with words!!

I had to smile reading your assessment, as I have often felt the same way. The race to "computerize" everything, has given us a lot of uselessly complicated hardware, whose principal virtue is that it's small.

The real bone of contention always seems to be the user interface. The part which gets left to last, but gets used first.

Dave Cooper
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Richard Hull
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Re: Eberline E600 manual and calibration software available

Post by Richard Hull »

The younger folks are more adept at this and are used to burning off a chunk of life devining out human-machine interfaces, much in the same fashion that I leaped into hand coding various microproc's back in the 70's and early 80's. Youth can keep this useless crap in their heads and not have to refer back to the manual. As one's head fills and faculties fail, it is a bit much to accept on limited life remaining that this or that interface is all that important or wonderful.

Richard Hull
Progress may have been a good thing once, but it just went on too long. - Yogi Berra
Fusion is the energy of the future....and it always will be
The more complex the idea put forward by the poor amateur, the more likely it will never see embodiment
gamempire
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Re: Eberline E600 manual and calibration software available

Post by gamempire »

Richard

Don't knock on us youngins too hard, as we're gonna be the ones to push fusion into the mainstream over the next 50+ years. =P

And don't think us youngins are strangers to hand coding microproc's...I've done my fair share of it on 8008's and more modern stuff, from assembly on up to basic and beyond, all while studying to become a computer/electrical engineer.

The main reason I've got the E600 is because of all the required data I need to collect, and it will be much more efficient to have a device that captures, logs and graphs the data all in one. Considering the amount of material I have to write as well for this project, I'm all about efficiency. =)

And dave, you're completely right about UI's. IMO, The reason the best companies succeed with their products is because they are all about the user interface and making the customer's experience as easy and efficient as possible.
nahsradus
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Re: Eberline E600 manual and calibration software available

Post by nahsradus »

I acquired one E600 recently from Oak-ridge lab. I was looking for the manual and calibration software.
let me know if you still have the manual and the software.

Thanks

Sudarshan
Robert Dorr
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Re: Eberline E600 manual and calibration software available

Post by Robert Dorr »

Resurrecting an old thread. Does anybody here have access to the Eberline E600 interface software. Would love to get a copy if it's still around. Also, is there a way to do a reset to factory defaults without the E600 interface software?

Thanks
MalcolmMcCarthy
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Re: Eberline E600 manual and calibration software available

Post by MalcolmMcCarthy »

Jumping on this bandwagon. I'm also looking for a copy of the interface software if anyone still has it
John Futter
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Re: Eberline E600 manual and calibration software available

Post by John Futter »

ishfulness
you are not following the forum rules
you are supppost to introduce yourself in the appropriate forum and your full real name
no handles
soon no account unless fixed
MalcolmMcCarthy
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Re: Eberline E600 manual and calibration software available

Post by MalcolmMcCarthy »

John Futter wrote:ishfulness
you are not following the forum rules
you are supppost to introduce yourself in the appropriate forum and your full real name
no handles
soon no account unless fixed
Whoops! Sorry about that, I think i've fixed everything now
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Richard Hull
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Re: Eberline E600 manual and calibration software available

Post by Richard Hull »

My original critical note on this item's interface remains intact. The instrument is great, but you need the complex and very thick manual to make it work with and for you. A gang of these old micro-processor overburdened instruments are floating around out there with no manual which is typically orphaned from its instrument as it is cast off as surplus. Eberline did a great job of isolating their instruments to future use without some lucky-find, new user "paying out".

Richard Hull
Progress may have been a good thing once, but it just went on too long. - Yogi Berra
Fusion is the energy of the future....and it always will be
The more complex the idea put forward by the poor amateur, the more likely it will never see embodiment
Romano Consul
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Re: Eberline E600 manual and calibration software available

Post by Romano Consul »

I own some ratemeters/scalers (Eberline, Ludlum and Bicron) but had the courageous idea to buy a used E600.
The problem is that I cannot even test it, without the appropriate cable, software and... manual.
Could anybody help me?

any hint will be appreciated.
Bob Callis
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Re: Eberline E600 manual and calibration software available

Post by Bob Callis »

I just won one of these from eBay. Like 99% of these on the second hand market mine has no cable. Have any of you installed a bnc socket? If so which wires do you tap into for the HV and ground? Thanks
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Richard Hull
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Re: Eberline E600 manual and calibration software available

Post by Richard Hull »

Any difficulty doing a simple google search?? I figured that was just too much...
We really put a premium of self-directed learning here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktQVwfo-s9w

Richard Hull
Progress may have been a good thing once, but it just went on too long. - Yogi Berra
Fusion is the energy of the future....and it always will be
The more complex the idea put forward by the poor amateur, the more likely it will never see embodiment
Bob Callis
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Re: Eberline E600 manual and calibration software available

Post by Bob Callis »

Richard Hull wrote: Sat Jul 24, 2021 2:44 pm Any difficulty doing a simple google search?? I figured that was just too much...
We really put a premium of self-directed learning here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktQVwfo-s9w

Richard Hull

Thanks Richard but I’ve made up dozens of bnc cables . I thought you made up a cable to replace the “smart cable” that’s always missing. Did yours have the smart cables. I was hoping someone added a bnc socket and taped into two of the wires going to the smart socket. I should just wait till the unit arrives and figure it out myself. I was just hoping someone had already done this and had some advice so I don’t blow mine up.
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Richard Hull
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Re: Eberline E600 manual and calibration software available

Post by Richard Hull »

Sorry, is the smart cable the 9 pin serial? Or is this something I have never seen? 100% of these that I have ever seen have a MHV BNC on them and often a 9 pin computer interface!

Richard Hull
Progress may have been a good thing once, but it just went on too long. - Yogi Berra
Fusion is the energy of the future....and it always will be
The more complex the idea put forward by the poor amateur, the more likely it will never see embodiment
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Joe Gayo
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Re: Eberline E600 manual and calibration software available

Post by Joe Gayo »

@Bob

Are you're talking about a round polarized connector with multiple pins? I have an Eberline ASP-2e with this connector for data transfer. I've actually been looking for more details on this connector and the only progress I've made at the moment is the manual that shows the pin-out of this 7pin connector (labeled as J2 on p198).

Otherwise, the probe connector is an MHV like Richard said.
Attachments
Thermo_ASP-2E.pdf
(1.15 MiB) Downloaded 338 times
Bob Callis
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Re: Eberline E600 manual and calibration software available

Post by Bob Callis »

Joe Gayo wrote: Sat Jul 24, 2021 5:33 pm @Bob

Are you're talking about a round polarized connector with multiple pins? I have an Eberline ASP-2e with this connector for data transfer. I've actually been looking for more details on this connector and the only progress I've made at the moment is the manual that shows the pin-out of this 7pin connector (labeled as J2 on p198).

Otherwise, the probe connector is an MHV like Richard said.
I’ve never handled a ASP-2 so I’m not familiar with it’s connectors.
I’m wondering if some here are confusing the ESP-2 with the E600.
Here’s a couple of pictures of the E600 and it’s “smart probe “ connect sockets. Image
Attachments
6776D56C-7AD9-4E58-9F82-A9CB66EA60EB.png
2AD76E00-6FEC-4697-83D2-7535CE255851.png
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Richard Hull
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Re: Eberline E600 manual and calibration software available

Post by Richard Hull »

I was, indeed, one of the confused. Sorry about that.

Richard Hull
Progress may have been a good thing once, but it just went on too long. - Yogi Berra
Fusion is the energy of the future....and it always will be
The more complex the idea put forward by the poor amateur, the more likely it will never see embodiment
Bob Callis
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Re: Eberline E600 manual and calibration software available

Post by Bob Callis »

No worries Richard. When I reread your reply to the original post way back in 2008 where you said “
given only six keys, and a 10 or 12 digit display“
it made me think that was the case . It only took 13 years to clear this up . ;) Anyway in a few days when I get this thing and tear into it I’ll let everyone know what I find and if I’m able to dumb it down with a bnc setup.

Btw, for anyone that is looking here’s the link to the 128 page manual for it . Looks like a good set of schematics as well.

http://www.equipcoservices.com/pdf/manu ... _e-600.pdf
Bob Callis
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Re: Eberline E600 manual and calibration software available

Post by Bob Callis »

A few pictures of the insides of the C600
Attachments
D18D2CC5-0FAF-40B9-B300-D0A537F40D97.jpeg
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1F52DA34-13DB-4629-860C-F807D954B4E2.jpeg
CEB24004-2D14-4F77-9E14-97749BC04C64.jpeg
42DD9423-8244-4ECE-8614-431B7C94236A.jpeg
Bob Callis
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Re: Eberline E600 manual and calibration software available

Post by Bob Callis »

Successful installed Eberline E-600 Interface Program software on my old XP laptop. Now to make an interface cable.
A3B9D4F8-66D4-4DED-BA22-00AE1F29CEDF.jpeg
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