BWD Electronics
BWD Electronics was an Australian manufacturer of electronic test equipment from the 1950s through to the mid 1990s. While they manufactured a range of Test and measurement equipment over the years, they are best known for their Oscilloscopes.
While the use of commonly available components to build equipment had the effect of limiting performance, it means that BWD equipment is still serviceable, making it popular with Australian electronics hobbyists.
History
BWD Electronics was founded in mid 1955 by John Beesley, Peter Wingate and Bob Dewey. The name BWD was derived from the first letter of each of their surnames. The first premises was rented in Auburn Rd, Auburn, Victoria near the Geebung hotel in 1956. In 1966 BWD employed around 80 people and moved to 333 Burke Road, Gardner and remained there until the building was to be demolished to make way for the South Eastern [Monash] freeway in 1972 when BWD moved to Miles street in Mulgrave.
In 1977 BWD released the 880 Powerscope, an oscilloscope designed for looking at mains power. That oscilloscope subsequently won an Australian design award.
John Beesley remained involved in the company until 1989 when he went to work for Cochlear.
BWD Electronics was purchased by McVan Instruments, currently part of the Observator B.V. group of the Netherlands.
B.W.D. ELECTRONICS PROPRIETARY LIMITED was first Registered on the 21st of July 1955 [1]
BWD products
- BWD 112B 10 Hz-1 MHz Sine and square wave generator [2]
- BWD 131 5 Hz-600 kHz Precision sine wave generator [2]
- BWD 141 1 Hz-1 MHz Sine and square wave generator [2]
- BWD 141A Sine and square wave generator
- BWD 160A Function generator 0.02 Hz-2 MHz [2][3]
- BWD 170 Wavemaker 20 Hz-50 kHz [2][3]
- BWD 207B High current DC power supply (12V/12A, 24V/6A)[2]
- BWD 216A High voltage DC power supply (400V/200mA, 250V/50mA)[2]
- BWD 242A Dual output programmable power supply (36V/2x2A)[2]
- BWD 246A Dual output programmable power supply (36V/2x5A) [2]
- BWD 246B
- BWD 272 Stabilised DC power supply (12V/2A, 24V/1A, 50V/0.5A) [2]
- BWD 275 Dual range programmable DC power supply (36V/2A, 72V/1A) [2]
- BWD 301 Portascope
- BWD 311 Portascope
- BWD 321 Portascope
- BWD 500A 5" single beam oscilloscope
- BWD 500B 5" single beam oscilloscope
- BWD 501 5" single beam oscilloscope
- BWD 502 oscilloscope
- BWD 504 6 MHz single channel oscilloscope [3][4][5]
- BWD 504 Mk II solid state 6Mhz single channel oscilloscope [2][6]
- BWD 506 DC - 15 MHz Single Trace Oscilloscope [2]
- BWD 509 10 MHz
- BWD 509B DC - 10 MHz Single Trace Oscilloscope [2]
- BWD 511 oscilloscope
- BWD 521 oscilloscope
- BWD 525 dual trace 50 MHz with plugins:two 6A 'Y' amps. & one 6T timebase to 0.1 usec/div.[2]
- BWD 530A DC - 20 MHz Dual Trace Oscilloscope [2]
- BWD 539
- BWD 539B DC - 16 MHz Dual Trace Oscilloscope <current (2015) owner>
- BWD 539C 20 MHz dual trace oscilloscope [3]
- BWD 539D 25 MHz dual trace oscilloscope [2][4]
- BWD 540 100 MHz dual trace oscilloscope [2][4]
- BWD 603 Mini-lab [7]
- BWD 603A Mini-lab
- BWD 603B Mini-lab [2]
- BWD 604 Mini-lab
- BWD 701 & 711 Video equipment line selector [8]
- BWD 820
- BWD 821
- BWD 824 35MHz Oscilloscope
- BWD 826 50MHz Oscilloscope
- BWD 835A 50MHz Oscilloscope
- BWD 845 DC - 30MHZ Storage Oscilloscope [2]
- BWD 880 Powerscope, 4 Channels [8]
- BWD 881 Powerscope, or Powerscope II
- BWD 950 Stroboscope
- BWD 1722 DC-15 kHz Large Screen Display [2]
- BWD P32 DUO oscilloscope probes [2]
References
- ↑ ASIC database (http://www.search.asic.gov.au/cgi-bin/gns030c?acn=004_341_271&juris=9&hdtext=ACN&srchsrc=1)
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 BWD Shortform Catalogue no.6
- 1 2 3 4 Electronics Today International, Feb, 1977, pp.26
- 1 2 3 Electronics Australia, Aug, 1977, pp.28
- ↑ Electronics Today International, Oct, 1976, pp.19
- ↑ BWD 504 Service manual (http://bama.edebris.com/manuals/bwd/504)
- ↑ Electronics Australia, Nov, 1972, pp.40
- 1 2 BWD Shortform Catalogue no.7