Which good tool to match BC179B transistors?

Hi,
I need to do the matching of bc179B transistors for the circuit attached.
Could you please advise me what is the right tool to do it correctly?
Matching Hfe is enough or Vbe should be looked at too?
Thank you!

I have a DCA Pro that I like very much.
YMMV
Best,
Bruno2000

Hi Bruno! Thanks for the advise!!
Looks like a great tool, not expensive and portable, I looked at the manual and all is nicely explained.
I think this is the one!
Would you know if I should match them with Hfe, Vbe or use curve tracing according to their function in the schematic attached?

bruno2000 said:

I have a DCA Pro that I like very much.
YMMV
Best,
Bruno2000

Click to expand...

yes i got one too, they work well 8)

Hint: if you buy a DCA Pro 75, look for the EEVBlog discount You'll need to be a member there, but you probably should be anyway...

Thanks guys for the great help! can't wait to start the work with the coming dca75!

thekid777 said:

Hi Bruno! Thanks for the advise!!
Looks like a great tool, not expensive and portable, I looked at the manual and all is nicely explained.
I think this is the one!
Would you know if I should match them with Hfe, Vbe or use curve tracing according to their function in the schematic attached?

Click to expand...

I match hfe, but there are much smarter folks than I am here that can probably answer more expertly.
Best,
Bruno2000

bruno2000 said:

I match hfe, but there are much smarter folks than I am here that can probably answer more expertly.
Best,
Bruno2000

Click to expand...

Still, thank you!!
From what I understand, they should be matched using tracing within the range of how the component works in the circuit.
However, with my small experience I can't figure how to determine this!

Hi everyone,
I have a Peak Atlas DCA Pro 75 and although I love the unit, for basic transistor testing and matching I would recommend the following unit, it works very well and to be honest if I had it 2 years ago I would never had bought the DCA 75:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Portable-MK328-LCR-ESR-Tester-transistor-inductance-capacitance-resistance-meter/171927184554?epid=870231183&hash=item2807a8a4aa:g:MdoAAOSwk0pVgETb

Just would like to point that although HFE should be matched with curve tracing (that the DCA 75 does) within the circuit range, when you read in this forum and other forums people matching transistors 95% of the time they just measure HFE with the conditions their tester permits.

Whoops said:

Hi everyone,
I have a Peak Atlas DCA Pro 75 and although I love the unit, for basic transistor testing and matching I would recommend the following unit, it works very well and to be honest if I had it 2 years ago I would never had bought the DCA 75:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Portable-MK328-LCR-ESR-Tester-transistor-inductance-capacitance-resistance-meter/171927184554?epid=870231183&hash=item2807a8a4aa:g:MdoAAOSwk0pVgETb

Just would like to point that although HFE should be matched with curve tracing (that the DCA 75 does) within the circuit range, when you read in this forum and other forums people matching transistors 95% of the time they just measure HFE with the conditions their tester permits.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the heads-up Whoops. I checked out your link; this unit seems to be very much a more basic tester than the DCA Pro 75; are you saying you feel this is better, and why?

I don't see this unit doing any curve tracing...wouldn't it be better to get the Atlas Pro?

Thanks

Same question, Chinese transistor testers doesn't measure jfets Vgs(off), have no curve tracing features. Basically M328 can be compared with DCA55 and have more features. But DCA75 is more pro tool imo, if we speak about transistors and diodes.

ungifted said:

Same question, Chinese transistor testers doesn't measure jfets Vgs(off), have no curve tracing features. Basically M328 can be compared with DCA55 and have more features. But DCA75 is more pro tool imo, if we speak about transistors and diodes.

Click to expand...

Thanks ungifted.

Phrazemaster said:

Thanks for the heads-up Whoops. I checked out your link; this unit seems to be very much a more basic tester than the DCA Pro 75; are you saying you feel this is better, and why?

I don't see this unit doing any curve tracing...wouldn't it be better to get the Atlas Pro?

Thanks

Click to expand...

Hi Phrazemaster,
I'm not saying the unit is better than my Peak DCA75, I'm just saying that most people around here, and 95% is my estimate don't do curve tracing when matching transistors.
They just match HFE for the current their meter provides.

Myself included

So without using curve tracing both meters are equally efficient in measuring HFE, taking leakage into account also.

The MK328 costs 17 pounds
The DCA75 costs 111 pounds

It's up to you which you prefer,  I'm just giving an alternative. Even if you buy the DCA75 the MK328 is a great all around unit to have around, you can have it as a spare, or use also to measure capacitors and ESR, inductance, etc etc. It measures more components than the DCA75.

It's not that I don't like the DCA75, I like it a lot, but if 2 years ago I knew about the MK328 I would have not spend the extra buck on the DCA as the MK328 does what I normally need.

Answering ungifted, yes the MK328 doesn't do Curve tracing, But measures JFets.

For 17 quid you can't go wrong with this unit.

The DCA75 costs 111 pounds

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

It doesn't here

https://www.rapidonline.com/peak-dca75-dca-pro-advanced-semiconductor-component-analyser-85-2073?gclid=Cj0KCQiAjO_QBRC4ARIsAD2FsXMTZlYlzjiNPtoAxLNYox_tgabjtumUOTvOW91vHoB2W8bLozOO2kgaAkhrEALw_wcB

Whoops said:

Answering ungifted, yes the MK328 doesn't do Curve tracing, But measures JFets.

For 17 quid you can't go wrong with this unit.

Click to expand...

I like chinese transistor testers and others clones of mikrocontroller.net project too, but please confirm your version measures jfets Vgs(off)? As I know it measures Vg only.

>> DCA75 costs 111 pounds
> It doesn't here

£83.30 looks like $111(110.96) in my money. I suspect Whoops was just looking on the wrong side of the currency changer.

PRR said:

>> DCA75 costs 111 pounds
> It doesn't here

£83.30 looks like $111(110.96) in my money. I suspect Whoops was just looking on the wrong side of the currency changer.

Click to expand...

Just got the price in pounds fron the Peak website. I'm sure there's dealers with other prices.
The point was not the exact price, it was the price difference between the two units and your personal needs for metering