What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!

[ChrisLX200]

Reference distribution amplifier, which I ordered weeks ago, turned up today. I'd given up hope of seeing it before Xmas (or at all even..). That's it top-right in photo.

[bitseeker]

That's nice and compact. Looks like it might be able to sit beside your DIY dual-counter box.

[ChrisLX200]

That's nice and compact. Looks like it might be able to sit beside your DIY dual-counter box.

Doesn't quite fit unfortunately 

Like an idiot I thought the 3014B (now a 3054B ) had a reference IN for its timebase - it doesn't. There's also a phase difference between the distribution amp's two banks of 4 outputs (1-4 and 5-8), but it won't make any difference for what I do (I think).

[bitseeker]

Doesn't quite fit unfortunately 

Oh, bummer. Hard to tell in 2D.

Like an idiot I thought the 3014B (now a 3054B ) had a reference IN for its timebase - it doesn't. There's also a phase difference between the distribution amp's two banks of 4 outputs (1-4 and 5-8), but it won't make any difference for what I do (I think).

That's odd that all the outputs aren't driven simultaneously. Well, as long as you're not timing things at critical resolution between banks, should be alright.

[cdev]

Antioxidants will protect them. That's a symptom I think of low glutathione. You should supplement with antioxidants like n-acetyl cysteine.  BTW, UV is much worse than IR.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4597594/Samsung-users-say-iris-scanner-causing-eye-discomfort.html

"studies have found that the protein found in the lens of the eye is very sensitive to the infrared radiation used in the biometric and when exposed, can lead to cataract"

You'd probably die when walking by IR LED CCTV camera's then.

I feel my eyes itchy every time I incidentally look at a plate IR illiminator in a car parking.

[Alex Eisenhut]

Yes, it's quite silly but I managed to find powerline filters in the right form factor for half the Digikey price.

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Tyco-Corcom-EMI-Filtered-Power-Entry-Modules-6A-120-250VAC-6609000-9-F7651-6EEAP/301575132396?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Booyah!

[boffin]

Tek 455. 

Belonged to a co-worker, who had it from his (old old) job working for DEC.  (c/w Digital Equipment Corp Canada stickers).  Price was right "Hey, it's taking up room in my basement, do you want it or should I just throw it out?"

Now the big question is:

• Keep it (along with my Philips PM3216)
• Keep the Tek 455, give away the Phillips
• Keep the Phillips and give away the Tek

I'm actually leaning toward the latter of the three because I the Phillips is a tiny bit smaller, and the Tek came from a smokers' household and has a slight smokiness to it. (and no, 50 vs 35MHz, and the additional trigger options aren't really something I need)

[Specmaster]

Tek 455. 

Belonged to a co-worker, who had it from his (old old) job working for DEC.  (c/w Digital Equipment Corp Canada stickers).  Price was right "Hey, it's taking up room in my basement, do you want it or should I just throw it out?"

Now the big question is:

• Keep it (along with my Philips PM3216)
• Keep the Tek 455, give away the Phillips
• Keep the Phillips and give away the Tek

I'm actually leaning toward the latter of the three because I the Phillips is a tiny bit smaller, and the Tek came from a smokers' household and has a slight smokiness to it. (and no, 50 vs 35MHz, and the additional trigger options aren't really something I need)

Personally I'd keep them both and the smell of the smoke is mainly going to be in the document pouch which can be removed and thrown away, or you can treat with something like Febreze to get rid of the odour. There will a little on the 465, but can be given a good wash and clean up and I'd spray a little Febreze inside as well.

I got an Hitachi scope from a house that smoked, and no one in my house smokes but since I did that with the Hitachi I have not had a single mention about the smell of smoke, it has gone completely.

[GreyWoolfe]

What specmaster said.  You have officially started on the path to TEA, young Padawan.  Beware of the Dark Side.

[bitseeker]

Beware of the Dark Side.

Yes, ensure you have sufficient lighting on your bench.

[neo]

Beware of the Dark Side.

Yes, ensure you have sufficient lighting on your bench.

Is 5000 lumen spotlight enough?

My 10k lumen one blew up and melted the copper cord. 

[Terry01]

Feeltech FY3224s 24MHz function generator.

Only took 3 weeks to come from HK to UK even with all the Christmas stuff. I didn't expect to see it till after the new year so....score! 
I had a quick play around hooking it up to my DSO scope earlier today and found it to be much more usable than the XR2206 DIY kit i have now and it seems to have had the live BNC jacks problem sorted that I've seen the ones reviewed on YouTube have. It came with a 3 pin UK plug as requested but still only a 2 pin figure of 8 connection into the machine itself. I'll fix that in time though.
I'll have a proper look over it after Christmas. I'm still very new in to electronics so looking forward to that.

[GreyWoolfe]

Beware of the Dark Side.

Yes, ensure you have sufficient lighting on your bench.

Is 5000 lumen spotlight enough?

My 10k lumen one blew up and melted the copper cord. 

Nope.  8 foot bench, 2 10k lumen 4foot fixtures.  SWMBO complains about the sun in the house.

[Mr. Scram]

Nope.  8 foot bench, 2 10k lumen 4foot fixtures.  SWMBO complains about the sun in the house.

Maybe you should make it rain.

[neo]

Well i didn't buy it, the wallet did as a Christmas present. 6 year old white cheddar, 5 pound block at just over a buck an ounce.

I guess she got tired of me drooling on the computer monitor 

[nanofrog]

Well i didn't buy it, the wallet did as a Christmas present. 6 year old white cheddar, 5 pound block at just over a buck an ounce.

I guess she got tired of me drooling on the computer monitor 

And how many keyboards did you end up replacing?

[neo]

Well i didn't buy it, the wallet did as a Christmas present. 6 year old white cheddar, 5 pound block at just over a buck an ounce.

I guess she got tired of me drooling on the computer monitor 

And how many keyboards did you end up replacing?

None actually, i'm a very restrained drooler.

[nanofrog]

Well i didn't buy it, the wallet did as a Christmas present. 6 year old white cheddar, 5 pound block at just over a buck an ounce.

I guess she got tired of me drooling on the computer monitor 

And how many keyboards did you end up replacing?

None actually, i'm a very restrained drooler.

Hold on... You've about broken your Pavlovian programming? 

Please spill. 

[neo]

Well i didn't buy it, the wallet did as a Christmas present. 6 year old white cheddar, 5 pound block at just over a buck an ounce.

I guess she got tired of me drooling on the computer monitor 

And how many keyboards did you end up replacing?

None actually, i'm a very restrained drooler.

Hold on... You've about broken your Pavlovian programming? 

Please spill. 

I'm sorry i'm a bit confused as to what exactly you mean?

[AF6LJ]

This deal has been in the works for some time now.
My labor, and parts fixing a Heathkit HL-2200 yielded these...


About 100' of 1" 5/8 hardline, and a box of connectors for same.

Then....

A Henry 3KA console amplifier, this needs work, and will be a project for this summer.

[Specmaster]

This deal has been in the works for some time now.
My labor, and parts fixing a Heathkit HL-2200 yielded these...


About 100' of 1" 5/8 hardline, and a box of connectors for same.

Then....

A Henry 3KA console amplifier, this needs work, and will be a project for this summer.

If you don't mind my ignorance Sue, but what are these, are they something to do with being a radio ham? If so then thats why I'm in the dark 

[Richard Crowley]

Hardline is flexible waveguide. Think of it as coaxial cable on steroids. Typically used for connecting high-power transmitters to antennas, etc.  I have seen it as big as 4 inches (100mm) diameter for high-power broadcast transmitters.  I believe it goes up to 6 inches.

The power amplifier is essentially a "booster transmitter"  You can take the RF output from a "regular" transmitter (perhaps up to 100W) and it will boost it up to perhaps 1000s of watts.  That is how most broadcast transmitters work.  There is a small "transmitter" (commonly called an "exciter") which actually produces and modulates the carrier. A couple of modern UHF TV stations I work with have a transmitter (exciter) in a 1RU chassis.  But then the output of the "transmitter" is fed into one (or many) power amplifiers which simply take that RF and boost it up to the final transmitting power.

[AF6LJ]

Richard has it right.
The amplifier with 150W in will put out 2000W.

The hardline besides being used for high power also has much lower loss than regular coaxial cable. If you are serious about operating on the VHF and above amateur bands hardline is the preferred transmission line.  However.....
Connectors cost in the neighborhood of $70.00 US and up.

[nanofrog]

Well i didn't buy it, the wallet did as a Christmas present. 6 year old white cheddar, 5 pound block at just over a buck an ounce.

I guess she got tired of me drooling on the computer monitor 

And how many keyboards did you end up replacing?

None actually, i'm a very restrained drooler.

Hold on... You've about broken your Pavlovian programming? 

Please spill. 

I'm sorry i'm a bit confused as to what exactly you mean?

Sorry about that. I was reminded of Ivan Pavlov and his experiments with dogs in the field of psychology.

If you're interested, take a look at the Classical Conditioning page from wiki. 

[neo]

Well i didn't buy it, the wallet did as a Christmas present. 6 year old white cheddar, 5 pound block at just over a buck an ounce.

I guess she got tired of me drooling on the computer monitor 

And how many keyboards did you end up replacing?

None actually, i'm a very restrained drooler.

Hold on... You've about broken your Pavlovian programming? 

Please spill. 

I'm sorry i'm a bit confused as to what exactly you mean?

Sorry about that. I was reminded of Ivan Pavlov and his experiments with dogs in the field of psychology.

If you're interested, take a look at the Classical Conditioning page from wiki. 

My fault for being a bit dense, that definitely is interesting.