It all started with an old bench meter

[RoadDog]

First it was a Fluke 8050. It had some problems that I sorted out. Replaced the batteries, cleaned the screen. No big deal. I wasn't worried about the accuracy at all. If it's off a bit that 's fine it's almost as old as I am.

Then an HP function generator. Still sorting through all that. Probably a PS issue. I'll get it fixed.

No big deal. I was fine.

Then I gazed upon the internals of a Fluke 720a with my own eyes. Soon I found myself on Xdevs and then lurking here. Before I knew it I was reading about the temperature coefficients of different resistance wires and watching Dave's video about ripping apart an old Krohn-Hite voltage standard.

Then I stumbled upon Conrad Hoffmans website about building a Mini Metrology lab and before I knew it I had a Fluke 45 so I could measure resistors more accurately than I can with the 8050.

I built a Wheatstone bridge on the breadboard last night and then started fiddling around with a basic decade. I was able to tear myself away from it. Put some music on and did some coding that wasn't related to metrology in any way. Before I knew it though I was back on YouTube watching a video about building a null detector. This morning when I sat down at my computer I closed 17 tabs on my browser. I told myself I don't need a voltage reference. I don't need a null detector or a KV divider either. I suppose it's only a matter of time though before I'm back on Digikey perusing expensive, low TC resistors. 

So tell me am I screwed or what? It’s too late to get away isn’t it?

[TiN]

Too late, unless you call ISP and terminate your internet service, and sell all DMMs this very weekend. I got borked Keithley 2001 for $220 in 2009. Then read repair manual to find what things were needed to calibrate it after repair. Then read manuals for those things to see what I need to calibrate calibrators... Rest is history. 

[bdunham7]

https://as.flukecal.com/products/electrical-calibration/bench-multimeters/8588a-reference-multimeter

https://as.flukecal.com/products/electrical-calibration/electrical-calibrators/5730a-high-performance-multifunction-calibrat

https://as.flukecal.com/products/electrical-calibration/electrical-calibrators/5725a-amplifier

https://as.flukecal.com/products/electrical-calibration/electrical-calibrators/52120a-transconductance-amplifier

https://as.flukecal.com/products/electrical-calibration/electrical-standards/732c-and-734c-dc-voltage-reference-standards?quicktabs_product_details=3

https://as.flukecal.com/products/electrical-calibration/electrical-standards/752a-reference-divider-0

https://as.flukecal.com/products/electrical-calibration/electrical-standards/5790b-ac-measurement-standard

https://as.flukecal.com/products/electrical-calibration/electrical-standards/742a-resistance-standards-0

I don't see how anyone can get by with less...

[RoadDog]

If that isn’t some brand loyalty I don’t know what it is. Unless that $10 in Dogecoin I bought last summer takes off I’m probably going to have to settle for less.

You never know though. Elon could tweet about it again.

[Conrad Hoffman]

Yes, you are totally screwed, but at least you're not alone.

[dietert1]

It's Valentine's Day, don't forget the ladies!

Regards, Dieter

[macaba]

You are screwed... welcome to the club!

Better get started on a voltage reference - it's the one thing that improves with age.

[Cubdriver]

Expand your horizons - come on over and join us in the loony bin - we have cookies!   

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/

-Pat

[Zucca]

Hey Dog,

can you please post some pics? You are teasing us.
oh yes, I am with both foot in the TEA quicksand.

[mnementh]

mnem
TEAnonymous calls to you... resistance is futile funtime. 

[BU508A]

Besides lots of cookies, quicksand and TE we do have also the finest rabbit holes here in the EEVBlog forum:



  

[RoadDog]

I don't know how to post pics! Been a long time since I've been on a forum. They died down after Facebook took off. Used to be Photobucket or something similar.

I'll figure it out soon. Been working on a bunch of things lately.

Seems like I'm in good company here. Nice to find a great, active forum.

Current inventory:

Fluke 8050 (questionable accuracy due to battery issues)
Fluke 45
Tektronix TDS 220 scope
HP 3314A function generator (was working but now broken)
Fluke 97 Scopemeter (borrowed long term)
Fluke 105 Scopemeter (borrowed long term and not working)
Fluke MD78 that's way off and probably in need of repair before calibration.

Recently became a tech and inherited some broken gear 

[RoadDog]

The Fluke 8050. It's a cool old meter. Reminds me of my childhood.

Apparently I've figured out how to post images as a thumbnail at the end of the post.  Trying to post them in the post. Can't seem to get it to work at the moment. 

[BU508A]

The Fluke 8050. It's a cool old meter. Reminds me of my childhood.

Apparently I've figured out how to post images as a thumbnail at the end of the post.  Trying to post them in the post. Can't seem to get it to work at the moment. 

That's easy to do, just like this:




If you want to see it, how it has been done, just click on the "Quote" button on the top right of this message and you can see in the quoted text the source.

The link (URL) of the picture is easy to get:
- click on the picture so it increases to its original size
- right click on the picture
- choose "copy image link"
and you are done, the URL is stored now in the clipboard.

HTH

[RoadDog]

Right on. Thank you!

Most forums seemed to die off about a decade ago so it has been a while. With Photobucket breaking a lot of forums a while back I'm wary of using a free service to host them.

Better to put them here if I can.

I appreciate it.

[BU508A]

For some postings with pictures, I'm using imgur

Code: [Select]

https://imgur.com/ for hosting them.
Works quite well and I can recommend it.
But the better way is to upload the pictures here to the forum,
so they'll stay as long as the EEVBlog forum is around.

Example, where I've used imgur for a lot of pictures:
R&S ADS AWG

[Echo88]

Jep, please use the forum for the pictures and for example IrfanView to limit the picture size to a suitable size for the forum.
That way they wont get lost as happens with external image hosters.

[alm]

And here are some threads that used an at one time very popular external image hoster (imageshack) where now all the pictures are missing:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/more-product-teardowns/
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/teardown-rigol-dg2041a-(arb-function-generator)/

I don't remember the thread, but I remember how recently I was repairing a piece of equipment, and found a very helpful thread describing a similar repair, but all the pictures where gone because they were hosted outside the forum on a server which disappeared.

Please, for a forum where a post can easily still be valuable in a decade, upload the pictures here. If the forum ever disappears the information is gone anyhow, and this way the integrity of the information on the forum is not dependent on yet another site with a somewhat fragile business model.

[Labrat101]

So tell me am I screwed or what? It’s too late to get away isn’t it?

Just Nice know I'm Not alone ... I also thought it wasn't contagious  .
 Always on the search for More .

[Conrad Hoffman]

The 8050 is a remarkably handy meter, especially if you do anything with dB.

[KK6IL]

YouTube wouldn't let me post a reply.  You need to show a photo of your complete shack to show us how bad the problem can be.

465's aren't a problem. I just picked up a Tek 7704A,7613, 7603, and 5441, 2601, 2901, TM5001 and assorted plug-ins, along with an HP 3456 and Fluke 8520A.