Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[HalFET]

Or he's selling to be able to buy even more!

[beanflying]

One of the few few legitimate reasons to sell is threats of divorce (generally would kill gear budget), threats of appendage removal by the aforementioned significant other (would make use of test gear more difficult or more difficult to sit comfortably and reduce inappropriate places to scratch). Most other reasons are questionable 

Still own my first analog meter and a very non working pocket digital I was going to fix 'one day' 

[VK5RC]

Oscilloscope number A working Tek 564B, one of the earlier CRO storeage models- the all transistor model.
For the best price , a slab of beer - well, wine actually.

[TheUnnamedNewbie]

Have decided I have to put my TEAness on hold for a few months until this uni-stuff is over. Once I can start my "job" after getting my masters I am going to try and allow myself a fixed maximum spending on TE stuff because like, life and stuff.

But boy I would love a specan so much. It really is the one thing I feel I am missing - I need something to be able to measure past 50 MHz... oh well, just 5-6 more months...

[Ero-Shan]

Here we go again ...

Now really for the very last time. I've already told you that past-the-last visit still revealed some leftovers. And a little bit of it was pertinent to this thread:


(Ok, the 3 handheld DMMs actually moved to the new location, but were found defective afterwards, so they were allowed to join the others.)

Most of this gear may be presumed dead.

[Specmaster]

Still own my first analog meter and a very non working pocket digital I was going to fix 'one day' 

Get yeh finger out then, all it needed was a battery, at the time 

[Specmaster]

Here we go again ...

Now really for the very last time. I've already told you that past-the-last visit still revealed some leftovers. And a little bit of it was pertinent to this thread:


(Ok, the 3 handheld DMMs actually moved to the new location, but were found defective afterwards, so they were allowed to join the others.)

Most of this gear may be presumed dead.

Dead but not out 

[xrunner]

(Ok, the 3 handheld DMMs actually moved to the new location, but were found defective afterwards, so they were allowed to join the others.)

LOL I used to have that little Hitachi DMM back in the day. 

[Specmaster]

Back to TEA. Ikea purchase assembled and corner re-organised.

Respectively top to bottom: tools, parts, cables, crap. Also SWMBO was impressed with the improvement so it has actually lead to another Ikea trip next week to replace the other two boxes depicted on the left with neat drawers which currently contain stacks of paper, craft bits and self-reproducing kipple.

This has cleared about 40cm to the left of my scope and soldering iron which may turn into another pile of kit. Woohoo excuse for more TEA!

Found just the thing for that extra 40Cms of bench space, a little of your old home for you (has some very nice design touches as well) https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272996263440?ul_noapp=trueven I'm tempted.

[bd139]

Good scopes. That’s the rather rare milspec version, probably worth buying for the box of hardware that shipped as well (Cossor probes are damn good). Ironically perhaps, when they designed these, they used Tektronix scopes to do the engineering.

I’d buy it if I had more space. I am currently eyeing up an RF signal generator that has accounted for the remaining space however.

[Mr. Scram]

Have decided I have to put my TEAness on hold for a few months until this uni-stuff is over. Once I can start my "job" after getting my masters I am going to try and allow myself a fixed maximum spending on TE stuff because like, life and stuff.

But boy I would love a specan so much. It really is the one thing I feel I am missing - I need something to be able to measure past 50 MHz... oh well, just 5-6 more months...

Putting TEA on hold 

[Specmaster]

Have decided I have to put my TEAness on hold for a few months until this uni-stuff is over. Once I can start my "job" after getting my masters I am going to try and allow myself a fixed maximum spending on TE stuff because like, life and stuff.

But boy I would love a specan so much. It really is the one thing I feel I am missing - I need something to be able to measure past 50 MHz... oh well, just 5-6 more months...

Putting TEA on hold 

Yes, it's still brewing 

[Specmaster]

Good scopes. That’s the rather rare milspec version, probably worth buying for the box of hardware that shipped as well (Cossor probes are damn good). Ironically perhaps, when they designed these, they used Tektronix scopes to do the engineering.

I’d buy it if I had more space. I am currently eyeing up an RF signal generator that has accounted for the remaining space however.

That's what I was thinking, and although I suspect that the 4 corner protrusions are there as a means of securing the cover of the controls for transportation, they also serve as guards for the controls if you need to stand it upright on its face for any reason. The carry handle and the compartment doors etc also gave away its mil spec grade. Any idea on its bandwidth at all? I don't seem able to get any real info on at the moment. There places on the web that say they have the manuals for download but first you have to register, well from experience I find they lie, its a book club etc and do not have any manuals, least, I have never found any and I now refuse to be drawn in by them as I fear that they are traps for spyware etc.

[bd139]

Ah those sites are rubbish. If it’s not a PDF link, forget it. Every service manual that’s worth grabbing is already straight on the internet. Avoid Mauritron as well - low quality copies which are unreadable.

It’s 35Mhz bandwidth but you can probably screw another 15 out of it. They were very over engineered. The lips around be edge are designed to stop squaddies from smashing the shit out of it when it is dropped during transit.

[Specmaster]

At 35MHz, i'll let it go then I'm well covered at the bottom end, the probes and adaptors look good but again, they will be more suited to the lower frequencies I guess.

I have used Mauritron before when all else has failed and they didn't seem to be too bad though.

I think I was the only person actively engaged in TEA one way or other yesterday as nobody posted anything apart you (bd139) and I and I'm loving this T12 iron kit, you can literally switch it on in the morning and leave it running all day long and it uses hardly any power as it switch in to sleep mode (set mine for 1 min) and then after another delay (mine is 1 min) switches off together and leaves the display on. Just picking up the iron will switch it back on and in about 8 seconds its up to your set working temp, what a piece of kit. Ready when you need it and energy efficient as well and has a very very small footprint. 

[bd139]

Probes are probably good to 50MHz. My first Philips PM3217 had some cossor probes I skanked off one of their engineers as they were flat response. Generic hardware like inline terminators and attenuators should be good to 500MHz or so at least.

Yes it’s certainly quiet today and was dead yesterday. I’m stuck at my chav sister-in-law’s today watching dogs fight children and vice versa. Fun. This is a good escape, unless someone gets stabbed here (it happened one year!).

Can’t wait for mine to turn up. Need a new toy as eBay has been unfulfilling recently.

[Specmaster]

Probes are probably good to 50MHz. My first Philips PM3217 had some cossor probes I skanked off one of their engineers as they were flat response. Generic hardware like inline terminators and attenuators should be good to 500MHz or so at least.

Yes it’s certainly quiet today and was dead yesterday. I’m stuck at my chav sister-in-law’s today watching dogs fight children and vice versa. Fun. This is a good escape, unless someone gets stabbed here (it happened one year!).

Can’t wait for mine to turn up. Need a new toy as eBay has been unfulfilling recently.

Just discovered that  my eldest who works in electrical wholesale can get me bits from CPC at wholesale prices but needs to be a reasonable size order,  good to know[emoji847]

[bd139]

Win win.

I’ve just got £30 of amazon vouchers to burn suddenly. Lacking in inspiration so far. Suggestions welcome. I’ve got my entire book list. Could do with some new pliers really.

[Specmaster]

Win win.

I’ve just got £30 of amazon vouchers to burn suddenly. Lacking in inspiration so far. Suggestions welcome. I’ve got my entire book list. Could do with some new pliers really.

How about these then? I really can't believe it but according to Amazon they have 400 pages of pliers??

 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vorel-electronics-mini-pliers-42309/dp/B0026JCWQI/ref=sr_1_38?ie=UTF8&qid=1514310941&sr=8-38&keywords=pliers+electronic

[bd139]

Went for these in the end as I have some of their side cutters: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00YNFYX60/

And some anti static tweezers.

[Specmaster]

Don't they have smooth jaws? I'd be afraid that things would go flying from the jaws.

[bd139]

They do. I mainly want them for placing bodge wires (kynar or 1/0.6) so not a major issue as gripping small wire or insulation they will be fine. My current ones have smooth grips but they have bent outwards now from years of abuse.

[Specmaster]

They do. I mainly want them for placing bodge wires (kynar or 1/0.6) so not a major issue as gripping small wire or insulation they will be fine. My current ones have smooth grips but they have bent outwards now from years of abuse.

You're such a hard task master, fancy abusing your poor little ole pliers like that 

What do you think of this for a rough and ready in circuit esr tester, save pulling out legs on all but the most suspect ones I was thinking and may speed up the repair process. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MESR100-V2-AutoRanging-In-Circuit-ESR-Capacitor-Meter-Tester-Up-to-0-001-O8S6/202051764326?

[bd139]

I wouldn’t buy one. You can build your own for a couple of quid:

https://ludens.cl/Electron/esr/esr.html

Or just use your existing tools:

https://youtu.be/115erzCCxgE

[Specmaster]

My parts bin does not extend to those kind of parts, yet. I might have a cost up exercise and see what it would cost to build from scratch though