Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[xrunner]

And finally a pic of the partially dismantled 5440B:

Ooh eye candy! 

[Cubdriver]

And finally a pic of the partially dismantled 5440B:

Ooh eye candy! 

Handheld iPhone shot (amateur prOn).  I'll take better ones with the real camera once I get a chance to dig into it.  And I figure it's only fair after asking Rachael for pics of the R&S audio generator when she gets it.

-Pat

[mmagin]

I need to find my camera battery charger.     Should take some nicer photos while I'm adjusting my HP 5370.  I think I actually kind of have everything I need now, maybe.

[rachaelp]

I need to find my camera battery charger.     Should take some nicer photos while I'm adjusting my HP 5370.  I think I actually kind of have everything I need now, maybe.

You may have everything you need now.... but how about what you might need in the future?!

Best Regards,

Rachael

[rachaelp]

And finally a pic of the partially dismantled 5440B:

Ooh eye candy! 

Handheld iPhone shot (amateur prOn).  I'll take better ones with the real camera once I get a chance to dig into it.  And I figure it's only fair after asking Rachael for pics of the R&S audio generator when she gets it.

-Pat

I'll post up pics when it arrives. It'll be a little while I expect as it's shipping from Italy to the UK. When I get it you'll all be the first to know! 

Best Regards,

Rachael

[Cubdriver]

I need to find my camera battery charger.     Should take some nicer photos while I'm adjusting my HP 5370.  I think I actually kind of have everything I need now, maybe.

You may have everything you need now.... but how about what you might need in the future?!

Best Regards,

Rachael

  . She fits in around here perfectly!!   

-Pat

[Brumby]

Sold another thing. I may have to leave the group. Farewell to the nixie counter and cheap chinese RF gen this week.

Noooooooooo!  Not the nixies!!   

Please no ....!

I may have succumbed to the odd weakness over the years - but haven't had to deal with the fallout from nixie dust.

* clutches my container of LEDs..... *

[SingedFingers]

Stings a bit but I have three other counters. Fond memory of getting it working and the mess I made:



Eureka:




 

[TiN]

And finally a pic of the partially dismantled 5440B:

...
-Pat

Those display look good to me, perhaps just DC-DC/AC regulator issue or interfacing. Glass panels still have vacuum inside.

[Cubdriver]

And finally a pic of the partially dismantled 5440B:

...
-Pat

Those display look good to me, perhaps just DC-DC/AC regulator issue or interfacing. Glass panels still have vacuum inside.

That's my hope, seeing as the getter flash and cathodes on both look good.  There are some missing/off voltages, so it might be a power supply issue.  I need to look at the inverter circuit more closely.

-Pat

[bitseeker]

And finally a pic of the partially dismantled 5440B:



-Pat

Those VFDs do look like new.  So, what the story with the newly acquired boatanchor of voltnuttery?

[bitseeker]

You may have everything you need now.... but how about what you might need in the future?!

Best Regards,

Rachael

  . She fits in around here perfectly!!   

-Pat

I know, right? Came right in and made a FUSS.

[bitseeker]

Sold another thing. I may have to leave the group. Farewell to the nixie counter and cheap chinese RF gen this week.

No need to leave. This group is for sharing your successes as well as failures.

Then again, the eBay watch list says otherwise

Aha! I knew you weren't cured, yet.

[SingedFingers]

Ahha

I blew a not insignificant amount on reference ICs (REF102+LM399+a few LT opamps) and zener diodes about two hours ago. Cure one disease and another one takes over

[bitseeker]

ICs and passives don't count. That's not test equipment. So, you're safe.

[BFX]

I'm resist, I'm resist, I'm resist, I'm resist, I'm resist,  Noooooo
Fail 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Datron-1081-opt-20-40-50-7-5-digit-/182454411220

And now I found doktor pyta is that evil 

[rrinker]

 There is no cure. TEA is like the hotel California. You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.

I have tried to nip it int he bud but then an enabler like Dave comes along and offers a new multimeter. And then ANOTHER one! And sometimes I just have to take a tiny hit to keep sane - like one of those cheap Chinese digital voltmeters - do they count as test equipment?

Is it wrong I have a giant cup of iced tea next to me while in this forum? Or if not cold, a cup of hot tea, usually Earl Gray or English Breakfast. I guess I am truly addicted to tea in all fashions...

[AF6LJ]

I have GAS attacks from time to time.
GAS = Gear Acquisition syndrome...

HP Iron arrived a few weeks ago.....
More on that in the near future.

[Cubdriver]

There is no cure. TEA is like the hotel California. You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.

I have tried to nip it int he bud but then an enabler like Dave comes along and offers a new multimeter. And then ANOTHER one! And sometimes I just have to take a tiny hit to keep sane - like one of those cheap Chinese digital voltmeters - do they count as test equipment?

Is it wrong I have a giant cup of iced tea next to me while in this forum? Or if not cold, a cup of hot tea, usually Earl Gray or English Breakfast. I guess I am truly addicted to tea in all fashions...

I suppose we can give you special dispensation on those for occasional use, but don't make it a habit!     To be certain that it will count, it should really be line powered, ideally rack mounted or mountable and weigh at least 10 lbs (that's what, about 4.5kg?).

-Pat

[Cubdriver]

I have GAS attacks from time to time.
GAS = Gear Acquisition syndrome...

HP Iron arrived a few weeks ago.....
More on that in the near future.

    Sweet!!

-Pat

[rrinker]

10 lb minimum? I think only my power supply counts then. I don't think even my 8050 is 10 pounds. None of my other meters are, not my scope, and not any of my related bits.

[Cubdriver]

Those VFDs do look like new.  So, what the story with the newly acquired boatanchor of voltnuttery?

I was on the left coast for work, and visited my favorite surplus place.  Unfortunately, they'd just gotten rid of a lot of old things that had been on the shelf for a long time (possibly among them another HP 405C that I'd been considering to have a spare for the one I got there a while back), so it was a slightly disappointing visit.  This, however, was a new arrival, so for grins I asked.  They wanted $500.  I asked if it worked, and we decided to plug it in and find out.  The fan spooled up, but no display.  I got the price knocked down to $350 and decided to roll the dice, since I rarely if ever see them go on evilBay for less than $800 or so, and some recently have gone for north of $1k.

I guess along with the 740B, 745A and 6920B acquired over the past year or so and still waiting in the queue, this means that I've begun my journey down the rabbit hole of voltnuttery now...   

-Pat

[Cubdriver]

10 lb minimum? I think only my power supply counts then. I don't think even my 8050 is 10 pounds. None of my other meters are, not my scope, and not any of my related bits.

Should be, not must be.  And you could always add some ballast.   

I base this on my old boatanchor stuff that probably weighs north of 20 lbs on average.  Perhaps I need to form a BTEA sub group...

-Pat

[mtdoc]

But now I've already caught myself looking at vintage HP supplies again on eBay.

The result:  1 6632b and 2 6216As.

Rationalization:  1) My favorite PSU - a 6632a - doesn't have a VFD or a knob.
                          2) I need a couple of small, quiet PSUs for my desk in the house
                          3) The were too cheap to pass up!   

[Berni]

But now I've already caught myself looking at vintage HP supplies again on eBay.

The result:  1 6632b and 2 6216As.

Rationalization:  1) My favorite PSU - a 6632a - doesn't have a VFD or a knob.
                          2) I need a couple of small, quiet PSUs for my desk in the house
                          3) The were too cheap to pass up!   

Yeah i also ended up with more PSUs than i will likely ever need.

I have a Agilent 66332A in my rack that has both of those. I got it because it can sink current as well as source it so i have it as a electronic DC load. Tho not a big fan of it cause of the said fan being so loud when it runs.

My favorite PSU is still the Rigol DP832  What can i say, it has everything i want in a PSU.