Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Berni]

I was always thinking of getting a old CRT scope just because i don't have one and thought it would be cool to just occasionally have a play around with one. But luckuly i never came across a nice cheap one that really stood out at me (No don't suggest the huge old Tek mainframe scopes, i don't have the room for such a monster).

[SingedFingers]

All my scopes are analogue. Got 4 now, I think. May have forgotten one hiding somewhere. This is my escape from the digital world of the day job which basically involves wrangling all things software, a loveless pit of hell perfectly described here: https://www.stilldrinking.org/programming-sucks

I like the warmth of "proper electronics", the sheer engineering beauty and the Apolla era design ethic which seemed to have faded out in the 1990s in favour of shitty bits of plastic stuck together by the lowest bidder and crammed full of black box abstractions. On top of that the analogue stuff is possible for a human to truly understand in a lifetime and become at one with. When I say at one, I mean be really close the fundamental abstraction of the universe. You can visualise the holes and the electrons moving around and can see WHY there a ground plane fizzing away. You can look at the board and see what the designer intended. I can understand why the likes of Williams, Widlar and Pease did their thing and enjoyed it. If only I was born years ago.

I'm impressed with this 475. I've had a few 465B's (and still have two, both knackered). My current daily driver is a Philips PM3217 which is generally a really nice scope but at the high end of the bandwidth turns to dog cack in the triggering department. This 475 is triggering quite happily at 230MHz on a -30dBm signal terminated at 50R when connected to my Marconi 2019A which is to be honest, bloody mental! Also has a 2mV/div sensitivity in the Y amplifier 

Scarily enough as well, this has crow's feet all over it (so UK MoD ownership) and the last cal date was in 1984 and the thing is still spot on according to my counter and voltage reference. Good job Tektronix!

It's currently hooked up to my HP3312A measuring rise time which is in spec at 14ns, while I can hear the gentle and quiet soothing whirr of the fan inside and the periodic clicking of the thermostat in my TCP iron! I love this

Edit: now on eBay looking for a new frequency counter

[tggzzz]

I'm impressed with this 475. I've had a few 465B's (and still have two, both knackered). My current daily driver is a Philips PM3217 which is generally a really nice scope but at the high end of the bandwidth turns to dog cack in the triggering department. This 475 is triggering quite happily at 230MHz on a -30dBm signal terminated at 50R when connected to my Marconi 2019A which is to be honest, bloody mental! Also has a 2mV/div sensitivity in the Y amplifier 

Is that all? ISTR my 485 triggering on a 1.1GHz signal. Not bad for a nominally 350MHz scope, although the trace's signal amplitude was rather reduced!

[tggzzz]

Nice one! I have phases of wanting to pick up a classic Tek. I have to wait for the feeling to go away again.

Don't. Give in. Then you will realise that your hunch was correct.

Personally I'd recommend a 485, because the crisp blue trace is simply sweet.

[SingedFingers]

My PM3217 has a surprisingly good blue trace. Not bad for £10

I'm impressed with this 475. I've had a few 465B's (and still have two, both knackered). My current daily driver is a Philips PM3217 which is generally a really nice scope but at the high end of the bandwidth turns to dog cack in the triggering department. This 475 is triggering quite happily at 230MHz on a -30dBm signal terminated at 50R when connected to my Marconi 2019A which is to be honest, bloody mental! Also has a 2mV/div sensitivity in the Y amplifier 

Is that all? ISTR my 485 triggering on a 1.1GHz signal. Not bad for a nominally 350MHz scope, although the trace's signal amplitude was rather reduced!

That's pretty impressive! TBH I couldn't go any higher that ~260MHz really and I had to crank the output a little then to -20dBm. My Marconi 2019A is, to use the technical term, knackered. It has a gap between ~260MHz and 520MHz I suspect due to some dodgy soldering in one of the oscillator modules (again - third time). After that gap it doesn't trigger at all which I wouldn't expect it to really. I should crack that open and fix it but it weighs a ton and I just can't be bothered as I usually only use <200MHz

Edit: I paid £10 for the 2019A. It came with a bag of assorted bits that had to be replaced, mainly bits of attenuator switching module, and the owner was just about ready to take it to the tip and leave it there and run away quickly but it was too heavy to bother with.

[tggzzz]

My PM3217 has a surprisingly good blue trace. Not bad for £10

I'm impressed with this 475. I've had a few 465B's (and still have two, both knackered). My current daily driver is a Philips PM3217 which is generally a really nice scope but at the high end of the bandwidth turns to dog cack in the triggering department. This 475 is triggering quite happily at 230MHz on a -30dBm signal terminated at 50R when connected to my Marconi 2019A which is to be honest, bloody mental! Also has a 2mV/div sensitivity in the Y amplifier 

Is that all? ISTR my 485 triggering on a 1.1GHz signal. Not bad for a nominally 350MHz scope, although the trace's signal amplitude was rather reduced!

That's pretty impressive!

I was, to use the correct terminology, gobsmacked.

Mine has a useful response to ~550MHz, for the <1ns risetime.

I was using a dirt cheap bareboard 4.4GHz sig gen, and at that frequency the displayed amplitude was only a few mV. The tunnel diode didn't care about the frequency, only the amplitude.

TBH I couldn't go any higher that ~260MHz really and I had to crank the output a little then to -20dBm. My Marconi 2019A is, to use the technical term, knackered. It has a gap between ~260MHz and 520MHz I suspect due to some dodgy soldering in one of the oscillator modules (again - third time). After that gap it doesn't trigger at all which I wouldn't expect it to really. I should crack that open and fix it but it weighs a ton and I just can't be bothered as I usually only use <200MHz

Edit: I paid £10 for the 2019A. It came with a bag of assorted bits that had to be replaced, mainly bits of attenuator switching module, and the owner was just about ready to take it to the tip and leave it there and run away quickly but it was too heavy to bother with.

[cncjerry]

Another member, Orin, said I needed to talk to you guys.  I guess you would call it an intervention.

I just bought my 3rd HP 856x spectrum analyzer. Counting my Advantest, I now have 4 spectrum analyzers.  I can't count the volt meters I own.  for over 50yrs I lived with one voltmeter, an old grey Micronta.  In the past couple of years I've acquired 20 or so voltmeters.  I kid myself when I say I like to repair them, sort of like doing a puzzle, only once they are fixed I can use them.

I live on a hill with my house supported by 26 piers, 60ft into the bedrock.  I got the level out and since adding the new analyzer my house is tilting down the hill.  I am nearly half a bubble off plumb.

Up until recently, whenever I met someone I showed them pictures of my kids.  Want to see a picture of the new analyzer?

[Cubdriver]

Edit: now on eBay looking for a new frequency counter

HP 5327Bs, As and Cs have Nixies and got to 550 MHz  (B is most capable - universal timer/counter/DVM; A is universal timer/counter; C is Multi function counter).  Early 5340As also have nixies, and go to 18GHz.   

-Pat

[SingedFingers]

Edit: now on eBay looking for a new frequency counter

HP 5327Bs, As and Cs have Nixies and got to 550 MHz  (B is most capable - universal timer/counter/DVM; A is universal timer/counter; C is Multi function counter).  Early 5340As also have nixies, and go to 18GHz.   

-Pat

There's a 5328 and 5340 on ebay UK at the moment as well. Will mull that for a bit. There's also a Racal counter with a Rubidium standard in it as well but that's a bit out of budget for me at the moment.

[Cubdriver]

Another member, Orin, said I needed to talk to you guys.  I guess you would call it an intervention.

   You're in the wrong place - we don't do interventions here - we're enablers, who feed off of one another by inspiring evilBay searches.   

I just bought my 3rd HP 856x spectrum analyzer. Counting my Advantest, I now have 4 spectrum analyzers.  I can't count the volt meters I own.  for over 50yrs I lived with one voltmeter, an old grey Micronta.  In the past couple of years I've acquired 20 or so voltmeters.  I kid myself when I say I like to repair them, sort of like doing a puzzle, only once they are fixed I can use them.

I live on a hill with my house supported by 26 piers, 60ft into the bedrock.  I got the level out and since adding the new analyzer my house is tilting down the hill.  I am nearly half a bubble off plumb.

You need another spec an for the high side of the house.  Or perhaps a few nice frequency counters - HP 5254L, 5360A...  How about a few more voltmeters - a 2401C DVM and a 2410B Converter will give you the ability to measure AC & DC voltage AND resistance in a svelte stack only 14 inches tall that weighs less than 100 lbs.  How are you fixed for low frequency stuff?  A 3562A Dynamic Signal Analyzer could also help to balance things out.   

Up until recently, whenever I met someone I showed them pictures of my kids.  Want to see a picture of the new analyzer?

Of course!  And take the covers off of it - we loves us some gear pRon.   

-Pat

[tggzzz]

Up until recently, whenever I met someone I showed them pictures of my kids.  Want to see a picture of the new analyzer?

Now that is a very perceptive comment.

In the same vein, my daughter wants me to get a dog to fill the hole left by her departure. She refuses to acknowledge the obvious comment/comparison

[tggzzz]

There's a 5328 and 5340 on ebay UK at the moment as well. Will mull that for a bit. There's also a Racal counter with a Rubidium standard in it as well but that's a bit out of budget for me at the moment.

It would be a big mistake to go to any hamfest in the vicinity of defence establishments.

(Exception: if you have booked and paid for a table to sell stuff )

[xrunner]

   You're in the wrong place - we don't do interventions here - we're enablers, who feed off of one another by inspiring evilBay searches.   

Right - it's because of these people that I just bought a new set of shelves.

I need more, more , MORE! 

[tggzzz]

Of course!  And take the covers off of it - we loves us some gear pRon.   

Pssst. Want to see calendar pictures of thick film hybrids? <fumble, fumble> look here.

[bitseeker]

Another member, Orin, said I needed to talk to you guys.  I guess you would call it an intervention.

  You're in the wrong place - we don't do interventions here - we're enablers, who feed off of one another by inspiring evilBay searches.   

He's in the right place. We do interventions. Think you're the only one in this situation? We intervene to educate you that you're not alone. Feeling guilty? We intervene to alleviate that, too. Not sure if you need X? We intervene to help you figure that out. Not sure which X to get? We intervene to point you to the best one for your needs. etc. etc.

We're all about intervention.

[AF6LJ]

More TEA from me...

The 475 I bagged for £49 arrived. With a single slightly knackered P6106 probe.

Turned it on, nothing. The excitement of something broken at last but alas no, after some knob wiggling for a couple of minutes to set the default state it works perfectly. I cracked it open as well. All power supplies are on the mark.



Needs a good clean and a couple of pot shafts bending back to normal position and it's as good as new

Even all the indicators work!

I have one of those but it needs a little TLC like yours does.

[AF6LJ]

I have sitting on the floor here three more of these, like this one in various stages of disrepair. I am obligated to get one working for my friend, I get the rest.
I will be doing a repair thread here for at least one more. maybe two but given the issues they all have. (bad as in damaged front panel switches) I am going to only expect getting one to work.

Oh and the left hand handle was cracked, I took it off...

Sixty Five Pounds Of LOVE 

[Cubdriver]

Sue - 8569B?  (can't quite make out the nameplate)  Nice solid piece of HP iron.  Hope you can male some 'Frankenanalyzers' from what you have...

-Pat

<edit to delete second signoff.  Posting from tablet that doesn't show the full field without scrolling.  D'oh!!    >

[AF6LJ]

Sue - 8569B?  (can't quite make out the nameplate)  Nice solid piece of HP iron.  Hope you can male some 'Frankenanalyzers' from what you have...

-Pat

-Pat

Three Bs and an A.
All four instroments have good RF hardware and plumbing...One of the Bs had a bad power supply found the problem, and set it aside, borrowed the power supply from the A to make sure the rest was good.

[bitseeker]

Oh and the left hand handle was cracked, I took it off...

Sixty Five Pounds Of LOVE 

For doing bicep curls.

[Brumby]

I got the level out and since adding the new analyzer my house is tilting down the hill.  I am nearly half a bubble off plumb.

Get under the house and jack it up.  Pack some shims in between the floor and foundations.  Might be an idea to go half a bubble from level the other way, to give you a bit more time before having to revisit.

[Cubdriver]

Another member, Orin, said I needed to talk to you guys.  I guess you would call it an intervention.

  You're in the wrong place - we don't do interventions here - we're enablers, who feed off of one another by inspiring evilBay searches.   

He's in the right place. We do interventions.  (Just not the 'normal' kind...) Think you're the only one in this situation? We intervene to educate you that you're not alone. Feeling guilty? We intervene to alleviate that, too. Not sure if you need X? We intervene to help you figure that out justify buying it. Not sure which X to get? We intervene to point you to the best one for your needs convince you to buy both, because they're slightly different, and one is a hair better at doing X and the other is a hair better at doing Y.  You don't want to compromise and do X slightly worse than Y or vice-versa, right?  Horses for courses!. etc. etc.

We're all about intervention.

Intervention/enabling; po-tay-toe/po-tah-toe.   

Comments interspersed in bold.   

-Pat

[Cubdriver]

   You're in the wrong place - we don't do interventions here - we're enablers, who feed off of one another by inspiring evilBay searches.   

Right - it's because of these people that I just bought a new set of shelves.

I need more, more , MORE! 

Yes, you do!!  There is too much empty space on those shelves!!  Get busy, man!  <we need a stick-pokey smiley>   

-Pat

[mtdoc]

I got the level out and since adding the new analyzer my house is tilting down the hill.  I am nearly half a bubble off plumb.

Get under the house and jack it up.  Pack some shims in between the floor and foundations.  Might be an idea to go half a bubble from level the other way, to give you a bit more time before having to revisit.

No, no no! You just need to add more ballast boat anchors test equipment to the opposite side of the house to keep it level. Always buy in pairs....

[Brumby]

I got the level out and since adding the new analyzer my house is tilting down the hill.  I am nearly half a bubble off plumb.

Get under the house and jack it up.  Pack some shims in between the floor and foundations.  Might be an idea to go half a bubble from level the other way, to give you a bit more time before having to revisit.

No, no no! You just need to add more ballast boat anchors test equipment to the opposite side of the house to keep it level. Always buy in pairs....

My apologies.  You are correct.

My inexperience is showing.   


(That's my story and I'm sticking with it!)