Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[BravoV]

I actually bought another 5328A so I can steal the knob off it because I'm OCD.

(D)uplicated
(E)lectronics/Endangered
(E)quipment
(P)ossession

[bitseeker]

There is no after GAS.

Correct. Only aftermath!

-----

Added DEEP, with reference to DMM and TEST.

[rrinker]

 Hmm, good idea. Before GS, during GAS.

Before GAS: Fluke 8012A, cheap-ass HF meter, random Radio Shack soldering irons

During: Fluke 8012A, cheap-ass HF meter, random Radio Shack soldering irons, Xytronic soldering station, Siglent SDS1102CML, Fluke 45, Fluke 8060A, EEVBlog Bryman, HP (none of that Agilent rubbish) E3610A, Instek GDM-8251A, Instek GPD-3303S, USB logic analyzer.

Not a lot - YET, but I also add that the timeframe of this was only 1 year, and I purchased a whole bunch of other stuff, the only part that might be considered test gear would be some test lead kits, but I also bought lots of parts and stuff too. Not to mention ALSO continuing my MRA (Model Railroad Addiction). I think I have a problem - or two. 

[bitseeker]

Only two? Ah, grab another problem or three. Collect 'em all.

[xrunner]

Is there a name for this syndrome - operating a spectrum analyzer with your bare foot? 

[rrinker]

POFEWYG

Preventing Others from Ever Wanting Your Gear.

[xrunner]

POFEWYG

Preventing Others from Ever Wanting Your Gear.

 

[bitseeker]

Is there a name for this syndrome - operating a spectrum analyzer with your bare foot? 

That would be FOOT: F*****g Outrageous Operating Technique.

[xrunner]

All I can say is - if you haven't tried it - don't knock it! 

[AF6LJ]

Is there a name for this syndrome - operating a spectrum analyzer with your bare foot? 

[bitseeker]

All I can say is - if you haven't tried it - don't knock it! 

And when you do try it, be sure not to knock it (over) either.

[Berni]

All I can say is - if you haven't tried it - don't knock it! 

And when you do try it, be sure not to knock it (over) either.

Don't worry its a HP spectrum analyzer. If anything those things knock you over when you try to move the heavy bastards.

The only thing in my rack that is mounted low enough for foot operation is a Fluke 10kV PSU. You probably don't wanna use your foot on that one.

[Cubdriver]

All I can say is - if you haven't tried it - don't knock it! 

And when you do try it, be sure not to knock it (over) either.

At least not unless you're wearing steel toed boots - it'll crush your foot!

-Pat

[Brumby]

Is there a name for this syndrome - operating a spectrum analyzer with your bare foot? 

Multitasking.   

[xrunner]

I use it to look at signals in the 2 meter ham band mainly some people who I am talking to that are on simplex (but in the pic it's on 162.550 MHz the local WX station). It's on my coffee table in the living room where I sit and chill out in the evenings. Well, it's summertime almost and so I have bare feet. Hey, if I need to tune it and my kitty cat is on my lap, why not? 

[AF6LJ]

I use it to look at signals in the 2 meter ham band mainly some people who I am talking to that are on simplex (but in the pic it's on 162.550 MHz the local WX station). It's on my coffee table in the living room where I sit and chill out in the evenings. Well, it's summertime almost and so I have bare feet. Hey, if I need to tune it and my kitty cat is on my lap, why not? 

Having a coffee table analyzer is a nice touch, have you taught the cat to use it yet???

[xrunner]

Having a coffee table analyzer is a nice touch, have you taught the cat to use it yet???

She's only interested in it if the antenna wire is wiggling. 

Funny story - I was helping a new ham troubleshoot his radio a while back (with that very analyzer), with some other hams. He said he lived in somewhat of a hole and had a lot of power lines around, and was having trouble getting out on 2m. I was looking at his signal on that HP, and was wondering if changing to the high power setting would help, even though he didn't live a very long distance away from the repeater. I told him to change to a higher power. He said OK and did, but I had the peak of his spectrum marked with a line, and it didn't change at all.

I think he would have gone from 5W (+37 dBm) to 25W (+44 dBm) if I remember correctly, but the level did not change. I told him that, and he insisted he did change the power. I said - no, you didn't because it didn't change at all, you need to make sure you understand the radio.

He then said "Well you won't see the change because of the fact I'm in a hole and there are a lot of trees and power lines here and that will prevent you from seeing it change."

 

I tried to explain to him that there is nothing that is going to "mask" a power change, given the same essential static parameters. Whatever is between us is just an attenuation factor X, and yea maybe a tree will sway or a bird will fly, but the loss is not going to change in any gross manner. No matter what is between us, if you increase your power by 7 dB (or any amount) then I will see that. I don't think to this day he really understands that. But as some of my other friends have gathered, he is somewhat of a hard-headed man anyway. 

[AF6LJ]

Having a coffee table analyzer is a nice touch, have you taught the cat to use it yet???

She's only interested in it if the antenna wire is wiggling. 

Funny story - I was helping a new ham troubleshoot his radio a while back (with that very analyzer), with some other hams. He said he lived in somewhat of a hole and had a lot of power lines around, and was having trouble getting out on 2m. I was looking at his signal on that HP, and was wondering if changing to the high power setting would help, even though he didn't live a very long distance away from the repeater. I told him to change to a higher power. He said OK and did, but I had the peak of his spectrum marked with a line, and it didn't change at all.

I think he would have gone from 5W (+37 dBm) to 25W (+44 dBm) if I remember correctly, but the level did not change. I told him that, and he insisted he did change the power. I said - no, you didn't because it didn't change at all, you need to make sure you understand the radio.

He then said "Well you won't see the change because of the fact I'm in a hole and there are a lot of trees and power lines here and that will prevent you from seeing it change."

 

I tried to explain to him that there is nothing that is going to "mask" a power change, given the same essential static parameters. Whatever is between us is just an attenuation factor X, and yea maybe a tree will sway or a bird will fly, but the loss is not going to change in any gross manner. No matter what is between us, if you increase your power by 7 dB (or any amount) then I will see that. I don't think to this day he really understands that. But as some of my other friends have gathered, he is somewhat of a hard-headed man anyway. 

Sounds like the radio had a bad power control circuit and was already at max power....

Sounds like the ham who use to be in our club who said that atmospheric conditions never change on two meters.

[rrinker]

All I can say is - if you haven't tried it - don't knock it! 

And when you do try it, be sure not to knock it (over) either.

Don't worry its a HP spectrum analyzer. If anything those things knock you over when you try to move the heavy bastards.

The only thing in my rack that is mounted low enough for foot operation is a Fluke 10kV PSU. You probably don't wanna use your foot on that one.

 If you are using your foot to adjust it, your foot isn't touching the ground so you are now isolated. Just don't touch anywhere near the terminals! 

[rrinker]

 We have TEA - no really, the kitchen at work here has been restocked with tea. English Breakfast and Earl Gray.

A post I made about my $20 LCR/transistor tester made me thing we need yet another acronym here, something to do with redundancy. As in, you need at least 2 of everything so that you can validate the readings of one, and ideally a third, like a witness server in a cluster, to be the tiebreaker in case the other two don't agree. Ideally, always an odd number, so 4 is ok but 5 is MUCH better.

 Maybe just RAID - Redundant Array of Instrumentation Devices.

[Housedad]

My affliction is finally on display for the world to see my plight in the what's your workbench look like thread. 
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/whats-your-work-benchlab-look-like-post-some-pictures-of-your-lab/msg1179703/#msg1179703  Three months to put it together. 

[xrunner]

The HP 5316B arrived today! Very nice and very clean unit. Quite happy with this one. As shown it's reading 10 MHz from a GPSDO with it's Int. ref. The word for the inside is pristine.

Unfortunately I cannot set it on the shelf next to my other units because it's one of those deep cabinets - 17". I'll make some room on the lab bench. 

[xrunner]

My affliction is finally on display for the world to see my plight in the what's your workbench look like thread. 
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/whats-your-work-benchlab-look-like-post-some-pictures-of-your-lab/msg1179703/#msg1179703  Three months to put it together.

Nice setup! 

[bitseeker]

That 5316B is really clean inside. Great score.  I must've seen the listing before. I recognize the dimple on the left edge of the front panel.

Added RAID.

[Housedad]

I second that.  Real nice and clean counter.