Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[bd139]

Did't you get the £1 offer valid for yesterday and today only?

Of course

Maybe you can secretly cut her hair and trim her nails every time she sleeps. That way she won't need to go to a salon any more. She'll be happy, you'll be happy. Right?

Genius!

[GerryBags]

Maybe you can secretly cut her hair and trim her nails every time she sleeps. That way she won't need to go to a salon any more. She'll be happy, you'll be happy. Right?

Genius!

Really? You can't imagine any situation where this could go disastrously wrong? What about if you blew up the tongs whilst coiffing her bangs, huh? Or if you used your un-insulated side-cutters on her nails? (tip: don't pick your nose if you use side-cutters on your own nails, blood ensues)

On the TEA front: I'm having a really hard time convincing myself that I don't need a R&S precision voltage source in my lab. My addictive bit keeps on getting in the last word with ".... yet!", and if given half a chance: "What if, when you do need it, they have all vanished from the internet? Have you seen how nice and clean it is? Have you noticed how it wouldn't take up any more space than the 3455A, and in fact could happily sit right underneath it?". It seems to have been... overlooked, so might also be bargain!. Oh, now that was my supposedly "logical" brain "helping". 

[Specmaster]

Maybe you can secretly cut her hair and trim her nails every time she sleeps. That way she won't need to go to a salon any more. She'll be happy, you'll be happy. Right?

Genius!

Really? You can't imagine any situation where this could go disastrously wrong? What about if you blew up the tongs whilst coiffing her bangs, huh? Or if you used your un-insulated side-cutters on her nails? (tip: don't pick your nose if you use side-cutters on your own nails, blood ensues)

On the TEA front: I'm having a really hard time convincing myself that I don't need a R&S precision voltage source in my lab. My addictive bit keeps on getting in the last word with ".... yet!", and if given half a chance: "What if, when you do need it, they have all vanished from the internet? Have you seen how nice and clean it is? Have you noticed how it wouldn't take up any more space than the 3455A, and in fact could happily sit right underneath it?". It seems to have been... overlooked, so might also be bargain!. Oh, now that was my supposedly "logical" brain "helping". 

I think it did help... helped to decide to buy it 

[tggzzz]

On the TEA front: I'm having a really hard time convincing myself that I don't need a R&S precision voltage source in my lab. My addictive bit keeps on getting in the last word with ".... yet!", and if given half a chance: "What if, when you do need it, they have all vanished from the internet? Have you seen how nice and clean it is? Have you noticed how it wouldn't take up any more space than the 3455A, and in fact could happily sit right underneath it?". It seems to have been... overlooked, so might also be bargain!. Oh, now that was my supposedly "logical" brain "helping". 

You could always get a decent single voltage source, plus a decent 7-decade Kelvin Varley Divider.

Voltnuttery? What's that?

[med6753]

To be fair as much as I join in the banter, she's OK with this sort of stuff because it's well under control. If only this was reciprocal

Indeed. She hasn't been able to visit for a few weeks because she's been pulling weekend duty (She's a cop). And I'm not yet sure she'll be able come this weekend. In the meantime a corner of my bedroom is becoming a warehouse for her stuff. And I'm told another box or two is still to be delivered. I'm sure if I added up the cost of what's in those boxes/packages it would support my TEA for the next 2 years!   

[GerryBags]

You could always get a decent single voltage source, plus a decent 7-decade Kelvin Varley Divider.

Voltnuttery? What's that?

The only KVDs I've seen come up recently have been five to six times as much as the R&S box, though. Mind you, is there much point to getting it and NOT getting it calibrated? After Spec's fun & games with getting a 3478A done I don't hold out much hope for something even Google seems to have about a page and a half of results for. No schematics, no manuals, no nuthin' (except for a couple of OOD ads from "I know it's fucked, but it's Famous!" type resellers).  This is logical brain in action! 

[bd139]

Been there with that HP 54602B and don't wish to repeat it. Fought through the first few waves of monsters and hit the boss: some fucker had dropped it on the attenuator assembly and cracked the 6 layer board somewhere in them middle. Schematics I worked back from some leaked 54601 schematics and revers engineering. Very nice bit of kit design-wise. If they released the schematics and a service manual better than "buy new thing, stick new thing in, ug" then I'd probably have won that battle routing bodge wires.

Was only £50 and I got more than that for the display, knobs etc and have been nicking bits off the board (lots of nice LT and AD ICs) for a while now so still up on cash.

[Specmaster]

To be fair as much as I join in the banter, she's OK with this sort of stuff because it's well under control. If only this was reciprocal

Indeed. She hasn't been able to visit for a few weeks because she's been pulling weekend duty (She's a cop). And I'm not yet sure she'll be able come this weekend. In the meantime a corner of my bedroom is becoming a warehouse for her stuff. And I'm told another box or two is still to be delivered. I'm sure if I added up the cost of what's in those boxes/packages it would support my TEA for the next 2 years!   

Nah, not a chance, the parcels are too large to contain anything really expensive, even designer handbags would surely come in something a bit more substantial? at judging by my personal experience.

[med6753]

To be fair as much as I join in the banter, she's OK with this sort of stuff because it's well under control. If only this was reciprocal

Indeed. She hasn't been able to visit for a few weeks because she's been pulling weekend duty (She's a cop). And I'm not yet sure she'll be able come this weekend. In the meantime a corner of my bedroom is becoming a warehouse for her stuff. And I'm told another box or two is still to be delivered. I'm sure if I added up the cost of what's in those boxes/packages it would support my TEA for the next 2 years!   

Nah, not a chance, the parcels are too large to contain anything really expensive, even designer handbags would surely come in something a bit more substantial? at judging by my personal experience.

Wanna bet? I once made the mistake of opening a package that was delivered because I was "curious". She claims I was "nosey". Whatever.  Anyway, I saw the receipt for the goods delivered and it was holy shit! So I don't doubt there's some substantial cost sitting there.

But no way am I opening them. I'll let her do that when she gets here and then share it with me. I made that mistake once and heard about it 2 days straight. She claimed it ruined her surprise. Again...whatever.     

[mnementh]

Guilty party here.

The rationale for the sale is to buy a new TTi 1908 with a USB hole rather than an HP-IB hole. Thus the downsizing is a replacement operation 

Hmmm... seems to me if you're going to buy new, should get USB AND Ethernet for flexibility.

Anybody who owns one... do they look as cheap and cheesy IRL as they do in the pics on TEq's site? Cuz dayumm... those pics make Protek look good. 

Getting built-in rechargeable battery power with a Kelvin connection option is nice though.


mnem
mrrrp?

[Cerebus]

Guilty party here.

The rationale for the sale is to buy a new TTi 1908 with a USB hole rather than an HP-IB hole. Thus the downsizing is a replacement operation 

Hmmm... seems to me if you're going to buy new, should get USB AND Ethernet for flexibility.

Anybody who owns one... do they look as cheap and cheesy IRL as they do in the pics on TEq's site? Cuz dayumm... those pics make Protek look good. 

Getting built-in rechargeable battery power with a Kelvin connection option is nice though.


mnem
mrrrp?

TTi kit looks a lot better in person than it does in a photograph. They do, however, go for rigid, lightweight plastic cases where the innards are light enough to permit it. If you like your gear to have a bit of heft, then TTi probably isn't for you, but if you prefer lightweight gear when it doesn't need to be heavyweight then TTi's a good fit. Unless it needs to stand up to 500lb Gorillas, prop-forwards, policemen, squadies, drummers or actors it's good gear.

[mnementh]

To be fair as much as I join in the banter, she's OK with this sort of stuff because it's well under control. If only this was reciprocal

Indeed. She hasn't been able to visit for a few weeks because she's been pulling weekend duty (She's a cop). And I'm not yet sure she'll be able come this weekend. In the meantime a corner of my bedroom is becoming a warehouse for her stuff. And I'm told another box or two is still to be delivered. I'm sure if I added up the cost of what's in those boxes/packages it would support my TEA for the next 2 years!   

Nah, not a chance, the parcels are too large to contain anything really expensive, even designer handbags would surely come in something a bit more substantial? at judging by my personal experience.

Cheap packaging doesn't mean squat anymore... these all came in the cheapest single-wall corrugated cartons I've ever seen (like USPS flat-rate boxes, they were so thin), and there's $160 sitting there. I was amazed they weren't ALL smashed to sh**.

And I buy all kinds of RC hobbyist gear from China.. stuff costing $100+ with cameras and color TFT screens gets delivered in plain film baggies all the time.    Those are considerably smaller and lighter, but still...   


mnem
*deliverables dwagon*

[mnementh]

(SNIP)  Anybody who owns one... do they (TTi 1908 meters) look as cheap and cheesy IRL as they do in the pics on TEq's site? Cuz dayumm... those pics make Protek look good. 

Getting built-in rechargeable battery power with a Kelvin connection option is nice though.

mnem
mrrrp?

TTi kit looks a lot better in person than it does in a photograph. They do, however, go for rigid, lightweight plastic cases where the innards are light enough to permit it. If you like your gear to have a bit of heft, then TTi probably isn't for you, but if you prefer lightweight gear when it doesn't need to be heavyweight then TTi's a good fit. Unless it needs to stand up to 500lb Gorillas, prop-forwards, policemen, squadies, drummers or actors it's good gear.

Fair enough... it comes with battery power built-in; which is nice when the need for for isolation arises, and of course if you need to GO SOMEWHERE with it. In that case, light & convenient is probably better.

Thanks for the second opinion. 


mnem
*still nuking my wife's old Saturn... yesterday & today have been "New windshield & headliner" time*

[Specmaster]

(SNIP)  Anybody who owns one... do they (TTi 1908 meters) look as cheap and cheesy IRL as they do in the pics on TEq's site? Cuz dayumm... those pics make Protek look good. 

Getting built-in rechargeable battery power with a Kelvin connection option is nice though.

mnem
mrrrp?

TTi kit looks a lot better in person than it does in a photograph. They do, however, go for rigid, lightweight plastic cases where the innards are light enough to permit it. If you like your gear to have a bit of heft, then TTi probably isn't for you, but if you prefer lightweight gear when it doesn't need to be heavyweight then TTi's a good fit. Unless it needs to stand up to 500lb Gorillas, prop-forwards, policemen, squadies, drummers or actors it's good gear.

Fair enough... it comes with battery power built-in; which is nice when the need for for isolation arises, and of course if you need to GO SOMEWHERE with it. In that case, light & convenient is probably better.

Thanks for the second opinion. 


mnem
*still nuking my wife's old Saturn... yesterday & today have been "New windshield & headliner" time*

Also of course it means if your looking for a system of TTi's or similar items then because of their light weight, you can stack them in ergonomic order rather being forced to have the heavy ones at the bottom.

[Mr. Scram]

Hmmm... seems to me if you're going to buy new, should get USB AND Ethernet for flexibility.

Anybody who owns one... do they look as cheap and cheesy IRL as they do in the pics on TEq's site? Cuz dayumm... those pics make Protek look good. 

Getting built-in rechargeable battery power with a Kelvin connection option is nice though.


mnem
mrrrp?

No, they look and feel fairly shitty in real life too. The uptick is that's it's quality kit otherwise and not stupidly expensive. Buying replacement parts is also possible, for very fair prices. Can you image Keysight charging 25 quid to replace a dozen parts that make up the entire outer shell? You win some and lose some.

[tggzzz]

You could always get a decent single voltage source, plus a decent 7-decade Kelvin Varley Divider.

Voltnuttery? What's that?

The only KVDs I've seen come up recently have been five to six times as much as the R&S box, though. Mind you, is there much point to getting it and NOT getting it calibrated? After Spec's fun & games with getting a 3478A done I don't hold out much hope for something even Google seems to have about a page and a half of results for. No schematics, no manuals, no nuthin' (except for a couple of OOD ads from "I know it's fucked, but it's Famous!" type resellers).  This is logical brain in action! 

I don't know how much the R&S box is, nor its accuracy, nor what you are aiming for - but patience helps...

But a KVD is a simple device, not much to go wrong. I got a "3 decade KVD + 2 decade pot" ESI DekaPot for £90, and a 7 decade Julie Research Labs KVD for £190, just... because. The latter is so heavy I collected it in person

Putting the 7-decade KVD on my 7081 shows the combination of the two is linear to typically 1.5ppm, 2.5ppm worst case. The 7081n was ~£100 including replacement mains filter/switch/voltage selector.

That leaves a voltage source. I picked one up for £15; it is stable, low noise and I believe 9.999571V. The 7081 reads about 20ppm above that.

No, I don't cost my time; this is fun

[GerryBags]

Sorry, it's the Rohde & Schwarz NGPS 40 programmable voltage source, or steuerspannungsquelle that's up on Ebay for £175, although I'm pretty sure he'd take an offer. Two channel, -40 V to +40V 0.1A.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/EX-MOD-Rohde-Schwarz-Steuerspannungsquelle-Programmable-Volt-/323167093357

[bitseeker]

If the Heretic was me by any chance because I moved on my Fluke 8505A which was a huge boat anchor, than yes, i did downsize it to a HP3478A and some more gear planned that will fit within the same footprint as the 8505A but will actually increase my TE a as result then, I plead not guilty my lord 

Increasing TE density seems completely reasonable.   

Absolutely! In fact, if you were really hurting on space, there can be lots of unused space in some rack-mounted T&M gear. Of course, it'd have to be stuffed with devices that support remote control capability.

[bitseeker]

Decided to put the B&K 2120 scope to use rather than put it in storage. I connected it into the audio system reminiscent of those fancy audio scopes sold back in the 1970's. Yea, it's campy and doesn't really serve much function other than to impress the unwashed masses with dancing green lines. They can enjoy display of discrete left and right channels (Pix 1) or the X/Y "fuzzball" display (Pix 2). Pix 3 is an overall view of the entire system.

Yep, I'm odd. 

Looks good, med, and matches the color of the VFD spectral display on your EQ.

[bitseeker]

Oh, the joy of using "modern" batteries. Or, as mnem would say, "They don't make them like they used to."

Can you hear the vintage Eveready cells laughing?

[djos]

Oh, the joy of using "modern" batteries. Or, as mnem would say, "They don't make them like they used to."

Can you hear the vintage Eveready cells laughing?

In the last 2 or so years Duracell's have really gone down the quality crapper! I refuse to use them now as they have such a high leak rate it isnt funny - low drain, long life devices seems to be the main application which results in leakage. 

[bitseeker]

Yeah, I avoid all alkalines, regardless of brand, after losing several devices and flashlights to leaks.

As there have been various (long) threads about leaking batteries, I just wanted to share the irony of the pic of that poor Simpson 260. Of course, we've all seen old batteries leak, too.

[Specmaster]

If the Heretic was me by any chance because I moved on my Fluke 8505A which was a huge boat anchor, than yes, i did downsize it to a HP3478A and some more gear planned that will fit within the same footprint as the 8505A but will actually increase my TE a as result then, I plead not guilty my lord 

Increasing TE density seems completely reasonable.   

Absolutely! In fact, if you were really hurting on space, there can be lots of unused space in some rack-mounted T&M gear. Of course, it'd have to be stuffed with devices that support remote control capability.

Nah, it wasn't rack mounted, it formed part of the base level of my bench stack. Seeing as the next longest item was half its length, I've gained a lot of bench space back.

From mobile device so predictive text might have struck again [emoji83]

[tggzzz]

Sorry, it's the Rohde & Schwarz NGPS 40 programmable voltage source, or steuerspannungsquelle that's up on Ebay for £175, although I'm pretty sure he'd take an offer.

Looks like he accepts offers at ~2/3 the asking price. https://www.goofbid.com/ebay_best_offers_tool.html?gbo_username=scotttrade12

Can't see a spec for that device, though I haven't looked hard.

[med6753]

Oh, the joy of using "modern" batteries. Or, as mnem would say, "They don't make them like they used to."

Can you hear the vintage Eveready cells laughing?

Well that sucks!