Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[BravoV]

Looks like time nuttery is even worse than volt nuttery [emoji44]

At least for me, I'm starting to believe it is.

[bd139]

Regarding GPSDOs, all my stuffs are ready, its just my problem still at the lightning protection setup, as I need to install it high above the roof, consulted with lighting protection pros, they're really damn expensive.

Have to wait until I decide to pay the pro to install it, or I do it my self which is quite challenging. 

As I heard someone say who sells it, forget lightning protection. He installed full strapping all over a commercial VHF and microwave antenna pole and the lightning basically just said “nah not into that today” and shot down (or is it up?) the VHF feed into the PA, out of the PA into a PC next to it, out of that into a photocopier and then into the building’s main distribution point just to smoke all the breakers.  It also killed the fire system so the sprinklers didn’t go off. Fortunately it didn’t actually start any fires.

[BravoV]

Regarding GPSDOs, all my stuffs are ready, its just my problem still at the lightning protection setup, as I need to install it high above the roof, consulted with lighting protection pros, they're really damn expensive.

Have to wait until I decide to pay the pro to install it, or I do it my self which is quite challenging. 

As I heard someone say who sells it, forget lightning protection. He installed full strapping all over a commercial VHF and microwave antenna pole and the lightning basically just said “nah not into that today” and shot down (or is it up?) the VHF feed into the PA, out of the PA into a PC next to it, out of that into a photocopier and then into the building’s main distribution point just to smoke all the breakers.  It also killed the fire system so the sprinklers didn’t go off. Fortunately it didn’t actually start any fires.

Yep, I'm aware of that.

The pro that I consulted, which has the experience installing lightning protection at hundreds of cellular towers across the country, and also at big industrial complex, said simple words to me, "No matter how good the protection, you can't beat mother nature, no 100% guarantee, as simple as that !" ... sigh ... 

[Specmaster]

Regarding GPSDOs, all my stuffs are ready, its just my problem still at the lightning protection setup, as I need to install it high above the roof, consulted with lighting protection pros, they're really damn expensive.

Have to wait until I decide to pay the pro to install it, or I do it my self which is quite challenging. 

As I heard someone say who sells it, forget lightning protection. He installed full strapping all over a commercial VHF and microwave antenna pole and the lightning basically just said “nah not into that today” and shot down (or is it up?) the VHF feed into the PA, out of the PA into a PC next to it, out of that into a photocopier and then into the building’s main distribution point just to smoke all the breakers.  It also killed the fire system so the sprinklers didn’t go off. Fortunately it didn’t actually start any fires.

Simple answer from Google is that Lightening actually goes both ways.

[Berni]

I have two 10MHz rubidium clock modules here that i want to see how good they are. They are pretty close to each other, but what if they are both off?

Just wanting to make sure your oscillator has not drifted off is not time nuttery yet right?

Oh yes it is, man with 1 watch knows what time it is, man with 2 or more watches is unsure what the time is without consulting other watches.

So a cheaper solution is to instead sell one of my rubidium clocks?

[bd139]

So a cheaper solution is to instead sell one of my rubidium clocks?

That's now how TEA works. Minus one point 

Buy another one and best of three

[Specmaster]

So a cheaper solution is to instead sell one of my rubidium clocks?

That's now how TEA works. Minus one point 

Buy another one and best of three

That is time nuttery then for sure because he won't rest until they all agree 100%. It's worse than volt nuttery because any meter reading is always plus/minus so many digits [emoji6]

[Berni]

That's now how TEA works. Minus one point 

Buy another one and best of three

That is time nuttery then for sure because he won't rest until they all agree 100%. It's worse than volt nuttery because any meter reading is always plus/minus so many digits [emoji6]

That is if you have a dedicated frequency counter. All i got is a scope that does up to 6 digits frequency counting if you supply it an external reference clock. Ha take that!

[Specmaster]

No point in having 2 then, just rely on the one seeing as you cant check it, you'll have to believe it 

[med6753]

I guess I'm not a time nut. All my clocks match to within a minute and I have no fall back standard. 

And the only thing I use GPS for is the Garmin in the car. 

[Specmaster]

That's the GPS I own

[VK5RC]

Volt-nuttery is much worse.
With time nuttery thanks to the GPS system you are only few (3-4) hundred  dollars away from 12 -14 significant digits of accuracy - GPSDO and a TAPR TICC counter etc. It is 'cool' thinking you can time down to a few feet of travel along a wire!
With volt nuttery you are 6-7 sig digits for at least twice that , 8 digits is ~5k$, let alone volt references. 9-10 digits is probably 200K$ 

[Specmaster]

Nah, I'm a very happy bunny if my meters all agree with within 1 or 2 least significant digits, so if I measure 2.50000v reference voltage on a 3.5 digit meter and I get either 2.499, 2.50 or 2.501, on a 4.5 digit 2.4999, 2.5000 or 2.5001 and 5.5 digit get 2.49999, 2.5000 or 2.5001, does it really matter as long as I can trust the reading that I see to be within 1 or 2mV (or uV) of the actual value. I can select a meter that I know has the resolution that matches the requirements necessary for the job in hand.

[VK5RC]

I fully agree, I can't think of any real application where I have had to measure a voltage more accurately than to the nearest 10mV, but doesn't stop you from thinking about it 

[Specmaster]

The only time I would actually think about it would be if those extra digits actually mattered to what I was doing. Would I like to have meters with those digits, well yes if they were affordable.

[Cerebus]

Yeah, I've periodically checked to see what's going on with his stuff. Some time ago, I got one of those cheap GPS modules with antenna. My plan is to set it up as a simple calibration source to adjust my Racal 1992's OCXO. I don't need super accuracy, yet, so I haven't gotten a GPSDO. But, you know, TEA...

I have two 10MHz rubidium clock modules here that i want to see how good they are. They are pretty close to each other, but what if they are both off?

Just wanting to make sure your oscillator has not drifted off is not time nuttery yet right?

Oh yes it is, man with 1 watch knows what time it is, man with 2 or more watches is unsure what the time is without consulting other watches.

Man with three-cornered hat has dry head, and knows what time it is.

[med6753]

Volt-nuttery is much worse.
With time nuttery thanks to the GPS system you are only few (3-4) hundred  dollars away from 12 -14 significant digits of accuracy - GPSDO and a TAPR TICC counter etc. It is 'cool' thinking you can time down to a few feet of travel along a wire!
With volt nuttery you are 6-7 sig digits for at least twice that , 8 digits is ~5k$, let alone volt references. 9-10 digits is probably 200K$ 

I can control my volt nuttery addiction as long as 3 conditions are met:

Half hour warm up.
My 3.5 and 4.5 digit DMM's meet their published accuracy specs.
The primary AD584-M and secondary AD584-M combined with the Fluke 8800A match +/- 1 digit out to 4 decimal places. That I use as my reference standard.

[med6753]

This is local to me. Like in the same town. Thinking about it. I'd jump on it right away if it were vacuum tube. It isn't...it's one of the early transistor units. I'm sure regardless it will need a complete re-cap.

And this is where my addiction is out of control. Going Friday PM to look at this and about 99% certain it will be following me home.

[bitseeker]

That's why it's called nuttery. Once you cross over, you've left the land of the practical. So, y'all are safe, based on the commentary made thus far.

[bitseeker]

This is local to me. Like in the same town. Thinking about it. I'd jump on it right away if it were vacuum tube. It isn't...it's one of the early transistor units. I'm sure regardless it will need a complete re-cap.

And this is where my addiction is out of control. Going Friday PM to look at this and about 99% certain it will be following me home.

Cool. I look forward to seeing more of it, med!

[med6753]

This is local to me. Like in the same town. Thinking about it. I'd jump on it right away if it were vacuum tube. It isn't...it's one of the early transistor units. I'm sure regardless it will need a complete re-cap.

And this is where my addiction is out of control. Going Friday PM to look at this and about 99% certain it will be following me home.

Cool. I look forward to seeing more of it, med!

I will do a complete pron when I get it.  Been searching for a manual and so far came up empty except for one clown who want's $24 USD for it. He can stick that where the sun don't shine. I forgot to ask the seller if he has one. But no matter if he doesn't. These RCA scopes are a fairly simple recurrent sweep design and I'm sure I can muddle my way thru it without a schematic.

[Specmaster]

Just acquired myself a Tek TDS210 complete with an expansion module factory fitted and all working, just have to wait now for it to be delivered, its in a rather grubby state so the first order for the day when it arrives is to clean it up.

[med6753]

Just acquired myself a Tek TDS210 complete with an expansion module factory fitted and all working, just have to wait now for it to be delivered, its in a rather grubby state so the first order for the day when it arrives is to clean it up.

Where's the "any" button?  Good score! 

[Specmaster]

Just acquired myself a Tek TDS210 complete with an expansion module factory fitted and all working, just have to wait now for it to be delivered, its in a rather grubby state so the first order for the day when it arrives is to clean it up.

Where's the "any" button?  Good score! 

I already cleaned it so well that I wore it away 

[tautech]

Just acquired myself a Tek TDS210 complete with an expansion module factory fitted and all working, just have to wait now for it to be delivered, its in a rather grubby state so the first order for the day when it arrives is to clean it up.

  there's hope for you guys yet.......moving into the modern age away from all the old boat anchors.