Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[tautech]

_{This pleases me no end.}   

mnem
That is all.

A dwagon needs a pencil torch ? 

Are you loosing your puff mnem ? 

[Brumby]

Nah - That's a dwagon's toothpick!

[bd139]

I can see today is going to suck already. I fired up my TDS210 this morning to measure power on a VFO I was building last night (had an epiphany I just had to try out) and nothing happened. Completely dead 

Not got time to look at it until weekend now

[Specmaster]

With any luck you might find that it was accidently unplugged last night for something or other 

[bd139]

No was main filter cap. Cracked it open and it was red hot. Will order another one when home.

Just watched Mortal Engines at the cinema (that’s how busy I am  ). What does this have to do with TEA? Well turns out in the relics museum there was a Tektronix 465 and a 22xx series device plus some Marconi kit  (in the story timeline they are about 1000 years old)

[med6753]

What does this have to do with TEA? Well turns out in the relics museum there was a Tektronix 465 and a 22xx series device plus some Marconi kit  (in the story timeline they are about 1000 years old)

I'll bet the tants were in great shape. 

[tggzzz]

So, that's the second Solartron 7075 sorted. Recapped the PSU, replaced the optoisolators, inserted a schottky diode in the TTL supply, so that the non-milspec TTL was running at 5.05V rather than 5.4V (max spec 5.25V!). Tweaked all the trimpots; not a processor in sight

What shall I pick next? Tek 465B which doesn't sweep, or Tek P6202A where the FETs are probably blown.

For the probe I may decide to just completely replace the probe body board with modern electronics; the mechanical stuff is worth keeping.

[bd139]

Excellent work 

I would go for the P6202A assuming you can find suitable replacement FET for it. Think it's a dual one in that and a weird surface mount one. After doing some research after seeing a cheap one on ebay, it put me right off them that did! Wonder if a couple of SST4416's would do the job. Also good excuse to play with pulse generators.

Edit: also that reminds me I need to build a new pulse generator to fiddle with the 475A with.

[mnementh]

   _{This pleases me no end.}   

mnem
That is all.

    A dwagon needs a pencil torch ?     Are you loosing your puff mnem ? 

It's all about precision, my friend. There are times when I DON'T just want to watch the whole world burn. 

Nah - That's a dwagon's toothpick!

Close... it's actually for the itch under that one scale I can almost reach.   

   When you are ready to 'butch up' your makeup holder.     Fire up the 3D printer and make some 0.4mm single wall buckets for it.

Thanks for the heads-up! I'll look those items up on Tiv. That hex sorter I have works okay in the big well, but it does waste some space. Maybe mod the thing and make something to put all my MetCal & T12 tips together in one place; I get tired of reaching to move one iron stand or the other and stabbing the shit out of my arm.

For $3 between the two pieces at the dollar store, it sure does a lot of organizating for very little wallet pain. 

No was main filter cap. Cracked it open and it was red hot. Will order another one when home.

Just watched Mortal Engines at the cinema (that’s how busy I am  ). What does this have to do with TEA? Well turns out in the relics museum there was a Tektronix 465 and a 22xx series device plus some Marconi kit  (in the story timeline they are about 1000 years old)

"FIE!!!" On the dead brute force filter cap. "YAY!!!" for Mortal Engines. I'm hoping wife and I can drop the little wigglers off with grandma long enough to go see it over the holiday.

I read some time ago that Jackson bought the rights to the Temeraire / His Majesty's Dragon series; I do hope that becomes his next great saga. 


mnem

[beanflying]

Thanks for the heads-up! I'll look those items up on Tiv. That hex sorter I have works okay in the big well, but it does waste some space. Maybe mod the thing and make something to put all my MetCal & T12 tips together in one place; I get tired of reaching to move one iron stand or the other and stabbing the shit out of my arm.

For $3 between the two pieces at the dollar store, it sure does a lot of organizating for very little wallet pain. 

They are my design and drawings when I get some more Zzzz after talking to the 4.30am possum with a large stick I will zip them up and post them and the stl's. I also dremeled the base out of the rear section for more depth.

[mnementh]

Thanks for the heads-up! I'll look those items up on Tiv. That hex sorter I have works okay in the big well, but it does waste some space. Maybe mod the thing and make something to put all my MetCal & T12 tips together in one place; I get tired of reaching to move one iron stand or the other and stabbing the shit out of my arm.

For $3 between the two pieces at the dollar store, it sure does a lot of organizating for very little wallet pain. 

They are my design and drawings when I get some more Zzzz after talking to the 4.30am possum with a large stick I will zip them up and post them and the stl's. I also dremeled the base out of the rear section for more depth.

Awesome! I understand all too well about lack of sleep the last few days. Allergies have been kicking my scaly dwagon arse; I feel like I've got the freaking flu. 

   There's this thing I've been "Gonna make" for a while; though I have misgivings about doing it in PLA for obvious reasons. Bang-Em-Good has a similar one in printed CNC machined nylon every once in a while; I've been trying to catch it in stock.

mnem
*p00t!*

[mnementh]

This pleases me no end.   

I KNEW you liked to look pretty in your lab. 

Busted. Just don't look too close, or you might notice the little stage and firepole in the corner. 

mnem
My wife is a pervy little dwagon fancier.    };=)~~~~<

[Specmaster]

Now that tip/tool holder looks really interesting, I might get a quote for having that made locally by my friendly 3D printer man 

[mnementh]

   Here's the one on Bang-em-good... looks like they'll have them again in a week or so in black or white.

SUCK WHAT?!? HDPE? Have they lost their pee-weenie little minds?  *SMH*

mnem
*Still thinkin' about it*

[tggzzz]

Excellent work 

I would go for the P6202A assuming you can find suitable replacement FET for it. Think it's a dual one in that and a weird surface mount one. After doing some research after seeing a cheap one on ebay, it put me right off them that did! Wonder if a couple of SST4416's would do the job. Also good excuse to play with pulse generators.

Edit: also that reminds me I need to build a new pulse generator to fiddle with the 475A with.

I must admit I'm tempted to go for the probe, simply because it is different. The form factor in the probe itself is a pig, especially since the JFETs ought to be thermally coupled. OTOH technology has advanced since the 70s, so there may be other options including, gag, with ICs. A nice little research project for the hols, perhaps; TAoE III is issuing its siren song.

The other things I could do are tweak my first 7075, or replace the reference voltage with a (hopefully lower noise and more stable) LM399. (The 7075's vref is merely a 9.3V diode wrapped in a heated "blanket" with no specific temperature control)

Don't forget that if you are planning on tweaking a 475's input attenuator frequency response, you can't just use a 50ohm source and external terminator. You also need a 20pF input RC standardiser or normaliser, as per https://groups.io/g/TekScopes/message/1108

[bd139]

MAX4201 looks nice for that sort of stuff. Input bias is a bit high though. That with a buffer in front of it...

Rumour has it LM399 will be shot at some point. Worth getting in early.

Already on the watch list https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F332568357882

[Specmaster]

MAX4201 looks nice for that sort of stuff. Input bias is a bit high though. That with a buffer in front of it...

Rumour has it LM399 will be shot at some point. Worth getting in early.

Already on the watch list https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F332568357882

Glad its only the input filter thats gone, got one on order or do you already have one?

What! your watching a normalizer?? That you'd be saying screw that and making one up 

[mnementh]

Given who that "normalizer" is for... I don't think ONE is near enough. Need to look for at least three or for more... maybe a 12-pack. 

mnem
I hear you can buy bulk packs on AliEx... 

[bd139]

Glad its only the input filter thats gone, got one on order or do you already have one?

What! your watching a normalizer?? That you'd be saying screw that and making one up 

Ordered two. £4 for 2. Not end of world.

It's pretty easy to make one. That may happen yet   The whole thing is basically half a frequency compensated divider network. 1M with same capacitance as the scope across it (trimmed). Actually might be worth building a termination and that compensation network into a pomona box (I have a couple of spare ones). You just trim it for least ringing / best shape on a square wave like a scope probe.

Given who that "normalizer" is for... I don't think ONE is near enough. Need to look for at least three or for more... maybe a 12-pack. 

 

[bd139]

"YAY!!!" for Mortal Engines. I'm hoping wife and I can drop the little wigglers off with grandma long enough to go see it over the holiday.

I won't spoil it for you, but it was pretty good. Better than I was expecting 

[neo]

I've yet to see Mortal Engines though this following statement is based solely in fact. A city on wheels is insane, the size of wheels presented could not even support their own weight and even if you made hundreds of smaller wheels you still have one massive problem... Inertia, you try to move something that big as fast as the trailers show then you would either need to break the laws of physics or be exempt from them. Logically it makes absolutely no sense, and speaking from a physics standpoint is heavy laden in bullshit  .

Well two massive problems, inertia and the fact that smaller wheels would sink into the ground, knowing physics is a curse.

[bd139]

Totally 100% on the mark. But it looked bloody awesome

Anyway the Germans came up with the Landkreuzer P. 1000 Ratte...

Also another good film I watched had a genetically modified racoon firing guns and a rapidly motile creature made of wood in it so YMMV

[Specmaster]

Glad its only the input filter thats gone, got one on order or do you already have one?

What! your watching a normalizer?? That you'd be saying screw that and making one up 

Ordered two. £4 for 2. Not end of world.

It's pretty easy to make one. That may happen yet   The whole thing is basically half a frequency compensated divider network. 1M with same capacitance as the scope across it (trimmed). Actually might be worth building a termination and that compensation network into a pomona box (I have a couple of spare ones). You just trim it for least ringing / best shape on a square wave like a scope probe.

Given who that "normalizer" is for... I don't think ONE is near enough. Need to look for at least three or for more... maybe a 12-pack. 

 

That's not a bad price for two 

On the making front, I knew you had the boxes already and your penchant for making things up in MacGyver mode, thats what I was expecting to hear you say rather than watching one already 

I know your day started badly and that Mr Bean drive past your house in the getting dressed while driving sketch so here's a little something to lighten your day 

[mnementh]

I've yet to see Mortal Engines though this following statement is based solely in fact. A city on wheels is insane, the size of wheels presented could not even support their own weight and even if you made hundreds of smaller wheels you still have one massive problem... Inertia, you try to move something that big as fast as the trailers show then you would either need to break the laws of physics or be exempt from them. Logically it makes absolutely no sense, and speaking from a physics standpoint is heavy laden in bullshit  .

Well two massive problems, inertia and the fact that smaller wheels would sink into the ground, knowing physics is a curse.

https://youtu.be/h3wVPBLb2oY

mnem
Rocket Raccoon is my spirit animal.

[Neomys Sapiens]

They are my design and drawings when I get some more Zzzz after talking to the 4.30am possum with a large stick I will zip them up and post them and the stl's. I also dremeled the base out of the rear section for more depth.

It's a regular? Is your area on a 30min or hourly interval?