Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[0culus]

If you can spend a little, I can recommend a seller on ebay who refurbs 2465/2467 scopes. I got my 2465B from him and it's been flawless.

[med6753]

Got my best Fluke Calibrator to date this afternoon. Super stoked. I think the 5100B is amazing and once I get the matching 5220A amplifier, it will be perfect. Pics and detials to come after I get it wiped down and warmed up so its ready for accurate read outs.

Cool, can't wait see it!  BTW.....did you get my PM?

[med6753]

Yep wanted to use the damn thing tonight as well on an actual project.

Current status:

1. Tektronix 475A - timebase problems. Waiting for repair slot.
2. Tektronix 465 - vertical amp problems. Waiting for repair slot.
3. Tektronix TDS210 - power supply problems. Grr.
4. Tektronix 2235 - HT problems. Waiting for repair slot.

Venn diagram:



Thus I need something not Tek, not old and not Kaputt. 

No, you need to fix the Kaputt's and stop worrying about who's calculator is better. 

[Mr. Scram]

... but choose a useful test: many calculators reckon 1+2*3=9.

And that's wrong, pure and simple: the correct answer is 7 (remember BEDMAS?). 

If you are using non-standard laws of arithmetic or a strange computer language like APL, then all bets are off of course.

I'll just fan the flames by observing BEDMAS or PEMDAS isn't a rule. It's a convention, but by no means universal. It can't be deduced or constructed and isn't in universal use across the world. 1+2*3=9 is perfectly true. You'll need to define your problem better if you want something more definitive.

[worsthorse]

Okay now that I have four DMMs sitting within arm's reach (two 3478As, one 8840A, and a B+K something or other), I certainly need some sort of calibration standard, right?    Given how I use my gear, something not too pricey... I don't need a VI-700 for the same reasons I am okay with a GPSDO rather than a rubidium standard.



Anyone here using a DMM Check Plus? I searched the forums and found a couple of mentions but that's it. Any other suggestions?

[worsthorse]

... but choose a useful test: many calculators reckon 1+2*3=9.

And that's wrong, pure and simple: the correct answer is 7 (remember BEDMAS?). 

If you are using non-standard laws of arithmetic or a strange computer language like APL, then all bets are off of course.

I'll just fan the flames by observing BEDMAS or PEMDAS isn't a rule. It's a convention, but by no means universal. It can't be deduced or constructed and isn't in universal use across the world. 1+2*3=9 is perfectly true. You'll need to define your problem better if you want something more definitive.

which is why the creator brought into being parenthesis. 

[bd139]

Anyone here using a DMM Check Plus? I searched the forums and found a couple of mentions but that's it. Any other suggestions?

I would be but every time I go to go and buy one, "Out-of-Stock" 

... but choose a useful test: many calculators reckon 1+2*3=9.

And that's wrong, pure and simple: the correct answer is 7 (remember BEDMAS?). 

If you are using non-standard laws of arithmetic or a strange computer language like APL, then all bets are off of course.

I'll just fan the flames by observing BEDMAS or PEMDAS isn't a rule. It's a convention, but by no means universal. It can't be deduced or constructed and isn't in universal use across the world. 1+2*3=9 is perfectly true. You'll need to define your problem better if you want something more definitive.

which is why the creator brought into being parenthesis. 

(+ 1 (* 2 3))

 

[VK5RC]

I am definitely on the RPN side, one of my side interests is getting old broken calculators and fixing them, esp love the little magnetic strip readers, and thermal printers.
Better success with HP than TI.

[bd139]

Ugh get that 39gs out of there and burn it 

Prime is borderline

[exor]

One can’t have too many R&S NGSMs. But some people don’t know how to pack delicate/heavy items, not even when instructed how to do it.

I found this one from eB and it looked nice and clean. Made an offer which was accepted, paid and left a note to seller: “IMPORTANT! Please pack the power supply very carefully, preferably in double cardboard box with lots of firm padding as it is very heavy!”

It arrived in a box barely bigger than power supply itself! Box corner was ruptured and padding was just newspaper and some small sheets of bubble wrap here and there.

Corner of the fascia was damaged and case bottom slightly bent but it didn’t look that bad. Powered it up and it seemed to work. But as it weights 7,5kg the hit must have been quite strong so I opened it up to see if there was any issues inside.

And yes there was. The subframe holding the heavy transformer was bent about 6mm and thus warping the main circuit board. It was somehow sad to see nearly mint PS almost ruined by lousy packing.

It took about two hours to get subframe out, now I have to hammer it and case bottom plate back to their original shape..

I can here someone asking why I didn’t return it. Seller offered full refund if I will send it back. But shipping would cost almost 70€ (78USD) and it would be my loss. So I ended up to keep it and left appropriate eB feedback.

[Housedad]

Hi folks. 
I just got a email notice from Keysight today.  Seems I won a  DSOX1204G Oscilloscope.  I'm flabbergasted to say the least.  I have to send in the release form and they will ship. 

I haven't won anything in decades.  I am still trying to absorb this. This is just AWESOME!

[0culus]

Congrats! I've been entering daily but so far nothing, as always for me. 

[bd139]

Congratulations! Entered as well. Bugger all as usual.

@exor: that sucks.

[med6753]

Okay now that I have four DMMs sitting within arm's reach (two 3478As, one 8840A, and a B+K something or other), I certainly need some sort of calibration standard, right?    Given how I use my gear, something not too pricey... I don't need a VI-700 for the same reasons I am okay with a GPSDO rather than a rubidium standard.



Anyone here using a DMM Check Plus? I searched the forums and found a couple of mentions but that's it. Any other suggestions?

The DMM check plus is a great tool but it has short comings. It will only check one range (typically the 20V range) of your DMM. In MOST cases that's sufficient to tell you the overall health/calibration of your DMM but not always. I've seem several times where the 20V range is fine and yet....perhaps the 200mV range is way off. That's why I built references for 190mV, 1.9V, 19V, and 190V. And soon to have 500V. But mine is really only stable/accurate enough to do up to 4.5 digits. And you need a known good "bench standard" which in my case is a Fluke 8050A which I know is accurate and it also demands that you keep written records so you know immediately if someone goes adrift. And have multiple backups such in my case 2 - AD584-M's.

Now for my two 5.5 digit DMM's (Siglent SDM3055 and Fluke 8810A) I made the assumption that the Siglent is the "standard" since it's brand new and again keep written records. And the AD584-M's are useful here too but again can only verify the 20V range. 
 

[Mr. Scram]

Okay now that I have four DMMs sitting within arm's reach (two 3478As, one 8840A, and a B+K something or other), I certainly need some sort of calibration standard, right?    Given how I use my gear, something not too pricey... I don't need a VI-700 for the same reasons I am okay with a GPSDO rather than a rubidium standard.



Anyone here using a DMM Check Plus? I searched the forums and found a couple of mentions but that's it. Any other suggestions?

I have a DMM Check Plus. It's a neat tool and Mr. Malone is a gentleman. It doesn't cover all the voltage ranges and the small AC current doesn't seem useful for all the meters, probably due to burden voltage gumming up the works. Although it's not perfect, but it does provide a very nice sanity check.

[med6753]

Hi folks. 
I just got a email notice from Keysight today.  Seems I won a  DSOX1204G Oscilloscope.  I'm flabbergasted to say the least.  I have to send in the release form and they will ship. 

I haven't won anything in decades.  I am still trying to absorb this. This is just AWESOME!

Oh wow...congrats! You must post pix when you get it. 

[Mr. Scram]

Hi folks. 
I just got a email notice from Keysight today.  Seems I won a  DSOX1204G Oscilloscope.  I'm flabbergasted to say the least.  I have to send in the release form and they will ship. 

I haven't won anything in decades.  I am still trying to absorb this. This is just AWESOME!

How cool is that? It's nice to see some of the regulars getting lucky.

I guess we now have a forum oscilloscope to pass around. Dibs on the first timeslot!

[beanflying]

Okay now that I have four DMMs sitting within arm's reach (two 3478As, one 8840A, and a B+K something or other), I certainly need some sort of calibration standard, right?    Given how I use my gear, something not too pricey... I don't need a VI-700 for the same reasons I am okay with a GPSDO rather than a rubidium standard.

Anyone here using a DMM Check Plus? I searched the forums and found a couple of mentions but that's it. Any other suggestions?

As @med already mentioned it is great for a spot/sanity check and the plus version I remember does an AC of some sort. To Calibrate you are going to need a lot more points available which is in part why I have bitten the bullet and brought Two DC and one AC full range calibrators.

If all you need is that sanity check there is a LM399 based board being sold in limited runs in the for sale section here measured against Calibrated meters too. Even the little KKMoon Acrylic cased AD584 Chinese references are not to bad (just make sure the one you buy comes measured).

Apart from that you are now at level 20 of the rabbit hole where the stairs run out and free fall toward Calibrated 8 1/2 digits awaits 

[Kosmic]

Hi folks. 
I just got a email notice from Keysight today.  Seems I won a  DSOX1204G Oscilloscope.  I'm flabbergasted to say the least.  I have to send in the release form and they will ship. 

I haven't won anything in decades.  I am still trying to absorb this. This is just AWESOME!

Congrats! 

[Neomys Sapiens]

I also think that a slide rule is a versatile and useful adjunct to the calculator!
Here is what I found for myself, after giving my former, somewhat simpler pocket model to a co-worker, as she was very eager to aquire one.
THIS ONE will not leave my hands, that is sure. It is marked with both the Siemens & Halske (S with H) and the Siemens-Schuckert (S with S) signs, which is very unusual. It is therefore a Siemens company issue from the mid-60s before the unified Siemens AG was founded, as the constituent companies did not work together that closely for most of the time before this. So besides being a extended-scale pocket slide rule, it is a nice piece of Siemens and German Electrotechnical history.

[0culus]

NICE!!! BTW your package still hasn't shown.

[Neomys Sapiens]

Congrats! I've been entering daily but so far nothing, as always for me. 

Interestingly, the very single occasion where I succeeded in getting something useful by way of such a company sweepstake was also with HPAK. That was my first WedgeProbe adaptor. You had to describe your application coursely and select your pitch. Of course I tried to get the other pitch too by buying the magazine that contained the card a second time, but nope.

[tautech]

Yep wanted to use the damn thing tonight as well on an actual project.

Current status:

1. Tektronix 475A - timebase problems. Waiting for repair slot.
2. Tektronix 465 - vertical amp problems. Waiting for repair slot.
3. Tektronix TDS210 - power supply problems. Grr.
4. Tektronix 2235 - HT problems. Waiting for repair slot.

Thus I need something not Tek, not old and not Kaputt. 

Yep, time for a brand change IMO, hell I've even got a busted one, a nice TDS2012B with a single pin on a 100 pin IC corroded through and the POST picks this up so it won't start. Grrr.
The muppets did a top vented case and that allows grud to get inside and sit on a pin and atmospheric moisture and electrolysis did the rest. 
Really wary of anything top ventilated now. 

[Neomys Sapiens]

NICE!!! BTW your package still hasn't shown.

Dang! And I have no further information yet. It is exactly this lady to which I gave the other slide rule.
I shall bring a ruler suitable for spanking in case of anything undue happening with your leads!

[VK5RC]

Ugh get that 39gs out of there and burn it 

Prime is borderline

So true, while I initially liked the classics am becoming a bit more of a 41 fan.
@housedad - well done! Use with joy!