Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[bd139]

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. 

Indeed. Problem solved. Got in the shower, had a deep think for a bit about upcoming projects and requirements and the fact that I spend way too much time fixing rather than creating. Another DS1054Z arriving Thursday. Siglent did get a look in but for 4 channels it’s lots more ££ and I need 4 for SPI and some switching regulator stuff I am going to work on.  Will revive the TDS210 (bet it’s caps!) and shift it.

[Housedad]

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!

Thanks.  Learning the new UI will be fun and getting to use equipment that I normally could not afford.  I'm looking forward to playing with the TFT and some of the other software. 

[Brumby]

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!

Congratulations!  (My vicarious needs for the day are satisfied ... almost.  Need pics.)

[0culus]

Pulled the trigger on that HP-15C I was looking at. Comes with sleeve and the handbook. HP calcnuttery level up. 

[worsthorse]

*sigh*

...another aspect of my general craziness exposed... i own HP15C, HP16C, and HP12C calculators which reflect three different phases of my professional career and an HP48G just because I wanted a graphing calculator at some point.  oh wait, make that two HP48Gs.   

[0culus]

*sigh*

...another aspect of my general craziness exposed... i own HP15C, HP16C, and HP12C calculators which reflect three different phases of my professional career and an HP48G just because I wanted a graphing calculator at some point.  oh wait, make that two HP48Gs.   

Nice! Besides this 15C that's on the way, I have my 16C, a 35s, and a 50g. I would love to get a 48 sometime just to have a proper double size enter key.

[xrunner]

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!

Congratulations!  (My vicarious needs for the day are satisfied ... almost.  Need pics.)

Wow! Congrats from me also! 

(pics or it didn't happen  )

[mnementh]

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. 

So... something like the 1054Zed you sent to its doom a while back, then? 

... 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.

Heh... I get to stir the TEA two different ways with one post. 

(+ 1 (* 2 3))   

*Snerk* There's a XKCD for THAT one too, ya manky git...   

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" 

We both know the guy does them in lots a few times a year, and they are GREAT sanity check even for much more expensive gear as they give you a precision 5VDC reference, 1mA current reference, four 0.1% resistors and one or two precision frequency AC sources. But if you want to actually use them to cal any meter, you'd need to get several of his single custom references as well. Or build a proper transfer standard like the one med has lurking around here somewhere.

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!

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! 

mnem

[mnementh]

...Problem solved. Got in the shower, had a deep think for a bit about upcoming projects and requirements and the fact that I spend way too much time fixing rather than creating. Another DS1054Z arriving Thursday. Siglent did get a look in but for 4 channels it’s lots more ££ and I need 4 for SPI and some switching regulator stuff I am going to work on.  Will revive the TDS210 (bet it’s caps!) and shift it.

Awww, dang... didn't have a chance to poke the grump-bd with a stick before he came to the same contusion. 
Ahh, well... I stirred it enough elsewhere for one day. 

mnem

*Stirring the TEA*

[med6753]

...Problem solved. Got in the shower, had a deep think for a bit about upcoming projects and requirements and the fact that I spend way too much time fixing rather than creating. Another DS1054Z arriving Thursday. Siglent did get a look in but for 4 channels it’s lots more ££ and I need 4 for SPI and some switching regulator stuff I am going to work on.  Will revive the TDS210 (bet it’s caps!) and shift it.

Awww, dang... didn't have a chance to poke the grumpy-med with a stick before he came to the same contusion. 
Ahh, well... I stirred it enough elsewhere for one day. 

mnem

*Stirring the TEA*

Oh boo and the horse you rode in on. 

[0culus]

I finally managed to whip Vivado into shape, and my design is outputting useful signals to the TLA715. 

[mnementh]

...Problem solved. Got in the shower, had a deep think for a bit about upcoming projects and requirements and the fact that I spend way too much time fixing rather than creating. Another DS1054Z arriving Thursday. Siglent did get a look in but for 4 channels it’s lots more ££ and I need 4 for SPI and some switching regulator stuff I am going to work on.  Will revive the TDS210 (bet it’s caps!) and shift it.

Awww, dang... didn't have a chance to poke the grump-bd with a stick before he came to the same contusion. 
Ahh, well... I stirred it enough elsewhere for one day. 

mnem

*Stirring the TEA*

Oh boo and the horse you rode in on. 

Quite right... I did it AGAIN.  Fixed now.  

mnem
That's okay... I'll have a chance to poke the grumpy-med soon enough...  

[beanflying]

Oh boo and the horse you rode in on. 

@Med I will post you a little baggy of these you can insert into places on an Mnementh Voodoo Doll you feel appropriate 

[med6753]

Oh boo and the horse you rode in on. 

@Med I will post you a little baggy of these you can insert into places on an Mnementh Voodoo Doll you feel appropriate 

No, that's OK. I'd get a lot more pleasure stuffing this guy full of firecrackers and lighting the fuse. 

[bitseeker]

RPNers are people of very few words 

Yes

[0culus]

More from Marc and the Apollo Guidance Computer. Some good HP and Tek pr0n too. 

https://youtu.be/uyxQmb2u6Hk

[bitseeker]

Anything Reversed and Polish just isn't right and you get messy hands from trying it seems

When I was visiting Copenhagen, that's how they served hot dogs...outside the bun.

[bitseeker]

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!

Wow! Congrats, Housedad. Thanks for sharing the news. Of course, now we expect a first-hand report of your impressions once you've gotten the hang of it.

[bitseeker]

RPN fight!

Task one ... solve tggzzz's example:

RPN: <2> <ENTER> <3> <*> <+> (5 keystrokes)
modern casio: <1> <+> <2> <*> <3> <=> (6 keystrokes) Note: older pre VPAM ones will get this wrong.

Task two ... solve this for 4 different values: x^2+3

RPN:
<prgrm> <lbl> <c> <2> <pow> <3> <+> <rtn>
<1> <xeq> <c>
<2> <xeq> <c>
<3> <xeq> <c>
<4> <xeq> <c>

Alg:
Fuck off

Casio:
menu this menu that, fuck around, input, read manual, fire up excel and do it there.

You dropped a <1> in your RPN example, so they're both 6 keystrokes

Bzzzt! You also have to <Enter> the <1>. Otherwise, you'd be starting off with 12 on the stack.

Anyway, 1 + 2 * 3 is kinda boring. Stuff like the following is more fun. Life is good with a stack.

  1 + 2 / 3
----------------
7 / 8 + 2 * 3

[beanflying]

Anything Reversed and Polish just isn't right and you get messy hands from trying it seems

When I was visiting Copenhagen, that's how they served hot dogs...outside the bun.

Are you 'sure' it was outside the Bun and were you eating them after a 'Cafe' visit for 'Cake' ?

[jlw]

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've had one for a few years now.  It's way overdue for a recalibration (now that I have DMMs that can tell the difference) but still serves its purpose well.

As for Rb vs GPSDO, I have both, and a counter that can tell the difference.  That's as far down the time/freq nut rathole I want or can afford to go.

[Inverted18650]

I updated the previous post with PICS of the unit off for just general walk around. Here are of few of the 5100B doing its thing, this is a very brief overview of the high end specs, but this unit can do SO MUCH MORE. I will have a video ready by weeks end. I also have been working on a Keithley 228 that needed repair. I want to do two video before the week ends, one of each. But man I love this 5100B....Its a true Multi-function Calibrator. 

The only thing I plan to "do" to this unit is send it out for a fresh cal and when it comes back I will change the noisy fan for an ultra quiet modern unit.

[tggzzz]

... 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.

BEDMAS is the rule for normal arithmetic (and algebraic) notation - and that's why I specified it when asked.

It is possible to have other rules, but it is unlikely that you would come across them before university or if you are using a special computer language.

[Specmaster]

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. 

Indeed. Problem solved. Got in the shower, had a deep think for a bit about upcoming projects and requirements and the fact that I spend way too much time fixing rather than creating. Another DS1054Z arriving Thursday. Siglent did get a look in but for 4 channels it’s lots more ££ and I need 4 for SPI and some switching regulator stuff I am going to work on.  Will revive the TDS210 (bet it’s caps!) and shift it.

One strike and it's out?, if you're going back to a Rigol DS1054Z again  , fix the TDS210 and keep as a backup because it wont be long before the Rigol goes and you can then get back to your "All the scope I need" TDS210. On the other hand, you can enter the great Keysight giveaway and every day there are 4 scopes being given away.

[Specmaster]

RPNers are people of very few words 

Yes

Or maybe no...... as bd showed... accidently when his example used exactly the same number of keystrokes