Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[tggzzz]

I was looking at the Tek scopes on eBay just now, and accidentally bought an HP 53310 with Option 31 (2.5GHz) instead 

I could not pass up it up.  https://www.ebay.com/itm/Agilent-HP-53310A-Modulation-Domain-Analyzer-10Hz-2-5GHz-Opt-031/183650891045?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Very cool. Why would they call it a modulation analyzer instead of just calling it an oscilloscope?

Oscilloscopes display voltage vs time.
Spectrum analysers display voltage vs frequency.
MDAs display frequency vs time.

[bd139]

Oscilloscopes display voltage vs time.

* After many tantalum capacitors have been replaced 

[beanflying]

Oscilloscopes display voltage vs time.

* After many tantalum capacitors have been replaced 

I will need to get my Tant on when my 453 gets here in a few days. Should I search and destroy prior to start up or take a chance? 

[bd139]

453 should be ok. Main problem with them is the main filter caps. Those are complete dicks to get at. Also when you get it, take the fan out. Behind it are two big ass wirewound resistors. Check they aren't burned. You can usually do the latter with the nose without taking anything to bits.

I really really like the 453. Proper scope!

[med6753]

There's a bunch of 453's for sale on NYC metro Craigslist and have been out there for quite a while with no takers. And I'm not really interested because currently I have my hands full trying keep my collection in check and functional. Besides, "only 50Mhz".  I've been spoiled by the sirens of 100Mhz and above. 

[beanflying]

There's a bunch of 453's for sale on NYC metro Craigslist and have been out there for quite a while with no takers. And I'm not really interested because currently I have my hands full trying keep my current collection in check and functional. Besides, "only 50Mhz".  I've been spoiled by the sirens of 100Mhz and above. 

I have a fairly decent Micsig 100Mhz 4 channel already so it's an extra with a plan. With the Tek cart and freight was about $90 USD equivalent. I am considering dropping my component tester project into the lid and hinging it as a unit. The small screen is a bit of a hard sell I guess depending on the use for the Craigslist ones?

Also sitting on a working 20Mhz Parameters/Hung Chang I will move along if it works ok.

[bd139]

50MHz is fine for most people. I haven't even cracked my DS1054Z yet.

The 453 has some excellent things about it which people tend not to know about. I'll try and detail them here:

1. They are fully discrete. There are no ICs in the unit at all! Bar the transformer and tube going, it's 100% possible to make these last forever with component subs.
2. All the test points and boards are completely accessible.
3. Was designed to be taken to bits. There are two knobs, one on each side. Undo them and the case just comes off.
4. The service manual is exceptionally good, even for Tektronix.
5. The thing is built like an Apollo spacecraft. Chassis is cast aluminium
6. This:

[beanflying]

The story behind why it came into existence and some of the design decisions was interesting too.

https://youtu.be/SESxlqvbzig

[bd139]

Damn I want one again now 

I think it'd be perfect having this on the bench:

1. 1967 Tektronix 453 (pre-20000 SN with nuvistors)
2. 1967 HP 6284A power supply (got!)
3. Suitable VTVM / FET VM of the era. HP 427A ?
4. Suitable HP nixie based counter counter

[med6753]

When I joined IBM in 1973 there were still a whole bunch of 453's in use in the mfg plant as well as the field offices. When the 475 came out that's when they got purged.

[beanflying]

I brought some side panels and possibly feet for my 419A or 735A. Also a couple of Knobs for kicks to add to the stash. What to do with the 427A keeping all the bits apart is now the question 

[med6753]

Damn I want one again now 

I think it'd be perfect having this on the bench:

1. 1967 Tektronix 453 (pre-20000 SN with nuvistors)
2. 1967 HP 6284A power supply (got!)
3. Suitable VTVM / FET VM of the era. HP 427A ?
4. Suitable HP nixie based counter counter

Well, you mentioned that you might be coming to NYC soon. You can pick one up here and play IBM Customer Engineer and stuff it under the plane seat on the flight back to London. 

[med6753]

Here you go. It's in Brooklyn. Land at JFK in Queens. Take a cab or perhaps subway might link there. Bonus, it's even a former IBM owned unit. But can't see S/N so don't know if it's an early unit with nuvistors or not.

[tggzzz]

Damn I want one again now 

I think it'd be perfect having this on the bench:

1. 1967 Tektronix 453 (pre-20000 SN with nuvistors)
2. 1967 HP 6284A power supply (got!)
3. Suitable VTVM / FET VM of the era. HP 427A ?
4. Suitable HP nixie based counter counter

And if you ever do manage to move back to Fenland, those will fit right in there. The Forest of Dean has a similar feeling of being several decades behind the rest of the UK.

Me biassed? Nah. Well, not unfairly biassed.

[bd139]

Here you go. It's in Brooklyn. Land at JFK in Queens. Take a cab or perhaps subway might link there. Bonus, it's even a former IBM owned unit. But can't see S/N so don't know if it's an early unit with nuvistors or not.

Just checked. Transatlantic carry on for both airlines I am considering is now less space and mass than a Tek 453 

I brought some side panels and possibly feet for my 419A or 735A. Also a couple of Knobs for kicks to add to the stash. What to do with the 427A keeping all the bits apart is now the question 

Sell it to me! 

And if you ever do manage to move back to Fenland, those will fit right in there. The Forest of Dean has a similar feeling of being several decades behind the rest of the UK.

Me biassed? Nah. Well, not unfairly biassed.

Given up on that idea. Going to move to Surrey. Just full of racists instead but they're all nearly dead 

[beanflying]

Here you go. It's in Brooklyn. Land at JFK in Queens. Take a cab or perhaps subway might link there. Bonus, it's even a former IBM owned unit. But can't see S/N so don't know if it's an early unit with nuvistors or not.

Just checked. Transatlantic carry on for both airlines I am considering is now less space and mass than a Tek 453 

I brought some side panels and possibly feet for my 419A or 735A. Also a couple of Knobs for kicks to add to the stash. What to do with the 427A keeping all the bits apart is now the question 

Sell it to me! 

And if you ever do manage to move back to Fenland, those will fit right in there. The Forest of Dean has a similar feeling of being several decades behind the rest of the UK.

Me biassed? Nah. Well, not unfairly biassed.

Given up on that idea. Going to move to Surrey. Just full of racists instead but they're all nearly dead 

Can do but you will NEED to buy a 3D printer to make the new knobs and feet 

[mnementh]

https://shop.evilmadscientist.com/productsmenu/tinykitlist/652#   Did somebody say 555 Timer Upgrade ? 

mnem
Off. Slightly.

Is that thing a real, functioning 555? That would make a fun thing to have on your desk. [edit] dammit, it is...I gotta have one now... 

  But of course and even featured in Video 555 

Ain't I a stinker?!? 

...The second purchase was, I knew, beat up but yikes...

   I spent a pleasant hour dis-assembling the battered unit and extracting parts. There are a lot of small ceramic trimmers, inductors, and other random goodies, like the display board, to salvage. And it looks like I will get one good TG501 out of the two of them, so the busted up one was worth the fifty bucks it cost me, methinks.

Saving murdered test gear for posterity; now THAT is what TEA is ALL about!  Carry on!!! 

@med, you need to talk to this guy about finding you a 465 "parts unit" so you can fix yours with a clear conscience!

And if you ever do manage to move back to Fenland, those will fit right in there. The Forest of Dean has a similar feeling of being several decades behind the rest of the UK.

Me biassed? Nah. Well, not unfairly biassed.

I see what you did there!   

I’d have that 454 if you were in the U.K.  rebuilding the HT on them looks like fun.

Damn I want one again now 

I think it'd be perfect having this on the bench:

1. 1967 Tektronix 453 (pre-20000 SN with nuvistors)
2. 1967 HP 6284A power supply (got!)
3. Suitable VTVM / FET VM of the era. HP 427A ?
4. Suitable HP nixie based counter counter

Well, you mentioned that you might be coming to NYC soon. You can pick one up here and play IBM Customer Engineer and stuff it under the plane seat on the flight back to London. 

You know I have that WORKING 454 that still needs a good home. I can ship it to med... I know one of you will have mercy on the poor thing... 

mnem
*Hoeing out the cupboards*

[tggzzz]

And if you ever do manage to move back to Fenland, those will fit right in there. The Forest of Dean has a similar feeling of being several decades behind the rest of the UK.

Me biassed? Nah. Well, not unfairly biassed.

Given up on that idea. Going to move to Surrey. Just full of racists instead but they're all nearly dead 

OK, let me know when you do move to Surrey, so that I can come up and take all the TE that you no longer have room to store.

I was dragged up in Epsom, and the house I grew up in sold for >£1e6 (probably 15 years ago ) You'll find they are all nice polite racists.

[bd139]

I'm intending moving somewhere so there's more room for test equipment! 

Was thinking more the Farnham end of Surrey. Can just about afford something where the neighbours are at least 100 feet away. I have to compromise that and decent broadband!

[tggzzz]

I'm intending moving somewhere so there's more room for test equipment! 

Was thinking more the Farnham end of Surrey. Can just about afford something where the neighbours are at least 100 feet away. I have to compromise that and decent broadband!

Farnham and SE to Guildford/Godalming are nice areas - lots of trees you could use either as antenna supports or antennas (just ram a coax socket under the bark).

N of Farnham is less nice, and the racists tend to come in packs, with hobnailed boots and rifles.

[bd139]

Yes definitely not living the squaddie side. Aldershot is horrid. Was thinking rural borders of the area to the west or south-west. Possibly towards Winchester.

[bd139]

Some HP meter love. I now own this 



HPJ article on the item: https://www.hpl.hp.com/hpjournal/pdfs/IssuePDFs/1966-01.pdf

Need matching 427A now.

[grizewald]

Very nice!

I can understand why collecting HP kit from that time can become quite addictive.

I noticed something odd about the 6209B I bought. All the others I have seen have seen have "Hewlett Packard 0 - 320V 0 - .1A" underneath the name of the supply on the front panel. Mine has nothing other than the name of the supply. Looking closer, the serial number tag does not have the standard format described in the manual. This may be because (according to the serial number tag) my unit was made in (West) Germany.

[bd139]

That's very possible. There are some difference between the Euro made ones and American ones. The neon and switch arrangement is sometimes different as well. On my 6236B which is made in Germany there is no neon for example!

[Specmaster]

Some HP meter love. I now own this 



HPJ article on the item: https://www.hpl.hp.com/hpjournal/pdfs/IssuePDFs/1966-01.pdf

Need matching 427A now.

Nice meter, Gumtree has a Airmec 714 vtvm in South Wales that seems in good nick.