Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[beanflying]

Sample on the printer. Few more parts than might seem needed but it makes the printing much more simple without needing supports.

[Specmaster]

Also it appears that the thick film resistors can actually come off the substrate as well. Had one like that and no sign of burning or overload. Was just bubbly inside the attenuator module.

Edit: appears that Herpes are delivering my TF2015 signal generator today 

I just saw the driver drop kick it at North Weald [emoji16] it's a glorious day here in the sun[emoji106].

My filters will be delivered before 1400 on Tuesday, can't wait to fire them up again. Think I'll pull the trigger on some very bright LEDs for the back lights and they should be good.

Sent from my POT-LX1 using Tapatalk

[bd139]

Hahaha doesn’t surprise me. Always sign as “not checked” 

Sample on the printer. Few more parts than might seem needed but it makes the printing much more simple without needing supports.

That’s a mighty fine looking buggery stick 

[beanflying]

Hahaha doesn’t surprise me. Always sign as “not checked” 

Sample on the printer. Few more parts than might seem needed but it makes the printing much more simple without needing supports.

That’s a mighty fine looking buggery stick 

Teamed with a MOT other inappropriate HV Transformer and call it Hermes Temporal Lobe Adjuster 

[bd139]

I’ll take three please! 

[nixiefreqq]

That's a lot of damn caps... a few were leaking, most check okay, a few a bit week.  This is the Boeschert power supply out of my second 53310a, caps on order.

You can see where the caps were leaking, but the board cleaned up nicely (not in this pic).

did it do the usual tick-tick-tick-tick-tick?

[Specmaster]

Hahaha doesn’t surprise me. Always sign as “not checked” 

Sample on the printer. Few more parts than might seem needed but it makes the printing much more simple without needing supports.

That’s a mighty fine looking buggery stick 

Teamed with a MOT other inappropriate HV Transformer and call it Hermes Temporal Lobe Adjuster 

My hermes driver is a nice lady and doesn't need rearranging thanks, but bd139 might need one[emoji6]

Sent from my POT-LX1 using Tapatalk

[beanflying]

Hahaha doesn’t surprise me. Always sign as “not checked” 

Sample on the printer. Few more parts than might seem needed but it makes the printing much more simple without needing supports.

That’s a mighty fine looking buggery stick 

Teamed with a MOT other inappropriate HV Transformer and call it Hermes Temporal Lobe Adjuster 

My hermes driver is a nice lady and doesn't need rearranging thanks, but bd139 might need one[emoji6]

Sent from my POT-LX1 using Tapatalk

I could redesign you a custom version

[bd139]

Hermes didn’t destroy the signal generator and it appears to work fine including the attenuator.  Had to jump off it though as I’m cooking a roast dinner and have relatives over. Boo hiss.

[Specmaster]

Hermes didn’t destroy the signal generator and it appears to work fine including the attenuator.  Had to jump off it though as I’m cooking a roast dinner and have relatives over. Boo hiss.

That's good news, the sig gen, not the relatives [emoji849]

Sent from my POT-LX1 using Tapatalk

[bd139]

I’m making them as unwelcome as possible so they’ll be gone soon 

[Specmaster]

I’m making them as unwelcome as possible so they’ll be gone soon 

So on the face of it, you'd recommend a Marconi Sig Gen would you? IIRC that one covers all the normal broadcast frequencies and does both AM and FM modulation.

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[med6753]

I’m making them as unwelcome as possible so they’ll be gone soon 

You're not a very good host are you? 

Psst...neither am I. 

[med6753]

Finally got the 4x attenuator for the 465B with the rebuilt channel 2 switch deck and the results have been disappointing to say the least. It did fix one or two sections but I still have other sections that have inconsistent DC continuity. After more careful examination and resistance checks I have finally tracked down the cause. I have 2 leaf switches that have lost their spring tension. In fact one of them shifts side to side due to it coming loose from it's rivet. These leaf switches are extremely delicate and all the activity from me rebuilding it plus who knows what the prior gorilla did probably contributed to this. Attempts to carefully bend the leafs to make better contact do nothing but make it worse. And even if I am successful at bending them it's probably going to screw up the high frequency characteristics. So this attenuator switch deck is junk. It's done. Toast. 

So....here's my plea. Guys in US/Canada. If you spot a 465B junker let me know. If it's on a local Craigslist or similar and they won't ship I'll pay you to get it. Across the pond in UK/EU. Again if you spot a 465B junker I'll pay. You can keep the carcass just send me one, or preferably both, of the attenuator switch decks.

Remember, it HAS to be a 465B. A 465 no suffix is not the same. Thanks everyone.   

[Specmaster]

I’m making them as unwelcome as possible so they’ll be gone soon 

You're not a very good host are you? 

Psst...neither am I. 

Well now I'm sure that's not quite true, it depends who it is that your hosting to 

[med6753]

I’m making them as unwelcome as possible so they’ll be gone soon 

You're not a very good host are you? 

Psst...neither am I. 

Well now I'm sure that's not quite true, it depends who it is that your hosting to 

Guilty as charged. You saw right through that, didn't you? 

[Brumby]

Finally got the 4x attenuator for the 465B ....

About flippin' time.  I was getting grey waiting for it to turn up!!

It's had us poor vicarious types on edge for months...

[Neomys Sapiens]

And happy (b)easter to you all!

[bd139]

Right, finally got some play time now the infernal bastards have fucked off 

Well full checkout, FM and AM modulation works fine. All ranges work fine. Attenuator seems ok although I haven't done any scientific tests yet. ALC is however good. The oscillators drift around a bit but this appears to have settled down after about 30 minutes powered up.

Don't turn it on, take it apart. Bum shot. Quite a complicated beast. All caps were good and the mains filter is not a mains filter - it's just an IEC socket. That saved a few quid. The entire device takes ~10W. Lots and lots of top quality parts in here:



RF "cabin" is separate at the top. Proper chunk of cast metal with RF seals around it and all exiting signals via hard line to the attenuator. All low frequency signals on pass-through caps. ALC /modulation board:



Main oscillators are a bunch of varactor controlled oscillators on a sub-board which hinges out. These are switched in by the front panel switch via some bog standard 1n5711's.



Outside:



Quick board detail - nice quality:



To note the dial calibration is total balls. It's useless. So far out it's unreal. I'm not sure if I'll have to re-string it or anything yet but the basic controls and a counter rammed in the counter port on the back are probably better.

Very happy.

@Specmaster asked a question: would I recommend this for broadcast radios. The answer is a resounding NO because it only covers 10-520MHz. I want this to test filters in the 130-180MHz range.  The TF2016 is what you want for that - 10KHz to 120MHz.

This does have a sweep input which 0-18V (from my soon to arrive 3310A) can sweep it across a full range. That will result in filter sweeps on a scope with my W7ZOI power meter 

[Mr. Scram]

Sample on the printer. Few more parts than might seem needed but it makes the printing much more simple without needing supports.

It looks like you may be able to simplify things a bit without needing additional supports.

[Specmaster]

@bd139 Thanks, yes you're right it is the TF2016 that I require, TBH I thought this was a 2016, but its the 2015 but I'd expect that they are almost identical inside and I'd only expect Marconi to use top quality parts as they are essentially a Military and Broadcast (TV and Radio) focused company. I used to be the maintenance electrical engineer at a company who used to make and fit all the cabinetry into their TV outside broadcast vehicles and they were rammed solid with gear and cost £millions for the BBC and other companies and also the same for the Military.

So I'll have to add a Marconi TF2016 into my search string now as well 

EDIT:
Just pulled the trigger on 100 of 5mm ultra bright white LEDs for the 7150 LCD displays so I'll have plenty of spares 

[worsthorse]

Finally got the 4x attenuator for the 465B with the rebuilt channel 2 switch deck and the results have been disappointing to say the least. It did fix one or two sections but I still have other sections that have inconsistent DC continuity. After more careful examination and resistance checks I have finally tracked down the cause. I have 2 leaf switches that have lost their spring tension. In fact one of them shifts side to side due to it coming loose from it's rivet. These leaf switches are extremely delicate and all the activity from me rebuilding it plus who knows what the prior gorilla did probably contributed to this. Attempts to carefully bend the leafs to make better contact do nothing but make it worse. And even if I am successful at bending them it's probably going to screw up the high frequency characteristics. So this attenuator switch deck is junk. It's done. Toast. 

So....here's my plea. Guys in US/Canada. If you spot a 465B junker let me know. If it's on a local Craigslist or similar and they won't ship I'll pay you to get it. Across the pond in UK/EU. Again if you spot a 465B junker I'll pay. You can keep the carcass just send me one, or preferably both, of the attenuator switch decks.

Remember, it HAS to be a 465B. A 465 no suffix is not the same. Thanks everyone.   

Oh man, that's a drag. 

I will keep an eye out for you. There are two 465s on CL in my neighborhood right now, but no BEEs. 

BTW, the package you sent me is finally on the west coast, though not quite in Portland. It apparently spent nine days in NJ after four in MA. You seem to be postally cursed. Who did you piss off in the USPS?   

[bitseeker]

I've been investing so much time sorting, researching, stacking, and inventorying stuff that I haven't been spending any time at my bench actually building or fixing anything and it was making me sort of, well,  crabby.  So I nixed the planned evening's project, went down to the garage and the first thing that came to hand was this:

A very nice specimen. I've contemplated getting one of these, but don't have a use for one (yet). Added to POI.

Well full checkout, FM and AM modulation works fine. All ranges work fine. Attenuator seems ok although I haven't done any scientific tests yet. ALC is however good. The oscillators drift around a bit but this appears to have settled down after about 30 minutes powered up.

Also added!

Pretty soon, I think I'm going to have to break down the TE section of the POI into categories.

[bitseeker]

Open HV Probe - empty shell for 3D printing with room for commercially available 990 MOhm 40+kV resistor stack. (Ohmite $22 USD for 500, 400, 90) or whatever other guts people might want to fit.

Rough model over a Beer. 350mm total length so it is sort of a clone of other commercial products out there. Will be made in screw together sections with an M5 tip holder.

Thoughts welcome, time for a second Beer 

Looks good. Just like the real thing, especially if you print it in those colors.

Sample on the printer. Few more parts than might seem needed but it makes the printing much more simple without needing supports.

When you're happy with it, I'll link the post to the final version in the POI.

[bitseeker]

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Fraser is making some space. Check out the overview to his upcoming TEAStravaganza sale: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/buysellwanted/frasers-equipment-disposal-begins/