Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[0culus]

Ended up pulling the trigger on a 13" lenovo "thinkpad", to use as a dedicated machine for running GPIB instruments and stuff. First job? Completely fresh Windoze install, to remove any and all crapware. At least, unless there's some "extra features" at the hardware level.   

Which one did you get? And which 'windoze'?

L380 and Win10 Pro. First thing I did was boot from the usb the pro license came with and obliterate the existing install. 

Wouldn't one of the Linux distros have been a better choice?   

I have some windoze only (or better supported on windoze) things I want to run. I have Linux VMs on the mac I use as a main computer. I got a deal on a license of VMware fusion pro. Tried running windoze in a VM and it ran like dogshit.

[mnementh]

There's a reason I still have an old CF-29 Toughbook under the bench. XP stable like the rock of Gibraltar, serial and parallel built-in, backlit keyboard and touchscreen. Yeah, the screen's a little dim and yellow... but If I can't fix whatever I'm connecting to with it, I can beat the damned thing to death with it. 

mnem
*toddles off to ded*

[Specmaster]

You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.

Hotel California, The Eagles, in case you don't get the reference.

I hate this ride. Lust after a nice piece of gear and finally hunt down a good deal and buy it. Be happy for a week or two. Enthusiastically read up on the subject matter. Find out there's more to be had. Slowly come to the realisation your prize isn't all that and there's bigger fish. Lust after a nice piece of gear..

Yep, it's a kind of drug to us, like smoking only less harmful to your health but more so to your pocket. [emoji1787][emoji1787]

Sent from my POT-LX1 using Tapatalk

[Specmaster]

Okaaaay... no, there isn't something jamming up under the MB or effed up in the case... my new MB is just warped AF. 

This is completely normal.  Typically the CPU cooler mounts+screws+force are the primary source of this distortion.  Most motherboards out there are like this, just in varying amounts.  Some have better rear-metal brackets to counteract it, others (like a pentium D rig I have under my bed) look like a banana.

I've built around 15 rigs now and I've never come across anything like it before.

Sent from my POT-LX1 using Tapatalk

[0culus]

There's a reason I still have an old CF-29 Toughbook under the bench. XP stable like the rock of Gibraltar, serial and parallel built-in, backlit keyboard and touchscreen. Yeah, the screen's a little dim and yellow... but If I can't fix whatever I'm connecting to with it, I can beat the damned thing to death with it. 

mnem
*toddles off to ded*

They sure don't make stuff like they used to....for me the sweet spot with Windows was 7 Pro. Ran that for years on my now-dead gaming rig, till new games demanding new directX versions appeared.

I wish Thinkpads were actually as nice as they were when IBM owned the line.  This one is pretty much ok, but it's a shadow of the old ones.

[bitseeker]

ThinkPads are great little machines. Although they're pretty durable and their keyboards feel great, I wish IBM hadn't borked the keyboard layout. Putting the Fn key where Ctrl should be? Adding a Windows key, yet leaving out the companion context menu key? On recent ThinkPads, the function keys default to media/etc. functionality like a Mac. (Although Microsoft kind of started that with their desktop keyboards. F Lock! )

Yes, I have several ThinkPads and Microsoft Natural keyboards (MS put the 6 key on the wrong side! ). Alas, everything sucks, just in different ways. Thus, you have to settle for those things that irritate you the least.

(I believe this may be the most I've ever used in a single post.)

[med6753]

It's been calling to me ever since I brought it home 2 weeks ago. Like the Sirens in the Odyssey called to Odysseus. Beckoning him to follow and possibly dash his ship on the rocks. I have resisted their calling. Until now. I am weak. 

 

This damn thing. The 485. You know I can't resist a good Tek.  So later today I'm going to rip into it. Try to find out why no power. I fear the worst. Would be nice if it's something simple. But that tends not to be with these old guys. They will fight you tooth and nail and leave you bloody. Not sure if I'm up for the fight. But I will try. If you don't hear from me you know what happen. The Sirens shipwrecked me. 

[mindcrime]

They will fight you tooth and nail and leave you bloody. Not sure if I'm up for the fight. But I will try. If you don't hear from me you know what happen. The Sirens shipwrecked me. 

I will listen to this song in your honor.

https://youtu.be/V8MlyHcFymA

[tggzzz]

You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.

Hotel California, The Eagles, in case you don't get the reference.

I hate this ride. Lust after a nice piece of gear and finally hunt down a good deal and buy it. Be happy for a week or two. Enthusiastically read up on the subject matter. Find out there's more to be had. Slowly come to the realisation your prize isn't all that and there's bigger fish. Lust after a nice piece of gear..

Yep, it's a kind of drug to us, like smoking only less harmful to your health but more so to your pocket. [emoji1787][emoji1787]

... until the boat anchor ricks your back or falls on your toes. Toetectors are A Good Thing; shame there isn't the equivalent for your spine.

[tggzzz]

This damn thing. The 485. You know I can't resist a good Tek.  So later today I'm going to rip into it. Try to find out why no power. I fear the worst. Would be nice if it's something simple. But that tends not to be with these old guys. They will fight you tooth and nail and leave you bloody. Not sure if I'm up for the fight. But I will try. If you don't hear from me you know what happen.

My Tek 485 took 1 minute or so to get going. Turn it off and on, and it would start instantly. Wait 3 hours and it took 30s. Wait 12 hours and it took a minute.

Eventually traced the fault to an electrolytic in the SMPS startup circuit, probably c1841 or c1848. Working out things like that is far more satisfying than crosswords or soduku.

[Specmaster]

You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.

Hotel California, The Eagles, in case you don't get the reference.

I hate this ride. Lust after a nice piece of gear and finally hunt down a good deal and buy it. Be happy for a week or two. Enthusiastically read up on the subject matter. Find out there's more to be had. Slowly come to the realisation your prize isn't all that and there's bigger fish. Lust after a nice piece of gear..

Yep, it's a kind of drug to us, like smoking only less harmful to your health but more so to your pocket. [emoji1787][emoji1787]

... until the boat anchor ricks your back or falls on your toes. Toetectors are A Good Thing; shame there isn't the equivalent for your spine.

In my case, that's not a problem, I just don't go for boat anchors, no space for them   

[tggzzz]

You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.

Hotel California, The Eagles, in case you don't get the reference.

I hate this ride. Lust after a nice piece of gear and finally hunt down a good deal and buy it. Be happy for a week or two. Enthusiastically read up on the subject matter. Find out there's more to be had. Slowly come to the realisation your prize isn't all that and there's bigger fish. Lust after a nice piece of gear..

Yep, it's a kind of drug to us, like smoking only less harmful to your health but more so to your pocket. [emoji1787][emoji1787]

... until the boat anchor ricks your back or falls on your toes. Toetectors are A Good Thing; shame there isn't the equivalent for your spine.

In my case, that's not a problem, I just don't go for boat anchors, no space for them   

I only buy anchors that are unavoidable (e.g. 7 decade KVDs) or small (e.g. spectrum analysers). Tek 5xx or 7000 series: not a chance!

[bd139]

Damn unobtainium capacitors are causing me grief today. Got a weird ass 4 pin Mullard thing in this PM3217 that needs replacing. Decided to proceed with refurbing it anyway... thus:



£14 for 50 off. Tempted to sell them over this side of the pond 

[Specmaster]

Damn unobtainium capacitors are causing me grief today. Got a weird ass 4 pin Mullard thing in this PM3217 that needs replacing. Decided to proceed with refurbing it anyway... thus:



£14 for 50 off. Tempted to sell them over this side of the pond 

Is that C203 in the power supply? if so I think the other pins are just anchorage points aren't they?

[VK5RC]

FT-991 now has 100W output. 

I'll just go through some minor adjustments from the service manual and call the customer.

Another job well done LOL. 



That's the bullshit level emoticon but I needed a pegged meter!

That is a pretty new rig to have fried it's finals, i might have missed an earlier post - any idea why? I would have thought those were moderately idiot proof. ie swr monitoring and fold back.
Rob

[bd139]

Damn unobtainium capacitors are causing me grief today. Got a weird ass 4 pin Mullard thing in this PM3217 that needs replacing. Decided to proceed with refurbing it anyway... thus:



£14 for 50 off. Tempted to sell them over this side of the pond 

Is that C203 in the power supply? if so I think the other pins are just anchorage points aren't they?

Yeah they are just anchorage. I’m doing the board by hand as I’m too impatient to wait 15-20 days for this as the caps are all arriving on Tuesday.

[xrunner]

That is a pretty new rig to have fried it's finals, i might have missed an earlier post - any idea why? I would have thought those were moderately idiot proof. ie swr monitoring and fold back.
Rob

Not operator error. The idle current for the PA transistors was set too high at the factory on a batch of them. It's a known issue with the first FT-991's.

Here's some info if you are further interested -

http://blogzs1jen.dyndns.org:83/yaesu-ft-991-final-stage-idling-current/

His radio had been damaged for several years (only the HF Xmit). He didn't want to send it to Yaesu for repair - I don't know why.  Somebody told him I could repair it so he asked me to do it. After I verified it was the idle current issue I agreed to do it.

Fortunately it seems to be the only problem and is working like new now. He'll come and get it tomorrow. 

[bd139]

Yeah it's not a great thing that. Also the mounting on my FT950 was a little suspicious. The tabs were bent down. They're supposed to be flat on RF transistors. I wonder if that contributes to the thermal demise via stress.


Pikey capacitor adapter done. Kicad -> print on paper -> glue on PCB -> cut out -> mark holes with punch -> clean -> etch resist pen -> bake with heat gun -> etch resist pen -> bake with heat gun -> etch -> clean -> drill holes -> clean again -> solder on wires. I haven't put the actual capacitor on it yet as that doesn't arrive until Tuesday but the thing looks respectable so far I think. Copper wire was from some 450 ohm ladder line

Need to get some tinning crystals at some point. These boards look less horrible when you tin them 



A lot for a single capacitor? Probably!

[med6753]

Damn unobtainium capacitors are causing me grief today. Got a weird ass 4 pin Mullard thing in this PM3217 that needs replacing. Decided to proceed with refurbing it anyway... thus:



£14 for 50 off. Tempted to sell them over this side of the pond 

Is that C203 in the power supply? if so I think the other pins are just anchorage points aren't they?

Yeah they are just anchorage. I’m doing the board by hand as I’m too impatient to wait 15-20 days for this as the caps are all arriving on Tuesday.

Hold it. Back up the bus.    Am I sensing some hypocrisy here??  I was advised NOT to recap the PSU on the 465B unless I obtained these:



I even had the peanut gallery (mnem) join the fray and dumbassery remarks were exchanged. So I was persuaded (shamed) into obtaining these spacers.

So........wut's the deal???   

[bd139]

No hypocrisy; I just MADE one of them 

Philips power supply for reference. Rather nice bit of kit. Literally everything on the board is made by Philips !



Edit: not once did I have to take the timebase out to get at the caps 

[med6753]

No hypocrisy; I just MADE one of them 

Philips power supply for reference. Rather nice bit of kit. Literally everything on the board is made by Philips !



Edit: not once did I have to take the timebase out to get at the caps 

You are forgiven.  Carry on. 

But mnem....I'm not so sure. 

[tggzzz]

Pikey capacitor adapter done. Kicad -> print on paper -> glue on PCB -> cut out -> mark holes with punch -> clean -> etch resist pen -> bake with heat gun -> etch resist pen -> bake with heat gun -> etch -> clean -> drill holes -> clean again -> solder on wires. I haven't put the actual capacitor on it yet as that doesn't arrive until Tuesday but the thing looks respectable so far I think.

A lot for a single capacitor? Probably!

Positively heroic

I'd have taken the PCB and used a dremel with a spherical dental burr bit to simply cut the gaps. That would have been faster than cutting out the circular shape and drilling the holes.

But then I'm lazy.

[BU508A]

There is no end of this road, is it?      

You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.

Hotel California, The Eagles, in case you don't get the reference.

Yes, I know this, since I do really like the music from this aera.
And, usually, I'm holding this against to some of my friends.

And now what comes is all your fault, you gave me the idea for a TEA hymn!
And I'm sorry for the crude english, it is not really my mother tounge
but I tried and did the best I could do.
Any improvements, corrections, whatever are very welcome!  

Music:  Eagles - Hotel California
Lyrics: Eagles

Adapted lyrics: BU508A / Mounty

Welcome to the T E A forum

<chorus>
Welcome to the T E A forum
Such a lovely place (such a lovely place)
Such a lovely space
Plenty of gear at the T E A forum
Any time of year (any time of year) you can find it here
</chorus>

1. verse

On a small messy workbench, lots of blinkin' gear
Warm smell of hot soldar, rising up in the air
Up ahead on the ebay, used stuff show up oh dear
I get excited what it could be
I need another test(ing) gear

There it was can't looking away
I heard the alarming bell
And I was thinking to myself
This could be heaven or this could be Hell
Then I clicked on the offer and it was on it's way
There were voices in the loudspeakers
I thought I heard them say

<CHORUS>

2. verse

The item arrived the other day, it got it's handles bent
Otherwise it was in a good shape, I will show it to a friend
I will go for some advice, sweet fixing sweat
Some repair to remember, lots of curse, no regret

So I wrote to the TEA group
"Look! This is all mine!"
They wrote, 'we haven't seen this gear here since twothousand-nine'
And still those voices are calling from far away
Wake you up in the middle of the night
Just to hear them say

<chorus>
Welcome to the T E A forum
Such a lovely place (such a lovely place)
Such a lovely space
They livin' it up in the T E A forum
Lots of instruments (lots of instruments), want adjustments
</chorus)

3. verse

Scopes in the cupboard
Next to voltmeters, likewise
And they wrote, 'we are all just gadgeteers here, of our own device'
And in the TEA forum
They collecting all the gear
Fixing all of them which is imprecise
With their habit of an engineer

Last thing I remember, I was
Power off the store
I had to find the exit back to the life I lived before
'Relax' wrote the TEA group
We are programmed to conceive
You can check out any time you like,
But you can't never leave!'

<lots of electric guitar playing and clicking relays>

Edit: typos

[xrunner]

Great job!

[Neomys Sapiens]

There's a reason I still have an old CF-29 Toughbook under the bench. XP stable like the rock of Gibraltar, serial and parallel built-in, backlit keyboard and touchscreen. Yeah, the screen's a little dim and yellow... but If I can't fix whatever I'm connecting to with it, I can beat the damned thing to death with it. 

mnem
*toddles off to ded*

They sure don't make stuff like they used to....for me the sweet spot with Windows was 7 Pro. Ran that for years on my now-dead gaming rig, till new games demanding new directX versions appeared.

I wish Thinkpads were actually as nice as they were when IBM owned the line.  This one is pretty much ok, but it's a shadow of the old ones.

Huh. I had expected something along MNEMs outline. My T30 is running in that role, also under XP.
With the added feature of two PCMCIA slots, so that I, should the need arise, could even have double IEEE connectivity. And also, non-USB serial!