Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[PA0PBZ]

HELLPP MEEEE 

I think you need a decent power supply.

You're welcome!

[Specmaster]

If Ebay shuts soon WTF will we all use then to source our TEA fixes???

Could always do it the old way and go out to the crossroads and pray to the moon in the middle of the night?  Worked for Robert Johnson, or so I'm told. Just please excuse the smell of sulfur and brimstone, old scratch just can't quite get it out of his clothes.

Nah, I doubt that would be any use at all, first, I can't sing, second I don't play any musical instruments and thirdly I don't fancy meeting the red devil at the end, which I presume would be in the form a road train doing 60mph full in the face 

[neo]

-snip-
Nah, I doubt that would be any use at all, first, I can't sing, second I don't play any musical instruments and thirdly I don't fancy meeting the red devil at the end, which I presume would be in the form a road train doing 60mph full in the face 

You know old scratch cuts all kinds of deals? They don't HAVE to be musical, unless you want them to be. Though I see your point about not wanting to meet up with him just yet.

[0culus]

I dug out an ADF PLL synthesizer board I have that can generate some respectable edges at lower frequencies, in order to see how the 7104 performs. It doesn't disappoint. I didn't quite get everything aligned before the photo, but that's less important for a demo. 

Caution: with many Tek scopes changing the vertical sensitivity away from the cal position reduces the bandwidth and increases the risetime.

Yes, I'm aware of that. No way around it for this particular source though as it basically has fixed output. With my (much slower) type 114, I can adjust the amplitude with it's own vernier.

[med6753]

Presumably Craigslist and Gumtree...

I'm wondering if this is a recognised medical condition, so I can get a doctors note and ring in sick...

I recently decided to get back into electronics in a serious way after, oh *some* time doing other things.

In the space of about 2 months, I've gone from a Micronta 22-195 (bought new in 1987 with much saved pocket money), a Mastech AC/DC clamp meter (ridiculously accurate DC clamp for the money) and Fluke T5-1000 (work tool), to maxed out PayPal credit due to the addition of Tek TDS420 (it was very cheap), Fluke 8840A (was cheap despite Dave Jones), Black Star 4503, Black Star Jupiter 2000, Fluke 8000A (love the incandescent lamp as a battery charge regulator), TTi 1906,and a random lowball ebay bid HP 3784A (probably will end up using that as a doorstop).

HELLPP MEEEE 

Welcome, but you will not get help here. Your addiction will be fostered and encouraged. We all need doctor's notes. 

Now how about some pix of your stuff so we can judge just how sick you are. 

[med6753]

Taking a break from that blasted 485 today. Need to regroup and think of other plans of attack and I have a few. I often do that when I have a tough nut to crack. Step away and do a review then dive back in. 

In the meantime I have another woodworking project that is TEA related. I hope to have it done later this afternoon at which time I'll reveal. The inspiration struck me just yesterday and decided to act on today. 

[mnementh]

"Windows cannot be installed on this drive. Why?" *KICKS YOU IN THE BALLS* "That's why..."

Windows has been kicking me in the balls all morning. Totally ready for something more sensible; like maybe Pokemon.   

mnem
At least Pokemon plays by its own fucking rules.

[PA0PBZ]

GPT partition?

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_install/hard-drive-on-pc-says-windows-cannot-be-installed/70be30e2-6c01-4271-ae57-2b60c10d506b

[mnementh]

Good guess, but no. I WISH it was giving me such an easily researchable error message. 

 Win10 on RAID0. I’ve installed once successfully, but now that I’ve found my original valid product key it’s being a dick. I’ve deleted and re-created the damned array a dozen times. I’ve RTFMed a dozen times, just like I did the time it worked. Either I’m looking right at the problem and not seeing it again (VERY probable) or Windoze wrote something to the MBR on drive 0 so it just goes  at me. Also very possible... 

Thinking maybe I should wipe the drives individually with Partition Manager; just something NOT Windoze.

mnem
*TOTALLY ready for that Testicuzzi thing right now...*

[Specmaster]

Good guess, but no. I WISH it was giving me such an easily researchable error message. 

 Win10 on RAID0. I’ve installed once successfully, but now that I’ve found my original valid product key it’s being a dick. I’ve deleted and re-created the damned array a dozen times. I’ve RTFMed a dozen times, just like I did the time it worked. Either I’m looking right at the problem and not seeing it again (VERY probable) or Windoze wrote something to the MBR on drive 0 so it just goes  at me. Also very possible... 

Thinking maybe I should wipe the drives individually with Partition Manager; just something NOT Windoze.

mnem
*TOTALLY ready for that Testicuzzi thing right now...*

Yep, I'd be inclined to completely wipe the drives clean using a third party application to do so and then try a fresh Windoze install again.

[AVGresponding]

I think you need a decent power supply.

Funny you should mention that...


@med6753

The 8840 is fresh from the calibrators (free, courtesy of one of my managers, proof not all office staff are jerks), the 4503 is using default calibration due to the NiMH memory battery pissing its electrolyte all over the pcb, the 8000 I just put a temporary NiCd battery in (it still had its original 1970s one, needless to say that wasn't very healthy) and when I get some new cells will put a permanent one in and tweak the pots.

I've yet to check the 1906 against the 8840; I've some rearranging of space-time to do to get everything parked and usable, and the calibration of the 'lesser' meters using the 8840 is a secondary priority.

The Tek scope and HP DTA are currently awaiting a space on my (large but cluttered) desk, though as I said, the HP might well end up as a doorstop as I've no known use for it.

As PA0PBZ suggests, a decent power supply or two is in order, the one I have is a One-Hung-Lo brand which for some reason keeps killing the LED v readout module, and I mean the actual LED 3-digit module, not the driver. Presumably just a case of cheap crappy LEDs, can't see how it could be the driver but meh...

A logic analyser might be useful, along with the PSUs.

Oh, and I almost forgot - I bought a UNI-T UT139C for use as a general mobile meter... I know I know, UNI-T are crap... but I had a 61 and liked it, and this is fine for the money, as it'll not be used on anything higher than about 24v, most likely.

[med6753]

When I originally built the scope cart it was specifically for the 7603N (Or a 465 as shown) and I had a total of 3 plug-ins and they were all in the 7603N.



Fast forward to now. I still have the 7603N plus the 7904 plus a grand total of 11 plug-ins. So taking a cue right out the the Tektronix play book I modified the cart to accommodate spare plug-ins. The lower part of the cart will still be for storage such as manuals. And the door will now just cover that portion. Unfortunately when I went to cut the door to the smaller size it's joinery gave way so I had to re-glue it. So I'll let it set overnight and install it tomorrow.

[0culus]

That looks really spiffy! 

[Specmaster]

@med, that looks a really good conversion, but how about another trip to the carpentry shop to repurpose the door into a drop down hinged side table extension that that could used if you needed to pop something adjacent to the scope for a quick test or something? 

[worsthorse]

I spent the morning replacing rotted boards on the poorly installed deck over our slowly collapsing garage, said deck and garage I'd love to tear down and rebuild but can't because the zoning rules have changed to make doing so a giant PITA. 

Where was I? Right, replacing rotted boards. 2x6" cedar to be exact. But not too exact because the finished size of the 2x6" cedar boards I can buy now is 0.25" bigger in each dimension and, of course, whoever built the deck originally jammed the decking together so they don't fit. 

Which meant the simple act of replacing three rotted boards turned into a long morning of removing a whole section of the deck and puzzling out a way to piece it back together to accommodate the wider boards without leaving a gap or using a 2x4 instead.  At which I was successful and managed to complete before SWMBO returned from her day's chores, freeing me to cuss, mutter, and rant to myself as I like to do during such tasks.

Now all I have to do is figure out how to dispose of 3 twelve foot chunks of semi-rotted 2x6s. After, of course, I remove all the screws that are still stuck in them.

Did I mention, 

[med6753]

@med, that looks a really good conversion, but how about another trip to the carpentry shop to repurpose the door into a drop down hinged side table extension that that could used if you needed to pop something adjacent to the scope for a quick test or something? 

What would be better is a drop down side table. Hmmm....I already have large hinges just for that purpose. 

I smell another potential modification. 

[med6753]

I spent the morning replacing rotted boards on the poorly installed deck over our slowly collapsing garage, said deck and garage I'd love to tear down and rebuild but can't because the zoning rules have changed to make doing so a giant PITA. 

Where was I? Right, replacing rotted boards. 2x6" cedar to be exact. But not too exact because the finished size of the 2x6" cedar boards I can buy now is 0.25" bigger in each dimension and, of course, whoever built the deck originally jammed the decking together so they don't fit. 

Which meant the simple act of replacing three rotted boards turned into a long morning of removing a whole section of the deck and puzzling out a way to piece it back together to accommodate the wider boards without leaving a gap or using a 2x4 instead.  At which I was successful and managed to complete before SWMBO returned from her day's chores, freeing me to cuss, mutter, and rant to myself as I like to do during such tasks.

Now all I have to do is figure out how to dispose of 3 twelve foot chunks of semi-rotted 2x6s. After, of course, I remove all the screws that are still stuck in them.

Did I mention, 

I suppose you could have ripped the new boards down to size but that would be a giant PITA. Especially if they are 12 footers. 

[0culus]

Even with a reasonably large table saw, that would suck. 

[worsthorse]

I spent the morning replacing rotted boards on the poorly installed deck over our slowly collapsing garage, said deck and garage I'd love to tear down and rebuild but can't because the zoning rules have changed to make doing so a giant PITA. 

Where was I? Right, replacing rotted boards. 2x6" cedar to be exact. But not too exact because the finished size of the 2x6" cedar boards I can buy now is 0.25" bigger in each dimension and, of course, whoever built the deck originally jammed the decking together so they don't fit. 

Which meant the simple act of replacing three rotted boards turned into a long morning of removing a whole section of the deck and puzzling out a way to piece it back together to accommodate the wider boards without leaving a gap or using a 2x4 instead.  At which I was successful and managed to complete before SWMBO returned from her day's chores, freeing me to cuss, mutter, and rant to myself as I like to do during such tasks.

Now all I have to do is figure out how to dispose of 3 twelve foot chunks of semi-rotted 2x6s. After, of course, I remove all the screws that are still stuck in them.

Did I mention, 

I suppose you could have ripped the new boards down to size but that would be a giant PITA. Especially if they are 12 footers. 

I considered that for thirty seconds and figured ripping roughly a quarter-inch off a 12' board, even with a good table saw would be really hard to do, at least for me. Plus I don't have a table saw and the neighbor I trade tools with (who does) is out of town.

The good news is, it is done, and it doesn't look bad, and a high priority hunay-do is checked off. Having broken down the old boards, cleaned up the debris and put away the tools, I can spend the rest of the afternoon doing stuff I find more appealing with a clear conscious. 

[VK5RC]

Re getting rid of stuff, with a lot of determination - 5yrs ago I got an entire tree (about 10m tall) into our 'green' waste bin over a few weeks, turns out they can handle timber up to 9 inches diameter and 4 foot long, and the bin can weigh 90kgs (love my mixed units!), some floorboards - easy!
Good to keep SWMBO happy.
PS I am tackling another recalcitrant HP Nixie counter - that doesn't. HP 5216A - got the ArkTek manual - slowly plugging through the issues. Fortunately mostly 7 series logic.
@mnem - your experience is why I avoid opening the lid on PCs. I hate driver config issues etc etc. Many moons ago I did it with a 486 Win3.1, I still feel like 'Widlar-ising' that computer these decades later!
 I am so glad someone else does it! But good on you for efforts.
Rob

[Brumby]

I spent the morning replacing rotted boards on the poorly installed deck over our slowly collapsing garage, said deck and garage I'd love to tear down and rebuild but can't because the zoning rules have changed to make doing so a giant PITA. 

I have a friend who owned a property on Scotland Island just north of Sydney, complete with a jetty and boathouse.  The boathouse was run down and he wanted to replace it - but if he demolished it, he would not be allowed to rebuild.  This was a product of bureaucracy and the apparent desire for a clean foreshore.  He was, however, permitted to perform maintenance.  So he had his builder take out one wall and completely rebuild it - leaving the other walls and roof intact.  Once that was completed, the next wall was done ... and so on, finishing up with removal and replacement of the roof, in two stages.  I think it tripled the price, but the job was done and no bureaucratic toes were trodden on.

Bureaucracy is universal.

[worsthorse]

I spent the morning replacing rotted boards on the poorly installed deck over our slowly collapsing garage, said deck and garage I'd love to tear down and rebuild but can't because the zoning rules have changed to make doing so a giant PITA. 

I have a friend who owned a property on Scotland Island just north of Sydney, complete with a jetty and boathouse.  The boathouse was run down and he wanted to replace it - but if he demolished it, he would not be allowed to rebuild.  This was a product of bureaucracy and the apparent desire for a clean foreshore.  He was, however, permitted to perform maintenance.  So he had his builder take out one wall and completely rebuild it - leaving the other walls and roof intact.  Once that was completed, the next wall was done ... and so on, finishing up with removal and replacement of the roof, in two stages.  I think it tripled the price, but the job was done and no bureaucratic toes were trodden on.

Bureaucracy is universal.

There is a very popular version of that idea used by developers in the United States... they knock down a historic building but for one wall, build the new building within the footprint of the old, incorporating the left-behind wall, and call it a "remodeling" project. 

When I do get around to navigating the approval process for replacing my falling down garage, I will need to do something along those lines to get the project approved. It is a royal PITA, it is.

[bsfeechannel]

When I originally built the scope cart it was specifically for the 7603N (Or a 465 as shown) and I had a total of 3 plug-ins and they were all in the 7603N.

I noticed that your workbenches, carts, holders, etc. have a nice finish. The wood seems to have a darker stain after you finish them. What do you use to achieve that?

[bitseeker]

I think you need a decent power supply.

Funny you should mention that...


@med6753

The 8840 is fresh from the calibrators (free, courtesy of one of my managers, proof not all office staff are jerks), the 4503 is using default calibration due to the NiMH memory battery pissing its electrolyte all over the pcb, the 8000 I just put a temporary NiCd battery in (it still had its original 1970s one, needless to say that wasn't very healthy) and when I get some new cells will put a permanent one in and tweak the pots.

I've yet to check the 1906 against the 8840; I've some rearranging of space-time to do to get everything parked and usable, and the calibration of the 'lesser' meters using the 8840 is a secondary priority.

The Tek scope and HP DTA are currently awaiting a space on my (large but cluttered) desk, though as I said, the HP might well end up as a doorstop as I've no known use for it.

As PA0PBZ suggests, a decent power supply or two is in order, the one I have is a One-Hung-Lo brand which for some reason keeps killing the LED v readout module, and I mean the actual LED 3-digit module, not the driver. Presumably just a case of cheap crappy LEDs, can't see how it could be the driver but meh...

A logic analyser might be useful, along with the PSUs.

Oh, and I almost forgot - I bought a UNI-T UT139C for use as a general mobile meter... I know I know, UNI-T are crap... but I had a 61 and liked it, and this is fine for the money, as it'll not be used on anything higher than about 24v, most likely.

Welcome ThickPhilM! Looks like you're getting good help here thus far, as is customary. Before you know it, you'll be modding your storage to accommodate your growing collection.

As for the Uni-T, not everything they make is crap. You just have to do your research. The 139C is one of the good ones. I quite like my 210E clamp meter.

[bitseeker]

@med, that looks a really good conversion, but how about another trip to the carpentry shop to repurpose the door into a drop down hinged side table extension that that could used if you needed to pop something adjacent to the scope for a quick test or something? 

What would be better is a drop down side table. Hmmm....I already have large hinges just for that purpose. 

I smell another potential modification. 

Yes, a drop-down table would be very cool. Looking forward to seeing that.