Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[mnementh]

   My knob arrived today. Damned imperial units.      When will you guys use proper SI units?     

When we get to Canada. 

mnem
Any day now...

[mnementh]

I know, right? Totes giving me a complex after all my work on that 454 cover...    

Whacha mean? That 454 cover is mine, mine, all mine. 'Ain't no one gettin' that off my bench.

A inferiority complex. After I was all proud of how that 454 cover turned out... I mean yeah, it's a great example of FDM, but how can it compete with hand-rubbed oil finish on      inset parquet maple? That's some quantum-level shit right there. *sigh*

mnem
I think I hear some bangerz & beenz calling my name...

[neo]

Proof of life!





















HP 5326A, homemade 100v PSU, homemade sweep generator, sixteen panel meters, Heathkit GD1-A grid dip meter with GD1-B manual and a 1922 peace dollar. $105 total. Day 1 of 2019 Joplin hamfest.

P.S., yes you CAN see clutter...... and my feet.

[worsthorse]

I don't know how many pages I am behind on this thread... the last two weeks has been a blur of helping family members and friends with disasters small and large, cordoning off an institutional dumpster fire, and the like.

I haven't had more than an hour a day to spend at the bench so that time was devoted to small projects: building a couple of cheap frequency counters, making kelvin test leads for the 8840A, repairing antenna feedlines, building a portable 2M yagi I can use for the next ultra marathon support gig.  I haven't even looked at ebay or CL in a week. That's kinda scary.

 

And, after helping on yet another clear out a life's worth of someone else's trash treasures from their home project, I am resolved to start pricing and selling the two dozen or so pieces of ham radio gear that are stacked on shelves in the furnace room.  The thought that I might leave someone else stuck with all this junk that I am never, ever going to put to use makes me shudder.

Off to try and at least skim the thread... 

[worsthorse]

Do you know how close I am to tossing this 485 out a 2nd story window? 

That close......

If you decide to do that, let me know so I can park myself under the window, catch it and use it for a parts mule for the 485 sitting here.  Mahalo.

 

[BU508A]

A inferiority complex. After I was all proud of how that 454 cover turned out... I mean yeah, it's a great example of FDM, but how can it compete with hand-rubbed oil finish on    (Attachment Link)    inset parquet maple? That's some quantum-level shit right there. *sigh*

This guy is unbeliveable. Have you checked out his application notes? He has built some carts for his testing gear.
Really, this is "der absolute Hammer"
Some pics:









Lots of explanations, how-to, very nice pictures:

https://amplifier.cd/Technische_Berichte/Schellack/Schellack_und_Harz_Polituren.html

This is a box for a voltage reference he had built:



Application note: https://amplifier.cd/Technische_Berichte/Spannungsnormal/Spannungsnormal_Eigenbau.html

And it seems that he knows bd139:



Here are his application notes, some are in english:

https://amplifier.cd/Technische_Berichte/Technische_Berichte.htm

This is his lab, he did a lot of reconstruction. Just look at the pictures:

https://amplifier.cd/Labor/labor.html

And this section is for the Test Equipement fans (not sure, if this is interesting you):   

https://amplifier.cd/Test_Equipment/Messtechnik_Test_Equipment.htm

Enjoy!

[bitseeker]

I know, right? Totes giving me a complex after all my work on that 454 cover...    

Whacha mean? That 454 cover is mine, mine, all mine. 'Ain't no one gettin' that off my bench.

A inferiority complex. After I was all proud of how that 454 cover turned out... I mean yeah, it's a great example of FDM, but how can it compete with hand-rubbed oil finish on    (Attachment Link)    inset parquet maple? That's some quantum-level shit right there. *sigh*

Yeah, I getcha. Totally different things, though, so not to worry. I appreciate them both.

[bitseeker]

This guy is unbeliveable. Have you checked out his application notes? He has built some carts for his testing gear.
Really, this is "der absolute Hammer"

Amazing! Yet another rabbit hole, ready and waiting...

[bitseeker]

Proof of life!

Welcome back! And, ooh, I do like analog panel meters.

I don't know how many pages I am behind on this thread... the last two weeks has been a blur of helping family members and friends with disasters small and large, cordoning off an institutional dumpster fire, and the like.

Welcome back to you, too.

Off to try and at least skim the thread... 

Good luck with that. Keeping up is already an adventure.

[mnementh]

Huh...

https://hackaday.com/2019/08/22/electric-dump-truck-produces-more-energy-than-it-uses/

mnem
*back to house-packing hell*

Very interesting truck but it does operate under very limited set of circumstances, where else do you regularly come across a situation where something climbs to the top of a hill empty but always descends heavily laden where gravity alone provides more enough force to propel the vehicle all the way to its destination, so the power generated is then stored and as a result of the huge payload and the resultant recovered energy as a product of the speed and gravity effect has the unique ability to produce more energy then it uses?

Yeah, the thing is that this was a scenario I remember reading about as a kid; that in "the modern age" such "elegant engineering" would be an everyday thing, to the benefit of all humanity. Inherently efficient feats of engineering like the Duquesne Incline (which I grew up with) were going to be everywhere; kindof annoying disheartening that it took 40 years for this rare example of that engineering ethic to manifest, and then only to the benefit of a quarry owner... 

mnem
Our society is built upon a culture of waste, all to support a few hundred families "in the style to which they've become accustomed".

[tautech]

A few crazier ones here mnem:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/renewable-energy/energy-harvesting-systems-pre-1950/

[SilverSolder]

This guy is unbeliveable. [...] 

Gotta love using a spectrum analyzer to tune a guitar...   

[bd139]

Mega day out tomorrow. MKARS radio rally, Bletchley Park, TMNOC. Turns out I get free entry to Bletchley Park with RSGB membership. Finally a use for it!

For the morning though, Ferengi TE acquisition mode activated 



Last year I snagged this pile of glory. Hopefully the same this year.



Need some air variable caps, some valves, valve bases and a couple of panel meters too for a project. This time I will buy caps with the correct tuning direction. Clockwise = less capacitance. Fed up of backwards tuning a project I'm working on 

Edit: talking of which, I'm thinking of designing a widget for hamfests which can be taken along which contains the following bits of equipment:

1. Simple capacitance bridge which gives a 10->500pF readout with nulling for testing variable capacitors.
2. Current source 50uA, 100uA, 500uA, 1mA for testing meters with 10 turn for linearity / sticky check.
3. Continuity tester (checking for cap shorts / RFCs).
4. Bullshit detector (basically button which activates red light) whenever someone tells me something is working and it doesn't 
5. Loperamide dispenser in case you accidentally consume a dodgy burger

[Specmaster]

Mega day out tomorrow. MKARS radio rally, Bletchley Park, TMNOC. Turns out I get free entry to Bletchley Park with RSGB membership. Finally a use for it!

For the morning though, Ferengi TE acquisition mode activated 



Last year I snagged this pile of glory. Hopefully the same this year.



Need some air variable caps, some valves, valve bases and a couple of panel meters too for a project. This time I will buy caps with the correct tuning direction. Clockwise = less capacitance. Fed up of backwards tuning a project I'm working on 

Edit: talking of which, I'm thinking of designing a widget for hamfests which can be taken along which contains the following bits of equipment:

1. Simple capacitance bridge which gives a 10->500pF readout with nulling for testing variable capacitors.
2. Current source 50uA, 100uA, 500uA, 1mA for testing meters with 10 turn for linearity / sticky check.
3. Continuity tester (checking for cap shorts / RFCs).
4. Bullshit detector (basically button which activates red light) whenever someone tells me something is working and it doesn't 
5. Loperamide dispenser in case you accidentally consume a dodgy burger

WTF! clockwise is normally the direction of more, not less, eg volume control etc [emoji849]

Sent from my POT-LX1 using Tapatalk

[bd139]

LC resonant circuit. F=1/(2*pi*sqrt(L*C)). Any increase of L or C will decrease frequency as it’s denominator.

[med6753]

 

[med6753]

A inferiority complex. After I was all proud of how that 454 cover turned out... I mean yeah, it's a great example of FDM, but how can it compete with hand-rubbed oil finish on    (Attachment Link)    inset parquet maple? That's some quantum-level shit right there. *sigh*

This guy is unbeliveable. Have you checked out his application notes? He has built some carts for his testing gear.
Really, this is "der absolute Hammer"
Some pics:









Lots of explanations, how-to, very nice pictures:

https://amplifier.cd/Technische_Berichte/Schellack/Schellack_und_Harz_Polituren.html

This is a box for a voltage reference he had built:



Application note: https://amplifier.cd/Technische_Berichte/Spannungsnormal/Spannungsnormal_Eigenbau.html

And it seems that he knows bd139:



Here are his application notes, some are in english:

https://amplifier.cd/Technische_Berichte/Technische_Berichte.htm

This is his lab, he did a lot of reconstruction. Just look at the pictures:

https://amplifier.cd/Labor/labor.html

And this section is for the Test Equipement fans (not sure, if this is interesting you):   

https://amplifier.cd/Test_Equipment/Messtechnik_Test_Equipment.htm

Enjoy!

Now that's a cabinet maker ...to which I am not. 

[mnementh]

A few crazier ones here mnem:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/renewable-energy/energy-harvesting-systems-pre-1950/

Yeah, but your very short list makes my point... the relative dearth of such projects over my lifetime. Any engineering project nowadays, the only solution considered is the one which wastes as much energy as possible, and preferably energy from fossil fuels. 

Mega day out tomorrow. MKARS radio rally, Bletchley Park, TMNOC. Turns out I get free entry to Bletchley Park with RSGB membership. Finally a use for it!

   For the morning though, Ferengi TE acquisition mode activated     Last year I snagged this pile of glory. Hopefully the same this year.   

Need some air variable caps, some valves, valve bases and a couple of panel meters too for a project. This time I will buy caps with the correct tuning direction. Clockwise = less capacitance. Fed up of backwards tuning a project I'm working on 

Edit: talking of which, I'm thinking of designing a widget for hamfests which can be taken along which contains the following bits of equipment:

1. Simple capacitance bridge which gives a 10->500pF readout with nulling for testing variable capacitors.
2. Current source 50uA, 100uA, 500uA, 1mA for testing meters with 10 turn for linearity / sticky check.
3. Continuity tester (checking for cap shorts / RFCs).
4. Bullshit detector (basically button which activates red light) whenever someone tells me something is working and it doesn't 
5. Loperamide dispenser in case you accidentally consume a dodgy burger

WTF! clockwise is normally the direction of more, not less, eg volume control etc [emoji849]

Yes, but the direction of LESS resistance in most cases. 

@bd - Seems to me half your list there is readily satisfied by a DE-5000 or an Atlas ESR70+, either of which come in a nice convenient pocketable package. But we all know you're too much of a fukkin' cheap-ass to pay for such convenience... 

mnem
*agitating-ily* 

[Specmaster]

A few crazier ones here mnem:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/renewable-energy/energy-harvesting-systems-pre-1950/

Yeah, but your very short list makes my point... the relative dearth of such projects over my lifetime. Any engineering project nowadays, the only solution considered is the one which wastes as much energy as possible, and preferably energy from fossil fuels. 

Mega day out tomorrow. MKARS radio rally, Bletchley Park, TMNOC. Turns out I get free entry to Bletchley Park with RSGB membership. Finally a use for it!

   For the morning though, Ferengi TE acquisition mode activated     Last year I snagged this pile of glory. Hopefully the same this year.   

Need some air variable caps, some valves, valve bases and a couple of panel meters too for a project. This time I will buy caps with the correct tuning direction. Clockwise = less capacitance. Fed up of backwards tuning a project I'm working on 

Edit: talking of which, I'm thinking of designing a widget for hamfests which can be taken along which contains the following bits of equipment:

1. Simple capacitance bridge which gives a 10->500pF readout with nulling for testing variable capacitors.
2. Current source 50uA, 100uA, 500uA, 1mA for testing meters with 10 turn for linearity / sticky check.
3. Continuity tester (checking for cap shorts / RFCs).
4. Bullshit detector (basically button which activates red light) whenever someone tells me something is working and it doesn't 
5. Loperamide dispenser in case you accidentally consume a dodgy burger

WTF! clockwise is normally the direction of more, not less, eg volume control etc [emoji849]

Yes, but the direction of LESS resistance in most cases. 

@bd - Seems to me half your list there is readily satisfied by a DE-5000 or an Atlas ESR70+, either of which come in a nice convenient pocketable package. But we all know you're too much of a fukkin' cheap-ass to pay for such convenience... 

mnem
*agitating-ily* 

Ouch [emoji1787]

Sent from my POT-LX1 using Tapatalk

[mnementh]

Yup... Just glue a pill bottle and a "FAIL!!!" Buzzer/blinkenlight to either one and you've got the whole thing. 

mnem
 

[bd139]

@bd - Seems to me half your list there is readily satisfied by a DE-5000 or an Atlas ESR70+, either of which come in a nice convenient pocketable package. But we all know you're too much of a fukkin' cheap-ass to pay for such convenience... 

Cheap ass?  Yes mostly I am

Actually on the LC front, this quenched the desire for a DE-5000 and I built my own ESR tester from the Jay_Diddy_B design.

330pF cap. Stray 4.2pF fixture capacitance I have to take off in my head. Good enough and you can test in 1KHz steps up to 55MHz 



Also rarely gets used as an antenna analyser 

[mnementh]

I can see all the vendors shuttering their stalls as they see you coming down the aisle with that steaming pile of Doc Brown goodness in your hand... 

mnem
This way lies madness.

[tggzzz]

Edit: talking of which, I'm thinking of designing a widget for hamfests which can be taken along which contains the following bits of equipment:

1. Simple capacitance bridge which gives a 10->500pF readout with nulling for testing variable capacitors.
2. Current source 50uA, 100uA, 500uA, 1mA for testing meters with 10 turn for linearity / sticky check.
3. Continuity tester (checking for cap shorts / RFCs).
4. Bullshit detector (basically button which activates red light) whenever someone tells me something is working and it doesn't 
5. Loperamide dispenser in case you accidentally consume a dodgy burger

Add a TDR to measure cable length, cable impedance (50ohms in your dreams), and connectors quality.

[bd139]

Add a TDR to measure cable length, cable impedance (50ohms in your dreams), and connectors quality.

There's no such thing as a good cable at a radio rally. Unless it's an exotic one (triax, GR connectors, an inch across, hardline) or from a reputable outfit. One of the few things I refuse to buy second hand. Although the "Moonraker milspec RG-58" is pretty good - good braid coverage and 0.028dB/m loss. Weighs a ton though.

I can see all the vendors shuttering their stalls as they see you coming down the aisle with that steaming pile of Doc Brown goodness in your hand... 

They might put the prices up which is what worries me 

I worked with a currency trader once. The guy was earning crazy money but was the biggest cheap ass you've ever seen. Drove a 25 year old Ford Escort with more holes than bodywork. His hobby was classic MGs of which none ever ended up in good enough condition to drive on the road. He told me about his escapades going to auto fairs. He said the best way to get a discount on parts was taking his gardening trainers and wrapping duct tape around them a couple of times and wearing an oversized jacket and a too small jumper he got in a charity shop. Paid on average 50% less for the parts than turning up in something respectable apparently 

[mnementh]

Yeah, but by the time you get done making adapters for that $330 RF analyzer to do a half-assed 3/4-assed approximation of what a $90 DE-5000 does out of the box, it'll look like this:



Would it surprise you if they did raise their prices seeing that come down the aisle...?    How much of that $90 will you spend MAKING those adapters? 

mnem
But hey... it's all about where you place your priorities.