Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[tggzzz]

Dunno. I gave him a pretty succinct answer...

Yes, I read that after my post.

I still think the "more (and possibly more knowledgable) responses" rider is valid.

This thread is only 2/3 on topic

Yebbut much of the off topic stuff is so twitter-like it wouldn't get better responses elsewhere. Zucca's question probably would.

Looking at the ~75 posts since 41100, about 27 are clearly not TEA related, so the 1/3 isn't a bad estimate - even if 1/3 does feel too optimistic at times

[med6753]

I had to make a choice this past weekend....

Spend the weekend with the lady whom I haven't seen since July......or........go to the big Ham fest in Connecticut on Sunday.

Did I make the right decision? 

And? How was the Ham Fest? Any pictures? Pick up anything good?

McBryce.

 

[Specmaster]

@bd139, nice piece of kit the TG210 but limited at 2Mhz, look around for a TG120, 20Mhz function generator, gives you a bit more headroom for those other projects, but I suppose it all comes to the price paid at the end of it all, I paid £40 which I thought was a good price for it, in pretty good condition.

[bd139]

Dunno. I gave him a pretty succinct answer...

Yes, I read that after my post.

I still think the "more (and possibly more knowledgable) responses" rider is valid.

This thread is only 2/3 on topic

Yebbut much of the off topic stuff is so twitter-like it wouldn't get better responses elsewhere. Zucca's question probably would.

Looking at the ~75 posts since 41100, about 27 are clearly not TEA related, so the 1/3 isn't a bad estimate - even if 1/3 does feel too optimistic at times

I think this backs up my assertion a while back that this thread has evolved into a forum

@bd139, nice piece of kit the TG210 but limited at 2Mhz, look around for a TG120, 20Mhz function generator, gives you a bit more headroom for those other projects, but I suppose it all comes to the price paid at the end of it all, I paid £40 which I thought was a good price for it, in pretty good condition.

Indeed. I only need 2MHz here. Not even that. It's actually mostly for poking simple sub-100Hz analogue circuits (PID control loops) in a project. You can't do that with the DG1022Z due to the annoying bugs in square/pulse generation in some AWGs:



Funny looking edge that!

[beanflying]

'Unique' TEA  eBay auction: #303266714236 

[bd139]

Prototype e-meter? 

[med6753]

Prototype e-meter? 

The guy made his own version of "Benton Harbor Lunchbox" which what was the nickname for these old Heath sixer transmitters.

[tggzzz]

Indeed. I only need 2MHz here. Not even that. It's actually mostly for poking simple sub-100Hz analogue circuits (PID control loops) in a project. You can't do that with the DG1022Z due to the annoying bugs in square/pulse generation in some AWGs:



Funny looking edge that!

Looks like a 16ns/60MHz resonance. If it is on both edges, is it improper (i.e. not 50ohm) termination?

Would a 60MHz spurious signal matter to a 100Hz circuit?

[bd139]

That's not my screenshot but I can reproduce it. Not sure what the problem is to be honest. Termination is fine. This comes directly from the generator's ASIC. It does it when the pulse peak and trough are long and the repetition frequency is low thus it may be a limitation of the AWG's sample memory arrangement somehow i.e. the leading edge consists of three samples which are badly interpolated.

The issue only because apparent when I was chasing some oscillation where something had marginal stability. Turned out this was kicking it nicely over the edge. Helpful but unhelpful at the same time. I much prefer to sweep the thing manually and eyeball the phase margin.

[mansaxel]

I had to make a choice this past weekend....

Spend the weekend with the lady whom I haven't seen since July......or........go to the big Ham fest in Connecticut on Sunday.

Did I make the right decision? 

Of course: You took her to the hamfest. Here,  XYL usually asks two weeks in advance whether we're going or not.

[beanflying]

Given the Lack of Bacon on the breakfast Menu I reckon heading to the Ham Fest would have been only fair  Turkey is not a substitute!!!!!!!   

[bd139]

I had to make a choice this past weekend....

Spend the weekend with the lady whom I haven't seen since July......or........go to the big Ham fest in Connecticut on Sunday.

Did I make the right decision? 

Of course: You took her to the hamfest. Here,  XYL usually asks two weeks in advance whether we're going or not.

How do you hide what you've bought?!!?!?! 

[McBryce]

You don't. You explain to her how this super (extremely good value) piece of equipment is going to make things so much quicker and easier in the lab, that you'll have much more time to spend with her.*

McBryce.


* This method has never actually worked for me, she saw through it every time.

[Kosmic]

I had to make a choice this past weekend....

Spend the weekend with the lady whom I haven't seen since July......or........go to the big Ham fest in Connecticut on Sunday.

Did I make the right decision? 

Of course: You took her to the hamfest. Here,  XYL usually asks two weeks in advance whether we're going or not.

How do you hide what you've bought?!!?!?! 

Well you don't. She is obviously there to carry half of the loot.

[mnementh]

Dunno. I gave him a pretty succinct answer...

Yes, I read that after my post.

I still think the "more (and possibly more knowledgable) responses" rider is valid.

This thread is only 2/3 on topic

Yebbut much of the off topic stuff is so twitter-like it wouldn't get better responses elsewhere. Zucca's question probably would.

Looking at the ~75 posts since 41100, about 27 are clearly not TEA related, so the 1/3 isn't a bad estimate - even if 1/3 does feel too optimistic at times

I need to up my game...

Seriously tho... there is something to be said for the “casual conversation at the pub with friends” aspect of this memespace.

Every question comes with trust issues; both of the knowledgeability of the respondent and often more importantly, of what axe the respondent may have to grind.

Most of the folks that frequent this space have demonstrated that for the most part, the biggest axe they carry is their wit, and more often than not, it is used primarily to enhance their curmudgeonly apprehension rather than to drive any avaricious ulterior motive.

In short, there is “do you know what you’re talking about” trust, and there’s “are you steering me towards/away from a solution for your own benefit” trust. Both are important.

mnem
*Impairing productivity since nineteen-mumblety-mumble*

[med6753]

I had to make a choice this past weekend....

Spend the weekend with the lady whom I haven't seen since July......or........go to the big Ham fest in Connecticut on Sunday.

Did I make the right decision? 

Of course: You took her to the hamfest. Here,  XYL usually asks two weeks in advance whether we're going or not.

How do you hide what you've bought?!!?!?! 

Well you don't. She is obviously there to carry half of the loot.

There is no way I could hide anything from her unless I squirrel it away in the TEA closet. See, the last time I saw her was in July but that was at her place. The last time she was HERE was in May. There have been A LOT of changes here since that time. Now I have tried to explain to her numerous times what this stuff is but without success. But since she's a cop she is VERY perspective to CHANGES and within 5 minutes of her arrival had correctly identified all the differences. And in the end all I get is a shaking of the head and a muttering "You ain't right"     

[bd139]

This is why a friend of mine has a storage unit for his golf stuff 

[Kosmic]

Cheap Tek probe P6056 3.5GHz, 10x, 500 == 30$

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tektronix-P6056-10X-11-2pF-500-Ohm-0-5W-Oscilloscope-Probe-QTY-AVAILABLE/193086646940?redirect=mobile

Important to note that you need a scope or sa with 50 input.

[med6753]

She accepts it for what it is because she knows the alternative is that I could be out wandering the streets.  In her mind the TEA keeps me focused and occupied.  But that doesn't stop her from busting my nads every time she see's new equipment. 

[med6753]

Cheap Tek probe P6056 3.5GHz, 10x, 500 == 30$

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tektronix-P6056-10X-11-2pF-500-Ohm-0-5W-Oscilloscope-Probe-QTY-AVAILABLE/193086646940?redirect=mobile

Important to note that you need a scope or sa with 50 input.

Thanks for that. I do need at least one for the 485 and the 7A24.

Edit....bought one. 

[Kosmic]

Cheap Tek probe P6056 3.5GHz, 10x, 500 == 30$

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tektronix-P6056-10X-11-2pF-500-Ohm-0-5W-Oscilloscope-Probe-QTY-AVAILABLE/193086646940?redirect=mobile

Important to note that you need a scope or sa with 50 input.

Thanks for that. I do need at least one for the 485 and the 7A24.

Edit....bought one. 

Try to avoid opening the probe to check the resistor. I was a bit too curious and broke my old one



Got some spare parts to try to fix it, but ordered another one anyway. at 30$ it's pretty cheap.

[worsthorse]

Last night I finished repairing and adjusting the 067-0542-99 level sine wave generator. Next up was cleaning it up and installing a IEC socket on it but someone on one of the tek equipment lists really wants to buy it.  I will get the same price for it whether I do any of that or not.   

So now I am struggling with my gotta-make-it-as-good-as-it-gets-before-it-goes syndrome.

For now, selling it as-is is winning. We will see if he responds to my email before my resolve fails and I head to the bench to finish the job. 

[worsthorse]

Does anyone here know (or better yet, has bought from) this ebay vendor:

eBay auction: #https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tektronix-Oscilloscope-2465B-4-channels-400-Mhz-RECAPPED-w-GPIB-option/312801946954

I have been looking at one of his 2465Bs (which has been recapped and had the NVRAM replaced) rather than buy one that has to have this work done. But the price - even if I make a lower offer - combined with "parts only" gives me pause.

Rationale for purchase: my repair queue is long, the chances of me doing a recap in the short term, small, and having a reliable 400MHz analog scope would be very helpful.^*

______
^*Author's note:  Yes, I realize that having rational reasons for buying TE is frowned upon. The author is merely testing out post-purchase excuses for plausibility. 

[tggzzz]

Cheap Tek probe P6056 3.5GHz, 10x, 500 == 30$

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tektronix-P6056-10X-11-2pF-500-Ohm-0-5W-Oscilloscope-Probe-QTY-AVAILABLE/193086646940?redirect=mobile

Important to note that you need a scope or sa with 50 input.

Thanks for that. I do need at least one for the 485 and the 7A24.

I have HP equivalents, and they are a pleasure to use: small tip, fast, higher impedance.

If you need multiple channels, don't forget they are the one type of scope probe that can be easily DIYed.

Simply solder one side of a 453ohm (or so) resistor to the test point, the other to some 50ohm coax, and the coax shield to 0V.

If you are feeling fancy, you could put an SMA connector in there

[nfmax]

Just acquired two Agilent 33120A function generators FOC. Both pass extended self test but seemingly give no output. To be investigated when I get a Round Tuit. One of them has the option 001 high-stability clock oscillator as well.