Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Specmaster]

Bunch of pussies. Try driving in London, as in the city bit, in gridlocked traffic, in a manual for 20 years. My left arm and leg are bigger than the right one.

Complaining about Scotland and roundabouts 

Hey, I did drive in traffic in Edinburgh but it wasn't gridlock. 

Edit, I invite you come drive the streets of Manhattan. Even I won't do it unless absolutely necessary.

Having also driven in Edinburgh, I can honestly say that is not a patch on the traffic in London.

[Specmaster]

I usually apply more solder, wet the joint and wiggle it out on those, even with the Metcal at it. Give it breaks to cool down between attempts.

Nothing touches ground plane joints easily. I had to rework the fuckers once with a weller vacuum iron and it was hell.

Yeah, that's how I got the little bastard out; was PITA enough in its own right. But it was prepping the vias for reassembly that turned into a total Charlie-Foxtrot. I'm serious when I say I wasn't sure I'd be able to get the holes cleared. I think putting that RIFA back in and then trying to do it all again would be just begging Murphy to make an example of me. 

I actually toyed with the idea of wrapping the little bastard in a few layers of Kapton tape and soldering it to other connected points on the bottom of the PCB; I'm probably lucky that trial-fitting showed just a hair too little clearance. 

mnem
Officer Training 101: DON'T. Taunt. Murphy.

Did someone call Murphy?

[med6753]

The seller of the nuvistors generated the shipping label on Monday. Here it is Wednesday and USPS is still waiting for the package. WTH? 

If I don't see the package turned over to USPS this morning they are getting a gentle kick in the arse. 

[tonyalbus]

EEV not working yesterday... decided to re-tetris... the never ending tetris.....still not what i wanted to be, and right side(the to do pile) still needs to be done.

[Zucca]

GUESS THE PRICE CONTEST!

I just sent an email to them, I want to turn in my immaculate 34661a and get a 34665a, how much will I pay?
The one who get closed to what they will ask me will win some Metcal sponges.

instrumex just told me 700€ for the mint 34661a is too much.   

I keep the 34661a. Project aborted.

[med6753]

Did someone call Murphy?

You don't need to call Murphy. He just shows up, uninvited. Just like the relative you hate. 

[Zucca]

EEV not working yesterday... decided to re-tetris... the never ending tetris.....still not what i wanted to be, and right side(the to do pile) still needs to be done.

This is what happen to me when I try.



PS: Let's not talk about the dust collected behind the bricks....

[tonyalbus]

EEV not working yesterday... decided to re-tetris... the never ending tetris.....still not what i wanted to be, and right side(the to do pile) still needs to be done.

This is what happen to me when I try.



PS: Let's not talk about the dust collected behind the bricks....

[BU508A]

GUESS THE PRICE CONTEST!

I just sent an email to them, I want to turn in my immaculate 34661a and get a 34665a, how much will I pay?
The one who get closed to what they will ask me will win some Metcal sponges.

instrumex just told me 700€ for the mint 34661a is too much.   

I keep the 34661a. Project aborted.

Not surprised about that. Because from their perspective they need a bigger span when they are going to sell it again, because of the efforts they have. I don't want to defend them but I find it somehow understandable. How much did they offer you? 500?

[tggzzz]

The seller of the nuvistors generated the shipping label on Monday. Here it is Wednesday and USPS is still waiting for the package. WTH? 

If I don't see the package turned over to USPS this morning they are getting a gentle kick in the arse.

I bought a nuvistor from https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/m.html?_odkw=&_ssn=yitry&_armrs=1&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2046732.m570.l1313&_nkw=nuvistor&_sacat=0

They shipped the wrong item promptly, and equally quickly shipped the right item without asking for the wrong one to be returned. I would use them again.

[Zucca]

Not surprised about that. Because from their perspective they need a bigger span when they are going to sell it again, because of the efforts they have. I don't want to defend them but I find it somehow understandable. How much did they offer you? 500?

Not suprised neither, it was just an experiment. Expected also they did not offer anything, they let me tell them what I was expecting to get.

[BU508A]

Not surprised about that. Because from their perspective they need a bigger span when they are going to sell it again, because of the efforts they have. I don't want to defend them but I find it somehow understandable. How much did they offer you? 500?

Not suprised neither, it was just an experiment. Expected also they did not offer anything, they let me tell them what I was expecting to get.

If they are really interested in this item, then I'd answered back they should send you an offer, because they are the professionals and therefore know what is realistic. With a little hint to ebay prices etc.
It is a stupid poker gamble and this way they have all the good cards.
And one cannot estimate the span what they have between buying used equipement and for what they are selling it.

[Saskia]

I would have guessed 500 ...
if what you have is working, why upgrade ?

The person first uttering a price is loser in any negotiation.

[Specmaster]

Usually avoid that and use copper wire. Much easier to work with and doesn't roll up when you heat it.

Before:



After (all carbonised areas ground out and epoxy filled):



Wire above was stripped out of 600 ohm ladder line offcuts.

That the same as Louis Rossmann does when he finds tracks that gone "missing"

[bd139]

Except he does it on tracks which are carefully length and impedance controlled 

[Specmaster]

I share my bodges for the entire group to criticize and laugh at. What makes you special? 

How much time do you have?

Sometimes there is so much to be learnt from a bodge, particularly if a person is stuck with the same issues and can learn how to overcome the problem 

[tonyalbus]

Anritsu US:

Hi Tony,
Unfortunately that item was discontinued a long time ago . We do not have any manuals for that model. I did search online for you and I found the following link that may be helpful:
http://usedpribor.ru/data/Anritsu_MF160xA.pdf
Hope this helps. Let us know if you have any additional questions.

those same 3 pages of specs you find everywhere are the only things left ....
now i wait for Japan....
if that fails i still can try eastern europe and SouthAmerica... man no-one has a manual really..

[Specmaster]

Under any circumstances, I've contrived a bodge that gets the old RIFA back in circuit mostly safely so I could put the scope back to standby duty instead of the repair queue; no, I'm not going to post pics of that crime.    Just know that I've admitted my guilt here and now; if Karma catches up with me, I can greet Murphy with a clear conscience. 

mnem
 

  I share my bodges for the entire group to criticize and laugh at. What makes you special? 

Because it's WORSE than this one, which, thankfully, did NOT fit in place. 

mnem
 

That is perfectly acceptable, I have seen many new pieces of gear with parts mounted beneath the board.

[Specmaster]

Except he does it on tracks which are carefully length and impedance controlled 

I have never witnessed that in his videos.

[bd139]

I have. "I'll just route this over this PCI express lane" 

[Brumby]

Except he does it on tracks which are carefully length and impedance controlled 

I have never witnessed that in his videos.

Neither have I.

I have. "I'll just route this over this PCI express lane" 

Where was that?

[med6753]

I have. "I'll just route this over this PCI express lane" 

Nothing like asking for intermittent timing errors.  Watching one of his videos convinced me that he is an idiot. Another clown is that "D Lab". The one who sips wine and destroys vintage equipment and turns them into guitar amps. Certainly has the right name. "Douche bag"

[Saskia]

Running a wire for high current traces is kind of risky I think.

It's not that I would not do it if I had to revive something and did not have any other choice.

However for some applications I would rather cut out an entire new trace and attach it to the board and exchange the rivets connecting top and bottom layer (I have a Bungard press for this).

Which is why I was asking for the self adhesive copper foil.

It seems to me that 3m conductive copper foil would be an option, however a friend of mine will send me some to repair my preamp.

Procedure is:
remove Solder mask, cut to fit, put on, tin it, check continuity, reapply solder mask

obviously the pcb needs to be inspected for cracks and damaged traces, and that is where the microscope comes in.

[BU508A]

I have. "I'll just route this over this PCI express lane" 

Nothing like asking for intermittent timing errors.  Watching one of his videos convinced me that he is an idiot. Another clown is that "D Lab". The one who sips wine and destroys vintage equipment and turns them into guitar amps. Certainly has the right name. "Douche bag"

D-Lab!        

[BU508A]

Running a wire for high current traces is kind of risky I think.
[...]

Why? If I have a broken copper trace which is transporting high current, I cannot see, why a replacement with 1.5mm² or 2.5mm² will not do the job, even if it is isolated wire.