Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[0culus]

So what's this? It better not be a gas generator. Didn't order that. 



Whatever it is it was packed very well.




A Tek 310A. Front panel looks good. No damage. But it sure is filthy. Covers look decent too, just dirty. If they clean up no painting will be required. Handle broken, no big deal.



Is it complete and unmolested on the inside? The seller wasn't too forthcoming with that info and I asked twice. I was worried it suffered from audiophool tube rape. If it was raped I was gonna go ape shit and file a complaint. Well, good news. Unmolested but absolutely filthy. What a neat design with the clamshell opening.





First order of business. A good cleaning. 2nd order. Recap (of course). Both electrolytics and it's got suspect tubulars too. They will all get replaced before there's any attempt at power up.

That is positively adorable. 

[med6753]

Here's a quick comparison to the Type 535A in the background. About a third the size. Mini-anchor. 

Also, it appears that the CRT is made by an outside vendor and not Tek. That's a surprise. 

[bd139]

Ooooooh nice one. I look forward to watching you work on this one. I want the transistor replacement for it (321A). Have been keeping an eye out for one for about 10 years.

[med6753]

Ooooooh nice one. I look forward to watching this one. I want the transistor replacement for it (321A). Have been keeping an eye out for one for about 10 years.

I almost bought a 321A about a year ago. Picked it up an looked at it. What dissuaded me was most, if not all, the transistors are trouble prone (and unobtanium) Germanium. 

[bd139]

The interesting bit is while that's true you can replace nearly all of them with boring old silicon ones with a bit of bias adjustment.

[Specmaster]

Ooooooh nice one. I look forward to watching you work on this one. I want the transistor replacement for it (321A). Have been keeping an eye out for one for about 10 years.

Moving back onto Teks then, I have to say however that I do like the design of that one.

[Specmaster]

Right, time to go and pour myself a nice alcoholic drink and fire up discord I think. I may even get myself some tinned peach slices and ice cream to go with it, anyone feeling hungry? 

[K0ELB]

Yes, yes...good. Another has been assimilated. 


Very nice stuff! 

Yes, I get this unshakeable feeling now. I do really need an HP 8444 Opt. 59 soon.....

[tautech]

I'll calibrate it properly when the SDS1032X arrives 

Before I just let this go but as it keeps popping up:
SDS = Siglent Digital Scope
SDG = Siglent Digital Generator

SDG1032X !

[bd139]

Whoops 

Perhaps everyone should stop coming up with fucking stupid product IDs  instead of PeniScope XR999999T-U Pro Plus Ultra 900MHZ banana SyCo generator

[tautech]

Yes, yes...good. Another has been assimilated. 


Very nice stuff! 

Yes, I get this unshakeable feeling now. I do really need an HP 8444 Opt. 59 soon..... (Attachment Link)

I get this feeling your are entering the danger zone and therefore this is appropriate:

[K0ELB]

I'm honestly ok with that. SWMBO on the other hand is getting her limits pushed. 

[tautech]

I'm honestly ok with that. SWMBO on the other hand is getting her limits pushed. 

The standard reply to that is: how many shoes or handbags have you got dearest ?
Then duck and run !

[K0ELB]

I'm honestly ok with that. SWMBO on the other hand is getting her limits pushed. 

The standard reply to that is: how many shoes or handbags have you got dearest ?
Then duck and run !

Unfortunately, that won't work for me. I have a unicorn that doesn't buy useless crap like that. I bought her a Coach purse a few years ago for her birthday and she still uses it daily. AND, told me I spent too much on it! She's a saver, I'm the money waster.

[med6753]

I'm honestly ok with that. SWMBO on the other hand is getting her limits pushed. 

The standard reply to that is: how many shoes or handbags have you got dearest ?
Then duck and run !

Unfortunately, that won't work for me. I have a unicorn that doesn't buy useless crap like that. I bought her a Coach purse a few years ago for her birthday and she still uses it daily. AND, told me I spent too much on it! She's a saver, I'm the money waster.

You have no choice then, you'll have to get rid of her. 

[K0ELB]

You have no choice then, you'll have to get rid of her. 

Oh no, I can't do that, she's worth keeping for other reasons.... 

[Cerebus]

I'm honestly ok with that. SWMBO on the other hand is getting her limits pushed. 

The standard reply to that is: how many shoes or handbags have you got dearest ?
Then duck and run !

Unfortunately, that won't work for me. I have a unicorn that doesn't buy useless crap like that. I bought her a Coach purse a few years ago for her birthday and she still uses it daily. AND, told me I spent too much on it! She's a saver, I'm the money waster.

So you need a better excuse then. How about "The big boys made me do it"? 

What? Why's everybody looking at me like that? Hey, it might work; you don't know until you try.

[mnementh]

Get any RTX3080s? 

https://www.pcmag.com/news/how-a-bot-bought-dozens-of-rtx-3080-units-before-consumers-could-grab-them

I may make it to Discord... if the lawnmower doesn't eat me.

mnem
 

How is that toe/claw of yours doing? Is it wise to be using a lawn mower given the situation 

Right now everything hurts, and what doesn't hurt doesn't work. 



Not using the mower yet; still getting it fit for use. Also found a "fix everything that goes wrong with a weedeater engine" kit on Amazon for the weedeater I bought yesterday; ~US$21: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07QB8YYSP

Sure it's all cheap Chineseum shit... but I know from experience these kits are good for a couple seasons, and the time they save makes it still a fucking bargain. Just never expected to find them on Amazon (without being marked up 300%).

mnem
*ST:TNG couch tuber time widda boi*

[K0ELB]

I'm honestly ok with that. SWMBO on the other hand is getting her limits pushed. 

The standard reply to that is: how many shoes or handbags have you got dearest ?
Then duck and run !

Unfortunately, that won't work for me. I have a unicorn that doesn't buy useless crap like that. I bought her a Coach purse a few years ago for her birthday and she still uses it daily. AND, told me I spent too much on it! She's a saver, I'm the money waster.

So you need a better excuse then. How about "The big boys made me do it"? 

What? Why's everybody looking at me like that? Hey, it might work; you don't know until you try.

As long as it's actually getting used she doesn't have a problem with it, so far. Plus, she doesn't know the actual cash outlay for all the equipment. I've become pretty adept at package interceptions as well. Nothing irritates me more than not being able to adjust delivery to "hold for pickup". FAR easier to have something just "appear" out of nowhere thanks to a "trade".

This is how I ended up with two Collins 75A-4's, two Collins 75A-1's, a Collins 32V-2, a Central Electronics 100V and 200V, two Kenwood TS-830S's and a TS-820S, plus a Central Electronics MM-2 and Model B sideband slicer, and then onto the test equipment....

If it doesn't weigh at least 30lbs, I don't want it. 

[mnementh]

Pfffft. Mine buys me meters and oscilloscopes. Now THAT is a unicorn. 

mnem
Oh... and RC transmitters... and little whirry flying things... and expensive video cards... and... pretty much all those things I'd never spend the money on myself.

[med6753]

Just before going to bed gave the front panel a good cleaning. Results speak for themselves. 

Tomorrow tackle the inside.

Edit....the covers also cleaned up nicely with just a few scratches. No painting required.

[0culus]

Looks great!

I received my Arrow dual band yagi today...got my HT programmed with the right VFO settings for several FM birds so now I'm ready to attempt some QSOs next time I get some good passes (hopefully maybe the ISS tomorrow evening).

[med6753]

I was looking over the circuit for the Type 310A and I noticed something unusual in the -150V reference circuit. C601 consists of three individual dual 15uf cans in parallel for a total effective capacitance of 90uf. This was probably done to achieve very low ESR. As I see it my choices for replacement could be 3/33uf, 2/47uf, or 1/100uf. Given that modern capacitors tend have very low ESR I could probably get away with 1/100uf but I think best compromise would be 2/47uf. What does the group think? A single 100uf or two 47uf?

[bd139]

I’d go for a single 100uF myself. I wouldn’t even bother with a low ESR variant.

R601 will stop any inrush from larger and lower ESR caps by the looks.

[tautech]

I’d go for a single 100uF myself. I wouldn’t even bother with a low ESR variant.

R601 will stop any inrush from larger and lower ESR caps by the looks.

This ^
It's not a SMPS but just a linear PSU at mains frequency. No special magic required.