Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[McBryce]

And it's here! Yaaaassssirrr!!!!













This is my third item in the HP / Agilent / Keysight family. If this keeps up, HP/A/K stuff may catch up to, or exceed, Rigol in my lab. 

The current tally:

HP/A/K

53132A Frequency Counter
1660A Logic Analyzer
16862A Logic Analyzer

Rigol

DM3068 Multimeter
DS1000E Oscilloscope
DS1104Z+ Oscilloscope
MSO7024 Oscilloscope
DP832A Power Supply
DL3021A Progammable Load           
DG4162 Waveform/Function Generator
RSA3015N Spectrum Analyzer

and if I'm honest with myself, I have kinda been eyeing an HP 35665A Dynamic Signal Analyzer... which would help even the deck a little bit more still...

Lots to be added to that. You need to at least add the 3GHz channel : https://www.ebay.de/itm/124529022013
and an ovenised reference: https://www.ebay.de/itm/254927387063

McBryce.

[AVGresponding]

ok, 2 weeks forced break from work. physical checkup revealed that I got to get my blood sugar levels down fast and treat my skin issues. Doctor told me to change my diet to meat, poultry, fish plus veggies. No sugar, no alcohol, no croissants  , no rice, potatoes, noodles, ramen, what have you.

*sigh*

No mention of dairy, chilis, or garlic, so there's ample room for delicious sauces to have with your roast/grilled/broiled/steamed... damn now I'm hungry, and I only just ate! Salmon with green beans, broccoli, and boiled p******s (small ones).

[capt bullshot]

edit: it is a cable fault test set (TDR?)

My guess: yes - by looking at the available controls this should be some kind of TDR. Look at the pulse width control, the shorter the pulse, the finer the distance resolution. There's "us" written above the switches so I suggest its for longer (>100m) cables. For short distances (cm to 10m, like the Tek 1502) you'd want step signals with sub-ns (100ps range) rise times. The longer distance ones (>10m like the Tek 1503) use half wave sinusoidal pulses with selectable pulse widths.

You know you can do this with your SSA once you've converted it to a SVA ?

Yes, of course. Results with a real TDR look better anyway, and the SVA isn't very useful on short (1m ballpark) cables. The SSA / SVA comes in handy if you need to check longer e.g. longer antenna cable runs, both for (in house) cable faults and e.g. incoming signal amplitude over channels on cable TV.

[tggzzz]

edit: it is a cable fault test set (TDR?)

My guess: yes - by looking at the available controls this should be some kind of TDR. Look at the pulse width control, the shorter the pulse, the finer the distance resolution. There's "us" written above the switches so I suggest its for longer (>100m) cables. For short distances (cm to 10m, like the Tek 1502) you'd want step signals with sub-ns (100ps range) rise times. The longer distance ones (>10m like the Tek 1503) use half wave sinusoidal pulses with selectable pulse widths.

You know you can do this with your SSA once you've converted it to a SVA ?

Yes, of course. Results with a real TDR look better anyway, and the SVA isn't very useful on short (1m ballpark) cables. The SSA / SVA comes in handy if you need to check longer e.g. longer antenna cable runs, both for (in house) cable faults and e.g. incoming signal amplitude over channels on cable TV.

And you can still spot impedance variations if you only have a noise source plus a scalar network analyser (i.e. a spectrum analyser). Even an SDR dongle can act as a spectrum analyser; obviously the range resolution is determined by the highest frequency used.

The main disadvantage with a (scalar) spectrum analyser is that you can't tell whether a 5ohm discontinuity is +5ohm or -5ohm.

[factory]

And overpriced, incomplete & threatened with a death sentence, Beckman EPUT.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/224443938276

"SHIPPING SHOWN IS FEDEX OR UPS GROUND TO THE LOWER 84 STATES."

A typo - or has something happened over there that I haven't heard about yet....?

Probably eaten too many vacuum bulbs and now suffering from side effects. 
Anyone made a silly offer yet?

David

[factory]

Does anyone by change has manuals or schematics of a cossor 333A , it looks like a 431M but its not.(431M i found a service manual)
i have been looking for a while, but did not find anything.
also biccotest and biddle, technicome... did not show a 333A.


edit: it is a cable fault test set (TDR?)

Cossor have been part of Raytheon since 1961, now part of Raytheon Systems Ltd.
https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Cossor_Electronics
https://www.raytheon.com/uk/ourcompany/history

Here are some old adverts I found when searching for infomation on the IFF test panel I acquired a while back, neither the panel or your test set seem to be in them though.
https://www.aviationancestry.co.uk/?home/&searchQuery=Cossor&startYear=1909&endYear=1990&searchOrder=ASC&pageNum=6
I noticed some of the cabinets in the pictures looked suspiciously similar to hp system I cases, was going to post it earlier but forgot about it.

Only picture of one I could find on the web.


David

[Saskia]

ok, 2 weeks forced break from work. physical checkup revealed that I got to get my blood sugar levels down fast and treat my skin issues. Doctor told me to change my diet to meat, poultry, fish plus veggies. No sugar, no alcohol, no croissants  , no rice, potatoes, noodles, ramen, what have you.

*sigh*

Starts polishing a bullet for our dear Saskia. 

yer too kind ...

[tonyalbus]

Does anyone by change has manuals or schematics of a cossor 333A , it looks like a 431M but its not.(431M i found a service manual)
i have been looking for a while, but did not find anything.
also biccotest and biddle, technicome... did not show a 333A.


edit: it is a cable fault test set (TDR?)

Cossor have been part of Raytheon since 1961, now part of Raytheon Systems Ltd.
https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Cossor_Electronics
https://www.raytheon.com/uk/ourcompany/history

Here are some old adverts I found when searching for infomation on the IFF test panel I acquired a while back, neither the panel or your test set seem to be in them though.
https://www.aviationancestry.co.uk/?home/&searchQuery=Cossor&startYear=1909&endYear=1990&searchOrder=ASC&pageNum=6
I noticed some of the cabinets in the pictures looked suspiciously similar to hp system I cases, was going to post it earlier but forgot about it.

Only picture of one I could find on the web.


David

Thanks, all bits and peaces help..

[bd139]

That CRM533 is a pretty nice looking bit of kit. Never seen that one before.

[beanflying]

ok, 2 weeks forced break from work. physical checkup revealed that I got to get my blood sugar levels down fast and treat my skin issues. Doctor told me to change my diet to meat, poultry, fish plus veggies. No sugar, no alcohol, no croissants  , no rice, potatoes, noodles, ramen, what have you.

*sigh*

Went to see an ENT specialist yesterday and the advice was to not have caffeine as part of my diet for the next month or so. Ok so I can deal with the rest but Death before Decaff  Be a bit naughty 1/2 a Croissant twice a week for the soul 

[Saskia]

need to reset my pancreas. No coffee ? Never. my blood vessels are in good shape as is my heart. Probably due to coffee abuse ...

[xrunner]

ok, 2 weeks forced break from work. physical checkup revealed that I got to get my blood sugar levels down fast and treat my skin issues. Doctor told me to change my diet to meat, poultry, fish plus veggies. No sugar, no alcohol, no croissants  , no rice, potatoes, noodles, ramen, what have you.

*sigh*

Day-um. 

Can't you get in some exercise like walking several miles a day so you can keep some of those things in your life? That's what I do, but I only play a doctor on TV.

[med6753]

Med's too busy sucking face to be worried about TEA. 


Our Larry Major is to call from Perth for a catchup so might seez you all on Discord in the morning.....

No, I'm here. Just reading. She's still sleeping. I guess sucking face wore her out. 

[med6753]

ok, 2 weeks forced break from work. physical checkup revealed that I got to get my blood sugar levels down fast and treat my skin issues. Doctor told me to change my diet to meat, poultry, fish plus veggies. No sugar, no alcohol, no croissants  , no rice, potatoes, noodles, ramen, what have you.

*sigh*

Welcome to my world of Type 2 diabetes and permanent change to your diet although we do cheat once in a while.

Never had skin issues though.

Edit.....coffee is ALWAYS on the menu. 

[tggzzz]

ok, 2 weeks forced break from work. physical checkup revealed that I got to get my blood sugar levels down fast and treat my skin issues. Doctor told me to change my diet to meat, poultry, fish plus veggies. No sugar, no alcohol, no croissants  , no rice, potatoes, noodles, ramen, what have you.

*sigh*

Went to see an ENT specialist yesterday and the advice was to not have caffeine as part of my diet for the next month or so. Ok so I can deal with the rest but Death before Decaff  Be a bit naughty 1/2 a Croissant twice a week for the soul 

Ear nose and throat specialist?

What have you been doing? Snorting coffee out through your nose onto a keyboard?

[factory]

That CRM533 is a pretty nice looking bit of kit. Never seen that one before.

It is pretty nice, but I guess not many will have survived due to the use of NITs (abbrevation from the Philips_DigitalInstrumentCourse_Part2.pdf I found during the week, I bought something featured in it earlier in the week).

Another Cossor signal generator from that old advert that I didn't see when searching a few weeks back, seems a lot of £££ for something with only two pictures. 
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284273960683


David

[bd139]

ok, 2 weeks forced break from work. physical checkup revealed that I got to get my blood sugar levels down fast and treat my skin issues. Doctor told me to change my diet to meat, poultry, fish plus veggies. No sugar, no alcohol, no croissants  , no rice, potatoes, noodles, ramen, what have you.

*sigh*

Welcome to my world of Type 2 diabetes and permanent change to your diet although we do cheat once in a while.

Never had skin issues though.

Edit.....coffee is ALWAYS on the menu. 

Yep coffee is the winning item for me as well.

Narrowly avoided diabetes over the last couple of years. It's possible to reverse it if you haven't gone over the line. I live a fairly heavily constrained diet now to avoid that and I've never felt better. In fact I am fitter, healthier and more productive than I've ever been thanks to dietary changes.

[bd139]

That CRM533 is a pretty nice looking bit of kit. Never seen that one before.

It is pretty nice, but I guess not many will have survived due to the use of NITs (abbrevation from the Philips_DigitalInstrumentCourse_Part2.pdf I found during the week, I bought something featured in it earlier in the week).

Another Cossor signal generator from that old advert that I didn't see when searching a few weeks back, seems a lot of £££ for something with only two pictures. 
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284273960683


David

Yes very expensive for what it is. Probably because it has signal generator in the title. It's certainly not a general purpose one. By the time I started there they were using HP generators. I think it was the 8642A that featured most often.

[Robert763]

Does anyone by change has manuals or schematics of a cossor 333A , it looks like a 431M but its not.(431M i found a service manual)
i have been looking for a while, but did not find anything.
also biccotest and biddle, technicome... did not show a 333A.


edit: it is a cable fault test set (TDR?)

Cossor have been part of Raytheon since 1961, now part of Raytheon Systems Ltd.
https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Cossor_Electronics
https://www.raytheon.com/uk/ourcompany/history

Here are some old adverts I found when searching for infomation on the IFF test panel I acquired a while back, neither the panel or your test set seem to be in them though.
https://www.aviationancestry.co.uk/?home/&searchQuery=Cossor&startYear=1909&endYear=1990&searchOrder=ASC&pageNum=6
I noticed some of the cabinets in the pictures looked suspiciously similar to hp system I cases, was going to post it earlier but forgot about it.

Only picture of one I could find on the web.


David

I've used all of those.....

[BU508A]

Med's too busy sucking face to be worried about TEA. 


Our Larry Major is to call from Perth for a catchup so might seez you all on Discord in the morning.....

No, I'm here. Just reading. She's still sleeping. I guess sucking face wore her out. 

[Robert763]

That CRM533 is a pretty nice looking bit of kit. Never seen that one before.

It is pretty nice, but I guess not many will have survived due to the use of NITs (abbrevation from the Philips_DigitalInstrumentCourse_Part2.pdf I found during the week, I bought something featured in it earlier in the week).

Another Cossor signal generator from that old advert that I didn't see when searching a few weeks back, seems a lot of £££ for something with only two pictures. 
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284273960683


David

This is very application specfic AUDIO generator. No RF output. They are used with a VHF signal generator with accurate wideband AM modulation performance.  It has two functions Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) and VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR). These are aicraft VHF navigation systems.
ILS is just 90Hz and 150Hz with accurate differential levels.
VOR is a 9960Hz signal FM modulated with 30Hz and a separate 30Hz with accurately adjustable phase to the 30Hz mondulating the 9960Hz . The older versions used a mechanical tone wheel with magnetic or optical pick-ups. The 30Hz pick-up was physically roatated around the wheel to change the phase.
Showing my age here

EDIT: It also does 400Hz, 1300Hz and 3000Hz spot frequencies for the 75MHz marker system
EDIT: They are built in HP System Cases (System I since System II came out)

[AVGresponding]

-grumble grumble-

Scored myself a nice linear turntable, and after a certain amount of fettling (new cartridge my arse, it was worn down to a nubbin, may post pics), involving belts and a cartridge, it's working, sort of. The sound output level seems very low, wondering if this model needs a pre-amp, or if there are further issues. I'm getting around 14mV out, sounds clean enough, but bass is low as well.

If anyone has any knowledge of the JVC L-E50 I'd appreciate any tips. Can't find a user manual, only a service manual, and that doesn't seems to cover the audio side, just the transports.

Just for extra fun, it's a drawer loader, so it's extra difficult to work on...   

[Robert763]

The Cossor CRM 544 IFF/Transponder test set was still in regular use until a couple of years ago.
I would not give you £150 for one though https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/324294862630

[factory]

That CRM533 is a pretty nice looking bit of kit. Never seen that one before.

It is pretty nice, but I guess not many will have survived due to the use of NITs (abbrevation from the Philips_DigitalInstrumentCourse_Part2.pdf I found during the week, I bought something featured in it earlier in the week).

Another Cossor signal generator from that old advert that I didn't see when searching a few weeks back, seems a lot of £££ for something with only two pictures. 
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284273960683


David

This is very application specfic AUDIO generator. No RF output. They are used with a VHF signal generator with accurate wideband AM modulation performance.  It has two functions Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) and VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR). These are aicraft VHF navigation systems.
ILS is just 90Hz and 150Hz with accurate differential levels.
VOR is a 9960Hz signal FM modulated with 30Hz and a separate 30Hz with accurately adjustable phase to the 30Hz mondulating the 9960Hz . The older versions used a mechanical tone wheel with magnetic or optical pick-ups. The 30Hz pick-up was physically roatated around the wheel to change the phase.
Showing my age here

EDIT: It also does 400Hz, 1300Hz and 3000Hz spot frequencies for the 75MHz marker system
EDIT: They are built in HP System Cases (System I since System II came out)

The Cossor adverts date from 1967/69, not exactly sure when hp System II came out but I suspect it was later than the 1960's. It's the sort of thing covered in the hp journal but can't find the right search terms.

David

[beanflying]

ok, 2 weeks forced break from work. physical checkup revealed that I got to get my blood sugar levels down fast and treat my skin issues. Doctor told me to change my diet to meat, poultry, fish plus veggies. No sugar, no alcohol, no croissants  , no rice, potatoes, noodles, ramen, what have you.

*sigh*

Went to see an ENT specialist yesterday and the advice was to not have caffeine as part of my diet for the next month or so. Ok so I can deal with the rest but Death before Decaff  Be a bit naughty 1/2 a Croissant twice a week for the soul 

Ear nose and throat specialist?

What have you been doing? Snorting coffee out through your nose onto a keyboard?

Working through an Ear/hearing/nerve/tinnitus issue over the last couple of months but it has been on the improve in particular for the last few weeks. The Caffiene removal was more about keeping hydrated so I will add Beer or G&T and maybe some water