Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[mnementh]

Some sellers on eBay are very slow at giving up, I think I first reported this item for sale about 3 to 4 months but then it was IRRC around the £300 mark was the asking price. I wonder how low it get before either it does sell or gets removed from sale 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/393441046651?

Possible drug dealer listing. Certain words in listing identify location/time to look for dealer. They do this a lot on CL with car ads as well.

mnem
 

[Martin.M]

I need a bristol spline wrench set, here in germany.
When I buy that in the states it becomes hard expensive.

[mnementh]

Looks really grand does that. When you say it probably won't live in the case, I take that you're referring to the yellow bumper?

That was what I was thinking. Mostly so I didn't have to clean the case  . I gave in eventually and sorted it. All done:   

Good score; noice that you don't have to eff aboot with fixing the zebra strip and/or replace the 4mm socket strip.

EDIT:I dunno aboot Quite right on not giving up the case. I actually quite like the stand and the way the leads wrap/store on the 87 just so; such that you don't poke yerself with the probes all the fucking time. 

mnem
 

[med6753]

Here we go. This one was a bit of a bargain. £63.20 delivered. BIN from an excellent seller. Spot on, fast delivery and well packaged and much cheaper than it should have been 

As arrived with manual and probes.
(SNIP)
I'll clean up the case later as that will require some scrubbing. It probably won't live in the case to be honest. Probe inspection will happen later too.

Anyway that's the first acquisition post from me for a long time. Finally back on the treadmill 

Good score; noice that you don't have to eff aboot with fixing the zebra strip and/or replace the 4mm socket strip. I dunno aboot giving up the case; I actually quite like the way the leads wrap/store on the 87 so you don't poke yerself with the probes. 

mnem
 

I've never had to futz with the zebra strip on my 87 and I've had it since 1997.

[mnementh]

Had mine since before they were released; it was provided by my employer when I worked at Philips Lighting. Serviced/replaced the zebra strip and the socket strip no less than 3 times each, plus updated BL to nice crisp white LED before it was stolen during a move.

I'd say yours has probably led a sheltered life; mine was used for daily work in no less than 4 completely different employment disciplines, some indoors and some not, and provided yoeman service throughout its life with me. It doubtless is continuing to do so wherever it wound up. 

mnem
 

[mnementh]

   I think I have bitten off more than I can chew.

OK, not really but I am going to get some chewing practice. I don't have a problem with 0.5mm pitch parts in QFP form, but I've found the 0.5 mm leadless packages a bit intimidating. You've only got to look at that package to figure out why. I've been meaning to find something cheap in QFN that I can get some soldering (reflow) practice with. There are quite a lot of relatively inexpensive MCUs in small QFN packages but none of them are MCU architectures I'm set up to use and I don't really want to set up a toolchain, programming tools etc. just for some soldering practice. The thing is through, you want something you can actually test once you're done.

I finally hit on the ideal part when I was looking to order some 74x595 shift registers the other day. NXP have a 74LVC595 in a 16 pin 2.5 x 3.5mm package (that's it 'dead bug' above). They are £0.097 each + VAT in pack quantity 15, and you're not going to care about scrapping a few 11.64p parts. It's testable as it's easy to daisy chain as many shift registers as you like and the parallel part of the IC is perfectly capable of driving an LED. Just thought I'd mention it in case anyone else is thinking of dipping their toes into the water like me.

   

https://hackaday.com/2020/11/25/smd-challenge-extreme-edition-gets-our-flux-flowing/

https://github.com/ftemperton/smd_challenge_extreme

Oh, come now... That's just huge compared to my iPud Tristar Chip at ~2.6mm²...

Of course... you could try the HAD SMD Misery Edition instead: https://www.tindie.com/products/makersbox/smd-challenge/

mnem
No, I am not that masochistic.

Two words: fuck that 

I dunno... I keep going back to that Tindie... maybe after the move I'll be ready for that kind of joy again...



And did you see the "Bodge Edition"...? All 0603, but deliberately made with routing errors you have to fix before they'll blink in the right order.

mnem
 

[mansaxel]

The 9th rule (Capacitors are Murphy's foot-soldiers) is alive and influences my shopping habits. I've got no less than 6 orders shipping now, one each from Mouser, TME, Eibabo, Thomann, a Dutch speaker surround repair shop and a Swedish mail-order house specialising in LED lamps.

The Mouser order is, bar a 10-pack of NE555, only capacitors. Some are for a new build, but the rest all go into shotgunning the Studer and trying to wake the 5440 from -30V being -2.6V. The other orders are mostly electrical contractor hardware and cable (PE sheathed Cat5 FTP, as audio cable for burial), with a refill on 7[89]15 linears for the stockpile.

TE side: There's a DMM offered locally that is so ugly only its designer could love it, but it looks to have decent specs and is a new brand to me.   I've got my eyes on something in the 6,5 digits class as well, but I suspect it will be the subject of a contested sniping campaign.

[med6753]

The 9th rule (Capacitors are Murphy's foot-soldiers) is alive and influences my shopping habits. I've got no less than 6 orders shipping now, one each from Mouser, TME, Eibabo, Thomann, a Dutch speaker surround repair shop and a Swedish mail-order house specialising in LED lamps.

The Mouser order is, bar a 10-pack of NE555, only capacitors. Some are for a new build, but the rest all go into shotgunning the Studer and trying to wake the 5440 from -30V being -2.6V. The other orders are mostly electrical contractor hardware and cable (PE sheathed Cat5 FTP, as audio cable for burial), with a refill on 7[89]15 linears for the stockpile.

TE side: There's a DMM offered locally that is so ugly only its designer could love it, but it looks to have decent specs and is a new brand to me.   I've got my eyes on something in the 6,5 digits class as well, but I suspect it will be the subject of a contested sniping campaign.

Over 90% of the parts I order from Mouser are capacitors.

[bd139]

Big Capacitor owns you all 

[Peter_O]

I need a bristol spline wrench set, here in germany.
When I buy that in the states it becomes hard expensive.

I'm not an expert, but XZN or "Innenvielzahl" might be the right keyword for the german market?!

[Robert763]

They’ve got to the point they only talk to me when they’re hungry. Actually that’s not true. I’m trying to negotiate a truce between two of them at the moment and get them out the door for school 

Delightful, isn't it!

I found it invaluable to be able to distract mine by getting her to do something "dangerous" and interesting. Obviously I chose gliding[1], but something on or under the river might be easier for you.

You'll miss them when they are gone (I'm just going off to help mine before a hygiene inspection next week)

[1] yesterday's news: K13s not allowed to do spinning any more So no more pre-solo training where you deliberately enter a spin at 1000ft, rotate once every 3 seconds, descend at 100ft/s, and have to dive at the ground to avoid hitting it.

As someone who floats like a brick I shall avoid the river. Also somewhat risk averse after a few near misses 

As far as danger goes, we're all going to fly some model rockets shortly. There is a universal interest in things that go woosh and may go horribly wrong 

Currently eyeing this up. Currently placed well above the value as a BIN and the seller isn't fond of low offers but I'm hoping it goes down significantly when relisted...



Appears to be a duff 7474 display driver looking at the schematics, a common problem on devices of that era. However contains unobtanium ADC and  the front end is a hybrid  . But the bandwidth on it is pretty amazingly high. Possibly an opportunity to get creative.

Bough 2, one display driver failed, one hybrid failed. End up to 1 usable unit. 

I may be expelled from TEA for saying this, but the RMS math function on a decent quality DSO makes instruments like these redundant. Maybe not quite as accurate, but even -hp- were never able to produce a 1GHz RMS meter

With a typical 8 bits and 3% DC accuracy (50% AC at BW limit) a DSO is never going to match a good thermal RMS meter like the 3403C (0.4% AC+DC) or Fluke 8920.  I can't find a specification for the RMS math accuracy on a DSO.
There is a reason national standards labs still use thermal converters.

[Robert763]

I need a bristol spline wrench set, here in germany.
When I buy that in the states it becomes hard expensive.

I'm not an expert, but XZN or "Innenvielzahl" might be the right keyword for the german market?!

Nope,
Bristol Spline has parallel flanks. Not much else like it. Found on jukeboxes, Avionics (and some Collins non -aircraft stuff) and some multiturn potentiometer dials. I have an Xcelite "99" set and some odd small ones.
www.enrgtech.co.uk/buy/product/ET16919802/99PS60N

[Neomys Sapiens]

I need a bristol spline wrench set, here in germany.
When I buy that in the states it becomes hard expensive.

To own or for one time usage? And no, neither Innenvielzahn (XZN) nor Innenkeilprofil (RIBE CV) are the same.

[Martin.M]

see  https://www.ebay.de/itm/150757096224

I ned that 

[Cerebus]

Big Capacitor owns you all 

Nope, I think you'll find that I am owned by small capacitor! 



Who am I kidding, that's a 1206, it's HUGE!

[Neomys Sapiens]

klaxon ... hmmm.

I have a pneumatic horn sitting here, rating is 135 db@1m ....

Do you also have the recommended accessoires?

Whoa! Capt. Bullshot hat die groesste(n) Hupe(n)!

ich hoffe doch sehr, daß ich hier die größten Hupen hab. Sonst läuft hier was falsch ...

Here is a video of that beast. Nice machinery.
Dang. I want to go there now.

[factory]

see  https://www.ebay.de/itm/150757096224

I ned that 

That the seller I got mine from in 2013, the price of the set hasn't changed, but the shipping (economy) was only $3.75 back then.

David

[AVGresponding]

Boring Mundane Everyday Print #199: Bicycle Wheel Spoke Protector Disc   

   https://a360.co/3ejgIr8

This is for my spare bike; an older 700C-sized "unisex step-through frame" Road/MTB made by CCM. The cheap freewheel on it crunched up the ratchet, so I'm swapping over a Shimano freewheel from the parts mule bike.

   

This actually is the better of the two spoke discs; the other literally disintegrated into powder and chips just from handling the gear cluster. I already spent more than I wanted to on the tool set to swap the freewheel over (a whopping US$17!!! ), so cost + hassle factor and drive to get one locally made me give this a try so I can put the damned thing together instead of waiting on the slow boat from China.

As usual, for those who care full details and 3DP nerd stats are here on the 3DP thread.

mnem
 

Looks like you made a record. What does it sound like?   

[BU508A]

see  https://www.ebay.de/itm/150757096224

I ned that 

Not the cheapest set:
https://www.distrelec.de/de/bristol-multiple-spline-schraubendrehersatz-ratschengriff-11stueck-weller-xcelite-99ps60n/p/30164386

[factory]

Looks like this HP1607A is going to go for the minimum bid. I'm tempted just for those toggle switches, but maybe someone here is a collector of this type of gear?

https://www.ebay.de/itm/353569175703

McBryce.

It’s a very early logic analyser that renders 1’s and 0’s on a scope screen. Mostly useless almost immediately after they started selling the ones with microprocessors in. I had the misfortune of using one once and it was terribly frustrating. The thing is also entirely useless without the unobtainium pods. I’d shred it for bits in a second 

Seriously doubt it will go for the minimum as they have sold them before for more than the start price, one even had a set of probe pods in the pouch.

I've got the 1601A plug-in version for the 180 series scopes, hopefully will be able try it once I've sorted the remaining 180A* problems, it predates both the 1600A & the 1607A. https://www.hpmemoryproject.org/wb_pages/wall_b_page_12.htm
Yes I know it's all very basic compared with later logic analyzers, I also have some newer Tek stuff waiting in storage for it's turn in the repair queue.

*Ironically the 180A came from the same seller.

David

[AVGresponding]

With the undercover Siglent taking its place, it was time to fix the dodgy power switch on the TTi EX354D. I have some spare of the correct type as I ordered a bunch from JPR recently, just to have as stock for projects.

It's been temperamental pretty much since I got it, sometimes not working without switching on and off several times, and if ambient noise is low enough (a rare occurrence around here) it could occasionally be heard arcing.

You can see here why it weighs so little for a 280W PSU:




The switch was a bastard to get to, the whole thing in fact is weirdly built. To get the top cover off you have to undo the front carrying handle screw, as there's an internal bracket attaching it to the top of the front panel. Could easily have ended in a broken panel if I'd not spotted it!
Then the wires to the switch were soldered on, despite it having spade terminals, a potential cause of an early demise as if the terminals get too hot during soldering there's a good chance of the internal switch contacts becoming misaligned.

No prizes for guessing which conductor being switched is the culprit:




The new switch is the "wrong" colour but that's never been something that concerns me; form always takes a back seat to function in my universe.




I gave the display a bit of a polish while I was at it, which also reminded me to give the 869S another turn. Getting there, slowly...

[AVGresponding]

Currently eyeing this up. Currently placed well above the value as a BIN and the seller isn't fond of low offers but I'm hoping it goes down significantly when relisted...



Appears to be a duff 7474 display driver looking at the schematics, a common problem on devices of that era. However contains unobtanium ADC and  the front end is a hybrid  . But the bandwidth on it is pretty amazingly high. Possibly an opportunity to get creative.

That's been on my watch list for a while too, and my BIN price is probably lower than yours, for once!   

Now, if it came with the test lead...   

[med6753]

I am an idiot. The 9M 1% resistor found to be out of spec is actually a 9.9M 1%. I ordered and got a 9.09M 1%.  But regardless it's out of spec at 10.36M. What to do?



Parts stash to the rescue. 9.09M 1% plus 330K 0.1% plus 442K 0.1% equals 9.84M. Perfect. 



I also replaced those dodgy DC and AC cal pots.

[tautech]

Some Volt-nuttery.

I finally did a one-to-one comparison between the Siglent SDM 3055 and the high and mighty 3456A. Both have been powered up for over 48 hours. I have proven and demonstrated several times in the past that the 3055 on 2V and 20V ranges consistently reads low. This was BEFORE I purchased the 3456A. Well as you can see the 3456A proves once again the Siglent reads consistently low, in the same amounts as I have shown in the past. Now I know in the real world of voltage measurement these results don't mean jack shit. So “can” the comments concerning that. I've heard before, don't need to hear it again.  The point is it ain't right and I'm sure can be improved. 


SDM 3055                    hp 3456A

190.006mV                  .190005V

1.89973V                     1.89977V

18.9982V                     18.9991V

2.5004V                       2.50064V

4.9976V                       4.99794V

7.4996V                       7.50013V

9.9963V                       9.99694V

Tautech, I read through and viewed all the stuff you sent me and the “home” calibration procedure as proposed by Siglent is a complete joke. If Defpom tried and can't be sure he got good results I certainly am not going to try it. There's too much of a danger you could totally screw it up. If Siglent implements the procedure as proposed by Defpom I would certainly give it a try. But as it stands today it's no freaking way.   

You missed some shit ! 
A User Cal is applied to the Factory Cal which always remains accessible like a safety net so sure you can make mistakes doing a User Cal however you can bring back the Factory Cal with just a press of a button.
Any tweaks are always applied to the Factory Cal values but they get saved as a User Cal.

Yes the process is retarded, requires a PC and not user friendly but it does work.

[med6753]

Some Volt-nuttery.

I finally did a one-to-one comparison between the Siglent SDM 3055 and the high and mighty 3456A. Both have been powered up for over 48 hours. I have proven and demonstrated several times in the past that the 3055 on 2V and 20V ranges consistently reads low. This was BEFORE I purchased the 3456A. Well as you can see the 3456A proves once again the Siglent reads consistently low, in the same amounts as I have shown in the past. Now I know in the real world of voltage measurement these results don't mean jack shit. So “can” the comments concerning that. I've heard before, don't need to hear it again.  The point is it ain't right and I'm sure can be improved. 


SDM 3055                    hp 3456A

190.006mV                  .190005V

1.89973V                     1.89977V

18.9982V                     18.9991V

2.5004V                       2.50064V

4.9976V                       4.99794V

7.4996V                       7.50013V

9.9963V                       9.99694V

Tautech, I read through and viewed all the stuff you sent me and the “home” calibration procedure as proposed by Siglent is a complete joke. If Defpom tried and can't be sure he got good results I certainly am not going to try it. There's too much of a danger you could totally screw it up. If Siglent implements the procedure as proposed by Defpom I would certainly give it a try. But as it stands today it's no freaking way.   

You missed some shit ! 
A User Cal is applied to the Factory Cal which always remains accessible like a safety net so sure you can make mistakes doing a User Cal however you can bring back the Factory Cal with just a press of a button.
Any tweaks are always applied to the Factory Cal values but they get saved as a User Cal.

Yes the process is retarded, requires a PC and not user friendly but it does work.

"Retarded" is the key word. Just my luck I'll accidentally overwrite Factory cal data and wind up with a paperweight. Nope, not going there.