Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[BU508A]

@Saskia:

there is was a nice Wow- and Flutter meter from Philips (PM 6307) in the ebay Kleinanzeigen:
https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/philips-wow-and-flutter-ink-test-kassette-top-zustand/1859470927-172-1990

[BU508A]

Another 5 1/2 digit bench multimeter from the 90's. It's an HP 3468A off of the Bay of Pay. It was packed very well, but it was dirty and had a good amount of old permanent marker on it. The lithium primary battery (3V nominal) measures 3.42V, and nobody has played doctor with it. ICs have date codes of 1991.

Perhaps the 3468A isn't that interesting on it's own, but it is interesting to compare it to the Keithley 197A. The 3468A has a more modern interface with soft-touch buttons and a larger LCD. It has no backlight, but neither does the 197A, effectively.
[...]

There are at least two threads here in the forum which describing some diy backlights (3478A and 3457A):

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/hp3478a-backlight-my-version/

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/hp-3457a-lcd-backlight-mod-(also-for-3478a)/

[Cubdriver]

Anybody know the MSRP on the 197A and 3468A?

HP 3468A list price in 1991 was $820.  I have no idea about the Keithley.

-Pat

[tggzzz]

Build yourself a lamp limiter (aka dim bulb tester)

I do have one !!  I made one 3 or 4 years ago, used it once, after fixing / resurrecting the SMPS on my Tek 2232 that blew... twice... only to see it didn't work at all,  bulb was blinking at 0.5Hz, blinking, blinking.. would not stop. Remove the DBT and the scope would work just fine !

Caution: SMPSs are constant power output devices. Reduce the input voltage, and the input current must increase. Not all components like that!

[Specmaster]

Another 5 1/2 digit bench multimeter from the 90's. It's an HP 3468A off of the Bay of Pay. It was packed very well, but it was dirty and had a good amount of old permanent marker on it. The lithium primary battery (3V nominal) measures 3.42V, and nobody has played doctor with it. ICs have date codes of 1991.

Perhaps the 3468A isn't that interesting on it's own, but it is interesting to compare it to the Keithley 197A. The 3468A has a more modern interface with soft-touch buttons and a larger LCD. It has no backlight, but neither does the 197A, effectively. The 3468A does have HP-IL (of questionable use nowadays), and it can only measure to 300V and 3A. The Keithley can make relative measurements, measure dBm, has a built-in data-logger, and can measure the forward voltage drop of diodes. It also has safety banana jacks, and can measure 1000V and 10A. The HP has a funny shape that allows the folding bale to tuck underneath, whereas the Keithley's bale is always in the way if you aren't using it.

The 300V limit on the HP is really a deal-breaker for me (think vacuum tubes). It's either going in the sale thread or back on the 'bay from whence it came.

Getting old permanent marker off of textured plastic is a real pain. I tried multi-surface cleaner, WD-40, acetone, chlorinated brake cleaner, and car polish. The thing that seemed to offer the best results was the "magic eraser", which is a soft white sponge with a mild abrasive in it. N.B.: it creates a matte finish on the plastic and "magically erases" all printed text and graphics. It doesn't clean down into the texture, but it looks better than before.

Cerebus, HP are a step ahead of you (and hopefully me) with their warning label.

EDIT:

Anybody know the MSRP on the 197A and 3468A?

Yes that 300V limitation and the lack of a backlight was my biggest problem with the 3478 and also the 3468. I never noticed it until I did some work on a couple of vacuum tube items and the readings had me scratching my head for a while before the penny dropped that I'd run out of headroom on volts range  I soon flipped them after that, otherwise they are very good meters.

[med6753]

Let's see....

Coffee, check.

Blog, check.

Another project today, check.

Gonna rain like hell and don't have to go anywhere, check.

Retirement is tits, check.

Completely immunized now for Covid. When does the government controlled zombie transformation begin?

  

[med6753]

Getting old permanent marker off of textured plastic is a real pain. I tried multi-surface cleaner, WD-40, acetone, chlorinated brake cleaner, and car polish. The thing that seemed to offer the best results was the "magic eraser", which is a soft white sponge with a mild abrasive in it. N.B.: it creates a matte finish on the plastic and "magically erases" all printed text and graphics. It doesn't clean down into the texture, but it looks better than before.

Easier solution: spray paint. Those beige cabinets are ugly anyway.

Edit. This Fluke 7260A is ugly and weird. But the original beige cabinet just added to the pure ugliness. Painting it blue at least helped it....a little. 

[beanflying]

Let's see....

Coffee, check.

Blog, check.

Another project today, check.

Gonna rain like hell and don't have to go anywhere, check.

Retirement is tits, check.

Completely immunized now for Covid. When does the government controlled zombie transformation begin?

  

Finally booked in for C-Tick Pfizer #2 today. 

Sun was shining and I had all the woodwork gear outside for some sawdust production on a few projects. 

But then I spent 4 hours of it picking up Mother of the ground and cleaning Blood of various places of contact and patching bits of skin back in place to avoid the likely 3-4 hours in Casualty Not sure if a new Bubble Wrap suit, Pillow or Rock is the cure 

Semi retirement and being a carer sometimes really really SUCKS...... 

On a brighter note I guess the Sun will come up in the morning and like what could spoil my day 

[tggzzz]

Semi retirement and being a carer sometimes really really SUCKS...... 

Tell me about it For me the caring bit has ended (fortunately in some senses), and the clearup begun. In our case the latter is far from trivial, e.g. is that Himalayan Moon Bear covered by CITES?

[med6753]

I had zero side effects from Moderna shot 1 and 2 except for soreness at injection site.


I don't envy you being a caregiver for your Mother. My Brother and his wife (especially his wife) just went through all that with my Mother.

[tggzzz]

I had zero side effects from Moderna shot 1 and 2 except for soreness at injection site.
I don't envy you being a caregiver for your Mother. My Brother and his wife (especially his wife) just went through all that with my Mother.

It wasn't too bad until the last year, then it became more problematic. She was (and looked like) the archetypal little old lady that everybody wants to help. My parents helped me and my daughter, we helped them. It is pure chance that we ended up in the same city.

[bd139]

Semi retirement and being a carer sometimes really really SUCKS...... 

Tell me about it For me the caring bit has ended (fortunately in some senses), and the clearup begun. In our case the latter is far from trivial, e.g. is that Himalayan Moon Bear covered by CITES?

That’s going to be a pain I imagine. In similar circumstances here and in this case asbestos crammed outbuildings. Fortunately this one is not mine to deal with directly although I shall be dragged into it I suspect.

[Saskia]

Let's see....

Coffee, check.

Blog, check.

Another project today, check.

Gonna rain like hell and don't have to go anywhere, check.

Retirement is tits, check.

Completely immunized now for Covid. When does the government controlled zombie transformation begin?

  

It has already begun. genderized speech, burning of books, tearing down statues to erase part of your history, indoctrination ....

Anyway. Another 5 mile walk coming up (had one yesterday, had one this morning, will have another one to the pharmacy to pick up the keto diag strips ...)
After that it's back to packing up our stuff and placing the GBIC / cable order. Will buy a couple more of those to be on the safe side and have networking stuff for my future house (as soon as I get it). Fibre may be overkill, but idc.

[Saskia]

Let's see....

Coffee, check.

Blog, check.

Another project today, check.

Gonna rain like hell and don't have to go anywhere, check.

Retirement is tits, check.

Completely immunized now for Covid. When does the government controlled zombie transformation begin?

  

Finally booked in for C-Tick Pfizer #2 today. 

Sun was shining and I had all the woodwork gear outside for some sawdust production on a few projects. 

But then I spent 4 hours of it picking up Mother of the ground and cleaning Blood of various places of contact and patching bits of skin back in place to avoid the likely 3-4 hours in Casualty Not sure if a new Bubble Wrap suit, Pillow or Rock is the cure 

Semi retirement and being a carer sometimes really really SUCKS...... 

On a brighter note I guess the Sun will come up in the morning and like what could spoil my day 

ah hell. My heartfelt ...

[xrunner]

I had zero side effects from Moderna shot 1 and 2 except for soreness at injection site.

A real nutter on 2 meter HAM radio last night, ranting against the vaccine. Said all who took it would die in about a year. 

As for TEA - obtained another power sensor - 8482A. 100 kHz to 4.2 GHz, +20 to -30 dBm. It worked correctly, thankfully. Seems to be a lot of these and 437B power meters being sold, I think some companies are upgrading this stuff. This seller in TX showed 19 sensors sold and 9 more available.

[beanflying]

Let's see....

Coffee, check.

Blog, check.

Another project today, check.

Gonna rain like hell and don't have to go anywhere, check.

Retirement is tits, check.

Completely immunized now for Covid. When does the government controlled zombie transformation begin?

  

Finally booked in for C-Tick Pfizer #2 today. 

Sun was shining and I had all the woodwork gear outside for some sawdust production on a few projects. 

But then I spent 4 hours of it picking up Mother of the ground and cleaning Blood of various places of contact and patching bits of skin back in place to avoid the likely 3-4 hours in Casualty Not sure if a new Bubble Wrap suit, Pillow or Rock is the cure 

Semi retirement and being a carer sometimes really really SUCKS...... 

On a brighter note I guess the Sun will come up in the morning and like what could spoil my day 

ah hell. My heartfelt ...

Fed, Double Brandy & Dry added and additional nightly pain killers administered before safely in bed. For me I have added 3 large gins and food so the day has sort of ended better than the middle part 

Thinking the bubblewrap option might be safer as her face looks like a rock/hammer was used but sort of lucky we are in lockdown so public visibility is lower

[bd139]

I had zero side effects from Moderna shot 1 and 2 except for soreness at injection site.

A real nutter on 2 meter HAM radio last night, ranting against the vaccine. Said all who took it would die in about a year. 

I bet he’s the dead one within a year 


Power sensors from there aren’t too expensive to ship here  . £145 = ok. +£36 import duty +£14 shipping. So around £195 and they regularly go for more than that here. Hmm.

[Zucca]

It's an excellent choice for your application. The SFP is the right one, and both the "milspec" and the FTTA cables would be great.

I just bought a switch with two SPF+ ports, this discussion warm up my heart. Thanks Sas and mans.

[Saskia]

well, I don't trust those vaccines either, but I think it is up to anybody to do a proper risk analysis and act accordingly. Some of the potential side effects might prove disastrous for Hubby or myself
This bloody virus is a fact and it absolutely does not matter where it came from, it won't go away and it will keep mutating.
Similar to influenza. Some are not impacted, others are, some will die. This is unfortunate. However the vaccine also has side effects, and vaccinated people can pass on the virus just as well according to the studies I have read so far.
So, I will not rant against the virus or anybody who is getting vaccinated, but I would expect anybody to honor my decision not to get any of those shots and keep my distance from others to minimize any potential risks for others and myself.

[xrunner]

I had zero side effects from Moderna shot 1 and 2 except for soreness at injection site.

A real nutter on 2 meter HAM radio last night, ranting against the vaccine. Said all who took it would die in about a year. 

I bet he’s the dead one within a year 

I quit listening to those frequencies in the evening but another ham alerted me to this Mega-rant, so I succumbed to the entertainment. It even upset some of the guys that are on his side of the political fence (some of them took the vaccine). But they never tried to actually debate his claims, they just asked him to stop after three hours (he didn't).

Basically a waste of time and ruined my viewing of the baseball game. Tonight back to banning HAM radio from my evening activities. 

[Zucca]

Another 5 1/2 digit bench multimeter from the 90's. It's an HP 3468A off of the Bay of Pay.

Looking at the pics, I never understood fully the option to switch mains voltage to 220-240VAC or 100-120VAC.
I mean if you are in US 110, 220 otherwise. What are those fine adjustment options?

[bd139]

I had zero side effects from Moderna shot 1 and 2 except for soreness at injection site.

A real nutter on 2 meter HAM radio last night, ranting against the vaccine. Said all who took it would die in about a year. 

I bet he’s the dead one within a year 

I quit listening to those frequencies in the evening but another ham alerted me to this Mega-rant, so I succumbed to the entertainment. It even upset some of the guys that are on his side of the political fence (some of them took the vaccine). But they never tried to actually debate his claims, they just asked him to stop after three hours (he didn't).

Basically a waste of time and ruined my viewing of the baseball game. Tonight back to banning HAM radio from my evening activities. 

Ah yes sounds like the guy we have here. I think he killed everyone off.

One of the reasons I quit was he was lurking constantly waiting for victims. If anyone popped up then he’d dive right in. If you had a sked set up he’d bust into a gap and do a pretend radio check and then somehow not fuck off again. Being SDR he could watch the whole sodding band waiting for victims. He’d pull the conversation into his own schedule of bullshit immediately and then not fuck off. Grr

[Zucca]

I just bought a Countryman B3 

[Robert763]

Another 5 1/2 digit bench multimeter from the 90's. It's an HP 3468A off of the Bay of Pay.

Looking at the pics, I never understood fully the option to switch mains voltage to 220-240VAC or 100-120VAC.
I mean if you are in US 110, 220 otherwise. What are those fine adjustment options?

Those were the days of linear regulators. A 10 or 20% variation without drop-out at the low end would require a somewhat larger, higher output voltage transformer. Consequently to handle the high voltage case a much larger heatsink too.
The 100V setting would cover Japan. Also in those pre-EU days most of europe was 220V nominal and UK was 240V nominal. This gave a big spread of input voltage.
It was even worse with valves (tubes). Many instruments would have multiple primary taps to keep filaments etc within limits.   

[bd139]

On that front my mains sits around 251 volts here. This causes that TOPS1 some trouble annoyingly. There are clamp zeners across the filter caps which are being hit every cycle.