Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Zucca]

Meanwhile in some University in USA:



Boy in my time the uni in Milan was different.... blackboard and chalk, books pen and papers.... that's all you needed to become an EE

[Brumby]

Meanwhile in some University in USA:

  If that had been in the EE building when I was at Uni, there would have been an encampment right in front of it.


What?... It wasn't that long ago ... really.  I mean, it was less than 50 years ago.   

[McBryce]

OK I am done with the labels, phew !

I got better at it as I went along, I am refining my technique and workflow, it's getting quicker and less painful with each iteration...

"Chain" printing is good. I Printed all the lables in one mile long strip. Then I cut the labels one by one using my plastic template. This was a good idea.
In very little time it allows to :

1) Make cleaner cuts than the scissors (they are hopeless)
2) Adjust the justification of the text simply by moving the plastic template over the tape the way you wan it
3) and of course the most important, easily cut the tape precisely to 50mm so that all labels are exactly the width of the drawers.

I think I will further improve, by making my cutting template from transparent plastic rather than the opaque green of the margarine lid... This will let me see the tape while I am cutting it, to make sure the text justification is perfect. Right now it's a bit hit and miss...I am particularly annoyed by the two " Ferrite " labels, bottom left of the drawer unit, because they are off-center, closer to the RIGHT edge ! Looks weird, makes me feel uncomfortable... triggers my OCD somehow ! 
Think I will redo them....
Also need a cutting mat and scalpel.. definitely... it's on my short/mid-term buying list.

Anyway, for a first attempt, it looks decent enough. better than a piece of masking tape with me hand writing on it with a marker.... that's for sure.

I can now go label the drawers that hold the electrolytic caps....

Good to see you've conquered your OCD. Some labels left-aligned, some centred and some somewhere in between.

McBryce.

[Vince]

OCD only PARTIALLY cured !

As I said, the two " Ferrite " labels are badly centered but offset to the RIGHT side, not the left side : OCD can tolerate a misaligned label as long as it is closer to the left side of the drawer but... if it's closer to the RIGHT side... no, OCD will not tolerate that ! Maybe because I am left handed ?!

I shall therefore redo these two labels soon ! 

[McBryce]

My OCD is much worse. I have problems even looking at pictures like that.

McBryce.

[Vince]

Wow, that's tough, sorry to hear about that !

Ho do you manage to label your drawers and what not then ? You use a (proper) label printer on a computer, so that the printing / alignement is 100% perfect ? But then of course when you spply the stickers BY HAND to the drawers... it's never gonna be perfect ! So it's a lost cause ! 

[McBryce]

Wow, that's tough, sorry to hear about that !

Ho do you manage to label your drawers and what not then ? You use a (proper) label printer on a computer, so that the printing / alignement is 100% perfect ? But then of course when you spply the stickers BY HAND to the drawers... it's never gonna be perfect ! So it's a lost cause ! 

My sorting system has non-sticky paper labels (the drawers have slots for the label). I used Excel to create perfectly centred text on identically sized squares.

McBryce.

[Specmaster]

As part of my ongoing redecorations, I needed to re-assemble some furniture that had to be dismantled to enable works to commence so to speed up the process of screwing it back together I decided to use my battery powered small screwdriver as the screws were rather tight to screw back in and getting leverage on the screws in a confined space was hard to do.

Of course, as is so often the way with bleeding battery powered item that aren't used on a regular basis, the thing was completely flat, so I plugged it in to recharge while I went and purchased a takeaway dinner for the family. Two hours later, there were still zero signs of life on the driver, not even the charging LED was lit, so decided to leave it to charge overnight. The following morning, checked the driver, nah, nah, nothing doing.

Took it to the bench, stripped it down and gave it a good visual check, nothing jumped out at me as a problem, so powered it via the wall charger and probed for power, and sure enough power was coming in OK but not reaching the battery, which measured .54V. Was just about ready to hit the Buy it Now button on Amazon for a new tabbed 18650 battery when I remembered reading somewhere that sometimes, if the battery drops below 1V, they will not accept a charge again.

Connected the battery to my bench supply and gave it a supply of 2.5V at 100mA for approx 10 minutes and checked it again to see if it was accepting the charge, and it was, so reassembled the driver, plugged in the wall charger, charging LED lit up and left it like that for 8 hours. That was 2 days ago, and I'm glad to report that the driver is still working well and holdings its charge perfectly.

Now I'm wondering just how many times has that scenario been played with other people, who either were not aware of this issue with Li-Ion batteries or not having the necessary skills and equipment to revive the batteries? While battery powered tools can be very useful, I still prefer mains powered tools, they work when you most need them to   

[TERRA Operative]

Not TEA related, but it prevented me from getting parts...
Had an elderly driver get impatient in traffic today. After tailgating me, she overtook on a solid white line without indicating, cut me off and side swiped my front corner. Luckily it was low speed or she'd have pit manoeuvred  herself... 

Luckily I have front and rear dashcam, 4K front 1080P rear, so it was pretty cut and dry when the police arrived.

Now I get to do the insurance tango... 

Also, one tiny good thing that came out of it, she scraped right where my wife previously scuffed the front bar while parking at the shops, so that will be fixed along with the rest of the damage. 


(and yes, my car is filthy and I need to clean it...)

[Saskia]

Wow, that's tough, sorry to hear about that !

Ho do you manage to label your drawers and what not then ? You use a (proper) label printer on a computer, so that the printing / alignement is 100% perfect ? But then of course when you spply the stickers BY HAND to the drawers... it's never gonna be perfect ! So it's a lost cause ! 

My sorting system has non-sticky paper labels (the drawers have slots for the label). I used Excel to create perfectly centred text on identically sized squares.

McBryce.

you should cut them to size using a cutting plotter or a laser cutter ...

[Brumby]

That's what I like to see .... A properly over-engineered solution!


I love that stuff! 

[TERRA Operative]

Just bought a P6247 1GHz Differential probe to make me feel better after today's vehicular events. 

At least I didn't have the good wheels fitted, $1200 a corner and multiple months of lead time... Thank the wife for her insistence on winter tyres. 

[Specmaster]

Not TEA related, but it prevented me from getting parts...
Had an elderly driver get impatient in traffic today. After tailgating me, she overtook on a solid white line without indicating, cut me off and side swiped my front corner. Luckily it was low speed or she'd have pit manoeuvred  herself... 

Luckily I have front and rear dashcam, 4K front 1080P rear, so it was pretty cut and dry when the police arrived.

Now I get to do the insurance tango... 

Also, one tiny good thing that came out of it, she scraped right where my wife previously scuffed the front bar while parking at the shops, so that will be fixed along with the rest of the damage. 


(and yes, my car is filthy and I need to clean it...)

Sorry to hear that, but at the same time she saved you money as you'll get SWMBO's bit of damage sorted at the same time. Good job you had the dashcam fitted, I know that mine has been a boon since I fitted it, saved my bacon twice as both occasions it clearly showed who was to blame.

[Robert763]

So having a R&S FSH3 now I had  look and there is  software option key generaator "out there"
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/enabling-options-for-rs-test-equipment/275/
I'm not a Linu person and pretty much stopped playing with the inner workings of PCs at Win XP. Howerver I had a linux box (CentOS, not ideal) and managed to install enough bits to compile/build/make? it.
The .EXE seems to run but flashes up a window and closes it so fas ou cn't see anything. Tried various tricks and a couple of PC's. Also had a pre-complied (PC) version soneone sent me but it seems to have been compiled in a NI envirnment so I had to install a NI DLL. It does exactly the same thing. I've tried a comman window, Com /k, a batch file with pause, all the usual stuff. Anyone got any ideas?
The code is here https://github.com/rdelien/fsxx_keygen
I'm about ready to throw a PC at something 

[Robert763]

I must fit the dash cam to my car. Two incidents last week. A DPD van overtaking me when I stopped at a red light. Yes red, not amber, the car in front had already gone through on red. Then on saturday was waiting to turn right into a side road, giving way to an on-coming van and a cyclist came skidding out of the side road and fell off his bike directly in front of the van. Fortunatly for him the van driver was paying attention and managed to stop. 

[SilverSolder]

So having a R&S FSH3 now I had  look and there is  software option key generaator "out there"
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/enabling-options-for-rs-test-equipment/275/
I'm not a Linu person and pretty much stopped playing with the inner workings of PCs at Win XP. Howerver I had a linux box (CentOS, not ideal) and managed to install enough bits to compile/build/make? it.
The .EXE seems to run but flashes up a window and closes it so fas ou cn't see anything. Tried various tricks and a couple of PC's. Also had a pre-complied (PC) version soneone sent me but it seems to have been compiled in a NI envirnment so I had to install a NI DLL. It does exactly the same thing. I've tried a comman window, Com /k, a batch file with pause, all the usual stuff. Anyone got any ideas?
The code is here https://github.com/rdelien/fsxx_keygen
I'm about ready to throw a PC at something 

Top tip for the "flashing message too fast" issue:   Stab the "Print Screen" key at exactly the right time (while message is flashing).  Then you open Paint, do a Paste, and read the message at leisure.

[TERRA Operative]

Not TEA related, but it prevented me from getting parts...
Had an elderly driver get impatient in traffic today. After tailgating me, she overtook on a solid white line without indicating, cut me off and side swiped my front corner. Luckily it was low speed or she'd have pit manoeuvred  herself... 

Luckily I have front and rear dashcam, 4K front 1080P rear, so it was pretty cut and dry when the police arrived.

Now I get to do the insurance tango... 

Also, one tiny good thing that came out of it, she scraped right where my wife previously scuffed the front bar while parking at the shops, so that will be fixed along with the rest of the damage. 


(and yes, my car is filthy and I need to clean it...)

Sorry to hear that, but at the same time she saved you money as you'll get SWMBO's bit of damage sorted at the same time. Good job you had the dashcam fitted, I know that mine has been a boon since I fitted it, saved my bacon twice as both occasions it clearly showed who was to blame.

I must fit the dash cam to my car. Two incidents last week. A DPD van overtaking me when I stopped at a red light. Yes red, not amber, the car in front had already gone through on red. Then on saturday was waiting to turn right into a side road, giving way to an on-coming van and a cyclist came skidding out of the side road and fell off his bike directly in front of the van. Fortunatly for him the van driver was paying attention and managed to stop. 

Yeah, my dashcam has saved me a couple times now. I've always had one in my cars for years, wouldn't drive without one.

[Zucca]

shit I need one for me and more important for my wife now.

[TERRA Operative]

I use Blackvue cameras (currently using the DR900X-2CH), they are not the cheapest out there, but they are absolutely 100% worth it.

[Specmaster]

I use Blackvue cameras (currently using the DR900X-2CH), they are not the cheapest out there, but they are absolutely 100% worth it.

I seem to remember that at one time, having dashcam fitted and working in your car would get you cheaper insurance, what ever happened to that scheme then eh? I expect they decided against it to make even more profit from us motorists.

[tonyalbus]

For parts i changed to drawers and put the little drawers inside.

[AVGresponding]

Just bought a P6247 1GHz Differential probe to make me feel better after today's vehicular events. 

At least I didn't have the good wheels fitted, $1200 a corner and multiple months of lead time... Thank the wife for her insistence on winter tyres. 

I was just about to ask that, don't you have some nice Rays or something on it normally?



Had to get ebay cs involved again over the duff ADF4531 sig-gen, seller looks like playing the time-out game. Needless to say, ebay are not amused, nor am I.

[TERRA Operative]

Just bought a P6247 1GHz Differential probe to make me feel better after today's vehicular events. 

At least I didn't have the good wheels fitted, $1200 a corner and multiple months of lead time... Thank the wife for her insistence on winter tyres. 

I was just about to ask that, don't you have some nice Rays or something on it normally?

Yeah, but 18" winter tyres are much more expensive than 15" winter tyres, plus I had the stock rims sitting around anyway, so they were essentially free.
Can't wait for slightly warmer weather to swap them back..

[tonyalbus]

I don't think B/W is the problem here, plenty enough signal amplitude.. looks more like a tired trigger circuit and I have no idea how to fix / diagnose that... no schematics around for the 544A, well unless it leaked since 5 years ago when I worked on it. Think I found schematics from a 520 or something, something like that... better than nothing... but still only partial schematic, so don't don't know it they show the trigger circuitry...

Anyway regardless, would be cool upping the B/W if it's just a cap to remove on the front end.. even if in practice it's not going to make much of a difference since the sampling rate and sweep sweep won't increase accordingly to make use of the extra B/W....
But for repetitive signals I guess it could still be somewhat useful.

Bring it on, give me instructions ! 

SPC ? No I didn't do that... I ran it 10 times in a row 5 years ago after fixing the scope, to make sure it was working fine... but have not run it ever since... OK will try that, though from memory it has nothing to do with triggering, SPC only compensates for small temperature induced DC offsets in the signal path ?  Just from memory...
But it's free to try so will do !


FW versions ?
OK just powered them up to check... here goes :

TDS 544A:   v3.8.3e with options 13 1F M
TDS 694C:   v6.4e   with options 13 1F 2F


Would be cool to extract the FW through GPIB, never done it ! Gimme the S/W and instructions even if you are not interested in my crusty old FW ! 

Here's a link to TDS554A schematics, in the sidebar on the right:
https://w140.com/tekwiki/wiki/TDS544A

Here's a link to some info on the TDS694C, it mentions a common issue with the triggering, maybe yours needs some love?
https://w140.com/tekwiki/wiki/TDS694

For the downloading of the firmware (and uploading of newer firmware), check this link:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/unified-tektool-released-!-(firmware-flash-tools-for-old-tds-series)/msg3758918/#msg3758918

I'll take both those firmwares if you can extract them.
The newest TDS6xx firmware I have is 4.2e, and I don't have TDS5xx 3.8.3e yet either. I've attached 3.8.4e firmware if you want to do a little upgrade too. It will take about 45 mins to upload, downloading is much faster (make sure to pull down the NVRAM as well as the firmware as in the instructions, that way it's basically impossible to brick your scope).


Also, follow this one to enable extra options:
Try the 2M option on the TDS694C, if it doesn't work, set it back to 0 and try 1M, and set 2F on the TDS544A.

Thanks a bunch for all that, you rock ! 

So the  544A schematics finally "leaked" then, that's fantastic ! Especially so since VintageTek museum said that despite them scanning their mega huge archive of Tek microfiches, they found no schematics for the 500/700 series, IIRC ! 

OK will play with FW and GPIB when I can... that is, not before some time... lab is no where near a state where I can clutter it with my old Pentium / GPIB PC....
When I get to that point, hopefully within 3 months, I will think of you ! If I don't... send me a PM ! 

OK running SPC was a good idea in fat, you were right...
Let the scope warm up for 20/25 minutes (they say 15  minutes minimum), ran SPC, got 3 errors. Let it warm up 20 more minutes, ran SPC again, got the exact same 3 errors, no more no less. The first two ones don't seem critical to me / relevant to my problem, but the last one looks like it is ! See screen capture below, it says that the trigger section failed to calibrate !!! 
Without a PROPER service manual, to explain how the trigger circuit works and how to check for proper operation... no hope of fixing it.
My only hope of fixing it is that there is some corrosion that slowly progressed over the years.

Being a 5XX 'A', it is plagued with the dreaded myriad of leaky SMD electrolytic caps. ShakalNokturn who sold me the scope 5 year ago did a lot of work to bring it back from the dead.. replaced all caps, washed the boards several times in the dish washer, then fixed many broken traces in the analog part of the acquisition board, with a level of craftsmanship I envy.  That got it working... but I still had weird errors, semi random, in the error log. So I looked at the corroded/reworked analog area that he fixed. I eventually found on the underside of the board, were these is nothing but a handful of discrete components IIRC... that a few SMD resistors had crappy looking/dull solder joints. Touched them up and that got rid of any and all error messages !    The dodgy joints were near a via. I suspect that the electrolyte managed to seep through these tiny open via and contaminated the bottom side of the board.

So.... since the trigger circuitry on these scopes IRC is all analog not digital, it's probably located in the same area that's been reworked / fixed. So all I can do is look at that area again and search for dodgy joints, rotten traces and what not. However since 99.9999% of hte work has already been done, it probably means that whatever problem remains, is bound to be NON obvious/blatant, so will need very careful inspection. Yes, this is a job for microscope. When I first fixed that board 5 years ago II suffered so much when going over that board, that I promised to myself I would NEVER do it again, to preserve my sanity (en eye balls).
So I will only look at this board... once I can afford to buy a microscope. No please people don't tell me about optivisor or what not. I have that... rubbish. I want/need to inspect this board in great detail, at length, in comfort.  I am not looking at rushing this inspection, to the contrary I want to take my time and do properly when I am equipped to do so.  Scope works fine below 400MHz so it's not like it was bricked... plus I rarely need it anyway. 99.99% of the time I just use my Combiscope...

@vince
i am a bit late, so catching up.. i am an owner 2be for an TDS744A, it seems easy to hack to TDS784A... (for yours is maybe the same)  but.
if you need calibrating and want to use the original software, you need:

1. NI 8bit ISA or 7210 compatible ISA
 - https://www.ebay.nl/itm/283506706141 (i think)
2. bloody old pc p1 or p2 or below with ISA running DOS, 95 or 98 (the one you prob. trew away years ago, and its now called vintage gameing...so not cheap)
3. DC voltage calibrate will work with powersupply and a proper DMM
3. RF calibratiopn need 505 MHz and +17 dBm .. so you prob need a expensive generator or use an RF-amp behind an other generator (the marconi in my case)

So if you are not good with UNIX and or DOS emulators and tranlation-drivers-stuff to map adresses from PCI/USB to ISA vs-vs (like me),
you need a bunch of old stuff to get it working over GPIB with original Field Alignment Software from Tektronix (FAS)
then a USB-GPIB or PCI-GPIB won't work.

IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECT - from what i have read so-far.
just that you know before you start buying stuff and wast good money on GPIB stuff that then won't work.
cheers mate!

ps. there is an serial console kit for around 20 dollars from an Italian member from here, you find it on ebay.. if it is only for enabling the options.
 - then you just hyperterminal yourself with this and no GPIB is needed. (when having this in place you need to have the PC switched on and connected, for the scope to boot, i have been told)

https://www.ebay.nl/itm/325015924779

[edit1,2,3,4] bunch of typo's as usual

[AVGresponding]

Yeah, but 18" winter tyres are much more expensive than 15" winter tyres, plus I had the stock rims sitting around anyway, so they were essentially free.
Can't wait for slightly warmer weather to swap them back..

Do they salt the roads over there? If so you're better off running the stock ones anyway, doesn't really matter if they get a bit corroded. Although it is a pita when the beading corrodes, leaving you with a permanent slow "puncture".