Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Robert763]

My big boy pants PSU is a HP 6035A which goes to 475V at 800W (curse Japans 100V supply, in America I'd get the full 500V and 1000W!), but it's good for 5 Amps output.

youtube.com/watch?v=iZ8USY4cuRY


I also got most of the parts to build a tube based PSU, good for 500V at 100mA. Just for shits and giggles.

I'm wondering whether it is possible to build a compact tube-based power supply which does not look like a normal tube-based power supply and improve on it's reliability toothis way.
It could use Power tubes like a 2C39BA or other late-generation Milspec power tubes, although I have no idea at the moment how such beasts behave at DC or AF AC.
In the control circuit one could use Nuvistors and planar tubes. It would certainly look nice and rugged, but I have to research a bit before I would even proclaim it feasible.
 

A conduction cooled version of the 4CX250 Tetrode might be a starting point (Y799, Y808, CCS1 4KC/160) as an output device. They will work fine at DC (the 4CX250B datasheet includes DC/AF operating condtions for use in a AM modulator). The limiting factor would be the 250mA anode current limit That would be 125W at 500V output.  Funnily enough there was a mostly gutted PYE transmitter with one, the BeO thermal link and the heatsink at the St Neots rally......

[Neper]

Isn't Hilti also a company founded and based in Liechtenstein?

Quite so, just like Neutrik.

[DC1MC]

Who wants to see the thermals of their connectors in real time (how does one zero this guy  ):

https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/veb-praecitronic-dresden-dc-milli-pico-meter-mv40/2048113345-168-19466

[Vince]

@BU !!!

Don't ever do that again ! 
I was expecting you to post a NEW message with more details about the PSU.... NOT edit your original message and add tons of cool stuff in it ! I almost missed all that !!! 
Rule #1 (or is that #3 or #4 ?! ) : never add significant content to an old message ! Editing is fine to fix typos or formatting or minor stuff, but not for adding lots info and nice pics !
Had I not scrolled back up to find your first message, to quote it and ask "I want the details now please, been more than a few minutes ! ", I would not have seen that you modified your first message 
I almost missed all your nice pics ! Nearly had a heart attack when I saw them all and realizing I could have missed all that ! 
Oh boy, you scared the shit out of me, naughty BU, naughty !!! 
It also makes my reply to your original post look rather out of place ! Nit picking on the 30A marking in front of all those nice pics, makes me look like stupid (-er than usual) for someone who doesn't know the full story ! 
Naughty BU....

What rules? 

This is exactly how I do lengthy posts, the text is added first, the post released, then the inline pictures added later (due to unsolved forum picture glitch).

David

Yeah sure, but at least make it clear that you are going to eidt this very message.... I didn't understand that, to me it sounded like he would post another message, later...
Anyway, now I know he is capable of such things... I will know I need scroll back 

[BU508A]

I went to Weinheim for the UKW-Tagung fleamarket undeterred by the weather and the low number of exhibitors, which was a good decision.
@BU508A: Mr. Hoefler WAS there, but his neighbour and comrade booked their space!

Ah, ok. Good to know for the next time.

I got two pressing needs filled: an SMC male/male adaptor, which was MIA and a HP filter for the supression of the SSR-Mode A/C-Mode S frequency, so that I can look with an UNSWAMPED spectrum analyser at the harmonics.
- Also a little peak voltmeter from the former FTZ, which, if functional, might be a pearl.
- A strange 'resistance box' with 4 terminals (3 values + common) which exudes a very British flair even without a Pheon sign.
- A small handful (for my habits) of adaptors and RF conectors
- 2 moving coil indicators which I might use sometime
- A very strange and elaborate 'adlustable thing with scale
- a small handful of other parts (semi's, trimmer caps)
That's it. I never before came out of this venue  so cheap!  Not that I wasn't tempted. A guy from NL had nice and affordable  AC/DC clamps, Mr.Hoefler had a UDL44 DMM from R&S and a URE, and the former had a strange RF measurement thing for Fluke Scopemeters, which according to him never made it to market. There is a RF input and two outputs to the Scopemeter labeled with 'AF input' and 'IF input'. It looked not like a prototype,but like the fully developed thing. I did not go for it because nothing else is known about it and there might be an unknown SW involved.
If the W-K RF generator comes to happen, this might have been just the right decision.

Pictures of the interesting bits will come later.

I've considered it to go to Weinheim, maybe next time with more exhibitors around.
Now I'm looking forward to the HAM Radio in Friedrichshafen next year.

[Ice-Tea]

R&S SMY RF gen on the bench. Throws error 10 and occasionally 4. Seems to point to correction factors, stored in an EEPROM and there's a battery in play somewhere from going diagonally through the service manual. So, popping the hood:



Next: excavate the CPU board. And sure enough: a nice little Lithium Thyonil battery. Apparently replaced before as the tiewrap is cut. Measuring the voltage and sure enough it's dead as a kn...



Wait, what now?

Arghh.. Seems I'll actually have to read the service manual 

[DC1MC]

007 stuff  and the guy has almost a full Phantom F4 !!!

https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/telefunken-spionagefunkgeraet-controller-zu-fs5000/2188631095-168-5185

[DH7DN]

Protective Earth or just simply "Ground"?  Picture taken at Maker Faire Hannover

[factory]

Another TE acquisition, a Comark 1905 Insulation Meter, some HP 3406A thingy was included in the box with it too. 
The Comark doesn't need Med's spraypaint treatment as it's already the right color. 



It come with the case (not pictured) and is ex RAF, not sure about the BeO warning sticker on the back, maybe a leaktube warning sticker would be more appropriate as it requires 8x C leaktubes. 



Inside it's the earlier transistor based version (later one uses Op-amp circuit), with Radiospares "cheapskate" output transformer, this is a choob radio speaker output transformer, being used in reverse to step up instead of step down, the capacitors & diodes are a voltage multiplier.





I wouldn't be surprised if the Wima capacitors are old paper based types, I guess first job will be to add some AA battery holders, as non Duraleak branded cells larger than AA size are hard to find locally, nearest supermarket quit stocking Belguim made Panasonic ones a few years ago. 



Not sure why this random picture got added.... 



David

[TERRA Operative]

Anyone here got a Tek AFG5101 with Option 02?

I need photos!

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/looking-for-details-on-tek-afg5101-option-02-pcb/

[BU508A]

007 stuff  and the guy has almost a full Phantom F4 !!!

Is that THE Helmut Singer? 

[Neper]

Who wants to see the thermals of their connectors in real time (how does one zero this guy  ):

https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/veb-praecitronic-dresden-dc-milli-pico-meter-mv40/2048113345-168-19466

FTFY

https://elektrotanya.com/praecitronic_mv40_dc_mv_picomaper_meter_sm.pdf/download.html

[Robert763]

007 stuff  and the guy has almost a full Phantom F4 !!!

Is that THE Helmut Singer? 

Judging from the items he is selling, yes it is. I recognise most of them as items sold on the Helmut Singer website. I actually visited his store once.

[Neper]

007 stuff  and the guy has almost a full Phantom F4 !!!

Is that THE Helmut Singer? 

Most probably yes. He always had a military and avionics department in his Aachen store and his current location fits his accent.

[Peter_O]

Played this and that with my new Micsig CP2100A current probe.



Added some more details here:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/micsig-current-probe-cp2100b-tests-and-comparing/msg4410142/#msg4410142

Ah, and on the picture above, I use my new old stock spinner 50 Ohm dummy load.
I bougth it to play with and check some generator's amp stages.

[TERRA Operative]

Been poking at things again this weekend.

Replaced the capacitors in the PSU in my TDS220 scope, noticeably less noise on the trace with no signal now.

Also, had a go at one of my FG504 20MHz Function Generators. It isn't turning on, and I found it had a popped C122B1 SCR in the +25V PSU board. Thanks Peak DCA75 component tester!
The parts list in the manual says 2N4441 for this part, but it looks like they are both obsolete of course, but I found I can get an 8P4SMA part from Akihabara that looks like it's a close enough match to work.

[Neomys Sapiens]

EDIT; Almost forgot, at 18:00 small earthquake in MA.

From Wayne Enterprises: 

https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/wayne-kerr-syntesized-signal-generator-pgsg2400-unbenutzt/2205931866-168-4764

Thanks! I'm looking for exactly this one - the price would make it ok even if I have to send it somewhere for calibration.

Pics of the insides !!!

Meh, if I could! The seller turned out to be a major twerp.
I wrote directly on Saturday evening to this guy and said that I would take it. Also that I would come by oon Tuesday. Yesterday he answered with 'ok' and asked for my telephone number. When I answered this today, he wrote back that he already sold it to someone else.

[factory]

Been poking at things again this weekend.

Replaced the capacitors in the PSU in my TDS220 scope, noticeably less noise on the trace with no signal now.

Also, had a go at one of my FG504 20MHz Function Generators. It isn't turning on, and I found it had a popped C122B1 SCR in the +25V PSU board. Thanks Peak DCA75 component tester!
The parts list in the manual says 2N4441 for this part, but it looks like they are both obsolete of course, but I found I can get an 8P4SMA part from Akihabara that looks like it's a close enough match to work.

Apparently I might have 2N4442 (slightly higher voltage rating) if that helps.

David

[DC1MC]

[Meh, if I could! The seller turned out to be a major twerp.
I wrote directly on Saturday evening to this guy and said that I would take it. Also that I would come by oon Tuesday. Yesterday he answered with 'ok' and asked for my telephone number. When I answered this today, he wrote back that he already sold it to someone else.

Bad luck overall, someone stole a piece of triax cable that I was bidding on 

At least your device is only "Reserviert", should I offer him 300 and disappoint another one ?

 Cheers,
 DC1MC

[factory]

That was hard work to learn.


The KiCAD symbol/footprint I found on the web didn't want to play nicely, had to create my own. 

It's for the HP 5090 modification (Radcom design from Nov 1989) if anyone is interested.

David

[BU508A]

Bad luck overall, someone stole a piece of triax cable that I was bidding on 

Which one? The 12m or the 17m one? 
No, it wasn't me, I just had them on my watchlist but did not bid on them.

[DC1MC]

Bad luck overall, someone stole a piece of triax cable that I was bidding on 

Which one? The 12m or the 17m one? 
No, it wasn't me, I just had them on my watchlist but did not bid on them.

I have exactly ONE TE that has a triax port, one, and I'm struggling for years to get a miserable piece of cable with a connector for a fixture, so I can use it, without having to sell my any arms, legs or kidneys.
I'll most likely kick the TE out than struggle for a friggin cable 

[DC1MC]

Not exactly a TE, but also no pinball or wooden table:

https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/psion-3mx-2mb-voll-funktionsfaehig/2209785813-168-6765



Cheers,
DC1MC

[TERRA Operative]

Been poking at things again this weekend.

Replaced the capacitors in the PSU in my TDS220 scope, noticeably less noise on the trace with no signal now.

Also, had a go at one of my FG504 20MHz Function Generators. It isn't turning on, and I found it had a popped C122B1 SCR in the +25V PSU board. Thanks Peak DCA75 component tester!
The parts list in the manual says 2N4441 for this part, but it looks like they are both obsolete of course, but I found I can get an 8P4SMA part from Akihabara that looks like it's a close enough match to work.

Apparently I might have 2N4442 (slightly higher voltage rating) if that helps.

David

If you can scrounge up two you could send all the way east (both my FG504's have popped the same part..) I love you long time with some Paypal action.

[McBryce]

Not exactly a TE, but also no pinball or wooden table:

https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/psion-3mx-2mb-voll-funktionsfaehig/2209785813-168-6765



Cheers,
DC1MC

I have a 3mx and 5mx. The 5 is much more useful today as far as features are concerned.

McBryce.