Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[mnementh]

Nice work on the dial! 

Hear, hear! I was so caught up in my own little movie I forgot... well done! 

mnem
*toddles off to enjoy the comforts of a warm bed and warmer wife*

[beanflying]

Nice work on the dial! 

Hear, hear! I was so caught up in my own little movie I forgot... well done! 

mnem
*toddles off to enjoy the comforts of a warm bed and warmer wife*

Time to don your Flame resistant Bubblewrap suit me thinks 

[0culus]

Back to fighting Vivado again... 

Test Equipment is just more fun... 

[PrecisionAnalytic]

Neat link from on the Tekscopes posts with some excellent work with photos too: https://www.qsl.net/ct1dmk/wbond_ex.html

   

That is some hardcore "dark arts" shit right there.    Go up one level and you can see how he built the tools to do that work. Certainly NOT your typical "crank 'er up till she burns!!!" or 67 pages of variations on a single balun design HAM operator bloggery.

mnem
moo! 

Well... makes me feel better my stereomicroscope project is heading in the right direction (the video is pathetic... though the thumbnail looks decent):

[PrecisionAnalytic]

I sometimes wonder if I am break some rule; whenever I have a question I ask it here rather than in one of the other forums. If so, please chastise me via PM and I will address my errant behavior.

In the meantime, has anyone used one of these:



found here whilst procrastinating at my desk

https://www.circuitspecialists.com/csi835b.html

to preheat PCBs or to do reflow? LSeems too good to be true but then I am a cynical old bas---d )and I haven't done much SMD being tiny part, solder paste, and microscope phobic).

I watched this video which is great at detailing BGA reballing (see links in groups.io message board thread for more regarding this system-https://groups.io/g/SoftwareControlledHamRadio/message/5388):



I've gotten as far as have a dedicated hot plate griddle to use though need to upgrade with thermocouple and maybe a PID controller.

[beanflying]

Should have made it a Scotch prior to examining the empty state of the Wallet

Hurry up Easter I need a pocket money top up.....

[0culus]

Should have made it a Scotch prior to examining the empty state of the Wallet

Hurry up Easter I need a pocket money top up.....

More TEA? 

[bitseeker]

On TEA material, some restoration work done...

As received. Date code is 1972. Tube in it is date code 1958 and is Heathkit branded. They must have bought a metric ton of the damn things.



After waaaay too much OCD:



Waiting for parts to arrive for the electrical refurb. Evicted a double electrolytic cap, selenium stinker and some shitty soldering so far.

That is amazing, bd. What did that little GDO do to deserve this?

[bitseeker]

My wife, as she watches me lug it downstairs, how many signal generators do you actually need?

Hey, no using such four-letter words at home!

[bitseeker]

...     I bought it for parts, mainly mechanical, but who knows, maybe it goes into the rehab queue.

My wife, as she watches me lug it downstairs, how many signal generators do you actually need?

Good question, that. 

The part which really should worry you is that she's seen you lug enough of them that she knows a signal generator when she sees one. 

Oh, my! I hadn't even realized that.

[0culus]

...     I bought it for parts, mainly mechanical, but who knows, maybe it goes into the rehab queue.

My wife, as she watches me lug it downstairs, how many signal generators do you actually need?

Good question, that. 

The part which really should worry you is that she's seen you lug enough of them that she knows a signal generator when she sees one. 

Oh, my! I hadn't even realized that.

I already lost that battle with the 8664A. It's so heavy that it's really a 2 person job to lift... 

[beanflying]

Should have made it a Scotch prior to examining the empty state of the Wallet

Hurry up Easter I need a pocket money top up.....

More TEA? 

I suspect so. After getting an Ambient to 600C Calibrator I am looking at either an Ice Point or adjustable Low temp to sub zero one.... It's only Money 

[0culus]

Should have made it a Scotch prior to examining the empty state of the Wallet

Hurry up Easter I need a pocket money top up.....

More TEA? 

I suspect so. After getting an Ambient to 600C Calibrator I am looking at either an Ice Point or adjustable Low temp to sub zero one.... It's only Money 

What good is it if you don't have fun? 

I've finished up "Real Work" for the evening and now I've got the 8566A operators manual PDF I got from Artek pulled up and I'm working on learning the functions. A lot of handy little quality of life features that aren't obvious from just looking at the front panel. These SAs basically set the way the UI of newer ones work too (less soft keys), so I figure it's time well spent.

[PrecisionAnalytic]

Youtube AI suggested video... interesting potential use of the 3D printer or CNC machine with the right head and software.   



I better ease up... I'm getting to far into the hard stuff... especially after watching the Signal Path's "TSP #26 - Tutorial on Microwave and mm-Wave Components and Modules".    I don't have the tolerance built up yet. 

[PrecisionAnalytic]

Almost about to graduate from the SDR methods where I recently found this video after Youtube AI suggested the same makers "Cavity filter: what it is/what it consists of/measurements" video:


Here are the other "Poor Man Spectrum Analyzer" series similar vids if you haven't seen before:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAynV-VPTboDpfZLMFFZFkQ/search?query=poor+mans

Plus the original post: https://www.rtl-sdr.com/rtl-sdr-tutorial-measuring-filter-characteristics-and-antenna-vswr-with-an-rtl-sdr-and-noise-source/
...with the updated references that I think this one is what caught my attention first and got me thinking I need a TDS-520 or better with FT enabled (I was hooked): https://www.rtl-sdr.com/using-a-tv-antenna-tap-as-a-directional-coupler-for-antenna-measurements-with-an-rtl-sdr/

Then I just went downhill after that and figured I need to go analog and figure out how to digitize and improve the performance of the OG repairable systems before they disappear.  Then the SDR idea came back to use as like a discrimator tap.  I'm sure I'm not addicted though.  At least I'm not using the kids stuff... so much. 

Neat to study more of the chips and what they can do also so to better understand what the components in block diagrams do more. Reading into Lock-In Amplifiers and some ULF/ELF upconverting methods to low noise floor USB sound cards like the SB1095 and UMC202HD.  Not exactly the frequency range to make high bandwidth systems to tap into or make plugins for the Tektronix 7000 or Pacific Measurements 1038 (Tektronic 5000 series)... though interesting and more application to maybe interfacing in a Tektronix 500/5000 mainframe I guess for nostalgic purposes if I need.

Updated the Instructable intro second paragraph with J.C. Bose and Petrov Lebedev as well as some higher frequency rhetoric. https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Directed-Energy-Weapon-Detection-Sys/

[beanflying]

Youtube AI suggested video... interesting potential use of the 3D printer or CNC machine with the right head and software.   

I better ease up... I'm getting to far into the hard stuff... especially after watching the Signal Path's "TSP #26 - Tutorial on Microwave and mm-Wave Components and Modules".    I don't have the tolerance built up yet. 

And from my Youtube feed NON Electronics  My Dad's Uncle had one of these on an Irrigation pump and when I started work there was still a few of them on Piston Pumps (and a stack of Lister or Southern Cross Diesels) shame they went for CNC Ali and not Cast main blocks. Do I 'need one' NO, do I 'Want One' maybe 

https://youtu.be/TuRX_qIaIgk

[PrecisionAnalytic]

Then the SDR idea came back to use as like a discrimator tap.  I'm sure I'm not addicted though.  At least I'm not using the kids stuff... so much. 

OK... I had a relapse moment.  Since I was checking out the RTL-SDR website... I happened to look at some of the Recent Posts and Recent Comments and found there is a Spectrum Analyzer update for the SDRPlay.
https://www.rtl-sdr.com/sdrplay-spectrum-analyzer-software-updated-to-v1-0a/

Looks like a SigintOS Linux build too... though I'm not going there other than a comment regarding curiosity of features... and ok had to look at the latest and greatest of the KerberosSDR also (I want one) and make a comment.

The SDRPlay kind of falls under low noise floor not so bad performance SDR... so I guess I don't feel so awkward. 

Seems a protocol analyzer database & app would be sweet with as a feature.     Anyone have a database... I could use a relational database of protocols, or whatever the digital format is and data structured, to study up comparing how to.   

[bd139]

On TEA material, some restoration work done...

As received. Date code is 1972. Tube in it is date code 1958 and is Heathkit branded. They must have bought a metric ton of the damn things.



After waaaay too much OCD:



Waiting for parts to arrive for the electrical refurb. Evicted a double electrolytic cap, selenium stinker and some shitty soldering so far.

That is amazing, bd. What did that little GDO do to deserve this?

It was cheap and I was bored 

[tggzzz]

What is a grid dip meter for?

It's a bit of a weird bit of kit from the distant past. Basically you can use it to:
...

Quick overview: https://g4rvh.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/waht-you-can-do-with-a-dip-meter.pdf

It's a swiss army knife of a tool really. These ones are big, tube based and mains powered. I'm going to convert one to battery + JFET

That's irritating: I can think of a use for one: tuning LC circuits are 10/100/200/500MHz where 120V is present.

That latter point means I'm somewhat reluctant to put my spectrum analyser any where near it.

[tggzzz]

Baby grrl hugs are the best. 

Enjoy them while they last.

They mutate into a variant of "Daddy, stop wrapping me in cotton wool". With determination and luck, 7 years later[1] they mutate back into "Thanks for not wrapping me in cotton wool".

[1] "When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years."

[VK5RC]

@beanflying - that hit and miss sound took me back to using an Allen Auto Scythe, a bu@@er of a device if used on a slope.

Now you guys have got me thinking I need a GDO,

mnem - my eldest 2 daughters are in the - "why is the internet not working!" phase. I hope I get them back soon. Hope the scalp wound heals soon!

Recently been having a bit of fun doing some mountain biking - boy am I a chicken compared to some guys - they have no fear.
Rob

[bd139]

@tggzzz: apparently you can just remove the power supply and valve from it, swapping for a 9v battery, stuff a 2n3819 across the base of the socket and stick a resistor across the anode resistor to bias it and it'll work as well if not better than the original. I have 3 more of these on the way so the plan is to convert at least one. Total plan is:

1. Museum grade restoration.
2. Museum grade restoration and conversion to FET.
3. Turn into regen receiver.
4. Parts mule.

@VK5RC: my eldest two are the same. Only ever see them if the WiFi is down

[beanflying]

*Cackles out loud*

I remember seeing them live in a club on the Nautica (night club strip in Cleveland, Ohio) when I was a senseless teenager. They were even wetter IRL than on video. 

I promise to get back onto TEA but a diversion from all of our combined Political Farces is needed. We have just started suffering Goverment TV propaganda adds paid for by us telling us how good the current lot is with an Election looming. Baby Kissing due next

Watch one video and then a month later Youtube also decides you need to revisit it again. I may be a little old but these guys are fully old and maybe the music still holds up

[beanflying]

@beanflying - that hit and miss sound took me back to using an Allen Auto Scythe, a bu@@er of a device if used on a slope.

....
Rob

I used to get to drive a similar one for a farmer I did some part time work for but with a B&S on it. Scary device on a hill 

[med6753]

Holy crap.....those guys did NOT age well.    I'm sure I'm much older than them and I think I look 100% better. Where did they run too? The old age home?