Ice-Tea's Score Thread

[Leo Bodnar]

What's 11729C condition like?  Is its mixer input OK?  How much is it?
Leo

[Ice-Tea]

All of that still makes only for a decent but unnoteworth entry. Except... For something I forgot and which makes it stand out. Wo can spot it?

Let me guess... It's probably about some acoustic properties. Did I win anything?

These things are great. There's a few of the 3kW units at work, and one found it's way to my home lab from somewhere else. Here's the money shot:

Note the difference to Ice-Tea's 1.4kW unit (acoustic properties related), though this unit quite quit.

More stuff:
http://wunderkis.de/delta-elektronika/

Oh, wow. Looks a fair bit more recent? Except for the display assembly I can't see much common parts..

What's 11729C condition like?  Is its mixer input OK?  How much is it?
Leo

I pressume you found it on eBay? Not sure what else to say. I have no idea how to test beyond "well, it turns on". If you have instructions on how to test further I'd be happy to give it a spin.

Or I can just ship it to you. Normally, I wouldn't mind just sending it over to you and let you have your way with it but with Brexit looming... How's this: I ship it on Monday, you can return it if you find an issue *but* all misery, frustration and costs for shipping the unit back and forth would be for you..

There's about 15% Paypal and eBay costs included in the 500€ price tag, so let's say 400€ outside eBay and BT. If you have a VAT reg number (and valid only on Monday, Brexit blahblah) 350€ + 20€ shipping.

[Ice-Tea]

HP8922S GSM MS Service Test Set

A state of the art cell phone tester. In 1999. So, is this the moment where Ice-Tea finally lost his marbles? Well, the jury is not out about the marbles, but this unit makes more sense than it seems.. Most of the secret sauce is here:

]

Datasheet

Option 6 is a Spectrum Analyzer. Which means this thing has a:

- Spectrum Analyzer (10MHz - 1GHz)
- RF generator (10MHz -1Ghz)
- Audio Source(25kHz)
- Audio Analyzer
- Oscope (Up to a whopping 400kHz)

And all of that in a single, small, handy package. Well, maybe not that...



But still:




For sale? No. Sold way too cheap 

[Ice-Tea]

ENI MKS DCG-100 RPDG-100

A 10kW 1kV DC power supply for plasma deposition.

Leaflet

The ENI and MKS units are roughly the same. Some conenctor changes, but AFAIK functionaly equivalent.

Uhm, what? Lol. Nobody here will be doing any kind of plasma deposition. Stupid Ice-Tea!

Yes, well, maybe. But aside from some funky features (arc detection, duty cycle stuff, bipolar functionality,...) it's still a very competent (not to mention high power) regular power supply. If I can get it to operate as such..I actually got the manual (kinda) so that helps..

Manual.pdf

It's not 100% correct, output connectors per example are not the same.




Note I've been playing around with two units that I'm using for testing as they both have some damage (front grill, or in this case a broken rotary). If anyone is interested, I have undamaged units as well. Anyways... My first problem was that these units need a 3-phase 200/208V L-L supply. Which is readily available in the US, but not so much around here.. So, I was first looking around for a trafo setup untill I realized I have access to a lab that (still) has a 3-phase 220V L-L connection available. Close enough. So, moving on.

It boots! But...



The "interlock" is a feature that disables the unit and/or outputs if the cover isn't closed, if there is no output connector connector, if a doorswitch is not closed etc.. Not that crazy for a 1kV+ (still need to check the max...). I figured out the orange connector at the back rather quickly, but unfortunately, due to some differences between the MKS manual and my units
I was stuck after that. So, popping the hood!




Note how clean they are inside. They've spend their lives in a cleanroom, and it shows. Or doesn't. You know..

Some reverse engineering tought me that two pins on the output connector need to be shorted to defeat the interlock:



So, done yet? Eh, no. Still in Interlock protection. One of the connectors at the back, for remote operation, also has an interlock. Unfortunately, the manual has no pinning for these connectors just a "yeah, we're not gonna bother, it's the same as another series". Kinda sucks if the manual for the other series is not available. Anyways, took me some tracing over several boards but in the end I figured it out:



Now it works! As I didn't want to operate a device at several 100 V's with just a piece of wire jammed in the output connector, I attached to the internal connection:



Huzzaaah! I actually ran it up to 4kW, attached to a lightbulb load in the back.



Some notes: this thing is *loud*. Two 15W German built fans will do that. I actually had a bunch of screws behind the unit at first launch and they were pretty much scattered across the lab after that.



I can't get it to operate below 100V atm, pressumably because the arc protection is still on. Doesn't look like I can defeat that through the frontpanel, probably need to do some serial commands for that. Work for another day.

Also work for another day: as far as I can see, this is a fairly straight forward 3-phase rectifier connection. I'm farily confident that it will run of a single phase 230V connection. The nominal 230V is roughly in range of the 208V +10% requirement (even though well outside of it once taking the 230V +x% into account). So, with the same currents running, it should work nicely up to 5kW or so. So I plan to run it off a trafo, see if and at what voltage I start to draw more current to see if it would hold up at, say, 240V or so.

For sale? Yeah. But there are a few caveats.

- This is HV supply with some quirks. If you're not at ease with HW power electronics: don't buy it.
- You'll need a 3-phase 200/208V L-L power grid

Other than that: if you need some serious voltage and power, this might be interesting for you...

EDIT: Runs fine of a single phase 230V connection (measured at 238V, feeding 4kW bulb bank).

[Ice-Tea]

New arrival! I may do a writeup of some of these later



EDIT:

The Fluke calibrator is already gone.
The Pickering VXI mainframes (that they don't seem to be calling VXI?) feature 4-to-1 75ohm 3GHz cards, fibre optic mux and some general IO
The key for the laser source is missing (or rather, half of the key is inside the lock  ) so I need to replace that first.

[Ice-Tea]

New stuff!



The tuuubbeeezzz. All the tuuubeeezzzz!



Tektronix 575 transitor tracer *Gone*
Philips/Fluke PM5134 func gens *Gone*
HP 214A Pulse Gen. Also a tube-era instrument. Capable of pulsing 200W up to 1MHz, I believe.
Tek TDS2024B. Gone.
Now if I could only work up the courage to turn the tube-gear on..

[nctnico]

If I'm not mistaken that Tek 575 curve tracer is a collector's item. If it works it is likely worth a pretty penny. If not probably still worth something; just don't mess with it yourself.

[Ice-Tea]

If I'm not mistaken that Tek 575 curve tracer is a collector's item. If it works it is likely worth a pretty penny. If not probably still worth something; just don't mess with it yourself.

They don't seem to go for huge amounts but they sure are a showpiece. Figure I'd throw them in the Tek facebook group at some point. Like that I'd be sure it'd end up being cared for..

[SoundTech-LG]

So now the proud owner of another 575 as well. Not sure of collectibility, or value, but I did (bravely) power it up. All working cep't the fan, which was just dry bearings. Dragged that beast upstairs to the lab though, and already had the old 555 cart that fits it perfectly...  thankfully. Not sure how useful it will be. Maybe just sell?

[Ice-Tea]

New stuff. There's a fair amount of things you don't see too often, so I'll probably expand on a few later...

Enertec/Schlumberger 2710 Universal Counter
R&S Polyskop ZWOB2 & SWOB5
HP8656B
Phillips PM3070
Schlumberger 4000A precision sig gen
Advantest R211C DSA
Marconu 2610
HP853A/8559 21GHz SA

[alanambrose]

You selling that stuff by the kilo?

[Ice-Tea]

You selling that stuff by the kilo?

If it doesn't work, it sometimes ends up like that, yeah 

[Ice-Tea]

So, not quite done with sorting out the previous batch and then there was this on my doorstep.

[nctnico]

I guess some volt-nuts are going to be happy.

[Ice-Tea]

With something like this?



I was quity happy with it too. Untill the room filled with that lovely burning paper smell.



Yes, Shaeffner with RIFA inside.

Had a spare laying around (not my first RIFA fireworks) even though its not the snap-mount, so I'll have to redo it. Quick snap when it was open:



And, off course, the crusty Varta Special:



Amazingly enough, it still holds 2V, and the unit passes selftests so I assume it hasn't lost whatever it is that is protected by that battery. So, ordering some batteries as well and I will probably have to touch up some traces on the board. But, well, it works and is looking for a new owner.

[ Specified attachment is not available ]

The 10V reference I got has unfortunately already proven (probably) that it's off by 200-400uV (consistent over a lot of devices). So it's anywhere between bang on and 200uV of, probably.

EDIT: will update later with the battery replacement, but this unit and another has already been sold. One remains, but with a dud display. To be investigated.

[coromonadalix]

Damn  lucky door steps     i would lost my mind  having theses  loll 

[macaba]

Are those solartron 7075's? Got any cables or interface units with those?

[Ice-Tea]

Are those solartron 7075's? Got any cables or interface units with those?

If I had cables for all those I could just about retire on Aruba. Well, not really, but you catch my drift. One has a GPIB interface unit, but it's totally unstable and shits on the selftests.

[Ice-Tea]

HP 3582A 2Ch Spectrum Analyzer 0.02 Hz to 25.5 kHz

Nice DSA but seems to have some issues:



Note how both the marker and trace are markes as "uncalibrated". I'm guessing that some battery backed memory was lost. The unit has diagnostics, but in its infinite wisdom, HP has decided that you need some combination of random keys to launch it. Instead of, oh, I don't know, a menu with an items called "diagnostics" 

So, I'll need to dig around. If anyone has experience with it and knows the key combinations (or even better: the solution to the cal issue): shoot.

As it stands, unit is for sale with an "as-is" for the uncal issue. UPDATE: already sold, another one checked and uploaded on eBay shortly. syzygy was right: it was ther vernier cal pullouts that were to blame. Units pass ROM tests as well.

EDIT: All three sold. Fast.

[syzygy]

4-15. ROM Self Test.
4-16. Because the 3582A is highly dependent upon internal firmware for operation, it is
recommended that the ROM Self Test be performed before other tests are initiated. If the
test fails, refer to Troubleshooting, Section VIII of the Service Manual.
NOTE
The following test requires that the 3582A be in the LOCAL mode
of operation.
4-17. The ROM self test checks the firmware program stored in each ROM by summing
together the data bits in a known binary sequence. This sum is then compared to a known
result which is stored in the last two locations in each ROM.
4-18. Perform the following steps:
a. Set AVERAGE NUMBER 32 to ON.
b. Hold AVERAGE RESTART button in while RESET (orange button) is pressed and
then released. Release the AVERAGE RESTART button and press and release it again.
c. The test will then begin to run as indicated in the upper left-hand corner of the display
by a mnemonic RU.
d. After approximately 5 seconds, the RU will change to OK indicating that the test
passed or an ER indicating that the test failed. Press RESET to return the instrument to the
normal operating mode.

[syzygy]

Ice:

Maybe the Vernier is just not in the calibrated detent?

As long as the sensitivity VERNIER is in the CAL position, the measurement results will be calibrated and can be read in voltage or dBV (1 volt rms = 0 dBV). The sensitivity VERNIER provides an additional 13. dB of attenuation for continuous coverage between the major 10 dB steps. When not in the CAL positions, the alphanumeric text indicates that display and marker results are uncalibrated. When not in the CAL position, only relative marker operations are valid. Note that this control is not programmable.

[Ice-Tea]

Hey syzygy!

Thansk for the feedback. This thing sold within hours of loading it on eBay, but I'll still test it before sending it out if I can. I'm a big fan of returning customers but not so much if they return with gear that didn't work as it should after all.

Oh, and I have two more of these

[Ice-Tea]

Schlumberger 4000A "Precision Signal Generator" 1Ghz (I think)

Doubt this will ever be anyone's daily driver, but for folks with a soft spot for Schlumberger (and some desk space...) this might be a fun project.



Right, crustyburger. Worse: something rattling inside. I'm a big fan of turning stuff on if it has a chance of working (yeah, yeah, I know, take it apart and all that...) but not when you can *hear* something rattling around. So, pop the hood.



Neat! But... what's that???



These, my friends, are wooden standoffs. All in all, doesn't look horrible, some rust and corrosion for sure, but not terrible.



Front cover mounting. Not sure what got it. Shipping, maybe, or else just thermal stress in the box. That's a *lot* of metal...



Not a big fan. Backpanel connectivity, pretty bad fit. Other view:



On the bright side: no components knocked about, just a few loose screws (don't we all have some?)



Turning it around:



Those, my young friends are attenuators. Mechanical attenuators. A small movie for your viewing pleasure:

http://www.ftrnf.com/KB/Schlumberger/4000A/1.mp4



Yeah, none of that "united" rubbish! And time to turn it on. That too. After some ruckus (fan was hitting the fanguard..), it seemed to start nicely. As the movie shows, it reacts to other attenuation settings. It seems to think it's outputting something, it reacts to input (LED changes decimal point,...). But... Nothing on the connector. May dig around a bit more later but if I can't figure it out soon, it will become someone's project.



If you're interested in it, let me know.

EDIT: the internal reference works (1MHz connector on the backside works), as I ran out of "low hanging fruit" fixes, I'm tossing this in an auction on eBay so it will find a nice new home. https://www.ebay.de/itm/143603651551

EDIT: Sold through an eBay auction. For cheap 

[Ice-Tea]

HP8970A - Noise figure meter

Nice enough bit of kit, but truth be told: I've no idea how to test this. If there's anyone out there that can think of an easy functional test: I'm all ears.

EDIT: both shipped off to a radio amateur to have them looked into. Once they get a stamp of approval, they'll be for sale.

[Nuno_pt]

You would have to have a noise source, check some videos on youtube.