Author Topic: What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!  (Read 2799583 times)

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Offline ChrisLX200

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Re: What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!
« Reply #4325 on: October 25, 2017, 12:12:17 am »
Quote from: thm_w on Today at 10:37:18 AM>Quote from: ChrisLX200 on Today at 10:27:12 AM
I can't communicate with this one :(   DeviceManager (Win7-64) sees the device and lists it as a Pickit3 but there is no driver. The genuine Pickit 3 lists as an HID device (from what I;ve read) so Windows provides its in-built driver. MPLab doesn't see it, neither does mikroC Pro, so it's pretty useless at the moment. Did a web search but found nothing..

Check this site under "Using The PICkit 3 Clone With The MPLAB X IDE": http://www.sinistercircuits.com/pickit3_clone01.php
Or maybe some hints here, about holding the button before plugging it in: https://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/threads/pickit-3-issue.120312/

It could have an older FW on it.

Also try another USB cable just to rule that out, although it shouldn't be the problem as it is showing up in device manager.



Thanks for the links, but nothing described quite fits the issue I have here. Any device like this requires a driver through which a program will communicate with it and this Pickit3 doesn't have one installed, so as far as any running program is concerned my Pickit3 simply doesn't exist. Yes, it's listed in DeviceManager but that's all I'll get without a driver. Maybe I can force load a driver of some sort...
 

Offline cdev

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Re: What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!
« Reply #4326 on: October 25, 2017, 12:31:51 am »
This is interesting for me because I recently ordered the same module, except in green.

You look like you machined that case out of solid metal!?

 Anyway, i am sure your device is going to look just great. Nice!

The manual, such as it is, is here: http://www.cwtd.org/frequency/RF%20Signal%20Frequency%20Counter.pdf

Nearly completed the enclosure, rather tricky to get the hole spacings correct - electronic PCBs are not an exact science it seems and unlike engineered bits dimensions can vary :-)  So it was tricky transferring relative positions to a chunk of metal. Anyway, the basic thing is done - I'll make some nice captive button caps and when the BNC panel plugs eventually turn up they will go on the LH side. I'll install a power switch on the front and a 2.5mm DC input jack on the back. In one of the pics you can just see the heatsinks I installed.
"What the large print giveth, the small print taketh away."
 
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Offline ChrisLX200

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Re: What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!
« Reply #4327 on: October 25, 2017, 12:53:45 am »
Quote from: cdev on Today at 11:31:51 AM
This is interesting for me because I recently ordered the same module, except in green.

You look like you machined that case out of solid metal!?

 Anyway, i am sure your device is going to look just great.
Nice!


Yes mine are also green :)  They offer an excessively bright display though and only need to be set to brightness level '3' (out of 8 ), but I've also ordered some dark green acetate (L124 "Dark Green") to go over the front to improve readability and that only has 30% transmission so I may need to increase brightness a little. Link http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Full-Sheet-of-Lee-Filters-L124-1-22m-x-0-53m-colour-acetate-stage-lighting-gel/331476995250?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

It's not solid metal but alloy box-section, which I have a lot of :) . It's a lot cheaper than buying discrete project boxes and you can make a lot of small boxes from one 3M length! However I should have machined off the front face _first_ then cut out the holes but like an idiot I did it the other way around and the narrow strip between the two displays really didn't like being fly-cut because there was little support remaining and it chattered. Oh well. 


 

Offline bitseeker

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Re: What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!
« Reply #4328 on: October 25, 2017, 01:54:21 am »
Still, it's a cool enclosure, Chris. I like it.
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Offline woody

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Re: What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!
« Reply #4329 on: October 25, 2017, 08:17:52 am »
An Agilent 34401a, to go with the voltage reference and lead set I got earlier :-)

In pristine condition, supposedly coming from a cleanroom. The only drawback is the display; by the looks of it it spent its days in 5 digit mode, as the 6th digit is the most clear (and the least worn). Well, a new display is always a possibility; for now I am quite happy with this meter.
 

Offline nanofrog

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Re: What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!
« Reply #4330 on: October 25, 2017, 08:31:47 am »
The only drawback is the display; by the looks of it it spent its days in 5 digit mode, as the 6th digit is the most clear (and the least worn). Well, a new display is always a possibility; for now I am quite happy with this meter.
There's a thread on rejuvenating a VFD, one post in particular that might be of interest to you (here).

Hope this is of some help to you.  :)
 

Offline s8548a

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Re: What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!
« Reply #4331 on: October 25, 2017, 08:56:38 am »
An Agilent 34401a, to go with the voltage reference and lead set I got earlier :-)

In pristine condition, supposedly coming from a cleanroom. The only drawback is the display; by the looks of it it spent its days in 5 digit mode, as the 6th digit is the most clear (and the least worn). Well, a new display is always a possibility; for now I am quite happy with this meter.
how much it costed?
am searching for a used 6.5 digit dmm for a while. it's bit confusing which model to go.


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Offline bsudbrink

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Re: What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!
« Reply #4332 on: October 25, 2017, 06:47:29 pm »
For anyone who was curious, here's the other side of those boards.  I never realized how hard it is to take a clear picture of a circuit board.  (If you can't make it out, the text at the top of the three boards reads "CROMEMCO ACC-1", "CROMEMCO ACC-2" and "CROMEMCO ACC-3")
« Last Edit: October 25, 2017, 08:33:07 pm by bsudbrink »
 

Offline ChrisLX200

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Re: What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!
« Reply #4333 on: October 25, 2017, 09:46:54 pm »
I finished the job on the frequency counter enclosure, and in the end I installed a couple of Nemo sockets because I have quite a few lying around (and patch cables + Nemo>BNC adapters). Out of curiosity I trawled ebay for the cost of these connectors and nearly fell out my chair!

I turned up some captive button caps from stainless rod, whilest on the back is the 2.5mm DC jack socket, a toggle switch, and two holes which line up with the trim pots for callibration. Four 3M sticky feet and the job's done :-)

 

Offline Specmaster

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Re: What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!
« Reply #4334 on: October 25, 2017, 10:09:08 pm »
Very nice and neat job, when I did mine I used a piece of coloured acetate in front of the display to hid the unused digits. Why two counters in the same case, plus the other frequency counter?
Who let Murphy in?

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Offline rx8pilot

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Re: What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!
« Reply #4335 on: October 25, 2017, 10:31:10 pm »
My next 2 year long project.....

An HP3577A network analyzer. Fingers crossed it has an obvious and easy problem that prevents startup.
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Offline Johnny10

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Re: What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!
« Reply #4336 on: October 25, 2017, 11:01:45 pm »
I have missed buying one of these twice.
I want one !
Tektronix TDS7104, DMM4050, HP 3561A, HP 35665, Tek 2465A, HP8903B, DSA602A, Tek 7854, 7834, HP3457A, Tek 575, 576, 577 Curve Tracers, Datron 4000, Datron 4000A, DOS4EVER uTracer, HP5335A, EIP534B 20GHz Frequency Counter, TrueTime Rubidium, Sencore LC102, Tek TG506, TG501, SG503, HP 8568B
 

Offline nanofrog

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Re: What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!
« Reply #4337 on: October 25, 2017, 11:11:40 pm »
I have missed buying one of these twice.
I want one !
So you're essentially saying this?

 

Offline cdev

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Re: What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!
« Reply #4338 on: October 26, 2017, 01:42:33 am »
It just arrived today. My goodness, such a strange choice for it's RF connector!

The manual, such as it is, is here: http://www.cwtd.org/frequency/RF%20Signal%20Frequency%20Counter.pdf

Nearly completed the enclosure, rather tricky to get the hole spacings correct - electronic PCBs are not an exact science it seems and unlike engineered bits dimensions can vary :-)  So it was tricky transferring relative positions to a chunk of metal. Anyway, the basic thing is done - I'll make some nice captive button caps and when the BNC panel plugs eventually turn up they will go on the LH side. I'll install a power switch on the front and a 2.5mm DC input jack on the back. In one of the pics you can just see the heatsinks I installed.
"What the large print giveth, the small print taketh away."
 

Offline rdl

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Re: What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!
« Reply #4339 on: October 26, 2017, 07:29:56 am »
Not that your boxes look bad or anything, they actually are quite well done, but just for future reference it's sometimes possible to mount boards from the back side of the box, resulting in a little bit cleaner look. It is a little more trouble getting it all to align correctly though.


 

Offline ChrisLX200

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Re: What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!
« Reply #4340 on: October 26, 2017, 08:30:54 am »
Quote from: rdl on Today at 06:29:56 PM
Not that your boxes look bad or anything, they actually are quite well done, but just for future reference it's sometimes possible to mount boards from the back side of the box, resulting in a little bit cleaner look. It is a little more trouble getting it all to align correctly though.



I guess if the display were not flush with the face it would then be possible, but not with the LED displays the way they are (the PCB assembly with stand-offs would be deeper than the inside dimension allows). I had intended to use c'sunk screws but the LH stand-offs are so close to the display there isn't really enough room to have a countersunk hole deep enough to sink the head flush. Hence the use of button-head screws. All sorts of ways to do this job though :)
 

Offline McBryce

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Re: What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!
« Reply #4341 on: October 26, 2017, 08:46:27 am »
If screws need to be at the front of the panel, there are many ways to make it a design feature. The screws in this case look pretty good. I would even go further and make a "safety bar" type design from threaded u-shaped rods, like the handles used on 19in Audio gear.

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Offline rdl

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Re: What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!
« Reply #4342 on: October 26, 2017, 08:47:40 am »
Somehow lost the picture in my previous post.

This is sort of what I was suggesting. I used regular 4-40 standoffs, just went in from the back.  There was enough clearance on top of the board for the display to still mount flush with the inside of the lid. There wasn't much I could do about the screws holding the lid on though.

 

Offline ChrisLX200

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Re: What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!
« Reply #4343 on: October 26, 2017, 08:57:14 am »
Oh nice job, and quite do-able if you have a lid, my box is just solid rectangular alloy section though - no lid - and the PCB assembly(s) need to be slid into position from the end.

In fact, by the time I have made a cover to hold the dark-green gel contrast enhancer (using something akin to a picture frame to hold it in place) you probably won't see the screws anyway. I haven't planned this out exactly (like I should).
 

Offline Cubdriver

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Re: What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!
« Reply #4344 on: October 26, 2017, 09:07:29 am »
My next 2 year long project.....

An HP3577A network analyzer. Fingers crossed it has an obvious and easy problem that prevents startup.

That's verrah naace.  Does it do anything (besides weigh a ton or three)?  I don't think I ever found a service manual for that one, but also don't recall looking terribly hard for one, either.

-Pat
If it jams, force it.  If it breaks, you needed a new one anyway...
 

Offline VK5RC

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Re: What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!
« Reply #4345 on: October 26, 2017, 10:26:50 am »
Found another plug in for the 2x 5245Ls, 10 down, 4 to go  :-+
Whoah! Watch where that landed we might need it later.
 

Offline Mr. Scram

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Re: What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!
« Reply #4346 on: October 26, 2017, 05:49:50 pm »
I missed out on decade box I've been eyeing for the past week. Why, you ask? Because I forgot to bid  :palm: I intended to sneak in a bid at the last moment, since no one had bid so far, but I got distracted by dinner and was too late. It was sold at a bargain price too.

I'm a proper retard. Quite literally.
 

Offline richnormand

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Re: What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!
« Reply #4347 on: October 26, 2017, 06:20:46 pm »
Done that a few time and, just like you arrived a minute too late or completely forgot.

Got one of these cheap timers that goes up to 99h and fits in your shirt pocket for about $3.
Set and forget once you see something of interest.
Works wonders to beep me about 5 minutes prior to the end of the auction.

« Last Edit: October 26, 2017, 09:17:45 pm by richnormand »
Repair, Renew, Reuse, Recycle, Rebuild, Reduce, Recover, Repurpose, Restore, Refurbish, Recondition, Renovate
 
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Offline McBryce

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Re: What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!
« Reply #4348 on: October 26, 2017, 08:13:37 pm »
Done that a few time and, just like you arrived a minute too late or completely forgot.

Got one of these cheap timers that goes to goes up to 99h and fits in your shirt pocket for about $3.
Set and forget once you see something of interest.
Works wonders to beep me about 5 minutes prior to the end of the auction.
Just install their app on your phone and it will alert you 15 minutes before the auction ends.

McBryce.

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Offline Mr. Scram

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Re: What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!
« Reply #4349 on: October 26, 2017, 08:46:23 pm »
Just install their app on your phone and it will alert you 15 minutes before the auction ends.

McBryce.

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I'm not sure how that alert is implemented, but if it supposes a continuous internet connection, it's no more reliable than my own memory. I also think I'm not too fond of the idea of an eBay app and the things it might track, index and send home. Setting the existing alarm manually should do too.
 


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