What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!

[nightfire]

Got some Fluke 8020A on fleabay in good condition for cheap. According to seller, device has some issues measuring current, and sometimes it would need some re-seating of the probe wires...
I will see, probably some corroded switches that cause this...

Does anyone know if those are the original probes bundled like 40 years ago with the DMM?

[Kim Christensen]

Got some Fluke 8020A on fleabay in good condition for cheap. According to seller, device has some issues measuring current, and sometimes it would need some re-seating of the probe wires...
I will see, probably some corroded switches that cause this...
Does anyone know if those are the original probes bundled like 40 years ago with the DMM?

They don't look like they are since they look like ordinary banana plugs. (Hard to tell from photo)
Fluke has used shrouded plugs on their test leads for a long time.

[jmelson]

A Bridgeport R2E3 milling machine in need of a control retrofit.  This is a nice stock picture, mine does NOT look this nice!
Jon

[jonpaul]

Rebonjour a tout et tous:

Saturday at a neighborhood street market in Paris near Sorbornne, 5eme
Huge surprise.. at a stand with old French militaria,

WOW! a German WWII telegraph key in mint condition with very rare original German cable and plug. Prefect Bakelite housing with warning of HV, on original fiberboard base...
 A super bargain, I was amazed....seldom seen even at gun shows and militaria or ham fleas....

The last photo is a macro photo of the Waffenamt mark with code number Wa A376 which indicates the German factory and town of manufacture.

I believe this key is 1942..1943 epoch as afterwards the materials  were scarce...
A fine museum piece for an exhibition.
Any telegraph key experts please PM me as we seek more info on this.

Bon Soiree!

Jon

[pcprogrammer]

Bonjour jonpaul,

Nice find.

You might have grasped this but it says: Before opening unplug it

[jonpaul]

PcProgrammer...many thanks!

I had thought so re the German text....

I was stunned and spent some time to photograph and research the key.

I asked our old friend Tom P world expert on keys....

Kind Regards,

Jon

PS: My last programming was 1965, CCNY IBM 360 Fortran II!

[Messtechniker]

A Peaktech 2025A. Why? Because it connects via USB serial and is therefore no USB HID device. Important, because I want to operate it connected to the prog. "Test Controller" by HKJ and "Profilab", which both do not support USB HID devices. Moreover, it is in the cheaper range.

HKJ was kind enough to put quite some work in preparing his prog. to include a driver for the 2025A. This driver will - as far as I know - be included in the next major update in due course.

So now I can simultaneously log up to three temperature sensors of the resistive type. Sensors are dipped in water. See PIC with the money shot. YAY!

[DiTBho]

qty=5, Mastech M9803R, old new stock, unfortunately with neither battery nor probes

Paid 72.90 Euro each, one for me, four for my friends, plus 42 Euro for shipping(1) it from a Belorussian remote place to Estonia, and from Estonia to here.

The M9803R isn't the perfect *bench multi-meter*, but for that price, it looks like a bargain, plus it offers a serial RS232 on the back that is exactly what I need and want to have


(1) UPS, second class, mixed surface shipping + air line

[Messtechniker]

This Mastech seems to have its own problems. See here:
https://www.reinhardweiss.de/german/mastech.htm

[DiTBho]

This Mastech seems to have its own problems. See here

I don't understand German, but I will try with Google translator. Umm, I remember the M9803R listed on Amazon for 180 euro  with 4.5 of 5 stars and decent feedbacks

[Messtechniker]

Basically its about a badly aligned discrete LED photodiode optocoupler, causing dropouts on the RS 232 due to low signal levels, some RS 232 protocol implementation errors and replacement of a defective mains transformer.

[TomKatt]

Always wanted one of these but would never pay the inflated "educational" $600 pricing...  But if you are patient they can be had for around $100 on eBay.  Mine was NOS with the keys still attached to the handle.

You can never have enough breadboard development area.  Triple linear bipolar power supplies (~1.5A ea) and analog function gen are bonus points (square wave even has pwm capabilities).  Breadboard is attached with Velcro, so it can be removed or swapped.  Most of the switches and the leds are logic based, so they are debounced and provide high/low logic signals for easy integration into projects, while others are basic switches for analog use.  The DB jacks are handy for serial projects or expansion to additional external boards and the BNC jacks are great for scopes.

The case lid is permanently attached and does not fold all the way back (though it has funky hinge clips which make it rather sturdy in it's vertical position), which is a PITA but I think I can come up with something to make it removable to reduce the footprint area.

Overall it seems pretty well made with nice toggle switches and knobs.  The manual includes the schematic and adjustment procedure for the various analog components such as the function generator should servicing ever be needed.

[gamalot]

A new TV, not a very expensive OLED TV, not even Sony's latest generation LCD TV, but good enough for me.

[TerraHertz]

Got some Fluke 8020A on fleabay in good condition for cheap. [...]

Does anyone know if those are the original probes bundled like 40 years ago with the DMM?

Yes, I think they are. Plain banana plugs. I recall they looked like that, though I can't find the lead set that came with my 8020A originally.
Shrouded banana plugs are a 'newfangled safety nazi thing.'

[capt bullshot]

Shrouded banana plugs are a 'newfangled safety nazi thing.'

Fully agree, and beyond that, they're just annoying

[bob91343]

I just got an Agilent 54524A digital oscilloscope with minor problems.  Interesting unit, 4 channels at 100 MHz.  I verified the bandwidth, and it has some nice features.  Not sure if it's a keeper but it's my first piece of gear with the Agilent nameplate, made in about 2003.

[mnementh]

WALLY WURLD TOOL ALERT: Hart SS DirtSucker for 30 Bux

   
https://www.walmart.com/ip/HART-8-Gallon-6-Peak-HP-Stainless-Steel-Wet-Dry-Vacuum-VOC812SW-3701/106550327

This is for my fellow eevBloggers here in the states; a clearance sale you might be able to get in on if you're lucky and one of your local Wal-Marts has one or two still available for sale online.

Wally Wurld recently issued a price rollback on their most expensive Hart Shop-Vac; so when this came through my inbox yesterday, I jumped on it. They didn't have any in the store to buy in person (I drove right over and checked), but the website said my local store had 4 that could be purchased online for pickup next day, and the checkout promised they would substitute another unit of equal value if they didn't have it. So I bought and sure enough, got the email while I was out doing other errands that it was ready for pickup.

In case you don't know, Hart is WalMart's current "Value Line" of Chinesium housewares and tools; their answer to B&D repeatedly getting by Horror Fraught.

I'm not sure if they're disco-ing the whole HART product line, or if just their dirtsuckers. I've actually shopped similar-looking units (as in, I'm sure it's exactly the same thing with other colors and name on it) sporting the Stanley and Craftsman brands for $120-140.

This one has of course the primary attraction of a stainless-steel tank, but other things made me look twice too:

Tank Drain (so many of the budget Shop-Vacs omit this now) to dump water with some measure of control

Great big 140mm wheels on back so it actually rolls in the shop & on the driveway

Nice big tilt handle like real industrial equipment

2-inch hose: I consider this a reasonable compromise between 3-inch "real Shop-Vac" hose and the 1 1/8-inch hose usually provided with the budget models

Reasonable power for size: 6A Peak/LRA is pretty average; but rated 11.5A at 120V is pretty much exactly same as my "real" Shop-Vacs. Almost 2HP 

Tall format means okay for shop use, but should still be very handle-able for cleaning stairs.

Things I found once I got it home and fondled it:

Ooodles of suction, but moderate noise thanks to huge 7-inch dia x 6-inch pleated filter

Oversized rocker power switch with very light, smooth action

Good assortment of useful attachments, including a floor squeegee for the gulper nozzle that looks like it'll actually work

Assembly was very simple and straightforward even without RTFM; and all the bits for the wheels actually have screws to hold them in.

Bottom line of course is still the bottom line: How long will it last?  For $30, I think it'll be hard not to get my money's worth.

mnem
*Shop-Vac suckage FTW*

[Kjelt]

I bet that sucks 

[mnementh]

Sure does...

   

No, seriously; it sucks dirt. And pretty much everything else it comes in contact with; it's almost like having a little tame singularity. 

The boy wanted to play with the new toy... so I let him. Surprisingly, he actually got something useful accomplished: All along that hedge there was unswept clippings from me doing the hedge-trimmer thing; over a foot out from the hedge and easily 4 inches deep. In there is everything from paint chips where the painters scraped the house to flaked off chunks of drywall & concrete to leaves from the garage and of course, all those hedge trimmings. Thing ran for easily a hour straight, and while the cord did get warm to the touch, no funny noises or smells. 

mnem

[mnementh]

TeleDyne T3DSO2012 for $275 (Thanks again for the heads-up, Kosmic!  ) from eBay seller lecroyfinds; they are LeCroy USA's factory outlet shop, so full manufacturer warranty too. My order came problem-free a week earlier than promised.

NOTE: If you're not from the USA, buying from them can be a hassle if not impossible; they warn you in the listing that they require some paperwork due to government regulations on export of tech. There are some horror stories in the feedback, but they all might be people who just couldn't meet the export end use criteria that LeCroy/Teledyne is bound to, and resultant shit-posting. Check feedback and decide if it's worth the hassle to you.

UPDATE: Kosmic reports that his sale fell through; first they told him they don't sell to individuals outside the US, then when he filled out the End Use paperwork to run the sale through his business they canceled, only stating "Hello, your EUS was rejected for reasons they are not at liberty to discuss."

So... unless you're in the US, probably not likely gonna be able to get in on any of their deals. FWIW, my sale was as a individual in the USA.



In The Box: one NA 120V Power Cable, one +2 Spiked Mace, one +3 Spiked flail, and two PP510 100MHz probes.




Back of unit: Hmmm... Cal sticker.




Obligatory Cal Signal pic. I hope I can choose larger fonts for some of these measurements. Large fan is barely noticeable, but I assume it is thermally controlled. The screen is effing huge and scary Hi-Res; feels the same as going to my 1054Zed after using a TDS210 for years.

mnem
*toddles off to RTFM*

[metrologist]

Sadly, only crumbling felt inside.

[rsjsouza]

Sadly, only crumbling felt inside.

I use one at work. Amazingly accurate! A real joy to use.

[Cubdriver]

From everyone’s favorite credit card depletion site, an HP 10529A logic comparator:


With self test and universal boards


-Pat

[vk6zgo]

Sadly, only crumbling felt inside.

Bugger!!

[beanflying]

Sadly, only crumbling felt inside.

"Aspirational"