What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!

[FuzzyOnion]

Siglent SSA3032X 3.2 GHz Spectrum analyzer plus their 6 GHz UKitSSA3X accessories kit.
http://www.siglentamerica.com/prodcut-fjxx.aspx?fjid=1558&id=1546&tid=227&T=2




Now I've gotta learn how to use it. 

Great!  I've been looking at the Siglent for a few weeks.  I'm looking forward to your comments as you navigate the instrument.  My old 2710 circled the drain a few years ago and I have been wanting another SA.  From your previous posts you seem like just the guy for the job.
Good luck

[tautech]

Great!  I've been looking at the Siglent for a few weeks.  I'm looking forward to your comments as you navigate the instrument.  My old 2710 circled the drain a few years ago and I have been wanting another SA.  From your previous posts you seem like just the guy for the job.
Good luck

Ha, I'll need it.

Been away for a few days so I've had little time to fiddle with it as yet, only just with an simple loop probe next to my cell phone....900 MHz for my cell provider and 2.4 GHz for the WiFi no problem. 

Keep an eye on the https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/siglent-ssa3000x-spectrum-analyzers/ thread
There'll be no way I'll challenge rf-loop in technical understanding or ability with these "black magic" instruments.

BTW welcome to the forum FuzzyOnion. 

[alexanderbrevig]

This may be an 'electronics only' section, not sure - but after a long specification process. My custom 10 string guitar build has started!
...
The tuning will be ADGBEADGBE, from 27.5Hz to 1661Hz (28th fret on high E string) without any pinch harmonics or trickery! Extended range? Yes

Do you play that instrument like a guitar or like a chapman stick?

Like an extended range guitar. Maybe a bass if it's appropriate

[NW27]

Logic Pro 8, to replace my old Logic 8 that got stolen Along with some 3.3/5V FTDIs as I had everything in the same bag so didn't have any more of those either, and a couple of ESP8266 modules to play with stay up to date.

Nice.
Where did you buy the ESP modules from?
Neil.

[Kilrah]

A local distributor in the country I currently am in (Switzerland).
The fancy ones are this: https://www.adafruit.com/product/2821 , seemed the best I've seen yet for versatility/ease of playing with with the serial interface built in, the battery supply and lots of I/O.  The other one is the bog standard ESP-01.

[Mr.B]

Where did you buy the ESP modules from?

I buy mine from fleabay - I have not had any bad modules yet. (More than 50 purchased over the last year.)
ESP-07 modules mostly. Less than USD3 each.
Plenty of resource material on ESP8266.net and ESP8266.com.
It is a great device. I am having a huge amount of success with this device.

[NW27]

Where did you buy the ESP modules from?

I buy mine from fleabay - I have not had any bad modules yet. (More than 50 purchased over the last year.)
ESP-07 modules mostly. Less than USD3 each.
Plenty of resource material on ESP8266.net and ESP8266.com.
It is a great device. I am having a huge amount of success with this device.

Thanks
Do you have a link to your eBay supplier?
Neil.

[canibalimao]

If you want just to start in a few ESP8266 prototypes, search for D1 mini on ebay/aliexpress. That's a nice little board that has a USB/Serial IC on it and it's breadboard friendly.

[Mr.B]

Do you have a link to your eBay supplier?

ESP-07 from seller horizon_electronic
These are the ones I buy:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/281685167409?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

ESP-07s from seller flyfuntech2014
These are the ones I buy:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/282100185487?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I have started buying the ESP-07s because my application requires very low current (battery consumption) and it saves me desoldering the LEDs from the standard ESP-07 module.
The ESP-07s is also a smaller form factor, however external antenna only. My application requires external antenna anyhow, so not a problem.
The ESP-07s is about twice the price of ESP-07 though.

Note: The ESP-07 and ESP-07s are not breadboard friendly as they have a 2mm terminal pitch.
It is not difficult to solder solid wires on to it and spread them out to fit a breadboard if you need to.
I designed a small (simple) breakout board for my R&D purposes, but I see there are commonly available boards on fleabay now.

[TheSteve]

It was free, and it works fine. Might invest in a new tip though.

[Cubdriver]

You can't beat that price!!

-Pat

[Vgkid]

That is a really nice freebie.

[Skimask]

So, Sears screwed the pooch...again...
About a month ago, I posted here with a pic of my new mower, a Craftsman Pro series 5.5" turn radius 46" power steering hydrostatic machine.  Nice enough.  Bought a 2 stage snow thrower with it.  Guys behind the desk swore up and down it would fit.  Took it all home.  Guess what.  Snow thrower didn't fit.  Not a chance in hell.
Not only that but the deck wasn't level, one wheel wasn't tightened down, an oil drain plug was loose, fuel line cracked and broke on the third run.
Gave up, took that piece of crap back directly.

Went out a local mom-n-pop hardware store today and picked up another new mower.  Can't put a snow thrower on it, but the price was right, "Pop" came out and made sure it operated correctly.

[Cubdriver]

Excellent choice!     I got mine a year ago; it blows me away how quickly the grass is cut now.



(I did look like a drunken sailor until I got the hang of steering it while under way, though - best to hold one tiller bar steady and control direction by moving the other slightly back and forth as needed.  Move both only for gross turns, not for course maintenance.)

-Pat

[Goodwill Hunting]

Fluke 87V for $140.

Did AutoHOLD + VDC and it shows firmware 3.00.  Not sure if that's an older one or what, but my phone didn't do anything weird to it.

Already used it quite a bit, and I really like it.

[willb]

 I got my ZM-11/U capacitor bridge today and I love it! Also picked up a Fluke 374 on my lunch hour for $125, with test leads and Fluke case!

[AF6LJ]

I got my ZM-11/U capacitor bridge today and I love it! Also picked up a Fluke 374 on my lunch hour for $125, with test leads and Fluke case!

Hay your ZM-11/U is cleaner than mine.........
Good Deal on both...

[Cubdriver]

Wow, the bridge looks pristine!   

-Pat

[bitseeker]

That bridge looks amazing! Nice bright eye too.

[TheSteve]

MFJ-223 Antenna Analyzer 0.5-60 MHz (also known as a KVE60C, designed by BH7KVE in China). Was a great score at $125.00 shipped on the 'bay.

[bollio]

HP 8656b signal generator... for no reason other than "I didn't have one." 

Have to say,  a bit pissed off that the seller sent me a different one than pictured even thought the listing specifically stated item was the one pictured.  Despite that hiccup it's spot on and fully functional and only cost me $150.  Now I'm trying to decide about kicking up a fuss and getting my money back or just moan about misrepresenting the item in the feedback.  The issue is if I send it back I run the risk of yet another bait and switch and may end up with one not nearly this functional/decent of shape for so cheap.  Pretty sure the dude was just sour I won his nicest one for cheap so he sent me what he thought was "fair"...  man I hate ebay sometimes.

[nowlan]

Finally got some GE8115 differential probes via ebay.
Not sure why they have pointy probes and not spring clips.

[willb]

That bridge looks amazing! Nice bright eye too.

I'm very pleased with the bridge. The outside of the instrument is a little beat up (scratches, small dents, nothing spurring for a ex-military instrument). The case did protect the instrument. I did clean it a bit, but it really didn't need much! It also appears to be dead on as far as measuring capacitance goes. I didn't really try measuring anything else with it, as I only plan on using it for capacitance anyway. I did pay a little over $100CND for it with shipping and import duties, but for the condition it's in and especially in working condition, I think I did alright. I did take it out of its case, and every tube including the magic eye are RCA!

[gamalot]

Yokogawa TA520 Time Interval Analyzer 

Interesting unit. Do you also have a 53310A on hand, for comparison?

Sorry I don't have any other similar instrument. 

Yokogawa TA520 Time Interval Analyzer 

maybe a silly question but, how does that achieve a 25ps resolution with only 43msps??

I think it can measures 43M times per second, and the resolution of  each time could be 25ps. 

[gamalot]

Marconi 2024 9kHz-2.4GHz signal generator, arrived this morning, fixed in 30mins by replaced a capacitor in the power supply. I have to do some cleaning later