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Don't have much to add, but +1 to using the implicit modularity of fixed-size (and known size; use inttypes!) unsigneds.

Put another way, it's 0.16 (or whatever) fixed point, fractional whole-cycles.

Most anything you would do with degrees, can be done in any other unit.  sin/cos implementations can be adjusted, it's just a matter of changing coefficients and bit shifts.

There's also a... maybe more esoteric route?  Which, I've thought about here and there, but which probably isn't worthwhile for most applications.  In any case, consider the argument of a complex number, which we store as a tuple z = [a, b], which might be char, int, whatever.  If |z| is normalized, we can simply multiply it by any other number to change the angle -- the basis of the CORDIC algorithm for example.  We trivially extend it into a direction vector, if we're doing something spacial or geometrical -- this can be useful in video games, and I used such a scheme for a raycaster (WOLF3D style) engine way back when* -- but the fact that you're handling ~double the information, that normalization is awkward, etc., means it probably isn't going to be your first pick.

*The maybe most interesting part here is, the screen vector is automatically scaled for perspective correction -- that is, the vectors cast from camera origin to view plane (well, line), automatically scale the rays cast to walls, giving perspective-correct lengths returned from the "cast" function.  I've seen tons of trig corrections (both preparing the vectors, and correcting the ray lengths), and hackery around singularities (axis aligned vectors), in others' implementations of raycasters, so I felt pretty proud of the general, direction-invariant solution I came up with. :P

Tim
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Repair / Re: E4433B RF sig gen repair
« Last post by microbug on Today at 09:19:49 am »
There aren't any options installed except the high-accuracy timebase (OCXO).

I took some more measurements today. I started with the coherent carrier, and noticed the 2.7GHz signal there as well as the correct signal. This made me suspicious, and I tried the same measurement with the vector output board shield properly installed. The 2.7GHz signal disappeared. If it's coupling into this part of the circuit, it could be coupling into other parts too.

I measured before the I/Q modulator, immediately after, and after the next IC (U80, a 1GG3-4205 RF amp). Screenshots attached.

The following stands out to me:

- Across the I/Q modulator, the signal at the set output frequency loses 30-35dB!
- The gain block U80 appears to be effective only at the set output frequency. The 2.7GHz signal is relatively constant on either side of the gain block.

These measurements were all taken with a piece of coax connected straight to an RF trace, so they won't be very accurate in absolute levels. The very large I/Q modulator losses do seem like a smoking gun suggesting this part needs replacing.

Unfortunately I've damaged a DC block cap again, so need to leave it here for today until I can replace it. I will try bypassing the modulator IC with some coax and a 10dB pad when I've replaced the cap.
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ferrite is made by sintering
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Test Equipment / Re: New Hantek DSO2X1X models?
« Last post by Aldo22 on Today at 09:07:42 am »
I have just learned what the ref save and recall does and was wondering if there was any way to reposition the image or do I continue to setup the trace in the position I want the reference image to be displayed.
The reference waveform is simply a kind of screenshot of a trace. You can't do anything with it other than look at it, afaik.
The “FM” says:

2.9
3. Reference
The scope saves the waveform data in memory in “.ref” format. Up to 9 Ref files (No.1~No.9) can be stored in the internal
memory. The stored Ref can be recalled, a total of 2 Refs can be recalled. At recall, the Refs will be displayed on the screen
directly, at the same time, the time base, volt/div and level position when saving the Refs file are displayed. When the Refs is
not needed, you can select “Close”.
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FPGA / Re: ATF1502 programming & 'wrong' id (fake?)
« Last post by c64 on Today at 09:05:45 am »
Here down under, plenty of cheap computers with parallel port on eBay. Can easily buy relatively modern one (not more than 10 years old) for under $50 AUD
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Beginners / Re: 555 driver and Transformer questions
« Last post by Zero999 on Today at 09:03:40 am »
can you explain to me what to look for in the schematic that shows a strong DC offset?
The current direction through the transformer is always the same, thus the net DC flux in the transformer's core.
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Beginners / Re: LC filtering for combined Vref/VDD of ADC
« Last post by T3sl4co1l on Today at 09:03:31 am »
How much bandwidth do you need?

If not much, you might average it all out on the digital side and kinda not care.  It's not a great solution, as the noise will alias and there is an asymmetry to it (it's ratiometric, in particular in the denominator, not additive), which will cause some wandering baseline that doesn't average out, but it might be small enough not to mind (i.e. consider the effect of 3.35 vs. 3.25V ref).

You generally want enough filtering (so, that means both signal and ref here) that aliasing is low enough not to mind, or in bands that can be digitally filtered post-conversion.

What spectrum is the noise?  If it's switching noise, an LC filter is fine.  If it's all kinds of crunchy, from various causes, erratic time constants, likely you need an LDO.

Could even spring for a switching converter, in a pinch.  A bit over-the-top, but maybe not as bad as it sounds: regulating charge pumps are available for example, which could be a single-chip (give or take external caps) solution.

Note the LDO can be very thin: say 3.0V, so logic levels aren't violated.  You don't want e.g. 3.6V+ beginning to forward-bias the ESD clamp diodes into a device at 3.0V supply, or 3.3 into 2.7, but 3.3 into 3.0-3.1 would be perfectly fine.  Downside: LDO PSRR is typically trash to begin with, and it's even worse operating so close to dropout.  Again, it's only a thing if you need low frequency filtering.

Bonus: LDO at least gives [the chance for a] more accurate supply/ref, potentially reducing calibration error.

Devil's advocate: if your input signals are ratiometric with the supply, this whole exercise is making things actually worse!

Note that, if you do use an LC filter, include sufficient ESR to keep it dampened.  Probably an 0.1uF local HF bypass is all that's needed, then the rest can be lossy "bulk", say 10uF electrolytic, and 1-10uH choke, or proportionally scaled values for other cutoff frequencies.

Tim
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Soft ferrites are not permanently effected by heat (unless you go to the extremes near 1000 C). They however have a relatively low curie temperature and thus don't work as long as they are hot (e.g. > 150 C). This effect is however reversible. The air gap can be a big issue - there would have been a spacer that is not much different from the glue.

In therory there could be flybacl transformers with a permanent magnet premagnetization, that could be effected by heat. However I have not seen such a thing, except for linearity correction with CRTs. So I doubt one would find it in more normal PC supply - though they would do all kind of tricks to save a few cents.
It's certainly not as much as 1000oC as I've seen cooked transformers with useless cores and no way they heated up that much while having bobbin remaining in one piece or FR-4 PCB not catching flames under toroidal one. But it's not 160oC either. 
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FPGA / Re: ATF1502 programming & 'wrong' id (fake?)
« Last post by c64 on Today at 09:01:01 am »
For all my projects based on Atmel ATF150x CPLDs I successfully use a homemade 'ByteBlasterMV' programming cable (on parallel port) in conjunction to the program  ATMISP version 6.7. 
More details here :

https://github.com/MattisLind/82S100replacement?tab=readme-ov-file

P.S.

I program .JEDs instead of SVFs

I do exactly same.
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It is possible that it is compatible with PSG9080. If so, then can be used my tool: https://github.com/qrp73/PSG9080_ARB
This looks like a good instrument! Alltough its not so cheap, i consider getting it.

Have you used the programming feature? The manual is not so good to explain things here. Also i wonder if there are limitations when using some more complex function on one channel, for example using sweep or FM/AM/... : The other channel can be used what ever you want to do with it? Is it possible to use AM/FM/... on one channel, and sweep (with fm) on the other?
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