Anritsu MT8801A/B/C & MT8802A

[Monolith]

@howardlong: Thank you so much! Your PCMCIA image revived it! At first it didn't startup correctly (after loading all modules the display just went blank). Booting with holding the PRESET button brought it back to live. I haven't done any verification tests yet, but i hope calibration data is not stored on the PCMICA ATA card. I hope calibration is held somewhere on the cpu board. otherwise the unit needs a full calibration. Filesystem of the PCMCIA card is just FAT16, so easy handling with MS Windows clients..

Display is a bit dim at the moment, looks like this will be a backlight replacement project for the future (beside cap replacements). At the moment time for hobby stuff is really rare, i hope i can start this after new year..

It seems, that the most important SA option is working (see pic)!   

[Howardlong]

I have two, one that I re-capped has a great display (after re-capping) but has a u/s main port after I inadvertently Tx'd into it (I don't actually ever remember transmitting, but it was directly after testing a transcevier on it). There is an expensive attenuator on the main port that's broken that I can't figure out how to replace (can't undo screws). The aux port works fine for my use.

The display on the first unit has developed a more recent fault where, particularly in warm weather, it randomly writes to the screen, but otherwise works fine. I can still control it perfectly via GPIB once I figure out the commands, which are much easier to figure out when you have a working display! Reseating the cards seems to fix the display random writes for a few days, only for it to return later. Of course, with the lid off the problem never happens.

The other unit has a very dim display plus its signal generator seems to be kaput (about 20dB down) on both ports, but I've never had it apart to fix it.

Edit: more recently I switched to using an Agilent 8935 for most of the measurements I'd been using the Anritsus for as part of a production test suite process. A shame, as the Anritsus offer significantly greater bandwidth over the Agilent, but the reliability of the Anritsus is none too special.

[rskron11]

Hello All,

Thank you Howardlong as I was also able to load the OS that you supplied to a new card for a MT8802a that also had a failed PCMCIA card.

The OS seems to load fully (I have it in verbose mode) but I get a indecipherable system error as it is about to load the user interface. Unfortunately I do not have the service manual and I can't make heads or tails of it.

Would any of you have experience with this error or have some tips on how I can further troubleshoot?

Thanks in advance,

Scott

[Monolith]

How did you write the image to the PCMCIA Card? I have used Win32diskimager. It is crucial to unmount the memory card before you pull it out of the PC after the writing process. Otherwise it could be that not all data has been written to the card as the OS sometimes still caches data which still has not been written to the memory card (Windows and Linux). What's the brand and model of the card? Try a different one if possible..

[rskron11]

Thank you @Monolith for your reply.

I am using a SanDisk PCMCIA compact flash adapter with a 32 MB CF card. I did rewrite the card per your advice and unmount it properly (ddn't do that before) after using Win32diskimager to write it. It does appear to write successfully and shows no errors when checked. It does of course write a 20 mb card, but it appears intact.

I'll see if I can get an exact replacement (SanDisk 20 mb card), though my feeling is something else is happening. It does get all the way through to the TX/RX module test - there is a relay click, and the error occurs. The rest of the OS loads fine and all testing of processor, memory, battery, etc passses.

I took a look at voltages off of the PSU and each of the cards (where supplied) and they do check out.

There area few caps here and there (I did not do a systematic check) that had a slightly high ESR - I did replace those. Didn't go into the RF boards as  I felt this was more of a digital problem.

I am wondering if the OS is looking for something that is not there or if there is a ROM somewhere that this OS is not talking to (different version?)

Thanks again for your reply and any help that anyone might be able to offer.

ScottK

[Monolith]

OK, don't bother buying additional 20MB PCMCIA cards. I can confirm, that a 512MB CF Card with a PCMCIA CF Adapter is working nicely with my MT8802A. CF Card handling is definitly more convinient.

Did the MT8802A was functioning when you obtained it, or did you get it already faulty? I would check if nothing important is missing inside eg. a board?

Try to:

- Check on missing parts, boards etc.
- Reseat all boards, check for visible defects
- Probably do the Howardlong way and replace all caps. Start with the PSU and progress board by board. Be sure to check functionality (new behavior or messages on the screen in your case) after each board cap replacement.
- check the lithium battery voltage on one of the boards

It could be also that you experience a hardware/software mismatch. It's just a guess! It could be that Howardlong's image is not compatible with your hardware revision. To confirm this would take more effort and experience from all MT8802A owners here collecting this information. I was lucky, that Howardlongs version worked nicely with the first try. I still have my faulty 20 MB PCMCIA card, which was originally in the device. I googled some time ago a chinese user forum where somebody had the same problem with a dying PCMCIA card. He purchased the exactly same Sandisk card and transplanted the memory chip from the old to the new card and was able to access the data again. I am planning to do the same task but lacking time to do this at the moment.

[Monolith]

Here are some Pictures, which i made during cleaning and CCFL backlight tube replacement...

[Monolith]

Backside and cage cover removed..

[Monolith]

A30 board removed

[rskron11]

Thank you @Monolith for your information and good advice. I think I am  going to take your advice and methodically recap the unit in hopes that it is an issue based on that. There were a few caps that I checked that were out of spec, so maybe I'll get lucky. Battery is good and I tried reseating all cards and connectors.

If the recapping doesn't work, I might get brave and dissect the old PCMCIA card and try a transplant of the memory to a new card.

I the meantime, if there is anyone out there who happens to have a digital copy of the service manual, I would greatly appreciate it.

ScottK

[xmo]

Hi.  New user here.  I thought I would add my experience to the topic.

I have an Anritsu MT8801B.  When it developed display problems I bought a parts unit  MT8801C that was listed as not booting.

FYI #1 - the displays do not interchange between the B and C versions.

I solved the display problem when I found a B version front panel listed for sale.  That left me with a complete non-working MT8801C.

When I found this forum topic I decided to try the image provided by @howardlong.

FYI #2 - the MT8802A image won't work in the MT8801C. 

The card from my C version was definitely defective - I get the same start-up error message whether the card is in place or not.
If I try the card from the B version in the C machine I get a "File Not Found" error message.
I get the same message if I try the 8802A image in the C version machine.

Apparently these instruments are hard coded to look for a specific file on the card - a file unique to each version.

So unless someone has an MT8801C image file - it looks like my parts unit is back to being a parts unit.

[rskron11]

Thank you for that - I have an 8802A and the files were derived from a 8801A. This explains my lack of finding any significant hardware issues thus far.

If anyone happens to have the 8802A files archived somewhere, or better yet a disk image of this machine, I would appreciate it!

ScottK

[F5HII]

I had got a MT8801C with option 01 and 07 since 3 years, it was constructed in 2000 . It boots to an error "System error! 33" like monolith . The 20 Mo card PCMCIA ATA is dead too !!!

I have a reliable PCMCIA Reader with my PC and this PCMCIA card is dead. I have some other PCMCIA  adapter and I can copy an image of divice which works. 

It would be a great help, if MT8801C owners could create a disk image (I use Win32diskimager like monolith ) of his working card and could share it. A backup is always useful.

Thanks in advance for help et many thanks to monolith for explains.

[forstmeister]

Hello,

my 8801B isn't working, too. In fact it's booting and I can see the most screens but the SA don't even show a spectrum, just the plain screen. Also all tx-analog-measurement seems to be not working, as the 8801 locks up and no keys are working anymore.
The SG was working ok, but the next day it also locks up. Is this an capacitor problem ? I would like to change the software first, so if there's an 8801B image available  it would be nice if someone can give me a note.

Thanks a lot
Bernie
DK5BM

[forstmeister]

Still looking for an image for the MT8801B.
The flash card in my tester is now dead and stops during the booting process with an file error (34).

Thanks for any help !

[Chris56000]

Hi!

Thanks for that - guess what's next on my New Year Project List?! - IF I can afford one that is!!

Chris Williams

[flash65]

Hi,
I've an 8801B in working condition and i'm happy to share the image of the flash card but all mode for reading the card was failed.
I've tested with windows 98, Seven in different PC with PCMCIA slot.
the card is detectd as rigth model ( EPSON ATA II flash card 10MB ) but don't see any partition seems unformatted. ( maybe not fat system ? ).
I decided to try the image provided by @howardlong in a compact flash 32MB with adapter but when power up the instrument the self test say error message  "File Not Found".
if anyone help me i'm happy to share the image of my flash card.

[michal.zet]

Did you solved the problem?
If not try HxD then "Open disk" - select the card and write it back to the HDD.

[routerfan]

I have a 8801c, and this is my IMG file. Forgive my English, because it is through Machine Translation.
https://pan.baidu.com/s/18V-e-EYsCmf_Jc2EMu0_0g

[routerfan]

MT8801 service manual  who can share it, thanks!

[ZL1CVD]

FWIW the MT8801C & MT8802B CF images linked in posts can be opened / extracted with PowerISO - standard Fat16 disk images

[michal.zet]

Dear All.
I've dumped the Main ROM (27C4002) of my MT8801. I am wondering it is possible to reverse it to for example provide SDK for writing my own programs.
What OS could it use? There are lot of path references to "/dev/msdos"
Some Linux?
There are also reference to some "Triton95" or "Triton-system".
Main CPU is Motorola MC68340FE16E.

[mura12345]

FYI
http://www.ko4bb.com/getsimple/index.php?id=manuals&dir=Anritsu-Wiltron
 

[Villanueva]

Hello
I also have an Anritsu MT8801B that lacks PCMCIA memory. I got a 128Mb memory in good condition and downloaded the Win32diskimager V0.95.
I have tried with some image without good result. Would you be so kind to share that image of your record?
Thank you very much in advance.

Rafael.
EA7HWX

[CIRO]

Hi,
also I need files on pcmcia 20MB of MT8802A.
the link posted  dont go. Is there anyone that can help me?

thanke you