Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Zoli]

...
Attached is a saved screenshot (forum doesn't like BMP format) and using HxD contents of sectors 0 & 1, sector 19 has the folder list, sector 35 has file list, after that lots of random data.

David

Try to use .png; is supported, lossless, and @16 colours smaller then .jpg.
On the CF card subject: Micro$0ft always was bloated: functional msdos 6.2 in 200k, win95 in 20M - that's how much M$ can be de-bloated. Oh, and I have a 5k msdos mouse driver somewhere...

[EggertEnjoyer123]

I got another bench meter for $5. This time it was broken and someone wrote "Bad" on it. I wanted to have some fun fixing stuff so I bought it.

The ohms seems to work fine. The voltage measurement sometimes reads over limit with nothing connected, and sometimes it reads a very low value in the mV range. If I connect a voltage source to it nothing happens. I already checked the input fuse and it doesn't seem to be that.

This is my 4th bench multimeter.

[m k]

I can't get even those banana jacks with a fiver.

Attached is a saved screenshot (forum doesn't like BMP format) and using HxD contents of sectors 0 & 1, sector 19 has the folder list, sector 35 has file list, after that lots of random data.

David

My HxD is so old it still has Extras mainmenu selection.
It also has no settings for Open Disk.

If there are no read errors and you've not taken any checks off those readings are most likely what have been written.
(all sectors have two checksums)
But that sector 19 is peculiar.

Sector 0 has a correct stamp, last two as 55 AA, being 0xAA55.
3rd byte is 0x90, it's revealing, it's what has always been there, a NOP part of a first jump code that has never been used.
Two first bytes EB FE are short relative jump -2, so back to itself and so no boot code.
Then there is name of the written stuff, 'Y' being obvious, 'HQ' maybe high quality and then version, all completely rational.
Next are file system stuff, first being bytes per sector, 00 02 being 0x200 so 512 bytes.
Earlier test had the same stuff, but it appeared again starting from 0x110, that is not a drive thing.
It's possible that sector size is 256 bytes, but then the reappear should have started from 0x100, and offset 0x0B has still the value of 512 bytes per sector.
No idea how that reappearing happened, floppy drive is just a spinner, it doesn't keep anything, maybe it's a SuperDisk thing.

Sector 35 is normal directory listing with files
.
..
4444001.BMP
4444002.BMP

Peculiar sector 19 then,
"Information System Volume" using 16 bit Unicode is perfectly fine, but how is that actual thing.
It can't be an error if sector has no read errors.
Maybe it's a leftover, or intentional +ulfberht+, my guess is the former.

[m k]

Makes me wonder what drive is used in the Yokogawa DL1520L scope here, don't really want to take anything else apart at the moment.

David

Do you know the history of the machine?
It seems to be a new thing here.
Maybe somebody has replaced the drive and used a regular PC drive.

[AVGresponding]

I got another bench meter for $5. This time it was broken and someone wrote "Bad" on it. I wanted to have some fun fixing stuff so I bought it.

The ohms seems to work fine. The voltage measurement sometimes reads over limit with nothing connected, and sometimes it reads a very low value in the mV range. If I connect a voltage source to it nothing happens. I already checked the input fuse and it doesn't seem to be that.

This is my 4th bench multimeter.

I'd give the range switches a good blast with contact cleaner, and check the range relays are working properly.

[Martin.M]

 racing time. the 7104. ( 7B10, 7B15, 2x 7A29, one of them with delay, C1001 video camera ntsc)
on an scopecart 53/54 (for 500series)

[m k]

Also tried formatting again in the scope, first at 720k a couple of times, no good, then 1.44M, which for the first time has worked when read back with the PC.

Just in case,
Density Select is an old thing.
Back in the day 5.25 disks had no difference between 360k and 1.2M, so drive couldn't know what to do without some help from the controller.
So Density Select was the pin.
When 3.5 system appeared it included another corner hole for density and so the pin became more or less obsolete.
But since too easy is just too easy the DENSEL pin was reinvented, pins 4 and 6 were reserved.
Since it was still possible to connect 5.25 drive the old DENSEL was not very good pick, so it was inverted.
So combined with BIOS settings it was rock solid, high is high and low is not high.

Maybe your only problem is a level of a pin.
Since HD has two RPMs there must be a way to select which one.

Intel 82077SL is for 4M drives, its manual has pins 2 and 6, but different things for different drives.
Old 3.5" 1.2M signaling was somewhere else when my google results were generated.

It's also possible to use combination of disk and controller.
There HD is HD only if DENSEL and disk hole are HD, all other variations are something else.
Then disk hole only would be 1.2M and finally 640k or 720k DD would be a pure software thing.

BTW,
I needed, then probably, a 7660 converter and actually had one, but spreadsheet didn't say it was SMD, need was DIP.
(same box had a very practical CPC1008N SSR)
New China goods SG module is almost half of what local chip is with P&P, verdict was 10x from reverse engineered source.
Then I remembered that somewhere is a pack of adapters, so now SG is back in line and soon-ish I have less irritating stock of positive to negative DC/DC converters.
Longer 1.27 2.00 pinheaders are good legs for adapter module, they are thinner and easy to use in pairs.

[TERRA Operative]

Ever got through the calibration and verification of a few scopes, only to find a BNC cable is bad, making all that work invalid? 

Anyway, since I got a replacement levelling head for my SG5030 (and fixed the usual frayed cables) I now have 4x fully (re...)calibrated/adjusted and verified TDS200 scopes, two of which are now upgraded from TDS210 to TDS220.
Three will be sold, and the nicest one will stay on my bench because I like it for it's simplicity and ease of use. And it's cute..

Next up is the verification of my 500MHz TDS500/600 scopes to see which need actual adjustment (hopefully not too many.... I still gotta get the National Instruments ISA GPIB cards working on my PC...)

[m k]

Is this ISA GPIB thing still the same old?

[TERRA Operative]

Yup, same old obsolete deal.

Although the TDS200 adjustment/verification and TDS500/600/700 verification (only) is windows with NI GPIB-USB adapter, using some software written by Hakan Hinze.

https://www.hakanh.com/dl/TDS_pv.htm

The TDS200 can be adjusted easily as it is all done in the scope controlled via GPIB, the TDS500/600/700 series adjustment does the calculations in the PC software which hasn't been replicated yet, so only verification is possible at the moment without the required original PC hardware and Tek software.

[aronake]

I happened to go from 0 to 5 3458a in 2 months...

First got one at a decent price (for being a 3458a...). Then found 2 for local purchase at very good price. But when I found these I already had one more on the way being shipped... The happened to get one more...

[Neomys Sapiens]

racing time. the 7104. ( 7B10, 7B15, 2x 7A29, one of them with delay, C1001 video camera ntsc)
on an scopecart 53/54 (for 500series)

(Attachment Link)

Whoa! That is one real fast mobility aid!
 

[Vince]

I happened to go from 0 to 5 3458a in 2 months...

First got one at a decent price (for being a 3458a...). Then found 2 for local purchase at very good price. But when I found these I already had one more on the way being shipped... The happened to get one more...

That's way too many ! Gimme one, if just so that your shelves don't collapse under all that weight ! 

[TERRA Operative]

Yeah, I'll take one too.

I've been eyeing up a 34470A, I keep bumping into the limits of my 34461A. I should have laid down the coin for the 34470A at the start, but I can sell the ...61A for a reasonable coin here, plus add the sale of a good portion of my excess and duplicate gear.

3458A's occasionally pop up in Japan, but then you need to factor in a calibration and stuff to get them up to scratch too, so they are predictably pricey...

[Robert763]

Missed this first time around. Challenge accepted!

3 GR900 to Greenpar adaptors.

They will go with one of my 3 small Greenpar interseries kits
Or the medium one
Or the big one which already has 3 GR900s and a couple of GR874s

I also have at least 6 other boxes of adaptors inluding to waveguide.

Robert G8RPI

I stand at 3 GR900 adaptors too, but not for Greenpar (N-m/N-f/BNC-m). As well as a original GenRad sliding line and a SWR1.05 normal.

That last kit of yours is a wet dream - I would willingly sell my firstborn for it...wait, I only have an adopted daughter which is married. And that guy is larger than me. Dang!

Did I see right that this kit has both SC and LC connectors? It also has several ones whichI could not ID yet. Do you have documentation for it or a picture where all the labels are readable? That would be very interesting!

Older topic but I came across the Greenpar Interseries adaptor catalog:
https://www.royalsignals.org.uk/articles/Greenpar_Catalogue.pdf
I'd not seen it before. It does not cover all options for example the are 50R/75R minimum loss pads, attenuators and power splitters.
It does list what is in the standard kits though.
 

[factory]

A comment for AVG on the other TEA forum, relating to customs labels & neon based display devices, I had no problems sending some to the EU described as "old display valves" with tariff code 85408900.
https://www.trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/headings/8540
I recommend buying postage directly using the Royal Mail website, it allows you to deal with the customs & tariff info yourself, much quicker than trying to get it done at the PO, YMMV.

P.S. for general components, I find it easier to search on Mouser, tariff codes for various countries appear at the bottom of the listings, double check the code with the dot gov website if not sure which is correct.

David

[AVGresponding]

A comment for AVG on the other TEA forum, relating to customs labels & neon based display devices, I had no problems sending some to the EU described as "old display valves" with tariff code 85408900.
https://www.trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/headings/8540
I recommend buying postage directly using the Royal Mail website, it allows you to deal with the customs & tariff info yourself, much quicker than trying to get it done at the PO, YMMV.

P.S. for general components, I find it easier to search on Mouser, tariff codes for various countries appear at the bottom of the listings, double check the code with the dot gov website if not sure which is correct.

David

I prefer to buy at the PO; buying online cuts them out, and I like to support local businesses. My local Postmaster is a former lead-melter, and as I've said in the other place, I'm confident he'll have good advice.

[EggertEnjoyer123]

Well, I finally got the spectrum analyzer I wanted. It's a broken HP8566A that has been retrofitted to become the 8566B. My friend let me have the one he found in the garbage this summer if I promised to help him solder stuff for the entire year. (I probably owe him a lot for this).

Initially, there were 6 errors (all the PLLs were unlocked). I thought it was going to be a difficult repair job, but it was actually really easy.

I checked the voltage rails. The -10V rail was broken. Examining the rectifier board, I found a trace which had burnt up and a shorted diode. I fixed the broken trace with some solder wick, and the diode was replaced with a similar one that I had in my junk bin.

There was still a REF UNLOCK error, but I unplugged one of the SMB cables inside and plugged it back in and it went away.

[Neomys Sapiens]

Well, I finally got the spectrum analyzer I wanted. It's a broken HP8566A that has been retrofitted to become the 8566B. My friend let me have the one he found in the garbage this summer if I promised to help him solder stuff for the entire year. (I probably owe him a lot for this).

If that was it already you are incredibly lucky or a repair genius.Congrats!

[EggertEnjoyer123]

Well, I finally got the spectrum analyzer I wanted. It's a broken HP8566A that has been retrofitted to become the 8566B. My friend let me have the one he found in the garbage this summer if I promised to help him solder stuff for the entire year. (I probably owe him a lot for this).

If that was it already you are incredibly lucky or a repair genius.Congrats!

I still need to check whether there's anything wrong with the high frequency path. So far it seems to work, but there might be some weird issue with the preselector tuning.

[m k]

Yup, same old obsolete deal.

Although the TDS200 adjustment/verification and TDS500/600/700 verification (only) is windows with NI GPIB-USB adapter, using some software written by Hakan Hinze.

https://www.hakanh.com/dl/TDS_pv.htm

The TDS200 can be adjusted easily as it is all done in the scope controlled via GPIB, the TDS500/600/700 series adjustment does the calculations in the PC software which hasn't been replicated yet, so only verification is possible at the moment without the required original PC hardware and Tek software.

So you have at least half of half of dozen ISA cards, but can't make them act together with FAS?

I remember there were two major driver versions, old and new, some functions are 8/16 bit.
Cards were also sort of old and new, where both were sort of CEC clones, or what ever was first, but new uses I/O addresses sort of spread around way.

You should be able to use two old cards, if all parts are old enough, including FAS and drivers.
My guess is that certain level and up, and you need new cards and 2nd must use those spread around I/O addresses.

[TERRA Operative]

I think it's mainly a motherboard config issue.

I can get the system working in my old Dell Precision 410MT workstation, but it only has one ISA slot, so no automation is available. (As far as I can tell, you can't double up test gear with the scope on the same GPIB bus, I may be wrong though).
I also have a Tyan Tiger 100 motherboard that has two ISA slots, but the FAS doesn't see the ISA-GPIB cards.
(One for the scope DUT, the other for the SG5030 leveled sinewave generator)

The Dell has more BIOS config settings available than the Tyan Tiger, so it was easier to get working, but requires a fully manual FAS adjustment process due to the single ISA slot.

I think I just have to sit down and have a stern talk to the Tyan Tiger about shaping up and behaving (or I should RTFM a few more times... )

[wkb]

GPIB is what the B says: a bus. So using the fancy daisy chain cables that GPIB uses you should be able to hook DUT plus test generators etc to a single GPIB ISA card.

Or am I missing something from your post?

[TERRA Operative]

Apparently the Tektronix Software is hardcoded to look for the DUT on one GPIB card, and the Adjustment instruments on the other card.

I'll have to take some time to look deeper into it and do some real-world tests to verify if this is actually true or not.

[Robert763]

A comment for AVG on the other TEA forum, relating to customs labels & neon based display devices, I had no problems sending some to the EU described as "old display valves" with tariff code 85408900.
https://www.trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/headings/8540
I recommend buying postage directly using the Royal Mail website, it allows you to deal with the customs & tariff info yourself, much quicker than trying to get it done at the PO, YMMV.

P.S. for general components, I find it easier to search on Mouser, tariff codes for various countries appear at the bottom of the listings, double check the code with the dot gov website if not sure which is correct.

David

I prefer to buy at the PO; buying online cuts them out, and I like to support local businesses. My local Postmaster is a former lead-melter, and as I've said in the other place, I'm confident he'll have good advice.

As noted previously the service at my local Post Office is awful. It's located in the Village libary and we found out this week that the current postmaster hasn't paid rent, heating or electricity to the council since he took over SEVEN YEARS ago! The counil wan's to theow him out but does not want to loose the Post Office. Catch 22.
Robert.