Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Neomys Sapiens]

Just fyi, another thread specifically for Tek TM series -> https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/tektronix-tm-series-test-equipment/

Yes, you can see my inventory of 2 yrs ago there! 

[BravoV]

Just fyi, another thread specifically for Tek TM series -> https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/tektronix-tm-series-test-equipment/

Yes, you can see my inventory of 2 yrs ago there! 

Exactly, so impressed that list, that I sort of remember that thread, and saw you mentioning Tek TMs. 

[bd139]

@bd139 So let me get this straight in my mind, you say that you had a 2225 up on the shelf but your picture shows a 2235 up there? did you swap them over? Personally I'd (assuming you did have a 2225 there) have thought the 2225 was even more stable with it's big arse toroidal transformer mounted onto the back panel of the scope where as the 2235 is a bastard SMPS with less rear mounted weight? 

That's correct. I had the 2225 up there and swapped it for the 2235. I gain 50more megs, grat illumination, delayed timebase.

As for stability, both scopes are in the same chassis and they actually sit flat on the shelf with the feet hanging over the front and back so they can't be pulled off or pushed back. There's a good air gap above as well. IKEA made the desk just to fit these  ... Overhang is only two inches front and rear so it's dead stable, toroidal transformer or not.

I wanted to get most of the desk surface clear for projects so losing the digital scope (which takes a lot of desk footprint and just sucks anyway), putting an analogue on the shelf and jigging it around works nicely considering I have bugger all space to work in.

Edit: current workspace (and mess  ):



There's a cupboard in the hall which is the "equipment cupboard" now rather than the "trash cupboard" now I've organised everything so anything I'm not immediately using lives in there until needed.

Don't you find it inconvenient to have the oscilloscope so high up? I have mine right at the eye level hanging from a shelf and above that a logic analyzer. I find that after using the analyzer for a while I just end up standing up then sitting back down or else my neck cramps at looking up all the time. Maybe I'm too short.

It’s good to stand up and sit down lots. Works out nicely from a health perspective. 99% of the time though I’m not actually using the scope though.

[mnementh]

http://www.salukitec.com/   

huh.

mnem
*End Game-ily*

[Specmaster]

Welp... we'll see what shows up in a month or so... hope it's not a lump of coal.

mnem
You know, except of course... in here. In the company of friends. 

If it performs anything like my 25Mhz unit you should be happy with it. Clearly its not going to be anywhere near the quality of a HP or Marconi unit but you certainly get a lot of bang per buck for a Chinese product it is good. Quality sucks a little when you push it near to its limits but overall a capable device, if it had some modulation system it would make a reasonable RF unit as well.

[med6753]

Someone in Jersey, PA, NY snap this up. It's one of those highly rated Leader 60MHz portable scopes. Looks like it includes all the accessories. Can be powered off 12VDC.

I think they're asking a little too much for it. $150 USD would be a more reasonable price IMHO. You may be able to deal. It's been on CL a few weeks now.

I'm all tapped out right now and got too many other projects in the fire.

[Specmaster]

@bd139 So let me get this straight in my mind, you say that you had a 2225 up on the shelf but your picture shows a 2235 up there? did you swap them over? Personally I'd (assuming you did have a 2225 there) have thought the 2225 was even more stable with it's big arse toroidal transformer mounted onto the back panel of the scope where as the 2235 is a bastard SMPS with less rear mounted weight? 

That's correct. I had the 2225 up there and swapped it for the 2235. I gain 50more megs, grat illumination, delayed timebase.

As for stability, both scopes are in the same chassis and they actually sit flat on the shelf with the feet hanging over the front and back so they can't be pulled off or pushed back. There's a good air gap above as well. IKEA made the desk just to fit these  ... Overhang is only two inches front and rear so it's dead stable, toroidal transformer or not.

I wanted to get most of the desk surface clear for projects so losing the digital scope (which takes a lot of desk footprint and just sucks anyway), putting an analogue on the shelf and jigging it around works nicely considering I have bugger all space to work in.

Edit: current workspace (and mess  ):



There's a cupboard in the hall which is the "equipment cupboard" now rather than the "trash cupboard" now I've organised everything so anything I'm not immediately using lives in there until needed.

Don't you find it inconvenient to have the oscilloscope so high up? I have mine right at the eye level hanging from a shelf and above that a logic analyzer. I find that after using the analyzer for a while I just end up standing up then sitting back down or else my neck cramps at looking up all the time. Maybe I'm too short.

It’s good to stand up and sit down lots. Works out nicely from a health perspective. 99% of the time though I’m not actually using the scope though.

Thought that you loved that sweet little all the scope you needed TDS210, don't tell its gone to a new home already? I havent used mine in a while but I'm keeping it unless something better comes along to take its spot 

[Neomys Sapiens]

http://www.salukitec.com/   

huh.

mnem
*End Game-ily*

I'm drawn between disbelief, disgust and desire. How is it possible for them to pop up from nowhere and having built spectrum analyzers since 1997? And some of their instruments look very very close to well-known products.
Have you actual experience with their stuff?

[Neomys Sapiens]

On a related topic to the SAs found by MNEM:
My interference problems in ****land have finally reached C-Level and suddenly there are funds.
I will have the opportunity to work remotely with some products from this company:
https://signalhound.com/products/
I'm looking forward to it and will report! Snooping around in the radio wilderness will be fun, but I also hope to get to grips with some nasty phenomena.

[bd139]

Thought that you loved that sweet little all the scope you needed TDS210, don't tell its gone to a new home already? I havent used mine in a while but I'm keeping it unless something better comes along to take its spot 

I did love it indeed. Yes it went to a new home and funded the last couple of hamfest trips. I'm actually having a bit of a clear out at the moment. I am trying to downsize to specific bits of equipment so I can finish some projects off rather than executing the repair queue which was starting to get a bit long!

Some more pictures. Close up of the exploded RIFA inside the HP box.



I've actually stripped the HP box down to the chassis and recoverable parts now. Most of the boards were corroded and gunked up by RIFA goop unfortunately. Got a couple of nice TO3 voltage regulators, hardware some HP buttons ($$$), MJE800 darlingtons, silver mica caps, wet tantalum caps, genuine HP binding posts and a couple of big capacitors. The transformer was rusty and started to delaminate so has been scrapped.



As mentioned, an SSB transceiver is being built into the enclosure so this will live on. The enclosure is, as per all HP stuff, very nicely made and very light.

[Neomys Sapiens]

@bd139: As mentioned...and commented already. I suggest that you really give it a HP look as far as possible.

[mnementh]

http://www.salukitec.com/    huh.

mnem
*End Game-ily*

I'm drawn between disbelief, disgust and desire. How is it possible for them to pop up from nowhere and having built spectrum analyzers since 1997? And some of their instruments look very very close to well-known products.
Have you actual experience with their stuff?

The first I ever heard of them was a link on fleaBay when I was buying that FY6800. It was blinking 20GHz so I clicked on it. 

mnem
Yes, I nerd-sniped myself. 

[0culus]

Checked with a couple likely neighbors, no one fesses up to seeing a FedEx truck yesterday. I certainly never saw it, nor was there a knock on my door. The other guy it might have gotten delivered to is a special kind of wanker, so I'm watching the local farcebook buy sell trade page and craiglist...in the meantime I called FedEx and they allegedly will investigate tomorrow.

I hope FedEx can find it, because it is a beautiful HP 1727A storage 'scope with manuals and everything.

[med6753]

Checked with a couple likely neighbors, no one fesses up to seeing a FedEx truck yesterday. I certainly never saw it, nor was there a knock on my door. The other guy it might have gotten delivered to is a special kind of wanker, so I'm watching the local farcebook buy sell trade page and craiglist...in the meantime I called FedEx and they allegedly will investigate tomorrow.

I hope FedEx can find it, because it is a beautiful HP 1727A storage 'scope with manuals and everything.

Did you check your roof? Although would be pretty hard to drop kick it.

[bd139]

@bd139: As mentioned...and commented already. I suggest that you really give it a HP look as far as possible.

I’m planning on doing that if possible. The thing has a digital VFO so I’m looking at small red 7 segment display options in that space, panel of buttons in the middle (band/adjust selection)  and a single rotary encoder on the right (hopefully I’ll find an 8640b style knob for that).

I imagine it’ll look like a bastard cross between an elecraft k2, hp8640b and hp3456a

[0culus]

Checked with a couple likely neighbors, no one fesses up to seeing a FedEx truck yesterday. I certainly never saw it, nor was there a knock on my door. The other guy it might have gotten delivered to is a special kind of wanker, so I'm watching the local farcebook buy sell trade page and craiglist...in the meantime I called FedEx and they allegedly will investigate tomorrow.

I hope FedEx can find it, because it is a beautiful HP 1727A storage 'scope with manuals and everything.

Did you check your roof? Although would be pretty hard to drop kick it.

Yep, not up there. 

At this point all I can do is wait for FedEx to investigate. One would hope they have GPS on their trucks so they can track down exactly where the driver was at the alleged delivery time.

[Neomys Sapiens]

Checked with a couple likely neighbors, no one fesses up to seeing a FedEx truck yesterday. I certainly never saw it, nor was there a knock on my door. The other guy it might have gotten delivered to is a special kind of wanker, so I'm watching the local farcebook buy sell trade page and craiglist...in the meantime I called FedEx and they allegedly will investigate tomorrow.

I hope FedEx can find it, because it is a beautiful HP 1727A storage 'scope with manuals and everything.

The terms in which you describe your neighbourhood don't leave much open.
Maybe you should expand your resources in another direction?

[mnementh]

Fooker probably went to shift it, realized it weighed as much as a dead solicitor, then said to himself "I'm not hauling this schizz all the waaay up there; I'm gonna kick it out the back here where all solicitors belong; in a ditch." 

Exactly what happened when the EZ-lift recliner I ordered off Amazon for my dad was supposedly "Refused Delivery" at 9AM, but status only made-updated AFTER 8PM on the day of, with me waiting literally steps away from the door all day. Fucking lying bastard truck driver, plain & simple; ditched the delivery because "Fuck Amazon."

I called both Amazon AND UPS; raised holy hell with both of them explained to them in no uncertain terms that they had BOTH fucked up a very important delivery, and that I KNEW FOR A FACT they never even came down my street, because I reviewed my security cam footage.

In the end Amazon chucked up a $200 voucher; which I do hope they took out of lying UPS's hide.

mnem
My kids sleep quite soundly on the Bed That Amazon Bought. 

[mnementh]

Actually... what you need to do is call PayPal and have them halt payment for non-delivery. That WILL motivate FED-UPS to actually do something sooner rather than later; when they get "unpaid" for a delivery they tend to pay attention.

It's a shame your seller will get fooked; but you still shouldn't pay for goods you didn't receive.

mnem
mrrp?

[0culus]

Actually... what you need to do is call PayPal and have them halt payment for non-delivery. That WILL motivate FED-UPS to actually do something sooner rather than later; when they get "unpaid" for a delivery they tend to pay attention.

It's a shame your seller will get fooked; but you still shouldn't pay for goods you didn't receive.

mnem
mrrp?

Actually, happy ending. I finally found it with another neighbor. Unfortunately, the cord wrap feet on the back got shattered (old plastic), but other than that the 'scope is as the guy advertised and it is functional.

[GreyWoolfe]

And the ones not disabled are dressed like hobos and look like in need of a good bath.

Hey, I resemble that remark!  At least I bathe every day.  When necessary, I do dress properly, but I also dress for comfort, not to impress and I have no objection in looking like a hobo.  On the plus side, no panhandler thinks of hitting me up for money!

   OMFG... Jessie the Sneerer ?!? You have a dog with a SuperVillain name, and it's that little puff of fluff with feet?  
You made me snort coffee out my nose with that one... That's better than my cat named Harley Bitch !!!

In the early 2000's I had a roommate that had a hamster named chainsaw.  He also told me about a huge rabbit he had years before I knew him that raped a male ankle biter dog.  Said the dog was traumatized and ended up in therapy.  Could be true or not but I had an appreciation for how he came up with the name of the hamster.

[syau]

Does anyone have an update on the status and well being of of our fellow member Inverted1860 at all? I know that Med6753 was arranging a meetup to exchange some gear which never took place and we know that Inverted1860 was awaiting some medical treatment but that seems like months ago now???

My last email from Inverted18650 is he was getting some Fluke gear include calibrator, voltage standard from a college in mid Mar but no further email.

I still has his mobile contact, PM if you need.

[tautech]

Actually, happy ending. I finally found it with another neighbor. Unfortunately, the cord wrap feet on the back got shattered (old plastic), but other than that the 'scope is as the guy advertised and it is functional.

Yep, old HP 1700 series feet are garbage and often crumble. 

Beanflying has a 3DP model for replacements listed early on in his 3DP thread if you have or can get to a 3D printer.

[worsthorse]

Spent the morning working on another TM plugin. I guess I should start a thread over in test equipment, eh?

I also posted a new message in the wanted thread (also on a couple of the groups.io threads) as I am looking for some new projects to add to the mix:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/buysellwanted/wanted-tm500-plugins/


I probably won't keep most of these. The fun for me is learning how they work, cleaning them up, fixing the broken hardware and calibrating them.  There's some good engineerin' in these things!

Is there a list of what you are not going to keep? My current wish list is PG503(or 502), SG504, SW503, SA501, OR502, 067-1201-99, PG508, PG509, PG506, TG501A, CG551, RG501; roughly by priority but not exclusive.
Also looking for some more of the numbered ones and non-Tek modules.

Just fyi, another thread specifically for Tek TM series -> https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/tektronix-tm-series-test-equipment/

Thanks for the thread pointer. I will add that to my watch list. You and I are looking for most of the same plugins, I think. I will post a list when I have a few more finished and figure out what, if any, I am going to keep.

[Specmaster]

Does anyone have an update on the status and well being of of our fellow member Inverted1860 at all? I know that Med6753 was arranging a meetup to exchange some gear which never took place and we know that Inverted1860 was awaiting some medical treatment but that seems like months ago now???

My last email from Inverted18650 is he was getting some Fluke gear include calibrator, voltage standard from a college in mid Mar but no further email.

I still has his mobile contact, PM if you need.

I think med has number and it just rings, perhaps med will confirm when he reads this. It would be better if someone who has arranged things with him were to ring him rather someone on the other side of the pond?

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