Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[med6753]

The Russians like to say that the F-15 victories were made against MIG's flown by other countries with lesser trained pilots and if those pilots had been Russian the outcome would have been different.

Bullshit. We faced the Russians before once confirmed and possibly a 2nd time unconfirmed and beat their drunk behinds. First time was Korea. You think those brand spanking new MIG-15's were flown by Koreans or Chinese? Nope, and after years of suspicion the truth was confirmed. Despite the F-86 being a little outclassed by the MIG-15 the kill ratio was very much in our favor. Tactics, training, and the aircraft itself all played a role.

2nd time as been unconfirmed. Vietnam. Yep, that cluster fuck. During the bombing of North Vietnam the F-105's, which were loaded to the gills with bombs, were being picked off by North Vietnam AF with brand new MIG-21's. But every time the F-4's showed up to assist they would scatter and return to base and we were not allowed to attack their bases for fear of killing Russians and Chinese “advisors”.
But we got them. They took the F-4's and equipped them with F-105 transponders and flew same route as the F-105's would. The MIG-21's came up and got a nasty surprise. The F-4 is heavy, had no gun at the time, and the missiles were unreliable. Approx half of their fleet of MIG-21's never returned to base. Were they Russian pilots? Who knows but I'd lay odds at least some were. And guess what? The MIG-21's never came up again. They went chicken shit and stayed on the ground.          

Totally agree, there is no substitute for training, those F15s are out in force almost 5 days a week flying maybe 3 to 5 sorties a day which consists of, practising low level through the Mack Loop in Wales, Dog fighting, bombing range in the Wash or in flight refuelling with tankers from Mildenhall, and they go out on duty tours around the world. There are 3 squadrons at Lakenheath and each squadron be away for 6 weeks at a time on front line service and the other 2 remain here training so they are always ready for action if needed. Compare them to any Royal Air Force base, which on any day you will be lucky to see even a training flight.

But now that the RAF is taking deliveries of the F-35 shouldn't they be out there perhaps flying them rather than trying to hack the software?   

[jxjbsd]

I will soon receive a TEK485, which can not be powered on, without any guarantee. Looking at the seller’s picture, I feel not very optimistic, but it is quite complete.  I have prepared the operating table, and service manual, I hope it can be resurrected.

[med6753]

It does appear to be complete with no broken knobs that I can see but it certainly is filthy. Are you sure it hasn't been immersed in water? It sure looks like it. 

[jxjbsd]

It is impossible to determine through the photo, the answer will be clear only when the case is opened.  Based on past experience (purchasing more than 20 oscilloscopes), I believe that perhaps no one will throw such expensive instruments into the water.

[mnementh]

I hate all of you!   I can't afford a 3DP right now.   

Neither can I.       https://www.amazon.ca/Mayflash-F300-Arcade-Joystick-SWITCH/dp/B019MFPLC0/

I have ~$400 and dwagon man-weeks of fettling tied up in mine; I'm right now approximately day 5 of a project that will essentially let me build one of these from scratch.

And (unlike bean) this is probably my most adventurous and USEFUL project so far. 

mnem
*fettle-fettle*

Just because I haven't posted a link to this for a while....



McBryce.

         

You don't say...   

I actually wasn't expecting this 'til next week; Amazon sed "By Saturday" which lately has meant the following Monday or Tuesday.

It's a mixed bag; cheap push-button switches but half-decent response with a light detent; the joysticks are cheap but they use levered clone micro-switches so action is sloppy but positive and oh, so VERY clicky.   

The game selection is horrid... 2200 "Titles"; every one of them repeats at least 3 times under the same & different names, and some are just named wrong. Aside from a couple dozen or so fighting games (King of Fighters, Tekken, old versions of Street Fighter & Mortal Kombat) all the "A" titles are 8-bit and repeat 5-10 times under same & different names/slightly different variants... many of which ALSO repeat. So it has Kong, Pac, Galaga, etc... but the 4-way games don't play right cuz it's got 8-way sticks, and there's a lot of variance in how well the aspect ratio is managed.

Fortunately, the dashboard DOES have a search function. 

But I bought it mostly because the metal cabinet is constructed half decent, and plopped on a table it's a convenient size for a bedroom pedestal for me and the boy to play on. Supposedly it ALSO can be a fightstick for PS3/XBOX360... so will TRY that feature as well.

I figure if we get a couple afternoons play out of it as-is then use it as a base for a proper MAME console, I'll have gotten my ~US$128 out of it.

mnem
 

[mansaxel]

nuke

No, that's the (insert personal favorite holocaust archetype here) Apocalypse; it doesn't give a flying fuck about your air superiority or your apex predators. We're talking about keeping that from happening and actually having grandchildren to tell the tale to, thank you.

As I wrote in my answer to bd, both USA and Soviet Union at times felt that applying a "physics package" was appropriate solution to, well, any directed violence problem. Like a hammer, pretty much. Case in point being the 155mm tacnukes in the US artillery stockpile, for instance. My impression is that this enthusiasm faded, and acceleratedly so, after reactor 4. 

[0culus]

It is impossible to determine through the photo, the answer will be clear only when the case is opened.  Based on past experience (purchasing more than 20 oscilloscopes), I believe that perhaps no one will throw such expensive instruments into the water.

There was an ebay seller from Israel that was selling Tek gear that certainly looked like it came from a shipwreck. 

[Ice-Tea]

It does appear to be complete with no broken knobs that I can see but it certainly is filthy. Are you sure it hasn't been immersed in water? It sure looks like it. 

But that's how you clean them, right? 

[mnementh]

It is impossible to determine through the photo, the answer will be clear only when the case is opened.  Based on past experience (purchasing more than 20 oscilloscopes), I believe that perhaps no one will throw such expensive instruments into the water.

There was an ebay seller from Israel that was selling Tek gear that certainly looked like it came from a shipwreck. 

Yeah, when it didn't look like it had been used as a target for live-fire testing or as a wheel chock for a tank... 

mnem
*knocks self unconscious with a waveguide mallet*

[Saskia]

when I need to clean stuff I just toss it into the ultrasonic.
Which reminds me that I need a larger ultrasonic so that I don't have to take those 19" rack mount psus apart before throwing them in.

No, honestly, my big power distribution boards out of those pinball machines all take a bath in the ultrasonic after repairs.
I like them clean, free of cigarette goo or other filth and don't want to get my hands too dirty when working on those gizmos.

Which reminds me that I just found another ultrasonic in my usurped storage under the roof.

@Neomys Sapiens I'll be driving to Waghäusl tomorrow to drop off a motorbike.
I don't want to drive into the city with my truck as the bridges around the place you live may be too narrow for my taste (and truck/trailer). However if we can meet outside the city  I can hand you an ultrasonic cleaner as a loaner for the signal tracer mess. And if you want to, you can have a look at the NanoVNA, as I currently do not have time to fool around with it.
I would not have too much time, though, just enough to give you the items and maybe a little PCB cleaning solution (have to check).

I trust you do have IPA ?

[Cubdriver]

It does appear to be complete with no broken knobs that I can see but it certainly is filthy. Are you sure it hasn't been immersed in water? It sure looks like it. 

But that's how you clean them, right? 

LOL - they didn't immerse them, but Tek did basically hose out at least the 500 series scopes back in the day.  I've not yet been brave enough to try, but apparently if done correctly (and if they're dried out properly afterwards) it's very effective.

-Pat

[med6753]

It does appear to be complete with no broken knobs that I can see but it certainly is filthy. Are you sure it hasn't been immersed in water? It sure looks like it. 

But that's how you clean them, right? 

LOL - they didn't immerse them, but Tek did basically hose out at least the 500 series scopes back in the day.  I've not yet been brave enough to try, but apparently if done correctly (and if they're dried out properly afterwards) it's very effective.

-Pat

Yep, they did. And the procedure was outlined in Stan Griffith's book and he did it himself. It did require a large oven at approx 150 F (65 C) for a few days.

I was NOT brave enough to try it with the Type 535A or the Type 561B. 

[tggzzz]

Got this "for parts or not working" PD 2005A thanks to Kosmic tipping me off to the listing. Guess what? It works! Two of the indicator lamps are dead, so someone probably turned it on and thought it was dead. It's a wee bit off according to my voltmeters, but I am hesitant to adjust it right now because it could be right and my voltmeters wrong for all I know.

Don't rush in, especially as this is close to voltnut territory.

At the very least I would use a technique the manufacturers recommend using with their 8-digit DVM after it had been unused for a while: cook it. Simply: wrap it in a blanket, turn it on for a couple of days, and check the internal temperature is ~40C. When I did that it the DVM measurements improved.

Also note that it can take several hours for naked zeners to warm up and stabilise. LM399s are much faster. My 2020 has an LM399; check your 2005.

[tggzzz]

The Russians like to say that the F-15 victories were made against MIG's flown by other countries with lesser trained pilots and if those pilots had been Russian the outcome would have been different.

Bullshit. We faced the Russians before once confirmed and possibly a 2nd time unconfirmed and beat their drunk behinds. First time was Korea. You think those brand spanking new MIG-15's were flown by Koreans or Chinese? Nope, and after years of suspicion the truth was confirmed. Despite the F-86 being a little outclassed by the MIG-15 the kill ratio was very much in our favor. Tactics, training, and the aircraft itself all played a role.

2nd time as been unconfirmed. Vietnam. Yep, that cluster fuck. During the bombing of North Vietnam the F-105's, which were loaded to the gills with bombs, were being picked off by North Vietnam AF with brand new MIG-21's. But every time the F-4's showed up to assist they would scatter and return to base and we were not allowed to attack their bases for fear of killing Russians and Chinese “advisors”.
But we got them. They took the F-4's and equipped them with F-105 transponders and flew same route as the F-105's would. The MIG-21's came up and got a nasty surprise. The F-4 is heavy, had no gun at the time, and the missiles were unreliable. Approx half of their fleet of MIG-21's never returned to base. Were they Russian pilots? Who knows but I'd lay odds at least some were. And guess what? The MIG-21's never came up again. They went chicken shit and stayed on the ground.          

Totally agree, there is no substitute for training, those F15s are out in force almost 5 days a week flying maybe 3 to 5 sorties a day which consists of, practising low level through the Mack Loop in Wales, Dog fighting, bombing range in the Wash or in flight refuelling with tankers from Mildenhall, and they go out on duty tours around the world. There are 3 squadrons at Lakenheath and each squadron be away for 6 weeks at a time on front line service and the other 2 remain here training so they are always ready for action if needed. Compare them to any Royal Air Force base, which on any day you will be lucky to see even a training flight.

But now that the RAF is taking deliveries of the F-35 shouldn't they be out there perhaps flying them rather than trying to hack the software?   

Or hack the maintenance chain. Last I heard our F35 engines were going to be serviced in Turkey.

[bd139]

Must resist F35 rant

Last 4 TE items I had on the watch list I skipped bidding on. The prices are getting quite frankly insane here. I reckon this is because people are bored and have a larger than usual disposable income or they are international bidders getting a bargain. I'm not paying a premium because of that at this time 

As for washing out scopes:

[med6753]

As for washing out scopes:

I know Martin does a "wet" cleaning of his scopes and he tried to encourage me to do the same when I brought the Type 535A home. But I just can't. It goes against my grain to spray down electronics with water. Seems so wrong. 

[Cerebus]

Why buy resistors when you can make your own with these special pliers?

(Attachment Link)

OK, but using that same wire and wanting say, a 10K resistor, would it not be just a little long? Like maybe several hundred feet? 

Just look at the schematic, three or four kinks is enough for any resistor! 

[jxjbsd]

Just now, I bought a 7104  ， which looked good, and was sold for $300.  Do I need to continue treatment?

[BU508A]

There is a nice LCR meter from HAMEG for sale in the bay (no affiliations with the seller - nawts)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/133428476613

[Cubdriver]

Just now, I bought a 7104  ， which looked good, and was sold for $300.  Do I need to continue treatment?
(Attachment Link)

It sounds like your 'treatment' is going very well.  Congrats on your new wigglescope.

-Pat

[tonyalbus]

Just now, I bought a 7104  ， which looked good, and was sold for $300.  Do I need to continue treatment?
(Attachment Link)

It sounds like your 'treatment' is going very well.  Congrats on your new wigglescope.

-Pat

My 'treatment' also not working........

Someone named ebay/marktplaats keeps sending me devices ;-)

[bd139]

Why buy resistors when you can make your own with these special pliers?

(Attachment Link)

OK, but using that same wire and wanting say, a 10K resistor, would it not be just a little long? Like maybe several hundred feet? 

Just look at the schematic, three or four kinks is enough for any resistor! 

Harder to bend a decent resistor in IEC areas

[med6753]

Wow, we got 2 hot cases of TEA addiction going here. Which will happen first? Run out of money or run out of room? 

[Ero-Shan]

I did not check their current offers. AFAIK the more interesting things are not in the online auctions.
But VEBEG is the main instrument for selling off federally owned material here. For coverage of the states, further enquiry is needed. Maybe they use VEBEG, maybe they don't.
Another site: https://www.zoll-auktion.de/auktion/

That one looks better.

Thanks for the link, but with my available space dwindling down to nil, I don't really need even more temptations. Good that most things are collection only.

[McBryce]

There is a nice LCR meter from HAMEG for sale in the bay (no affiliations with the seller - nawts)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/133428476613

Wanted to take a look, but ebay.com is returning a 404 error at the moment??

McBryce.