Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[HighVoltage]

If shoes and handbags don't work, try diamonds, they always work!

[rrinker]

 One pair of shoes and doesn't collect a pile of designer handbags either? Just get her to accept your test equipment addiction and you, sir, have found the ultimate unicorn. 

[bitseeker]

Yeah, sounds like she just hasn't found the right test equipment, yet. Then, you'll be competing for budget.

[tautech]

Again untouchable on that front. She uses my Karrimor rucksack...

You poor bugger. 
My deepest sympathies.

Mine goes a bit AWOL when big stock orders come through until the pile diminishes some. 

[SingedFingers]

I've had a relapse.

I didn't manage to get my hands on the scope. Boo hiss. My wife was semi-celebrating this.

So I cheered myself up with a Fluke 8024 with thermocouple that needs a display repair for £10 (bargain as it's only £7 and a couple of hours to fix) and an HP 3312A function generator for £67

Ooops.

[mtdoc]

I had a close call last night.  After my recent DMM acquisitions (GDM -8251 and Agilent UT1252b) I got sucked into looking at programmable voltage standards on eBay....   That's a deep rabbit hole of voltnuttery.  Thankfully I pulled myself back from the brink. For now...

[SingedFingers]

Its hard. I understand. I vowed to myself to never be a voltnut or a timenut but I don't think I can hold off.

None of my meters read the same (they're all within 0.3% of each other now though) and all of my counters disagree with each other by at least 20Hz. They could all be completely wrong compared to a reference.

I've decided to sell two of the counters (the heath ones), buy an HP made TCXO equipped counter and build a PLL GPSDO reference for it. That and a DMMcheck and I'm probably good.

I'm not sure why I even do this. Those HP gold plated boards are pretty sexy though.

Also while I'm here, has anyone got a good excuse to buy an HP 400E AC voltmeter?

I'm in the middle of building a low THD sine oscillator (bulb stabilised, LT opamps, nice linear standalone supply stuffed with wet tantalum goodness etc etc) with calibrated attenuator for audio use. Could use one to check that against

[tggzzz]

Thankfully I pulled myself back from the brink.

I'm slipping, despite fighting it

I'm getting a Solartron 7081, some Guildline resistors, a couple of 10V Transcell standards - and a 50ohm 50W coax terminator (but that doesn't count).

Now for a steep learning curve about how to build cables, and actually using >7 digits.

[Housedad]

Forgive me, I have sinned

Don't worry, your in good company. I just bought another DMM myself. Really, I just paid for it. It's an HP 3468B. I'll show you all when it arrives.

Why? Because - I didn't have one.

Because it's a cool meter.

Because it's HP (need I say more?)

Because, I wanted it.

Because -

I'M A TEST EQUIPMENT ADDICT! 

OOOOOOOHHH.. SO SHINEY!!!!!   

[VK5RC]

I had a close call last night.  After my recent DMM acquisitions (GDM -8251 and Agilent UT1252b) I got sucked into looking at programmable voltage standards on eBay....   That's a deep rabbit hole of voltnuttery.  Thankfully I pulled myself back from the brink. For now...

I am a bit down that hole - just completed 3 LTZ1000 based voltage references - currently burning in. No two clock problem here!!!!
I aim to take up TiN's offer of calibration of one of them.
The price of the Presicion Vishay resistors (in one unit only)  is a State Secret!!!!!! I definitely am in the wrong business.

[Housedad]

Its hard. I understand. I vowed to myself to never be a voltnut or a timenut but I don't think I can hold off.

None of my meters read the same (they're all within 0.3% of each other now though) and all of my counters disagree with each other by at least 20Hz. They could all be completely wrong compared to a reference.

I've decided to sell two of the counters (the heath ones), buy an HP made TCXO equipped counter and build a PLL GPSDO reference for it. That and a DMMcheck and I'm probably good.

I'm not sure why I even do this. Those HP gold plated boards are pretty sexy though.

Also while I'm here, has anyone got a good excuse to buy an HP 400E AC voltmeter?

I'm in the middle of building a low THD sine oscillator (bulb stabilised, LT opamps, nice linear standalone supply stuffed with wet tantalum goodness etc etc) with calibrated attenuator for audio use. Could use one to check that against

Hate to be the one with the bad news, but the DMMcheck has been dropped from his lineup.  Apparently he's not making them anymore.

[SingedFingers]

Bugger!

Looks like I'll have to build my own reference

[rachaelp]

Hello TEA peeps!

My name is Rachael and I've got a test equipment addiction.... I've just received my latest acquisition, a Keysight U1733C LCR meter.... I've been after one for a while and then I spotted a great deal on Amazon for a new one sold by Microlease.... Resistance is futile.... And now it's here 

Unfortunately my list of test gear I desire is growing faster than I can cross items off it....

Is there a cure?

Many thanks 

[tggzzz]

Is there a cure?

There are two possible cures:

• death
• renunciation and redemption by giving all your worldly goods away. Where did you say you lived? (I can come on Thursday, after picking my stuff up from the auction house tomorrow)

[djnz]

Hello TEA peeps!

My name is Rachael and I've got a test equipment addiction.... I've just received my latest acquisition, a Keysight U1733C LCR meter.... I've been after one for a while and then I spotted a great deal on Amazon for a new one sold by Microlease.... Resistance is futile.... And now it's here 

Unfortunately my list of test gear I desire is growing faster than I can cross items off it....

Is there a cure?

Many thanks 

Resistance is futile, clearly impedance is the real deal!

[xrunner]

Hello TEA peeps!

My name is Rachael and I've got a test equipment addiction....

Hello Rachael! Your situation is very common, you found the right group here.

Unfortunately my list of test gear I desire is growing faster than I can cross items off it....

Uh-huh, yep, We've seen this happen many times, try to remain calm.

Is there a cure?

  No, there is no cure. Some have spoken of a "Moon Shot" effort to find a cure, but so far no financing has been found. Best thing is to just buy more and hang in there with the rest of us. 

[SingedFingers]

Is there a cure?

There are two possible cures:

• death
• renunciation and redemption by giving all your worldly goods away. Where did you say you lived? (I can come on Thursday, after picking my stuff up from the auction house tomorrow)

Just to add, death is not a cure. All it does is shift the problem to someone else. Most of my older kit that I no longer have was from dead people listed by their wives, children etc who had no idea what it was or asked me to help myself to it and put some cash in a charity bucket somewhere.

I get excited when I hear the words "silent key" or "deceased estate" mentioned.

[rachaelp]

I'm just glad I'm not alone in this situation.... Must stay strong.... Where is my eBay tab....

[KD0CAC John]

You guys are sick , there is not such thing as too much test gear , just not enough space
My problem is not being able to go back in time , all the stuff [ if I new better ] that I didn't keep .
Surplus stores I bought military test gear just for the Zero Haliburton aluminum cases , all the stuff inside was through away - bad collector , bad collector .
Then yrs. late as the surplus places closed , I disposed of truck loads of gear , again before I new what to keep , doggy dew .
Now collecting Rubbermaid lawn sheds to process & store .
When I get enough pounds of products with gold , silver etc. - then use the funds to repair , collect more ....
HP 8640B combining to have at least one with all options , almost finished .
IFR A7550 only missing one option - the quasi peak detector .
Lots of other gear to repair & use .
Each time I get more and not enough space , the list get reavaluated and some goes to the recycling side of things , the other day another scope 20mhz working could not give away at club meeting , there was a 100mhz there also , I should have taken home    

[Berni]

Well i think im actually doing pretty well. The last time i bought something heavier than 10kg on ebay is over a month and a day ago now!

[Cubdriver]

Hello TEA peeps!

My name is Rachael and I've got a test equipment addiction.... I've just received my latest acquisition, a Keysight U1733C LCR meter.... I've been after one for a while and then I spotted a great deal on Amazon for a new one sold by Microlease.... Resistance is futile.... And now it's here 

Unfortunately my list of test gear I desire is growing faster than I can cross items off it....

Is there a cure?

Many thanks 

No cure, but ebuy can to some extent provide palliative care...   

Congrats on the LCR meter, but that's just a baby.  Hang out here for a bit and we'll get you hooked on boatanchors.  An HP 4274A would augment your handheld nicely.   

-Pat

[rachaelp]

No cure, but ebuy can to some extent provide palliative care...   

 

Congrats on the LCR meter, but that's just a baby.  Hang out here for a bit and we'll get you hooked on boatanchors.  An HP 4274A would augment your handheld nicely.   

Oh I just looked at one on eBay, I can see why you refer to it as a boat anchor

I did look at an R&S HM8118 a while back but had to resist because of the price. The problem with really large old equipment is I have a finite amount of space in my lab/office...

[raspberrypi]

I have a multimeter that took from someone who was too dumb to figure out how to work it.
And I use the soldering iron to test the melting point of solder, but thats about it.

[bitseeker]

My name is Rachael and I've got a test equipment addiction.... I've just received my latest acquisition, a Keysight U1733C LCR meter.... I've been after one for a while and then I spotted a great deal on Amazon for a new one sold by Microlease.... Resistance is futile.... And now it's here 

Welcome, Rachael. That's a nice find.

Unfortunately my list of test gear I desire is growing faster than I can cross items off it....

Sounds like my repair queue.

Is there a cure?

If there is, there's a good chance we'll find it...stare at it for a bit...poke and prod it...and...woah, is that a broken 3458A that just got listed for $500!?!

[SingedFingers]

I'm well in now. A tek 465B corpse I got rid of over a year ago with a working unit came back again. Have distributed some of its organs to the worthy.

And then another Thurlby PL310 accidentally got purchased. That means I can get rid of the shonky Heath supply I have been using for a couple of years.