Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Kosmic]

For voltnuts in DE, in my neighborhood lays this animal(also the seller has some other interesting stuff):
https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/praezision-digital-multimeter-prema-5017-7-1-2-stellen-/1868662563-168-21398

€300 cheaper than the one in the EEVBlog B/S/W forum section. I can't buy it, I just blew a wedge on an Agilent 34401A   

I wouldn't spend too much on a Prema 5017. I have one and I'm really unimpressed. The Agilent 34401a is doing a far better job in term of speed and precision. The Prema 5017 got a lot a digits but its wobbling all over the place. To fix that you need to activate averaging and it's now super slow.

Ha almost forgot, the 5017 only has a high impedance on the 2V range and lower. So on the 20V range you are at 10Mohm 

[Kosmic]

Its like bd says, most of us in the UK are limited on space, houses are so expensive here that they tend to be smaller to reduce the cost of them, even then, it is looking almost impossible for young people to be able to afford to buy their own and will be like me, renting for all their life.

To put it into context for you, my room where I spend most of my time is only 1.6M wide by 3.3M long with a door at one end and a window at the other and I sit next to the window, my back to one wall (in the 1.6M part) and in front I have my bench / desk with loads of wall shelves, which again like bd, used to be my work desk during the day and lab bench in the evening. Now that I've retired, its my lab bench 24/7 and also my dinner table apart from Christmastime when we all use the dining table, the rest of the year that is where SWMBO does her cake decorating (sugarcraft) making flowers from icing for cakes etc.

WHAT ?!   1.6x3.3m... 5m2 ?! That's a closet not a room !  Granted a closet with a Window but still 

It's a prison cell no more no less 

I don't know what to say, I sure gathered that London city center, like Paris or any big fancy City, is only for rich people, but BD is not in the fancy parts of the London City, he is near an Airport runway !   So even outside the city centers it's also so expensive ?! 

I guess if you were used to this life in the UK ever since you saw the light of  day, you find it "normal", everyone there endures the same shit so I guess people kinda accept it as the norm there. Still 

Kinda ruins the fun of TEA... knowing what condition you people live in in the UK, it's hard to be in a fun mood now 
I guess the proverbial British phlegm helps a lot with that, but still...... 

I have a bedroom. That's 2m X 3.5m but it's not all usable. One big wall is taken up with bookshelves shared with SWMBO, the doo opens inward which is dead space. Most of the other big wall has a large window so no shelves above the bench. And I have a lot of TE....

The latest issue is employers who having had people work at home for a year or so by making do, think it's OK for them to do so as normal business. I don't see why I should give up my space to save them office rent. We bought the house based on our requirements and that only included one home office (SWMBO's work is by default from home and always has been).

I have essentially worked from home for about 35 years and the thing that always bugs me it that apart from providing you with a laptop and phone, maybe a printer. They expect you to provide, desk, chair, heat light and power to do their business. They will not in my experience even spring for desk fan during some of the hottest summers, but for those who go into the office they provide all those and even air con and drinks and on some occasions they even treat them, them to lunch.

The worst thing over here is that I can't even deduce that when filling my tax. I'm providing the space, heating, air con, electricity for the computer, the desk chair, internet and got 400$ from the government for a year 

But yeah if I used any paper or pens or any office supplies yeah sure I can put that in my tax as an expense. Go figure.

The office reopened last week over here. so glad to go back.

[Cerebus]

Today's XKCD seems apposite:



It's certainly true of most places I've been.

What bit of kit in your lab doesn't get much in the way of "lab" use, but does get (mis)used? Mine's my HP 6002A 200W 10A 50V bench supply that seems to spend more time as a 12V lead acid battery charger than doing anything properly 'electronics-y'.

[tautech]

What bit of kit in your lab doesn't get much in the way of "lab" use, but does get (mis)used? Mine's my HP 6002A 200W 10A 50V bench supply that seems to spend more time as a 12V lead acid battery charger than doing anything properly 'electronics-y'.

New 40V 60A SPS5042X PSU that not had the time to give a beating to just yet. 

[xrunner]

I made progress on the little GPSDO NMEA data project. I managed to get some basic stuff  - time and # of satellites printed out the serial monitor (not on the tiny OLED screen yet) at least in a formatted manner. I'm using a neat library that makes it a lot easier - TinyGPS++ here -

http://arduiniana.org/libraries/tinygpsplus/

This is what my GPSDO sends out every second -

$GPVTG,,T,,M,0.128,N,0.237,K,D*2B
$GPGGA,111046.00,3243.81872,N,028.40863,W,2,12,0.88,242.5,M,-24.8,M,,0000*60
$GPGSA,A,3,21,51,30,03,46,01,07,13,06,22,19,14,1.47,0.88,1.18*02
$GPGSV,5,1,18,01,31,048,28,03,07,093,20,06,26,190,28,07,15,155,28*75
$GPGSV,5,2,18,13,22,255,23,14,64,037,33,15,07,281,11,17,71,337,34*7D
$GPGSV,5,3,18,19,58,266,21,21,11,039,20,22,08,072,22,24,06,321,*74
$GPGSV,5,4,18,28,62,355,14,29,35,295,,30,48,170,31,46,39,229,29*7B
$GPGSV,5,5,18,48,42,224,33,51,50,198,31*7D
$GPGLL,3243.81872,N,028.40863,W,111046.00,A,D*72
$GPRMC,111047.00,A,43.81869,N,028.40858,W,0.105,,160821,,,D*60

At first I was getting the same time stamp sent out from the TinyGPS "gps.time.isUpdated()" twice a second because it legitimately found the time listed two times in two different sentences (shown in bold above). I put in a test so that if the time had the same seconds to not parse it again. But I think now that I am more familiar with TinyGPS I can do it another way. Just started playing with it this morning. I need to see how much I can cram on the little screen. But if I need a bigger one I can obtain it at a reasonable cost.

I thought I'd try out the Arduino IDE Beta 2.0.0-beta11. When it is sent serial data from the running program its serial monitor starts getting real laggy, like maybe you might think you did something wrong (I thought I did a long time ago but that turned out to be an error on my part). Then I used another program to connect to the Arduino serial port and it ran perfectly fine for an hour. I guess that's why they call the Beta IDE "Experimental" 

[Vince]

Just posted an update in the 575 thread for those interested.

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/tektronix-type-575-curve-tracer-repair-and-restoration/msg3682540/#msg3682540

In short : it blew its fuse, dead, going to scrap.

PS: No not really !

[bd139]

LMAO.

Got some revenge on the old hag upstairs again. So she’s watching Gladiator at full volume. It was 23:44 and I hit pissed off mode when I could hear clanking of swords and shit. Well quick research and ITV here is on 514MHz (well the mux is) and  has a few MHz of bandwidth. So out comes the NanoVNA poked on 514MHz with a 10Mhz span. Worked out a BNC panel mount can be wedged in my aerial coupler and connected via SMA adapter to the NanoVNA. So I poked the signal up the feed line. Only took one minute of it dropping out over and over again once per sweep while the front end of her TV puked. Heard her swear very loudly, turn it off and go to bed 

I’m now sitting in bed in silence reading about wide band noise sources and amplifiers 

Edit: attached configuration

[xrunner]

  Revenge of the Nerds!

[0culus]

LMAO.

Got some revenge on the old hag upstairs again. So she’s watching Gladiator at full volume. It was 23:44 and I hit pissed off mode when I could hear clanking of swords and shit. Well quick research and ITV here is on 514MHz (well the mux is) and  has a few MHz of bandwidth. So out comes the NanoVNA poked on 514MHz with a 10Mhz span. Worked out a BNC panel mount can be wedged in my aerial coupler and connected via SMA adapter to the NanoVNA. So I poked the signal up the feed line. Only took one minute of it dropping out over and over again once per sweep while the front end of her TV puked. Heard her swear very loudly, turn it off and go to bed 

I’m now sitting in bed in silence reading about wide band noise sources and amplifiers 

LOL 

[Cerebus]

It's all good fun until he starts asking where he could find a cheap, big klystron. 

[0culus]

It's all good fun until he starts asking where he could find a cheap, big klystron. 

Nahhh...klystrons are fairly narrowband. If he asks where he can get a coupled cavity TWT and a BWO to drive it, then I'll worry. 

[Zucca]

Metcal arrived. is as advertised.

[Cerebus]

Billy Connelly decided at something like 50 years old, that he was going to get his nipples pierced. The piercer after finishing the job stood back, and with the air of a man satisfied with his work announced: "That's one less of them and one more of us.".

[mnementh]

LMAO.

Got some revenge on the old hag upstairs again. So she’s watching Gladiator at full volume. It was 23:44 and I hit pissed off mode when I could hear clanking of swords and shit. Well quick research and ITV here is on 514MHz (well the mux is) and  has a few MHz of bandwidth. So out comes the NanoVNA poked on 514MHz with a 10Mhz span. Worked out a BNC panel mount can be wedged in my aerial coupler and connected via SMA adapter to the NanoVNA. So I poked the signal up the feed line. Only took one minute of it dropping out over and over again once per sweep while the front end of her TV puked. Heard her swear very loudly, turn it off and go to bed 

I’m now sitting in bed in silence reading about wide band noise sources and amplifiers 

Edit: attached configuration

Now you need to work out how to modulate it so there's ghostly voices in the static like that movie...   

mnem
karma works both ways. 

[med6753]

LMAO.

Got some revenge on the old hag upstairs again. So she’s watching Gladiator at full volume. It was 23:44 and I hit pissed off mode when I could hear clanking of swords and shit. Well quick research and ITV here is on 514MHz (well the mux is) and  has a few MHz of bandwidth. So out comes the NanoVNA poked on 514MHz with a 10Mhz span. Worked out a BNC panel mount can be wedged in my aerial coupler and connected via SMA adapter to the NanoVNA. So I poked the signal up the feed line. Only took one minute of it dropping out over and over again once per sweep while the front end of her TV puked. Heard her swear very loudly, turn it off and go to bed 

I’m now sitting in bed in silence reading about wide band noise sources and amplifiers 

Edit: attached configuration

Jolly good show old man. 

[mnementh]

Currently waiting in the car in front of the old house after finishing up my "I gotta put that back the way we found it" list... my son begged me to let him go to a campfire thing with our neighbors, and wanting to be nice (as it's probably the last time it'll happen) I said yes and did most of the loading myself.

Then I realized aboot 15 minutes after they'd left that he had my keys in his pocket. 

I thought aboot messaging him right away, but I realized that would do nothing but spoil his last good time with his friends... So I just finished loading the car and asked aboot the keys when he messaged they were on their way home.

mnem
it's the little sacrifices we all make...

[Zucca]

LMAO.
I’m now sitting in bed in silence reading about wide band noise sources and amplifiers 

Cool. TEA guys act like this. Do not knock on the door, just push some mW in the air!



Another TEA symptoms:


this is my left mountain bike shoe, spotted a solder splatter, WTF moment then... cool I like it. I left it on and did not clean up.

[xrunner]

this is my left mountain bike shoe, spotted a solder splatter, WTF moment then... cool I like it. I left it on and did not clean up.

Def a TEA addict - you sweat 60/40.

[Cerebus]

Which would imply a very unhealthy body temperature, a little north of 184ºC in fact.


Edit: That might explain why SWMBO is always warming her freezing hands and feet on my toasty little body.

[mnementh]

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/272805150270

For you guys from the UK... anybody ever done any business with these guys? Supposedly new pull, and the price is actually sane for a 5-year-old laptop. Looking at feedback, most of the negatives are as likely user error as a bad deal.

mnem
 

Yeah have used them a few times. No issues here. I was using them as body parts suppliers when I was running FrankenPads.

Thanks. Ordered. Don't think I can buy anything comparable to my Lenovo for ~$120, which is what I expect it'll cost after taxes and all.

mnem
*couch tuber time widda boi*

[Vince]

Which would imply a very unhealthy body temperature, a little north of 184ºC in fact.


Edit: That might explain why SWMBO is always warming her freezing hands and feet on my toasty little body.

Yes, you're so HOT Cerebrus, she just couldn't resist you and had to marry you ! 

[Vince]

7H30 AM here, didn't sleep, been burning the midnight oil working on the 575 !

So... already another update, I did make GOOD progress, was well worth staying up !!! 


Grab a cup of tea some biscuits and enjoy :

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/tektronix-type-575-curve-tracer-repair-and-restoration/msg3683050/#msg3683050

[bd139]

Most suspect scope award goes to https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/313671287713

[bd139]

Which would imply a very unhealthy body temperature, a little north of 184ºC in fact.


Edit: That might explain why SWMBO is always warming her freezing hands and feet on my toasty little body.

Yes, you're so HOT Cerebrus, she just couldn't resist you and had to marry you ! 

Either that or she’s a lizard overlord

[capt bullshot]

Spent some time yesterday diagnosing one of my Anritsu MG3633 signal generators. A few weeks ago, it released a small quantum of magic smoke smell, and the output signal wasn't as stable as expected anymore, but apparently continued working. So I had a closer look at the output now and found it wasn't that good at all - time for repair.



First check was the supply voltages - these are relatively easy to access, and I've some experience with ripple on these voltages disturbing the output. No, except from bloody me inaptly blowing two of these fuses while checking, everything was / is fine here.



Next, I've opened most of these compartments in the HF synthesizer section, as some of the symptoms pointed in this direction. I've seen LF synth failures before, these looked definitely different on the SA, so I went to check the HF synth loops. Nothing found, except the signal is bad in most of all stages already. Root cause turned out the input signal to the first stage, which was simply not there.



So re-fit all the compartments, it's quite a few screws to fit, turn over the synth module and continue here.



Followed reversely the path of the missing signal and found this MMIC amplifier having input signal but no output signal.



Ordered a few of them from a chinese seller, hope they're no fakes (the seller has 99.5% positive)  and wait a few weeks to continue.
Haven't found the source of the magic smoke smell yet, no visibly damaged components have been spotted. So I think about bodging some MMIC in here for further checks until the spare parts arrive to see if there's more damage.