Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[capt bullshot]

I’ve never actually seen one of them in the flesh before. Are they that bad?

Back in the days, these probably were quite innovative, IIRC this thing does some kind of ETS (equivalent time sampling) and has a few post processing options (like filtering the signal) that other didn't have. Maybe comparable to a TDS420, but way poorer.  TDS210 runs circles around it.
Today - pretty much useless except for sentimental value, not desirable as old Tek / HP gear. Inside doesn't look gorgeous at all, absolutely not like the real stuff.

[McBryce]

I identify as an attack helicopter.

That's perfectly fine with me, I just love helicopters 

But French helicopters go round the wrong way!

I don't know if there is a right or wrong way, however it is true that the main rotor on French helicopters does turn one direction but helis from the US or other countries rotate in the opposite direction ! 
This is less and less true though, since the French helis are now less and less French. The EC135 and 145 IIRC are originally an old German design so their rotor is turning the "right" way. Also, newer designs like the EC175 were co-designed with the Chinese so I suspect it also turns the "right"/"international" way.

As years go by and older French designs get phased out, progressively all French helis will rotate the same direction as the rest of the heli world...

Meh. This is the right way to do a heli... with two rotors in opposite directions.

mnem
flippin' frogs... could muff up a wet dream...

It's a bit overkill and impractical for most purposes you would want an heli for, Dwagon...   

Of course to move a fat adult 1,546 year old Dwagon, it's suitable...

I thought it would be obvious why a Dwagon would want a helicopter of that calibre...

McBryce.

[Cubdriver]

I identify as an attack helicopter.

That's perfectly fine with me, I just love helicopters 

But French helicopters go round the wrong way!

I don't know if there is a right or wrong way, however it is true that the main rotor on French helicopters does turn one direction but helis from the US or other countries rotate in the opposite direction ! 
This is less and less true though, since the French helis are now less and less French. The EC135 and 145 IIRC are originally an old German design so their rotor is turning the "right" way. Also, newer designs like the EC175 were co-designed with the Chinese so I suspect it also turns the "right"/"international" way.

As years go by and older French designs get phased out, progressively all French helis will rotate the same direction as the rest of the heli world...

Meh. This is the right way to do a heli... with two rotors in opposite directions.

mnem
flippin' frogs... could muff up a wet dream...

It's a bit overkill and impractical for most purposes you would want an heli for, Dwagon...   

Of course to move a fat adult 1,546 year old Dwagon, it's suitable...

I thought it would be obvious why a Dwagon would want a helicopter of that calibre...

McBryce.

Nah, that's why MIKE would want one!

-Pat

[bd139]

I’ve never actually seen one of them in the flesh before. Are they that bad?

Back in the days, these probably were quite innovative, IIRC this thing does some kind of ETS (equivalent time sampling) and has a few post processing options (like filtering the signal) that other didn't have. Maybe comparable to a TDS420, but way poorer.  TDS210 runs circles around it.
Today - pretty much useless except for sentimental value, not desirable as old Tek / HP gear. Inside doesn't look gorgeous at all, absolutely not like the real stuff.

Interesting. But yes sounds like I had it pictured in my head correctly at least. Will avoid them unless it’s beer money. And not London beer money 

[wolfy007]

500 USD for an empty box with 6 binding posts

Some fool will buy it. But it won't be this fool. 

Hey they have "Make an offer" available. 

Go ahead, make their day. 

Hes been trying to flog that 732b face plate for a couple years now, I guess no one is as stupid as the seller themselves.

[shakalnokturn]

I’ve never actually seen one of them in the flesh before. Are they that bad?

After going through my epic Ultima 500 resurrection I have to admit they're not that bad, they're worse...
The company did have some good ideas, their way of bashing the product together is an insult though.

[FransW]

The big reveal. The NiCad packs are intact and not leaking.  But they are apparently deader than dead. I tried applying mains and don't even get a power light. The batteries apparently are part of the overall PSU and if one of the packs goes open you gots no power. Another good thing is that I don't think anyone has been in here since it left the factory. So no Gorilla activity. But not so the probes. They are missing and instead are BNC males. But that's no big deal really, I'll figure something out.

I understand you can remove the batteries and install jumpers to get the PSU to come up. Will investigate that tomorrow.

Just take a 1 Farad electrolytic capacitor, load it to 24V and unload it over the Nicads. That will burn the formed crystals and you might restore (part of) the initial capacity.
Frans

[shakalnokturn]

I use the method once in a while, I'll usually go to the bother of blasting cells individually rather than the whole pack at once though.
It will revive over discharged / shorted cells quite well, the ones gone high impedance will need replacing though.

[capt bullshot]

I use the method once in a while, I'll usually go to the bother of blasting cells individually rather than the whole pack at once though.
It will revive over discharged / shorted cells quite well, the ones gone high impedance will need replacing though.

Yes, deep discharging (down to 0V per cell) was the best way to long term store NiCd batteries. Sometimes there were shorted cells, they needed that kick start then, usually charging at 5 ... 10A for some 5 seconds did the job. High impedance cells rather are the result of intensive (or bad) usage, not storage if done correctly.

[ch_scr]

If someone is looking for "cheap" 2-lug triaxial cables, https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/2-stueck-triaxialkabel-6011-10-keithley/1879136223-168-5578
This popped up, NAWTS as usual.

[med6753]

The weather has turned again cool so I fired up room heater #2. It is so nice to see this Type 547 working at last but still has some minor issues like that intermittent sweep and also B Time Base Trigger was totally useless and my first thought was bad tunnel diode.



Nope, not tunnel diode. It's OK. Problem was this pot. R45. B Trigger Sensitivity. Both mal-adjusted and noisy. Simple fix with deoxit.



I found this video on TekWiki and it answered many of my questions concerning the 212. First, you can operate it without the batteries by installing some jumpers. And I noted the suggestions here concerning restoring the NiCad packs but why bother because they ultimately aren't going to maintain a charge and will need to be replaced anyway. But in this video he simply substituted NiMH packs. I thought they had different charge requirements vs NiCad. Is that really a good idea without modifying the charge circuit?

[Robert763]

First mini-tear-down of yesterdays TE haul.
A Philips PM5110 "RC Oscillator". This thing is tiny and quite cute. I was half expecting it to have one of those nasty triangle wave + diode shaper chips inside. But no, it's a proper Wien Bridge with thermistor stabilisation. Unsusally it has a switch on the back to set the loop current and thus response time for either low distortion (with amplitude bounce on frequency change) or fast response.
A really nice design touch, which you can't see in the photos, is that the power indicator is a triangular amber LED that also acts as the index for the frequency dial. When I first looked at it I thought "that's poor, no power indicator......
It works fine and despite the branding it was apparently designed in Cambridge (UK) by a woman. Why gender matters I'm not sure but perhaps it was more unusual when this was designed.  I'm almost tempted to make a attery conversion, but it's in such good nick I think it should be kept original.
Edit: wrong image somehow. Also the size is 160mm square by 65mm high.
   

[BU508A]

If someone is looking for "cheap" 2-lug triaxial cables, https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/2-stueck-triaxialkabel-6011-10-keithley/1879136223-168-5578
This popped up, NAWTS as usual.

Plaudertasche! 

I saw it nearly the same time as you did and I've sent immediately a message to the seller.

Let's see what will happen.

[Specmaster]

I’ve never actually seen one of them in the flesh before. Are they that bad?

Back in the days, these probably were quite innovative, IIRC this thing does some kind of ETS (equivalent time sampling) and has a few post processing options (like filtering the signal) that other didn't have. Maybe comparable to a TDS420, but way poorer.  TDS210 runs circles around it.
Today - pretty much useless except for sentimental value, not desirable as old Tek / HP gear. Inside doesn't look gorgeous at all, absolutely not like the real stuff.

Interesting. But yes sounds like I had it pictured in my head correctly at least. Will avoid them unless it’s beer money. And not London beer money 

I do like the overall look of those Goulds though, nice glowing green LEDs everywhere

[tautech]

Hey Med, I think I have one of them little probes for your baby Tek lying around and it’s yours for postage if you like.
Will dig it out tomorrow and post a pic.

You’ll have to wait until we get outta lockdown though for our Postshop’s to open again. 

Finishing a Vodka and dry then it’s off to ded. 

[capt bullshot]

The weather has turned again cool so I fired up room heater #2. It is so nice to see this Type 547 working at last but still has some minor issues like that intermittent sweep and also B Time Base Trigger was totally useless and my first thought was bad tunnel diode.

I found this video on TekWiki and it answered many of my questions concerning the 212. First, you can operate it without the batteries by installing some jumpers. And I noted the suggestions here concerning restoring the NiCad packs but why bother because they ultimately aren't going to maintain a charge and will need to be replaced anyway. But in this video he simply substituted NiMH packs. I thought they had different charge requirements vs NiCad. Is that really a good idea without modifying the charge circuit?

Replacing NiCd by NiMH is possible, but in most cases they won't last as long as with the proper charger. What type of charger is this? 10 ... 20hrs or some kind of quick charge? Quick charge without proper termination will kill them rather quickly, 10 ... 20hrs charge maybe, but in general they're less resilient to overcharge. Otherwise it's better to store them fully charged, contrary to NiCd that are best stored discharged.

Give the NiCd cells a chance, long term storage in deeply discharged stage doesn't do much harm to them. If they're weak now, they would have been so before it was put to storage.

[med6753]

Hey Med, I think I have one of them little probes for your baby Tek lying around and it’s yours for postage if you like.
Will dig it out tomorrow and post a pic.

You’ll have to wait until we get outta lockdown though for our Postshop’s to open again. 

Finishing a Vodka and dry then it’s off to ded. 

Thanks. 

[BU508A]

If someone is looking for "cheap" 2-lug triaxial cables, https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/2-stueck-triaxialkabel-6011-10-keithley/1879136223-168-5578
This popped up, NAWTS as usual.

Plaudertasche! 

I saw it nearly the same time as you did and I've sent immediately a message to the seller.

Let's see what will happen.

Seems, there is a big fight going on about those two cables. 
Got a message from the seller, that I am the fifth in the queue and he asked, what my max offer would be.
I decided to let it go and watch the fighting from a distance. 

[med6753]

If someone is looking for "cheap" 2-lug triaxial cables, https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/2-stueck-triaxialkabel-6011-10-keithley/1879136223-168-5578
This popped up, NAWTS as usual.

Plaudertasche! 

I saw it nearly the same time as you did and I've sent immediately a message to the seller.

Let's see what will happen.

Seems, there is a big fight going on about those two cables. 
Got a message from the seller, that I am the fifth in the queue and he asked, what my max offer would be.
I decided to let it go and watch the fighting from a distance. 

When geeks collide. 

[Saskia]

@Saskia I don't know if this is on your watchlist but i just received a seller offer of £500 on it.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tektronix-TDS3032-TDS3052-500MHz-5GSa-s-2-Ch-Digital-Oscilloscope-USB-RS232-/284458265780


EDIT: Fixed the link, sorry...

does not post to Germany.

In other news, Hubby just totalled his Volvo S90 (the 1996 one). Timing belt went sploink. Eff my life.

[ch_scr]

@Saskia I don't know if this is on your watchlist but i just received a seller offer of £500 on it.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tektronix-TDS3032-TDS3052-500MHz-5GSa-s-2-Ch-Digital-Oscilloscope-USB-RS232-/284458265780


EDIT: Fixed the link, sorry...

does not post to Germany.

In other news, Hubby just totalled his Volvo S90 (the 1996 one). Timing belt went sploink. Eff my life.

Would that not qualify as "the car totalled itself"? But in the end it makes no difference... keep your head up!

[bd139]

Ah a case of Fiatitis. Sorry to hear. Got 15 years out of it though. That’s pretty damn good. I know someone who lost their timing belt after 850 miles on a new Range Rover 

[Saskia]

@Saskia I don't know if this is on your watchlist but i just received a seller offer of £500 on it.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tektronix-TDS3032-TDS3052-500MHz-5GSa-s-2-Ch-Digital-Oscilloscope-USB-RS232-/284458265780


EDIT: Fixed the link, sorry...

does not post to Germany.

In other news, Hubby just totalled his Volvo S90 (the 1996 one). Timing belt went sploink. Eff my life.

Would that not qualify as "the car totalled itself"? But in the end it makes no difference... keep your head up!

if he cannot watch out for the service thingies at hand then I cannot help him. I cannot live his life for him.
Motor is dead. repair economically not feasible. requiescas in partes.

[VK5RC]

@Saskia I don't know if this is on your watchlist but i just received a seller offer of £500 on it.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tektronix-TDS3032-TDS3052-500MHz-5GSa-s-2-Ch-Digital-Oscilloscope-USB-RS232-/284458265780


EDIT: Fixed the link, sorry...

does not post to Germany.

In other news, Hubby just totalled his Volvo S90 (the 1996 one). Timing belt went sploink. Eff my life.

Better the car's timing belt than your husband's 👍

[Specmaster]

@Saskia I don't know if this is on your watchlist but i just received a seller offer of £500 on it.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tektronix-TDS3032-TDS3052-500MHz-5GSa-s-2-Ch-Digital-Oscilloscope-USB-RS232-/284458265780


EDIT: Fixed the link, sorry...

does not post to Germany.

In other news, Hubby just totalled his Volvo S90 (the 1996 one). Timing belt went sploink. Eff my life.

It might not be totalled, it largely depends on the type of engine, in some engines, the pistons do not hit the valves in these circumstances, does the cylinder head have a totally flat finish or are the valves in a recessed combustion bowl? If its the latter, it may just require a new belt and timing alignment again. 
In the photo attached, it looks as if you could be lucky, it might be worthwhile having it thoroughly checked before writing it off.