Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Vince]

Found som article-blabla about watches. But the photos are end of the 1960's and the 5th one is from the labor with the 2 men who made the work and the one who earns the money. Beside of that there are some nice instruments:
i see at least 2 scopes which i think i recognise and som other gear. Who knows what it is? The one under the small scope in the background: Powersupply?

https://de-watchpro-com.translate.goog/vor-50-jahren-gewann-junghans-das-rennen-um-die-erste-deutsche-quarzuhr/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de

only the picture:

Hmmm that glowing Tek scope on the bench with the  rich guy/boss's arm on it.... it intrigued me. Form factor is your regular 500 cabinet, however it has not one but two plugins, so definitely not your average/common scope... so had to spend some time searching in Tek Wiki... and found a positive match :

https://w140.com/tekwiki/wiki/551

It's a 551.  A 27MHz dual beam scope. The two plugins are for the two vertical amplifiers. There is no horizontal plugin, the time base is part of the main frame.  It's a power house and has a separate beefy power supply. Just like the gigantic 555. 551 looks like a cut down version of the 555. Dual beam but a single set of horizontal deflection plates, so time base is common to the two beams. Time base is also built into the main-frame so away with the two TB plug-ins of the 555. So overall you can make the thing fit into a more manageable "standard" 500 cabinet form factor.. though it still requires the huge separate power supply like the 555...


EDIT : erratum !  551 NOT a cut down version of the 555, my bad ! Tek Wiki says 551 came in 1958 and 555 a year later !

So, it's more like the other way around : 555 is a souped up 551 !

[capt bullshot]

A quick interruption by the Fun with TEA department:

By some miracle, various TEA related stuff appeared at my doorstep. One of the items is a "unknown" resistor, and some known ones in a box with switches.



So one wants to know what's the value of the unknown. Let's have a look at the shelves - OK, there's a nice DMM with orange glowing display. Alas, it doesn't have an Ohms range, it does voltage only. At least it does voltage to quite low levels (lowest range is 10mV). And there's a nice Kelvin Varley divider somewhere. We'd need a voltage source, too. A randomly chosen lab supply does the job.

So for the first step, I do a coarse approximation - connect the "unknown" resistor in series with the decade box. Then apply a voltage to this circuit and measure the voltage across one resistor. Measure voltage drop across unknown - with the decade box set at 100 Ohm it's about half the source voltage. So I've got the first guess the unknown resistor is in the 100 Ohm ballpark.

Next, add the KVD to the setup, hook its input in parallel to the voltage source, and the DMM in a bridge configuration between the KVD output and "unknown" / decade midpoint.



Adjust the KVD to zero voltage reading at the DMM. Now the KVD setting equals the ratio of unknown / decade resistors. One can read "0.4997" at the KVD dials, this means a ratio of 0.9994 from decade box (set to 100R) to unknown, so I assume the unknown resistor is 99.94 Ohm.



Guess what, the 34401A reads exactly this value:

[RolandK]

Found som article-blabla about watches. But the photos are end of the 1960's and the 5th one is from the labor with the 2 men who made the work and the one who earns the money. Beside of that there are some nice instruments:
i see at least 2 scopes which i think i recognise and som other gear. Who knows what it is? The one under the small scope in the background: Powersupply?

https://de-watchpro-com.translate.goog/vor-50-jahren-gewann-junghans-das-rennen-um-die-erste-deutsche-quarzuhr/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de

only the picture:

Hmmm that glowing Tek scope on the bench with the  rich guy/boss's arm on it.... it intrigued me. Form factor is your regular 500 cabinet, however it has not one but two plugins, so definitely not your average/common scope... so had to spend some time searching in Tek Wiki... and found a positive match :

https://w140.com/tekwiki/wiki/551

It's a 551.  A 27MHz dual beam scope. The two plugins are for the two vertical amplifiers. There is no horizontal plugin, the time base is part of the main frame.  It's a power house and has a separate beefy power supply. Just like the gigantic 555. 551 looks like a cut down version of the 555. Dual beam but a single set of horizontal deflection plates, so time base is common to the two beams. Time base is also built into the main-frame so away with the two TB plug-ins of the 555. So overall you can make the thing fit into a more manageable "standard" 500 cabinet form factor.. though it still requires the huge separate power supply like the 555...


EDIT : erratum !  551 NOT a cut down version of the 555, my bad ! Tek Wiki says 551 came in 1958 and 555 a year later !

So, it's more like the other way around : 555 is a souped up 551 !

Congratulation.

The plugins may be C and D, the camera a C-12.
The 551 has only one timebase, the 555 has 2 in plugins, the secound with delay.

I didn't think that it takes so long to identify a tektronix 551 in this thread with all the tektronix experts, but at least it was within 24h.

But what do i expect: I had a 555 hidden on a picture here the last days, but nobody did see it. All to busy.

Hint: the other scope on the picture here is not a tektronix. Mixed Tubes and Solid State, neither US, British nor German, but between the last two.

[Vince]

Found som article-blabla about watches. But the photos are end of the 1960's and the 5th one is from the labor with the 2 men who made the work and the one who earns the money. Beside of that there are some nice instruments:
i see at least 2 scopes which i think i recognise and som other gear. Who knows what it is? The one under the small scope in the background: Powersupply?

https://de-watchpro-com.translate.goog/vor-50-jahren-gewann-junghans-das-rennen-um-die-erste-deutsche-quarzuhr/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de

only the picture:

Hmmm that glowing Tek scope on the bench with the  rich guy/boss's arm on it.... it intrigued me. Form factor is your regular 500 cabinet, however it has not one but two plugins, so definitely not your average/common scope... so had to spend some time searching in Tek Wiki... and found a positive match :

https://w140.com/tekwiki/wiki/551

It's a 551.  A 27MHz dual beam scope. The two plugins are for the two vertical amplifiers. There is no horizontal plugin, the time base is part of the main frame.  It's a power house and has a separate beefy power supply. Just like the gigantic 555. 551 looks like a cut down version of the 555. Dual beam but a single set of horizontal deflection plates, so time base is common to the two beams. Time base is also built into the main-frame so away with the two TB plug-ins of the 555. So overall you can make the thing fit into a more manageable "standard" 500 cabinet form factor.. though it still requires the huge separate power supply like the 555...


EDIT : erratum !  551 NOT a cut down version of the 555, my bad ! Tek Wiki says 551 came in 1958 and 555 a year later !

So, it's more like the other way around : 555 is a souped up 551 !

I didn't think that it takes so long to identify a tektronix 551 in this thread with all the tektronix experts, but at least it was within 24h.

Well to be fair, you seemed only interested in that "power supply" up above, not so much about the Tek scope... 

[david77]

That little scope on top of the mystery box is obviously a Philips.

[mansaxel]

only the picture:

The important part is, why aren't we holding Formal Fridays in the lab anymore?

White lab coat, narrow discrete tie, white shirt.

I want to feel different by wearing my red bowtie and blue-striped shirt!

[mnementh]

   ...But what do i expect: I had a 555 hidden on a picture here the last days, but nobody did see it. All too busy.

Hint: the other scope on the picture here is not a tektronix. Mixed Tubes and Solid State, neither US, British nor German, but between the last two.

Between Germany and Britain... Netherlands...? So Philips...?

mnem
 

[Zucca]

Wearing a tie in the Lab?
I also bet if you could smell that air.... smoking in the lab was normal...

Imagine today....

PS: Life was so much better without those stupid phones.

Phones are getting smarter but people are getting dumber.

[Robert763]

Found som article-blabla about watches. But the photos are end of the 1960's and the 5th one is from the labor with the 2 men who made the work and the one who earns the money. Beside of that there are some nice instruments:
i see at least 2 scopes which i think i recognise and som other gear. Who knows what it is? The one under the small scope in the background: Powersupply?

https://de-watchpro-com.translate.goog/vor-50-jahren-gewann-junghans-das-rennen-um-die-erste-deutsche-quarzuhr/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de

only the picture:

That guy in the suit was in the movie Goodfellas. I swear! https://www.thekitchn.com/the-celluloid-p-5-6591

My question is why do they look so freaking happy? 

Because Seiko and Omega beat them to it

[Vince]

Wearing a tie in the Lab?
I also bet if you could smell that air.... smoking in the lab was normal...

Imagine today....

PS: Life was so much better without those stupid phones.

Phones are getting smarter but people are getting dumber.

I agree ! However I still prefer smartphones to cigarette smoke !  The smoke is unbearable and would affect me directly and everyday at work back in those times. However with smartphones, people being dumb is less of a problem. It's sad to see the IQ dropping at the speed of light in the recent years because of it, and you have to watch out for people driving while typing an SMS but.... overall life is more pleasurable without imposed constant smoke, but dumb people instead. It's the lesser of the two evils, at least for me ! YMMV of course ! 

[Andrew_Debbie]

Dana 5100 DMM update:      Completed breadboard test of the address section of the PROM burner.  The test found an error on the schematic.   The SA56-21 7-Segment symbol had the wrong pinout.   Freeware....

Counts up or down from 00₈ to 37₈    --> Short movie   https://youtu.be/fslNmX_0Qbs

[TERRA Operative]

Just found one of those decade potentiometer thingos for sale on Yahoo Auctions.

https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/u1024075619

[Neper]

i see at least 2 scopes which i think i recognise and som other gear. Who knows what it is? The one under the small scope in the background: Powersupply?

https://de-watchpro-com.translate.goog/vor-50-jahren-gewann-junghans-das-rennen-um-die-erste-deutsche-quarzuhr/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de

only the picture:

Ha! It's a Schlumberger FS-2 "digital" signal generator:

https://www.opweb.de/deutsch/firma/Schlumberger/FS2

[BU508A]

i see at least 2 scopes which i think i recognise and som other gear. Who knows what it is? The one under the small scope in the background: Powersupply?

https://de-watchpro-com.translate.goog/vor-50-jahren-gewann-junghans-das-rennen-um-die-erste-deutsche-quarzuhr/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de

only the picture:

Ha! It's a Schlumberger FS-2:

https://www.opweb.de/deutsch/firma/Schlumberger/FS2

Want one (NAWTS)?

https://www.ebay.de/itm/203283757734

[m k]

Also tried out a the UV lamp

Believe.

[Andrew_Debbie]

Want one (NAWTS)?

https://www.ebay.de/itm/203283757734

Quartz lock Ausfallalarm  (failure alarm) is on.

[med6753]

Your leather handle sure looks beefy ! That's one chunky strap and heavy duty rivets, should hold up ! 
Seeing these rivets reminds me of work... inspecting millions of rivets on the aircraft.  So I can't help but notice that the third rivet from the left is not acceptable !    Way too close to the edge. I don't know for leather, but for aluminium rule of thumb is the axis of a fastener should be at least 1.5 times the diameter of the fastener, away from the edge of the part. If you have a whole bunch of rivets holding the parts together, as is often the case, you can afford to have a few of them closer to the edge than normal, like x1 instead of x1.5, but you need to do the paper work / "concession"  and send it to the R&D bureau, for acceptance (or not...).

Yes, I agree with your assessment of the 3rd rivet from the left. Was a slip of the drill bit. I submitted the off spec paperwork to my QA (Quality Assurance) dept and their finding was "screw it, it's OK". I took their conclusion under advisement and ran with it as I didn't want to scrap that part and start all over. After nearly 2 years in service it has held up just fine so I guess "screw it, it's OK" was the right answer.

   

[AVGresponding]

In the german area i come from they say: "They go in the cellar to laught" about people who are always angry.

That explains a lot... I don't have a cellar!

[BU508A]

In the german area i come from they say: "They go in the cellar to laught" about people who are always angry.

That explains a lot... I don't have a cellar!

I could tell you some Dad-jokes ...

 

[AVGresponding]

i see at least 2 scopes which i think i recognise and som other gear. Who knows what it is? The one under the small scope in the background: Powersupply?

https://de-watchpro-com.translate.goog/vor-50-jahren-gewann-junghans-das-rennen-um-die-erste-deutsche-quarzuhr/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de

only the picture:

Ha! It's a Schlumberger FS-2:

https://www.opweb.de/deutsch/firma/Schlumberger/FS2

Want one (NAWTS)?

https://www.ebay.de/itm/203283757734

Looks like the one in the original picture has an extra two decades of adjustment in its plug-ins.

I wonder how stable and accurate the frequency would have been on one of these. Not enough to buy one though.

[AVGresponding]

In the german area i come from they say: "They go in the cellar to laught" about people who are always angry.

That explains a lot... I don't have a cellar!

I could tell you some Dad-jokes ...

 

Sure, if you want to be exposed to the raised eyebrow of doom, and the eyeroll of disdain.

[Ice-Tea]

In the german area i come from they say: "They go in the cellar to laught" about people who are always angry.

That explains a lot... I don't have a cellar!

I could tell you some Dad-jokes ...

 

Please. I´ll add them to my dad-a-base.

[RolandK]

i see at least 2 scopes which i think i recognise and som other gear. Who knows what it is? The one under the small scope in the background: Powersupply?

https://de-watchpro-com.translate.goog/vor-50-jahren-gewann-junghans-das-rennen-um-die-erste-deutsche-quarzuhr/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de

Ha! It's a Schlumberger FS-2 "digital" signal generator:

https://www.opweb.de/deutsch/firma/Schlumberger/FS2

Thank you for finding this. Very Cool.

If you read the description in the manual you get a high frequency knot in the brain.

If I understand right they make a heterodyn up / down mixing in each stage. You must syncronize the pll to the right overtone by the stage's individual needle meter. And the frequency steps get a factor 10 smaler each stage.
All must be set by hand and you get a perfect syncronized frequency only dependent on the ovenized quarz.


So the tie decorated engineers at junghans used it to compare their quarz clock development.

[mnementh]

Moving Dwagons Update:

Y'all may have noticed that the tinkerdwagon pretty much fell off the internet for the last week or so; only randomly able to check in, and mostly just a quick jot, as very limited BW available due to my ISP also being my smartPwn. 

Vince I feel your pain... there were times when I wished for 56K speeds... 

That said... one of the first things I noticed when I took the keys to my new place was that right next to the breaker box in the basement, there was a recent-model NOKIA G-010G ONT. A little phone/internet sleuthing determined that it belonged to FRONTIER, and after a few minutes with the nice lady from the salesdesk, I had myself set up with 1GB/1GB service for $66/mo, and this included a pair of new EERO mesh APs, supposedly able to carry 4K video to multiple devices and still provide full house WiFi coverage.

Well, today the tech arrived... a friendly, well-spoken young man in his late 20s, and after a little conversation I was able to talk him into pulling two cables at the same time; one to go from the ONT to the gateway next to the main TV (so I could have a hardline there) in the living room, and then one back down so I could set up a 1GB switch in the basement to to branch out drops anywhere in the house as I saw fit. This allowed me to repurpose the original ONT drop as a third run to the "dwagon cave" area in the dryest part of the basement, all while cleaning up some nastiness from the original install where the ONT drop ran across the open floor for two feet right by the front door. No, seriously.

I helped as much as I was able, and we had everything sorted in about 90 minutes. Now Googs has answers to my questions faster than I can ask them... and Amazon is just blazing. All while the girl watches her yoobToob and the boi has Star Trek on the TV; I have more BW than I know what to do with.

mnem
Be afraid. Be VERY afraid...

[cyclin_al]

Mother Nature left a reminder note last night. 

Yeah, same here. 24 degrees Funkenkopft and 1.5 inches on the roof of the car when I got up at 6 am... crawled into my wellies and did the usual morning snow-belt dance ritual so it would be ready for my wife's first day at the new job.

As I was bringing the thawing pot and snow shovel back inside, of course then the most pertinent question popped into my head...

"Why the fuck didn't I park in the garage last night...?"

mnem
You may all now point and laugh at the silly ol' dwagon...

That is all you got?  Woosses 

We had a drift 2 feet deep on the driveway.  Barely got out with the truck, even with the 4WD on.  Had to get the kid to school sort of on time...
Came home and shovelled by hand for 2 hours.  Moved a lot of snow from the driveway over to the side to cover up the green grass where there was no snow drift 
A couple of hours later it rained and melted all the snow away.  All that shovelling was for naught 

Now we have a couple of inches.  Just enough to drive back and forth with the truck to pack it down.  Sounds lazy?   Not at all.
It is necessary to pack down the first layer of snow so that the snowblower can be used for subsequent snowfalls.  If not, then the snowblower becomes a gravel blower, which is to be avoided when one has vehicles and windows.  Plus, the house has windows too...
Okay, I am lazy and p***d off by all that shovelling.

-- GWN version of masochism