Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[mnementh]

...Youngsters don't seem to think at all. I was talking to a "design engineer" a couple of weeks ago and despite have a Beng and masters in engineering they didn't know the difference between a machine screw and a bolt 

Ignorance can be cured. Stupidity can't. I know which I do/don't tolerate.

Stupidity is something we all have to come to terms with; stupid people can't help it and they have a right to live too.

The cure for ignorance is curiosity, which is self-fulfilling.

The real devil in the world is willful ignorance; I positively loathe those smart enough to know better but who refuse to learn, and they are invariably the very ones who gravitate towards positions of power.

mnem
my braims hurt.

[mnementh]

Well that was a short lay down 

[Fx: Spike Milligan's "Eccles" voice] Well, stands to reason that it'd be a short lay down because he'd be shorter lying down. Hold on!? Perhaps he isn't shorter lying down - like Neddie Seagoon. [/fx]

I'm short... I do everything shortly.

mnem
Even wearing shorts. 

[AVGresponding]

Bought some junk. Thanks to AVGresponding for pointing this out and apologies if I outbid you 

£17.49 including delivery gets me ... one HP 3776A PCM test set.



Why? Well I went through the service manual and it is absolutely packed to the brim with rather expensive analogue and TTL bits and a metric ton of standard HP parts. Absolutely no use whatsoever in this day and age as it's all for testing Bell/CCITT 4KHz channel telecoms crap which is completely obsolete so it'll be used as an organ supply for other projects. Only problem is it's a full 4U rack unit and weighs 15Kg

On a positive note it was cheap enough that I don't care if the courier leaves it on the doorstep and it gets nicked. And if anyone nicks it, LOL enjoy the hernia 

  as previously mentioned, there's a better than fair chance it'll arrived pre-disassembled, due to lack of packing ability/attention to care with this seller. Still promises to be a good source of parts, glad you bagged it, I was getting nervous that there were no bids with a day to go and was about to weaken!

Hope no-one on here was looking at that joblot of pots, I have blinked and put the first bid in...   


Another Agilent meter interface arrived today, report this weekend. Early news: it works, with caveats.

[mnementh]

Youngsters don't seem to think at all. I was talking to a "design engineer" a couple of weeks ago and despite have a Beng and masters in engineering they didn't know the difference between a machine screw and a bolt 

   I treat these kind of people with the same contempt as ones who can't tell the difference between a Pozidriv and a Phillips fastener....

mnem
Because "Fuck everybody!", that's why! 

[Kosmic]

TinkerDwagon SQUEEEEE!!!! 

   I hopped on fleaBay to see if my 54621D had shipped yet... and my dashboard thwapped me upside the head with this alert!!!   w00t!

mnem
*toddles off to stalk the wily UPS driver*

Nice, was a good deal     Mine was apparently shipped today. But I don't see a tracking number so it's a little bit suspect.

Did you get valid tracking yet? I have no doubt you will, as you said, your paperwork all went through.

Also, I forgot to say thanks last night; that was purely exhaustion, I promise. 

Thanks Kosmic for being all that TEA is supposed to be, and sharing a good deal when you find it. 

mnem
Now I don't mind that OWON from ARROW I let slip through my claws nearly as much.

No tracking #. Just marked as shipped. And they are still not answering emails nor ebay messages 

They have good deals but look like they are a pain to deal with.

Is it this bit of eBay feedback that has you uneasy? Yeah; that is a bit worrisome, and of course it weren't there when I ordered. I'm not sure if all the shitposting is reasonable though. This store is part of an international corporation, and they are required to follow very specific regulations regarding where any of their technology gets shipped; in large part because of Homeland Security regulations this guy is whingeing about. I do suspect he's full of shit about them asking him to lie, but rather simply does not meet the export END USE criteria that LeCroy/Teledyne has to apply, and is having a shit-fit about it.

If he's telling the truth about them marking it shipped when it wasn't, I am concerned... I def intend to watch and see how it all plays out.

Another possibility is it was shipped with the paperwork the buyer filled out and they turned it back at the border as paperwork was wrong or somesuch.

mnem
 

Haha got this message today:

Hello, your EUS was rejected for reasons they are not at liberty to discuss.

Damn, feel like I'm buying something from the CIA 

[Zucca]

spotted two UPS 5000W pure sine with network management cards in the company dumpster...

sooo temping... but alone it is impossible, they are heavy as fuuuuuuuuu

[mnementh]

   Is it this bit of eBay feedback that has you uneasy? Yeah; that is a bit worrisome, and of course it weren't there when I ordered.

I'm not sure if all the shitposting is reasonable though. This store is part of an international corporation, and they are required to follow very specific regulations regarding where any of their technology gets shipped; in large part because of Homeland Security regulations this guy is whingeing about. I do suspect he's full of shit about them asking him to lie, but rather simply does not meet the export END USE criteria that LeCroy/Teledyne has to apply, and is having a shit-fit about it.

If he's telling the truth about them marking it shipped when it wasn't, I am concerned... I def intend to watch and see how it all plays out.

Another possibility is it was shipped with the paperwork the buyer filled out and they turned it back at the border as paperwork was wrong or somesuch.    mnem 

Haha got this message today:

Hello, your EUS was rejected for reasons they are not at liberty to discuss.

Damn, feel like I'm buying something from the CIA 

So, they won't help you fix the form so it passes their criteria...? That is not good customer service to leave you to figure it all out on your own unless you are so big a corporation you have lawyers to do your purchasing... in which case, you're not buying from this branch of the company. 

Did they at least give you the specific document numbers of the criteria you are allegedly supposed to meet? Failure to provide that leaves them in breach of contract.

mnem
Still... the assache factor is good at weeding out the numpties...

[mnementh]

spotted two UPS 5000W pure sine with network management cards in the company dumpster...

sooo temping... but alone it is impossible, they are heavy as fuuuuuuuuu

Go to Harbor Freight, spend $40 on a hand-truck. Problem solved.

Oh yeahhh... dumpster. Bring hand tools. Remove the battery cartridge(s) and handle separately.

mnem
Been dere, dunnat, aching back tomorrow.

[Kosmic]

   Is it this bit of eBay feedback that has you uneasy? Yeah; that is a bit worrisome, and of course it weren't there when I ordered.

I'm not sure if all the shitposting is reasonable though. This store is part of an international corporation, and they are required to follow very specific regulations regarding where any of their technology gets shipped; in large part because of Homeland Security regulations this guy is whingeing about. I do suspect he's full of shit about them asking him to lie, but rather simply does not meet the export END USE criteria that LeCroy/Teledyne has to apply, and is having a shit-fit about it.

If he's telling the truth about them marking it shipped when it wasn't, I am concerned... I def intend to watch and see how it all plays out.

Another possibility is it was shipped with the paperwork the buyer filled out and they turned it back at the border as paperwork was wrong or somesuch.    mnem 

Haha got this message today:

Hello, your EUS was rejected for reasons they are not at liberty to discuss.

Damn, feel like I'm buying something from the CIA 

So, they won't help you fix the form so it passes their criteria...? That is not good customer service to leave you to figure it all out on your own unless you are so big a corporation you have lawyers to do your purchasing... in which case, you're not buying from this branch of the company. 

Did they at least give you the specific document numbers of the criteria you are allegedly supposed to meet? Failure to provide that leaves them in breach of contract.

mnem
Still... the assache factor is good at weeding out the numpties...

No nothing. They initially said they would not sell to an individual outside the USA. So now I have a registered company  but it's not enough apparently. I still have no idea what are their requirements.

Now I need to find a way to recuperate the 37$ I spent to create a company. I'm thinking of passing all the TEA purchases on the company for tax purpose

[factory]

    Free. Just pay for shipping.

So... is this a BUSTED scenario, or YAGI gone wrong? Or are you trying to mitigate JENGA reaching critical mass by applying a little BAIT THEORY to the TEA thread...? 

mnem

I... I don't even undertand half of what you just said but it's pretty simply. I don't have the gear to test these, they don't seem to be worth all that much, I can't be arsed to put them on eBay so I figured one of you lot might want to have them for free 

Oh dear, dear, Iced-TEA... as long as you've been among us, you still haven't availed yourself of the TEA GLOSSARY on page 1...?

For shame!!! 

BUSTED: Bought Unnecessary Shitload of Test Equipment Devices

YAGI: Yet Another Gain for Inventory - A term used to rationalise the typical consequences of GAS - especially when there is no immediate or prospective need for an item.

JENGA: (a constellation of related disorders)

(1) Junk Engulfing Nearby Garage Areas - wherein all garage space is subject to a constantly moving and contested scrimmage line;
(2) Junk Encroaching Nonpermissible General Areas - usually defined by other household members and their "need" to use nonessential spaces like living rooms, kitchens and bathrooms;
(3) Junk Engulfing Nonvertical Geometric Areas - the inevitable spontaneous accumulation of all manner of tools and junk on any available table-like horizontal surface;
(4) Junk Emigrating Non-Garage Areas - the inexplicable migration of entire stacks to other rooms, often discovered by other household members with a hand truck still underneath;
(5) Junk Engulfing Nonhorizontal Growth Areas - the accumulation of box-shaped objects stacked from floor to ceiling, and the inevitable need to remove one object from the middle of the stack without all of it falling down on your head.

Bait Theory: The bait theory of equipment acquisition states that if you want something but can't find it, start collecting all of the parts, documents, etc., that you will need to repair and/or operate it. Somewhere out there, there is a broken device that "knows" that you have the parts to fix it and it will find its way to you.

Thanks for frequenting this space, and of course I'm sure someone will liberate those bits from you.

mnem
*toddles off to straighten out some garage*

AaaaahhhAAhhh! That makes more sense. To address a few points: it's a bussiness. Obviously all purchases are well thought out. Honnest. And since moving to a new office I kinda have enough space but I want to keep it like that. So I'm trying to keep the "Bait Theory" at bay a bit.

I thought you won one of the 180 series SA mainframes, in the last PP auction, it should work in the SA mainframe, just some of the later ones haven't got the scope cal outputs, as they were made long after the scope modules became obsolete.
I'm I the only one on here with some 180 scopes in my collection?

David

Errhh, not that I know of? 

Also, did I mention the FREE part?

I guess some else outbid you on the 181T with 8557A too, maybe the reverse not met (random name) bidder they use each time. 


If no-one else wants the 1801A/1821A scope plug-ins, then I would be interested.

They seem to be flogging some of the same stuff for at least the third time, in the current (July) sale, we'll need to play guess the new reverse bidder name.

David

[TERRA Operative]

On the subject of floppy drives......

[mnementh]

Haha got this message today:

Hello, your EUS was rejected for reasons they are not at liberty to discuss.

Damn, feel like I'm buying something from the CIA 

So, they won't help you fix the form so it passes their criteria...? That is not good customer service to leave you to figure it all out on your own unless you are so big a corporation you have lawyers to do your purchasing... in which case, you're not buying from this branch of the company. 

Did they at least give you the specific document numbers of the criteria you are allegedly supposed to meet? Failure to provide that leaves them in breach of contract.

mnem
Still... the assache factor is good at weeding out the numpties...

No nothing. They initially said they would not sell to an individual outside the USA. So now I have a registered company  but it's not enough apparently. I still have no idea what are their requirements.

Now I need to find a way to recuperate the 37$ I spent to create a company. I'm thinking of passing all the TEA purchases on the company for tax purpose

I'd say that you should request those specific end use criteria documents; their process should require that they provide that reference. Unless you can't be arsed to pursue any further, of course. 

mnem
Bureaucracy is just another word for "Fuck you."

[Kosmic]

Haha got this message today:

Hello, your EUS was rejected for reasons they are not at liberty to discuss.

Damn, feel like I'm buying something from the CIA 

So, they won't help you fix the form so it passes their criteria...? That is not good customer service to leave you to figure it all out on your own unless you are so big a corporation you have lawyers to do your purchasing... in which case, you're not buying from this branch of the company. 

Did they at least give you the specific document numbers of the criteria you are allegedly supposed to meet? Failure to provide that leaves them in breach of contract.

mnem
Still... the assache factor is good at weeding out the numpties...

No nothing. They initially said they would not sell to an individual outside the USA. So now I have a registered company  but it's not enough apparently. I still have no idea what are their requirements.

Now I need to find a way to recuperate the 37$ I spent to create a company. I'm thinking of passing all the TEA purchases on the company for tax purpose

I'd say that you should request those specific end use criteria documents; their process should require that they provide that reference. Unless you can't be arsed to pursue any further, of course. 

mnem
Bureaucracy is just another word for "Fuck you."

Nahhh i'm done with them already. I don't have the time for that crap.

[AVGresponding]

On the subject of floppy drives......

    

[factory]

On the subject of floppy drives......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hc52_PWeU8[/url8]

Or maybe a better use for them....


Playing that tune we whistle whenever management are mentioned...

David

[tggzzz]

Now, for the network warriors: IIRC, around '95 it was the following real operating systems available for enterprise use:
SCO UNIX, AIX, HP-UX. Please pick your poison, and state it here 

I used SCO Unix in the early 80s, when it was called "Microsoft Xenix".

I used HPUX '87-'07, first in HP itself, then in a company making telecoms software that ran on HPUX. (And later on Linux, tee hee).

As for floppies, I've never had a drive fail. But I haven't tried using my 5.25" drive in decades

[factory]

More 465B shenanigans. So I figured I'd just do a short check on the IC and see if it was pin specific. Well it was.  Only the A3 line pin 4 was short to ground which is the CH1 select line.

(snip)

74S287A looks to have the same pinout, and I see a datasheet claiming 30ns. Maybe also look at N82S129 and AM27S21.

I don't see any of those in my parts pile, and with postage from the US you are probably still better off finding one in the UK. But, if you can't, I will take another look. If did find one I could program it here too.

Thanks for suggestions. Look at those and they are a good match. But again as always I don't have the programming capability available and that will cost more money and time than just buying the part.

Just in case of emergency.
The thing is that they don't really need a programmer since they are field programmable.
Somebody here also have recent experience with titanium-tungsten PROMs, Specmaster came in mind.

If memory serves you put address on, short selected bit to down, rise Vcc to >10V and tap chip enable, and it will burn the selected titanium-tungsten fuse and bit will become high.
Then just repeat few times.

Andrew_Debbie was working on a replacement PROM for the Dana 5100 DMM.
And I copied the contents of the HP 5340A PROMs, from a known working pair to USSR 74188 clones, to repair the second one.

Unfortunately I have very limited access to the old PC (with programmer) at work these days and the mega-skip will be coming in the next three months (still refusing to sell any of it  ).
Was in there today (rarely get asked to work in the lab these days) and had to find another scope to use, as all were away for cal, the Tek 2246 scope is now buggered, with intensity permanently set at max power, regardless of control settings & lots of dots showing with the readout on.  , the Fluke 8024A DMM is on the way out too, with a failing display.

David

[factory]

I thought you won one of the 180 series SA mainframes, in the last PP auction, it should work in the SA mainframe, just some of the later ones haven't got the scope cal outputs, as they were made long after the scope modules became obsolete.
I'm I the only one on here with some 180 scopes in my collection?

David

I have a 181 here.


Lab Cat looking none too pleased with the poor probe compensation:


-Pat

A quick warning note for anyone with a HP 181T, 181A oscilloscope mainframe or spectrum analyzer display section (or older 141T,141S,141A), beware there is no protection for the storage CRT with excessive intensity, particularly in normal mode, where you can't see the trace bloom with high intensity setting, the storage mesh is often damaged on these from previous owners not RTFM, or clueless sellers that just turn every control to max until a trace appears. 

Warning from 141T manual, need to add the 181 warning (aka, use Write & avoid Norm for setting intensity).


Another warning, when buying unknown condition 180/181 series mainframes, check the PSU is working correctly, before trying with known good plug-ins, as there was a mention of damage to the plug-ins from a faulty PSU.

Some of mine.....

181T from PP auction with 1804A & 1825A.


Early UK built 180A(R) rack mount version, the plug-ins didn't come with it.


The junk lot from the last PP auction, most mainframes repaired, or issues diagnosed.
Late 180TR SA display with interface for storage normalizer, not the best choice for scope use.


The very corroded 181TR, apparently had VLE (very low emission?) CRT, seems OK to me once PSU fault diagnosed, but is stuck in storage mode & erase is currently none functional.


The (again quite corroded) 182A oscilloscope frame & 182T SA frame, 182T had many disconnected wires and completely open focus pot (replaced with a pair of 2.2M resistors for testing). The 182A CRT has external graticule illumination lamps, 182T has a longer CRT with internal flood gun illumination, uses higher HT too.



David

[bd139]

Bought some junk. Thanks to AVGresponding for pointing this out and apologies if I outbid you 

£17.49 including delivery gets me ... one HP 3776A PCM test set.



Why? Well I went through the service manual and it is absolutely packed to the brim with rather expensive analogue and TTL bits and a metric ton of standard HP parts. Absolutely no use whatsoever in this day and age as it's all for testing Bell/CCITT 4KHz channel telecoms crap which is completely obsolete so it'll be used as an organ supply for other projects. Only problem is it's a full 4U rack unit and weighs 15Kg

On a positive note it was cheap enough that I don't care if the courier leaves it on the doorstep and it gets nicked. And if anyone nicks it, LOL enjoy the hernia 

  as previously mentioned, there's a better than fair chance it'll arrived pre-disassembled, due to lack of packing ability/attention to care with this seller. Still promises to be a good source of parts, glad you bagged it, I was getting nervous that there were no bids with a day to go and was about to weaken!

Hope no-one on here was looking at that joblot of pots, I have blinked and put the first bid in...   


Another Agilent meter interface arrived today, report this weekend. Early news: it works, with caveats.

I’ve bought stuff from that seller and had crap packaging before. Got a 475 for £50 which was in a single wall box with no padding. It survived which was a testament to the scope.

Will take lots of photos.

Not touching the pits. Unless they are the Bourns ones 

Congrats on the interface.

[bd139]

spotted two UPS 5000W pure sine with network management cards in the company dumpster...

sooo temping... but alone it is impossible, they are heavy as fuuuuuuuuu

Go to Harbor Freight, spend $40 on a hand-truck. Problem solved.

Oh yeahhh... dumpster. Bring hand tools. Remove the battery cartridge(s) and handle separately.

mnem
Been dere, dunnat, aching back tomorrow.

Just bought one of those for shifting large items after seeing one at Newbury. I think I was talking to tgzzz at the time and watched someone disappearing with a Marconi signal generator with it 

[Zoli]

spotted two UPS 5000W pure sine with network management cards in the company dumpster...

sooo temping... but alone it is impossible, they are heavy as fuuuuuuuuu

Go to Harbor Freight, spend $40 on a hand-truck. Problem solved.

Oh yeahhh... dumpster. Bring hand tools. Remove the battery cartridge(s) and handle separately.

mnem
Been dere, dunnat, aching back tomorrow.

Theoretically, the UPS's should be already without the batteries; or in the states you just can throw the SLA's away in the community garbage, together with electronics?

[tautech]

...Oh, fuck me... even the Quick Start guide is 44 pages thick...   

mnem
   
RTFM, yo.

Did you get real fuckin manuals ?     The Cal sheet is identical to those that grace real Siglent products.     As I mentioned earlier these, in fact all 2kX models are EOL: https://siglentna.com/digital-oscilloscopes/sds2000x/

Old thread about these: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/siglent_s-new-product-sds2000x-series/

FML... No, I was joking that the manuals are so effing big, even the PDFs go WHUMMMMMP! on my desk... 

mnem
 

Ah, OK. 
Anyways, ditch the manuals for now until you need dive into some of the more advanced stuff and start swatting up on most of its functionality here:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/what-an-oscilloscope-recommended-for-a-woman-passionate-about-electronics/
This is about a SDS1202X-E, same as bd139 has, and the UI is very similar to your new Siglent LeCroy albeit yours has some more advanced features.....AWG, PA sorta stuff.

[bd139]

Random weird night out, in Brentford of all places! One for the London locals…

Firstly down at the dock



This was followed by a nice pizza with some local friends.  Oh and way too much to drink.



And the money shot. There’s a motor museum down there and they had the yellow Range Rover from Layer Cake and Kickass.



And on that note, while I’m still slightly intoxicated, spendy spendy time 

[tautech]

Random weird night out...........

And on that note, while I’m still slightly intoxicated, spendy spendy time 

So you didn't get laid and need a cheer me up. 

[bd139]

Random weird night out...........

And on that note, while I’m still slightly intoxicated, spendy spendy time 

So you didn't get laid and need a cheer me up. 

I was with two married women so yep