Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[factory]

Oy !

It's not often, but new capabilities have been added to the lab... two of them :


2) Second item is a nice score I think !

A friend works as a maintenance / field Tech for a telecom company ("Orange", the ex national French telco that got privatised and renamed this way).
They scrap lots of equipment and electronic boards all the time. Sometimes he brings me a little something. A few days ago he brought me a fancy TE... a TDR / Time-Domain Reflectometer.   It's a Megger TDR2000/2R.  Came with its carry case.  Large colour LCD, opto-isolated RS-232 at the rear.
At the back of it there is a nice table giving you an idea of the velocity factor for various types of cables.




He didn't tell me what was wrong with it.
The charger is missing, bummer, especially since it uses a weird 3 pin round connector... good luck finding that. I guess I can always replace it with a more standard connector...

It does not power up. In the battery compartment there is a weird battery pack : comes with a 9V battery connector ?!
Label on it says NiMH 9.6V 1.5Ah.   




It measured 2V or so...   I hooked it to my lab power supply, it appears to take a charge, so it's not dead / open-circuit, good.
I left it charging at 10% capacity as indicated on the label, for 5 minutes maybe. No luck, still doesn't power up, not even a blip.
Maybe I need to charge it some more...

Seems the lower end version of that Megger TDR used 8x AA cells, either disposable or rechargeable, I'm guessing the color screen version burns through batts quick enough to need rechargeable ones as standard.

Interesting it's not exactly obsolete (with the death of analog phone lines here) as it was also intended for power lines, it's supposed to come with fused test leads too.

David

[factory]

Oh, a Tek 577 curve tracer ! Didn't remember you had that one ! 

There is a reason for not remembering the 577, I didn't have enough time for a post when I picked it up 3 weeks ago, along with the other TE and smaller items & parts, took me about 2 days to go though everything making notes of what was in the boxes and checking for things that might have leaktubes inside, only casualty of those was a Megger BM8, with mil grade leakage.

Hmmm.... top right corner of the second pic, the side of two similar looking boat anchors stacked on top of each other, I think I recognize those !! 

Well done for spotting those two 416B ratio meters, the tape recorder I stole an eye tube from (for one of the HP meters) is in the store too. Underneath those two boat anchors is the £10 606B, these are all now completely inaccessible, they need to be in the opposite corner with the boat anchor counter (pun not intended). 
My helper decided not to stack some of the TE, instead it was left face up, can't complain too much given the amount we moved.

Oh, and a Tek TDS 300/400 scope in the van, I am surprised that you fell for such modern stuff !  Not your kind
No that's right... you do have some modern scopes.... your Yokogawa springs to mind now I think of it...

Your right not really my sort of thing, but it came with the job lot, it's a TDS 420A, it's supposed to be working, probably has RIFA/Schaffner madness smoke waiting to be released, I've read about surface mount cap-iss-itors too, the rear cover is bit broken.
My Yokogawa scope has been out recently, the HP DSO hasn't been used for a long time (has annoying fault) and a more recent Tek TDS 2014 has proved very unreliable.

Also have a badly behaved Hameg, focus problem has been sorted (drifted film resistors), but it seems to have more problems.



So I worked on the BWD powerscope instead, it was described as "doesn't power up", well it didn't the first time I operated the power switch, but did the second time (must have dirty switch) it worked for about 30 seconds before the trace & LEDs started flickering, the trace then became a dot. Opening I got the burnt resistor smell, due to a tant bead, I found the tant, changed the 100 ohm resistor and checked some other capacitors, some were testing low in value, I've started recapping the PSU, which is now waiting for me to order more capacitors from Mouser.



The picture also shows a HP DSA, the fuse holder, handle & feet are missing and the HPIB connector is broken, not looked inside yet.

Now you need half a dozen heavy duty shelves to make all these instruments easy to access... but beefy shelves cost a mega fortune, at least here they do 
Only hope would be to search for used ones locally.

I've only got one decent shelving unit, the ex-work one which I suspect originally came from RS, it was in the motor alternator control unit test pen for years, before that got EOL'd.

The blue shelves are very thin, I can't believe they haven't collapsed yet, there are two Ikea bookcases that I got just before the 2024 health malfunction, they are still waiting to be assembled and filled with manuals.

David

[TERRA Operative]

So today I added protocol decoding to my TDS app.

A small preview for the next version release. 

[Vince]

Well it's lovely but...until proven otherwise, we have to assume that any coding is being done by Claude not you ! 

Could you add the RC5 protocol for remote controlled appliances ? I have a project involving a remote control that I need to reverse engineer (an old Becker car stereo that does have remote control capability built-in, but didn't come with the remote, and this remote is unobtanium, most cars didn't come with it). I assume it uses RC5 but IIRC there were also other remote control standards back in the day, can't remember what they were. Oh, Google says NEC, Sony, Philips and Samsung had their own protocol. And there was also RC1 / RC2 / RC3 / RC4 !
Would be nice to implement all of those so I have a chance to get that stereo working !  I will check back on you in a couple days, you should be done by then ! 

[TERRA Operative]

Yeah, Claude is doing all the hard work here.

I currently have RC6, as well as NEC, Sony SIRC and Philips RC5, but I'll add RC1 to 4, as well as any others I think of.

[Vince]

Oh wow, incredible, thank you very much !

RC6 ?! I didn't even know it existed.. .I guess things have moved on since the '90s...

[TERRA Operative]

But you gotta do me a favour and try the app out as much as you can and tell me all the bugs, annoying things, and feature requests.

[Robert763]

@Vince Well done on the MX200 clamp on multifunction AC/DC meter.
In case you hadn't realised, the analogue output is on a pair of 2mm sockets buried at the bottom of the 4mm voltage input sockets. This is because the voltage circuit is not isolated so they don't want you to connect both at once.
I made up a lead with the contacts from standard 2mm plugs but with no body. Just soldered them to the wire an sleeved the lot with some fairly stiff heatshrink.
They are great meters.

Robert.

[Vince]

Thanks Robert, I just could not make sense of what the user manual was saying..... WHAT 2mm things are they are talking about ! 

[Vince]

But you gotta do me a favour and try the app out as much as you can and tell me all the bugs, annoying things, and feature requests.

No worries, as soon as I get my TD784D to test it on ! 

My current 544A as you know is sick... poor thing. Well that said the nature of its sickness is not so bad that it would prevent from testing your S/W....
Now the only question is, will that python thing run on my vintage XP laptop, and will all required libraries install and run properly on it.
Me being so bad with getting S/W stuff to work, it might be a rough road...

Oh, just forgot the main issue... need a good USB-GPIB adapter first ! 
... sadly the burse's strings are very tight at the moment, it's not on the cards 
But I sure do intend to get one. So far my only GPIB adapter is the ISA card in my DOS box, to run the Tek S/W... but the convenience of a USB adapter that can run on Windows XYZ or Linux, opens a new world of possibilities...

[TERRA Operative]

The TDS app is updated with a bunch of protocol decoding, and a few other fixes and enhancements.

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/tektronix-tds500600700-pc-software-take-control-of-your-scope!/msg6357638/#msg6357638

[factory]

Well the storage move is now complete, the last TE left the previous unit on Friday afternoon, everything is still a mess in the new unit, moving out of the 130 sq ft unit took 2½ days (1 full day & 3 half days).

Saturday morning I took the HP 175A home to replace the broken frame, a dead vacuum bulb was replaced in the timebase at the same time, I haven't powered it up since as several of the protection neons need replacing too.





It returned to storage in the afternoon and I made a start on sorting the larger HP TE into the three stacks, with the largest & heaviest boat anchor positioned by the door.



This afternoon was also spent sorting another three stacks on HP TE, there is space for another two stacks where the crappy thin blue shelving unit is.



David

[tautech]

Member @watchmaker sent a PM asking for advice on where to post Tek577 info he has for others reference:

I have complied a lot useful information on the Tek577's 177 fixture.  Much good Gemini produce troubleshooting, photos with various things ID'd and hopefully useable board locator photos and other info from Dave at TekMuseum. 
Would the sticky be a good place to keep it once I have it all collated?

As we can't make a sticky thread and it needs a Moderator to enable one, where might be a good place to have his info available ?

[TERRA Operative]

I'd say make a Tek 577 master thread. Put the relevant keywords in the thread title to aid the search engine.

[tautech]

I'd say make a Tek 577 master thread. Put the relevant keywords in the thread title to aid the search engine.

Yeah that would make the most sense.....while the member that started it is still active and can keep adding links to the various threads.

Member watchmaker already has 2 going:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/and-yet-another-tek577-d1/
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/cleaning-up-the-documentation-for-the-tektronix-177-fixture-(577-curve-tracer)/

[factory]

Yes, either start a new thread for all the 577 info, or choose an existing one, of which there are many.
I'm not convinced it needs to be a sticky thread, there are already far too many, especially in the TE subforum.

I've not had time to post about mine, had to take it apart to change the broken fuseholder (very inaccessible) I managed this without the use of AI & didn't need to read the manual.

David

[TERRA Operative]

I know mine has at least one cooked tantalum, but I have also managed to collect a bunch of transistor adapters for the 177 fixture, and even a mostly complete 178 fixture too.

One day it'll make it onto the bench...

[factory]

Tants  , I was expecting smoke when powering up my Tektronix 577, I had a lamp limiter ready for this.
But first it required a replacement fuseholder, I've no idea how the rear section got broken without any damage to the cap, this is how it was before I acquired it.



As already mentioned accessing the fuseholder to replace it isn't easy, it's crammed in behind the power switch and below the power cable. I ended up removing the wiring, the power switch and separated the top section with the CRT from the lower section. This gave me access from both sides to get to the nut, but all attempts to get the nut to turn failed, instead I broke up the plastic from the rear panel and removed it revealing why it didn't want to budge, someone had cross threaded the nut, must have been a Friday afternoon special.  Also note the lack of edge protection where wiring passes through the holes in the frame, not something I expected from Tek.





I found another fuseholder of the same type & fitted it, a socket was used to turn the nut (by hand), as I couldn't get to the nut with any of my spanners, all the wiring was resoldered/reattached and cable looms reconnected following pictures I took before disconnecting everything.

As I didn't know the history (I was told it never got tested by the previous owner), I choose to power it up slowly with a lamp limiter, starting with a low wattage bulb, leaving capacitors time to gradually reform before increasing the lamp size, nothing smoked during the process and eventually I got the result I wanted, something visible on the CRT. 



This is as far as I've got with the 577 at the moment (apart from replacing the two broken knobs on the 177), since then I've collected up the HP DVM and have been busy moving & sorting my collection of TE into the new storage unit.

David

[Vince]

Nah, just get a real curve tracer, a 575, the transistor tester for real men !! 

No tants inside and the fuse holder is easy to access 
No fragile impossible to replace or fix... custom switch gear either.  575 for the win ! 

[TERRA Operative]

So, now I have a HP 7475A plotter (GPIB version) disemboweled all over my bench.
I've had it for ages, many years, probably well before corona, and now is the time to fix it up.

It's getting new paper rollers (the rubber plastic ones deteriorate and will be replaced with silicone tube), a new geneva wheel for the pen carousel (resin 3D printed as the originals also disintegrate), new rubber bumpers (they melt as they also do in other HP gear) and PU foam inside, new capacitors, regreased paper feeder roller bearings, and a general cleanout.

Oh, and if all goes well, a Windows printer driver too. 

Then I have to sort out pens. I have a bunch NOS pens, so we'll see how fresh they are when the time comes...

[squadchannel]

So, now I have a HP 7475A plotter (GPIB version) disemboweled all over my bench.
I've had it for ages, many years, probably well before corona, and now is the time to fix it up.

It's getting new paper rollers (the rubber plastic ones deteriorate and will be replaced with silicone tube), a new geneva wheel for the pen carousel (resin 3D printed as the originals also disintegrate), new rubber bumpers (they melt as they also do in other HP gear) and PU foam inside, new capacitors, regreased paper feeder roller bearings, and a general cleanout.

Oh, and if all goes well, a Windows printer driver too. 

Then I have to sort out pens. I have a bunch NOS pens, so we'll see how fresh they are when the time comes...

Refill adapter.
I made this for use with the 7550A. Due to height restrictions, I couldn't use a long refill.
refills designed for the uni style-fit or pilot hi-tec-c coleto. I remember being able to plot it normally at 60 (I forgot the units). 80 is tough.

[McBryce]

The summer may be over and the temperatures have dropped considerably outside, but tonight I've got all the windows open, because... My Tektronix 2465, that I've been meaning to recap (for the last 15 years) decided to treat me to the full "RIFA experience" this evening, right in the middle of a repair. Who needs fancy Joss Sticks and scented candles, when you've got vintage gear to add that special fragrance to the entire house. 

McBryce.

[factory]

Nah, just get a real curve tracer, a 575, the transistor tester for real men !! 

No tants inside and the fuse holder is easy to access 
No fragile impossible to replace or fix... custom switch gear either.  575 for the win ! 

Yes a 575 would be nicer, but not so easy to find one that isn't either vastly overpriced and/or in trashed condition and swap the tants for bumble bombs & PCB flavour black beauties in some of them. 

Not forgetting to mention the high chance the CRT gets EOL'd if someone ships one, collection/pick up only recommended.  I did see one in person a few years ago, the owner mentioned the CRT was quite worn out.

The nicest one I saw on feeBay wasn't too far from me, but I wasn't well enough to even think about getting it due to the recovery process, following the major health malfunction at the time.

There is of course something even more interesting to me, but completely unobtainable, a probable copy of Tek curve tracer idea at HP, but it didn't have the CRT built in, only two were made for internal use only. 
https://www.hpmemoryproject.org/timeline/bob_devries/some_memories_04.htm#part_04_chapt_14



David

[Vince]

Interesting indeed, thanks for the link / article.

I guess Bob's tracer didn't get lost ? I guess the HP community kept track of it, must be in his family or some HP museum somewhere ?
As for the other one, HP's property, maybe they kept it too, who knows.

Of course even if that were the case, that still would not help you much... you still would be unable to get one.

Bob fell in love / was inspired by Tek's first curve tracer, the one for vacuum tubes... that would type 570 then.
Now that's pretty much unobtainium as well... I think, not even sure, vague recollection... that I might have seen one for sale a few years back, for 1500 Euros maybe, more than I paid for my car then ! 

I would love to get a 570 for sure... but just like this HP tracer, it's just day dreaming. I am already super happy that I managed to secure not one but two 575 tracers, hoping for a 570 would be pushing it I guess...
So the plan instead is just to make a little adapter so that the 575 can test vacuum tubes / FETs. This at least, is achievable...

Slightly more achievable than 570, though not by much... would be to find a 575 fitted with the 400 Volts mod. In the USA some had it it seems, but in France I have never seen one for sale.... 


Bob's tracer looks the business. I mean for something meant only for internal use, made only in two quantities... he made the effort to make it a fully polished product that looks just like a production ready instrument. Of course we can't see if the internals are as nice or not...
He said he used circuit boards in the thing, I guess solid-state then, so much more modern the Tek tracers.

Funny he meant to use it with a 120B or 130C HP scope sitting on top... as I have both these scopes ! I wish at least one of them was working... hopeless for the 120B with its broken CRT and smoked THT transformer winding, but I still haven't looked at the 130C, maybe this one can be saved...  Seller said the trace suddenly disappeared from the display... could be either a simple fix, or a death certificate like 120B...

[factory]

Maybe it still exists, a search of the HPAK group for curve tracer doesn't find any mention of Bob's tracer, I'm wondering where the image of his curve tracer is from.
From a web search I found Bob's obituary, sadly he passed away in 2014, only 3 years after adding his memories to the memoryproject webpage.

He did work on the 120B & 130C, but the 132A contains the same sandwich PCB construction, seems I never added any pictures of my HP 132A, now corrected with this post.

Edit: The AI bots stopped me uploading the pictures last night, I'm guessing the forum went down for everyone else, I really miss the days before AI ruined the web. 

David