Path: Xl.tags.giganews.com!local-2.nntp.ord.giganews.com!nntp.supernews.com!news.supernews.com.POSTED!not-for-mail NNTP-Posting-Date: Sun, 07 Apr 2024 18:13:33 +0000 From: John Larkin Newsgroups: sci.electronics.design,sci.electronics.repair Subject: Re: Favourite Test Equipment Date: Sun, 07 Apr 2024 11:11:51 -0700 Organization: Highland Tech Reply-To: xx@yy.com Message-ID: <51o51jpmd781pt6o0rgjbdfg8b45fspncn@4ax.com> References: <9k7j0jlnbhs8qfg5m17pium0835meean83@4ax.com> <7r901j139ac3124qmpu7gcthadb9ura30g@4ax.com> <2ii51jlfc7bi57h2p1vbhfaqcfbakm0qim@4ax.com> <38l51j1m5k6a0um64bpiblu91omekn5cu8@4ax.com> X-Newsreader: Forte Agent 3.1/32.783 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Lines: 212 X-Trace: sv3-QeTY347quMoPsUCiezktf3uPeXKopa/TGvpeeiAeXnA5WtO9imGDi0evlq6569CxQMQKeh+rPaK89Lw!jMRdRGTmyI2LIGuzqA1APAm1h3t2cC1LgGbEd1n8hmjnSJbysEw/o08R8QUwXMDf4PgezbdEmj9u!oO0ing== X-Complaints-To: www.supernews.com/docs/abuse.html X-DMCA-Complaints-To: www.supernews.com/docs/dmca.html X-Abuse-and-DMCA-Info: Please be sure to forward a copy of ALL headers X-Abuse-and-DMCA-Info: Otherwise we will be unable to process your complaint properly X-Postfilter: 1.3.40 Bytes: 12137 On Sun, 07 Apr 2024 18:23:38 +0100, Cursitor Doom wrote: >On Sun, 07 Apr 2024 09:40:03 -0700, John Larkin >wrote: > >>On Sun, 07 Apr 2024 09:50:50 +0100, Cursitor Doom >>wrote: >> >>>On Sat, 06 Apr 2024 14:48:38 -0700, John Larkin >>>wrote: >>> >>>>On Sat, 06 Apr 2024 22:21:45 +0100, Cursitor Doom >>>>wrote: >>>> >>>>>On Fri, 05 Apr 2024 10:15:43 -0700, john larkin wrote: >>>>> >>>>>>On Fri, 05 Apr 2024 17:33:12 +0100, Cursitor Doom >>>>>>wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>>On Fri, 05 Apr 2024 07:49:30 GMT, Jan Panteltje >>>>>>>wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>>On a sunny day (Thu, 4 Apr 2024 11:56:23 -0000 (UTC)) it happened Phil Hobbs >>>>>>>> wrote in >>>>>>>>: >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>Klaus Vestergaard Kragelund wrote: >>>>>>>>>> On 01-04-2024 09:01, Jan Panteltje wrote: >>>>>>>>>>> On a sunny day (Sun, 31 Mar 2024 18:41:18 +0100) it happened Cursitor Doom >>>>>>>>>>> wrote in <9k7j0jlnbhs8qfg5m17pium0835meean83@4ax.com>: >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> Hi all, >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> I'm starting to get a bit fed up with having my test equipment blow up >>>>>>>>>>>> just when it's needed. This is the drawback with vintage gear; if it's >>>>>>>>>>>> not used frequently then it can go *bang* the next time you switch it >>>>>>>>>>>> on. It makes for good practice in repairing stuff, but wastes a lot of >>>>>>>>>>>> time which could be better spent doing other things. >>>>>>>>>>>> I think it's time I modernised my test gear. I was just wondering if >>>>>>>>>>>> anyone has any recommendations they can share. Is there a particular >>>>>>>>>>>> piece of test equipment you couldn't live without? Something you're >>>>>>>>>>>> particularly impressed with? I'd be interested to know so I can >>>>>>>>>>>> perhaps acquire said item and thereby reduce the number of explosions >>>>>>>>>>>> I experience. >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> Thanks, >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> CD. >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> My 10 MHz Trio dual trace analog scope is from 1979 or there about, I >>>>>>>>>>> blew up a channel once myself in the first week >>>>>>>>>>> when I accidently touched a booster diode in a TV I was repairing with >>>>>>>>>>> it, fixed it locating the problem with the other channel. >>>>>>>>>>> Later I cracked the graticule when a soldering station fell on it from >>>>>>>>>>> the table (scope stands on the ground) >>>>>>>>>>> Made a new graticule. >>>>>>>>>>> So, and still working perfectly, OK for all things I build with micros. >>>>>>>>>>> For RF to about 1.6 GHz I use RTL_SDR USB sticks and the spectrum analyzer I wrote. >>>>>>>>>>> and for AC DC measurements I have some made in China digital meters and an analog one. >>>>>>>>>>> also a Voltcraft clamp-on meter for current when you do not - or cannot >>>>>>>>>>> interrupt things with the meter impedance. >>>>>>>>>>> Also have a Voltcraft soldering station. >>>>>>>>>>> Blew up one of my digital meters a while back (volts on the resistance >>>>>>>>>>> scale) but fixed it again (replaced resistor). >>>>>>>>>>> Many other test equipment I designed and build, like amplifiers LF and >>>>>>>>>>> RF, SWR meter, radiation meters, gamma spectrometer, >>>>>>>>>>> GHz stuff for satelite, transmitters low and very high power, what not, >>>>>>>>>>> a frequency converter to use the RTL-SDR sticks and so the spectrum >>>>>>>>>>> analyzer on higher and lower frequencies. >>>>>>>>>>> Have a SARK100 SWR analyzer too. >>>>>>>>>>> Things last forever here... >>>>>>>>>>> Scope used on a regular basis.. >>>>>>>>>>> RTL-SDR stick 24/7. >>>>>>>>>>> Digital meters used every day. >>>>>>>>>>> Use my self designed lab power supply every day.. >>>>>>>>>>> What more do you need? >>>>>>>>>>> Learn to use the stuff, understand what's important, and that is it >>>>>>>>>>> When I started in electronics as a kid I did not even _have_ a meter, still stuff worked. >>>>>>>>>>> Build my own scope at some point back then when I somehow got the parts >>>>>>>>>>> Not much pocket mony as a kid. >>>>>>>>>>> UNDERSTAND your systems, what electrons do. >>>>>>>>>>> Showing of with boat anchors may impress people, especially the clueless... >>>>>>>>>>> But it does not help you one bit. >>>>>>>>>>> Anything with an accuracy better than 1 percent in most cases is just >>>>>>>>>>> like apes screaming load trying to impress other apes. >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> Very true about specifically the 1% statement. Sidebar, at an earlier >>>>>>>>>> employment, we needed to equip a new lab. Guys wanted GHz scopes. When >>>>>>>>>> asked if the ever looked at edges faster than 1ns, no one did. >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>It’s true that there are a lot of relatively undemanding jobs in >>>>>>>>>electronics. You can get on fine with a 200-MHz scope if all you’re doing >>>>>>>>>is PIC and Pi and ham radio and analog TV. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>Bull, >>>>>>>>I have been using my Trio 10 MHz dual channel for digital TV too >>>>>>>>see >>>>>>>> https://panteltje.nl/panteltje/raspberry_pi_dvb-s_transmitter/ >>>>>>>>GHz output.. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>Its is about UNDERSTANDING the systems >>>>>>>>You cannot repair a TV set in a short time if you do not UNDERSTAND every part of the circuit and its function, the whole system >>>>>>>>neither with a 10 MHz or with a 10 GHz scope. >>>>>>>>Fault finding had been my job most of the time, sometimes with 'the show must go on' >>>>>>>>or rocket must launch or whatever. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>In an environment a million times more complex than your back-room with boat anchors. >>>>>>>>And always delivered.. unlike some that dropped out or broke down. >>>>>>>>It is indeed about what is between the ears as you mentioned. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>It’s also true that you can often make do with what you have—the most >>>>>>>>>important test instrument is the one between your ears. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>In the before times, doctors were much better with stethoscopes than they >>>>>>>>>are now. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>But I’d sure prefer a cardiologist who could use tomography and ultrasound >>>>>>>>>over the best stethoscope guy. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>Only useful if you can read the screens, these days they train AI to find cancer in the scans..... >>>>>>>>Yes I worked in an Uni hospital too. >>>>>>>>How many people die each year because of medical errors? >>>>>>>> https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/22/medical-errors-third-leading-cause-of-death-in-america.html >>>>>>>>Remember Jim Thompson stating 'they are giving me ... but I had a warning I was not supposed to get that' >>>>>>>>Few days later he was dead. >>>>>>> >>>>>>>Jim had pancreatic cancer, which is notoriously tricky to diagnose due >>>>>>>to the misleading symptoms it gives rise to. >>>>>> >>>>>>He talked constantly about wine. That can kill your pancreas. >>>>>> >>>>>>There are people who drink bottles per day. >>>>> >>>>>Oh yes, he loved his wine alright. As I recall, you sent him several >>>>>cases of the stuff over the years. But no amount of peace offerings >>>>>could placate Jim if he felt you'd disrespected him. Anyway, all >>>>>credit to you for at least trying to heal the rift, even if it came to >>>>>naught. >>>> >>>>I think I sent him two bottles of Frog's Tooth, not cases. >>>> >>>>I get the Frog's Tooth free. The vintner is also our sales rep for >>>>pick+place gear, and he throws in a bottle or a case with every big >>>>order. >>>> >>>>JT was a little touchy at times (never me!) but we didn't actually >>>>have a rift. I think that serious electronics designers always get >>>>along pretty well. Circuit design is a sport that we play. >>>> >>>>I miss JT. He was fun. I often drive on Thompkins Street and it >>>>reminds me of him. >>> >>>I think the passage of time has mellowed your recollections, John. >>>Shortly after he died, you called him a crabby old man! >> >>But he *was* a crabby old man. That's no big deal. He probably would >>have enjoyed the description. He died bravely. >> >>There was >>>something about you he clearly didn't much like. >> >>There was some teasing involved. We got along fine in emails. >> >>No idea why, since >>>you've never come across as anything but well-mannered and helpful as >>>far as I can tell. >> >>I can be crabby too, but that's a common hazard on an unmoderated >>public forum. >> ========== REMAINDER OF ARTICLE TRUNCATED ==========