Path: ...!eternal-september.org!feeder3.eternal-september.org!news.eternal-september.org!.POSTED!not-for-mail From: Cursitor Doom Newsgroups: sci.electronics.design,sci.electronics.repair Subject: Re: Favourite Test Equipment Date: Sun, 07 Apr 2024 18:23:38 +0100 Organization: A noiseless patient Spider Lines: 199 Message-ID: <38l51j1m5k6a0um64bpiblu91omekn5cu8@4ax.com> References: <9k7j0jlnbhs8qfg5m17pium0835meean83@4ax.com> <7r901j139ac3124qmpu7gcthadb9ura30g@4ax.com> <2ii51jlfc7bi57h2p1vbhfaqcfbakm0qim@4ax.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Injection-Date: Sun, 07 Apr 2024 17:23:40 +0200 (CEST) Injection-Info: dont-email.me; posting-host="047d140331540669533227d2fbe449a7"; logging-data="3063571"; mail-complaints-to="abuse@eternal-september.org"; posting-account="U2FsdGVkX19Nj9kF+TPqJZCTrK712vXoISU1fq87YX0=" User-Agent: ForteAgent/8.00.32.1272 Cancel-Lock: sha1:KvqJQvak2yzITxG4DCAFUJ+44pA= Bytes: 11234 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. > >>Jim gave me a hell of a rough time when I first arrived here back in >>'96. He didn't suffer fools gladly and boy did he let me know when he >>believed I was one. But that did me a huge favour. He did have a point >>inasmuch as my fundamental electronics knowledge needed a lot of >>remedial attention. So he forced me to sit down and go back through >>all the stuff I should have known before I came here and I became much >>better for it. And when I finally did, he praised me for it. Praise ========== REMAINDER OF ARTICLE TRUNCATED ==========