Test Equipment Anonymous

Thanks for that. I'll look into it. I was aware someone had brass gears made a few years back, and for a time sold them on ebay. They were $200 as I recall. When the HP 8640A began to play up because of the disintegrating gears, I bought a Marconi 2019 from Stewart of Reading and I like the push bu...

I decided that rather than reverse engineering and dinking around with the charging circuit that I'd just get some 1/3 AAA NiCd cells and make up a replacement battery assembly. Ordered them on the 15th; hoping they get here some time this week. Dismantled battery compared to AAA cell: https://photo...

You lucky thing. Looks like a very nice piece of kit, if rather large. My E4420B (2GHz) generator is a little bit smaller, being only 3U high, but makes up for it by being very deep. Thanks! Yeah, it's definitely a big honker - about 81 lbs/37 kg and 24"/610 mm deep. I felt bad for the poor UP...

Yeah, I need to open it up and dig further into the charging circuitry - the original battery was a NiCd, and I searched on the part number (N-50SB3), and that's the one that came up from Battery Mart as a replacement. https://photos.smugmug.com/Electronics/HP-8664A-Synthesized-Signal-Generator/i-tm...

Took a chance on a pig-in-a-poke on the Bay of Evil and snagged an 8664A 0.1~3000 MHz signal generator about two weeks ago. Incoming inspection is of course a requirement: https://photos.smugmug.com/Electronics/HP-8664A-Synthesized-Signal-Generator/i-KKGw4QK/0/NDJbNQ5SdPmqxM8Zfq9Fs2Hbd6NzSDSmXXzW7kp...

Huh. Pretty much every one of my HP supplies , single or dual, has an earth terminal (though as you might guess, the newest one is likely still at least 30 years old...)

-Pat

Schottky:

It's sleeting here now.

-Pat

:lol: Time to add an extension or two? https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2F736x%2F4b%2F6e%2F92%2F4b6e92a90b3f831b3987a9941a201712.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=810596a0623b47699a514b8b78b432efa2609dd937f9ec58505d13a9fc641350 I think putting ANY vintage test g...

:lol: :lol: :lol: He's definitely got a crazy set of whiskers! https://photos.smugmug.com/Animals/2601-18-Felines/i-fg83PtP/0/KwcbvMz5CsBcvx3JV7hQ7XMkt2mM3Nx3V49DqCD7j/X2/26_02-09%20Marconi%2002-X2.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Animals/2601-18-Felines/i-3wzZ5KS/0/KV8t4mbckGzTD53NtFXsmKvSpS8wFjC8sbz...

Marconi: https://photos.smugmug.com/Animals/2601-18-Felines/i-b8QG6S7/0/LG68Q5r5dKJqrt3Tm66BZJXbWPFhVbDQH6h3PH66t/X2/26_01-15%20Marconi%2020-X2.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Animals/2601-18-Felines/i-fSRwwSR/0/LBr4x6jkhDQJt3Sn38cfznqZt95mS7H824hWhdL3G/X2/26_01-15%20Marconi%2022-X2.jpg https://photo...

<snip> I have lots of Q-Max punches, but did I have a 62.5mm punch? No. I clamped the 1/8" additional top plate to lathe face plate and bored it to 62.5mm for the meter. Fits nicely. Sounds like you need N+1 Q-max punches, specifically one in 62.5mm Ø... ;) :twisted: :twisted: -Pat

There are so many sketchy channels these days. I open them in a new window, and look at comments to see if anyone has immediately called them out; if not watch for a while to see how sketchy it actually is. More often than not, I find myself downvoting it, then going back to the original window and ...

Yeah, I'm keeping an eye out for such things. The zig-zag effect reminds me of this style of staircase. Nice looking design, so hip the designer's bum fell off - and your's probably will if you try to descend. https://cdn.trendir.com/wp-content/uploads/old/archives/2015/10/11/unusual-stairs-floatin...

HP used analog meters in the LSDs of the 524B (still in the repair queue): https://photos.smugmug.com/Electronics/HP-524B-Electronic-Counter/i-4dcnSZK/0/KVmG6VmqkhtpdNJsK9Rdh9PWSkXRwrdX73NnGrjKK/X2/HP%20524B%20Counter%20front-X2.jpg And the 5210A Frequency Meter was totally analog. (This one doesn't...

And how about the vertical decimal displays (I've heard them referred to as 'pinball' displays)?
The LSD's decoder has some issues - you can see a few of the neons lighting simultaneously as it counts up...

-Pat

I have a Numitron timer (only pic I could readily find of it), but have thus far not come across Minitrons.



-Pat

Ahh, but do you have any stacked lucite plate displays?
-Pat

Mike, the snowblower does in fact have a Tecumseh Snow King engine, but I apparently ran it dry last time I used it - pulled the float bowl off and it was bone dry and clean, and the jet was pristine. Added some gas and it fired on the first pull without even the need for any Start, Ya Bastard! (I R...

Yeah, I have two perches and three beds with low wattage (4 W) heating elements in them - they're popular this time of year!

Faraday observing the snowfall earlier today from his heated perch:

13" here at the moment. https://photos.smugmug.com/Weather/Snow--Jan-2026/i-4mddB74/0/K4pHZc5ztmg3RTTLf56wFZzb3LhRkQ7J824p9gzWL/X2/IMG_6428-X2.jpg Just got home a few minutes ago from a 2-1/2 hr round trip to get my friend's wife from work because a tire on his truck has decided to start going ...

He and Schottky really are damned near twins

(This one makes my back ache!)

-Pat

Coming down at a good clip here, and it's been steady at about 4~6° F (~-15° C) for at least the past twelve hours. Looks like at least 4"/100mm have come down so far. https://photos.smugmug.com/Weather/Snow--Jan-2026/i-b5xWzjQ/0/M2dJvGbj7854zMHCCszNh7QBL5gMDcs27SGgNGV32/X2/IMG_6413-X2.jpg http...