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Re: I upgraded from my 8566A...

 

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Enjoy!

My big holiday project is to buy a GPIB card and write (or download) python code to drive my 8566A and 8350B sweeper to act like a scalar network analyzer.? ?We do something similar at work, where the spectrum? analyzer sweeps over a narrow band several channels wide and fills in the sweep eventually because we put it in Max Hold mode.? Probably can do the same thing with the sweeper asynchronous to the spec an.

Wish me luck!



Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone

-------- Original message --------
Date: 12/24/19 7:21 PM (GMT-08:00)
Subject: Re: [HP-Agilent-Keysight-equipment] I upgraded from my 8566A...

On Tue, Dec 24, 2019 at 06:37 PM, Jim Ford wrote:
Lucky You! Merry Christmas indeed!
?
Jim Ford?
Thanks Jim!

I'm just all kinds of tickled. Merry Christmas everyone!!

Sean

Re: 8566B Programming

 

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I've programmed several HP/Agilent instruments using Visual Studio/VB.NET? and the Agilent IO libraries.? Not as nice in some respects as good old Rocky Mountain Basic, but you DO have a lot more of the "modern" tools.? I've gotten used to it.? I also tend to save snippets of stuff I've already done so I can modify it for new projects rather than start from scratch each time (like I could do with RMB!)

Daun

Daun E. Yeagley II, N8ASB
On 12/24/2019 10:27 PM, [email protected] wrote:

I was wondering if anyone has attempted to do the programming on a modern computer? HP specifically calls out the 9000 series computers as the companions for the SAs. Naturally, vintage computing is a lot of fun as well, but getting something that works can be a chore.

Thanks,

Sean

8566B Programming

 

I was wondering if anyone has attempted to do the programming on a modern computer? HP specifically calls out the 9000 series computers as the companions for the SAs. Naturally, vintage computing is a lot of fun as well, but getting something that works can be a chore.

Thanks,

Sean
Re: I upgraded from my 8566A...

 

On Tue, Dec 24, 2019 at 06:37 PM, Jim Ford wrote:
Lucky You! Merry Christmas indeed!
?
Jim Ford?
Thanks Jim!

I'm just all kinds of tickled. Merry Christmas everyone!!

Sean
HP 5343A power supply question

 

Is there any unusual rationale as to why HP designed such an exotic power supply for the 5343A counter (and I believe 5342A as well)?? The only basis I can think of is the age of the instrument and that switchers were somewhat in their infancy in those days.

?

Greg
Re: I upgraded from my 8566A...

 

¿ªÔÆÌåÓý

Lucky You! Merry Christmas indeed!

Jim Ford?



Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone

-------- Original message --------
Date: 12/24/19 3:32 PM (GMT-08:00)
Subject: [HP-Agilent-Keysight-equipment] I upgraded from my 8566A...

...to a brand spanking new old stock 8566B. To say I'm excited is an understatement. It's perfect. No scuffs, scraps, dings, or dents. And it has everything. The pull out cards, manuals, application notes, pocket quick ref, verification software diskette.

Album here

Sean

I upgraded from my 8566A...

 

...to a brand spanking new old stock 8566B. To say I'm excited is an understatement. It's perfect. No scuffs, scraps, dings, or dents. And it has everything. The pull out cards, manuals, application notes, pocket quick ref, verification software diskette.

Album here

Sean
Agilent DSO-5012 "User Cal Failure"

 

HI All..

I just obtained an Agilent DSO-5012 which I thought would be a great scope for getting familiar with the use of Digital Scopes. I understand the principles of sampling etc., so that is not an issue.

The scope seems to so far work correctly, the time base and voltage reading for the two channels are correct.

?

There is a User Cal function when initiated, that almost immediately stops. Message indicates it should take 7 minutes.

When I received the unit, the User Cal Status indicated ¡°Failure: Digitizer, failed,? int for talon cal, setup chan1¡±. ¡°Comments: PANTHERT8¡±

The same is indicated after I initiated the User Cal following all the directions for required cable connections etc.

?

I use to repair test systems, test equipment as part of my carrier and would like to tackle this but of course there is no real information available from Keysight/Agilent, aside from the limited Service Manual.

?

Does anyone out there have any information that may help me figure out the failure path?

?

°Õ³ó²¹²Ô°ì²õ¡­¡­..

John
Re: HP Agilent 34330a current shunt

 

I did specifically suggest a standard 50mV 50A (north american) or 60mV 60A (European) shunt as they hav the same 1mv/A scalling as the 34330A.

It's not too much trouble to put one in a small plastic box Panel mount plugs e.g Cinch . Mouser 530-108-0750-1, are available so you can make it direct plug-in of you like. To be honest it's probably better to use all binding posts so the shunt can be close to the high current circuit.? I have a Fluke 80J-10 and while physically similar to the 34330A it's 10mV/A output and lower accuracy reflect it's intended? application for 31/2 digit meters.

Robert G8RPI.
Re: HP Agilent 34330a current shunt

 

Fluke makes a similar shunt rated at 20A for a minute: 80J-10 FLUKE 10A 100mV SHUNT
Re: HP Agilent 34330a current shunt

 

Speaking of buying it new, I found it at Mouser priced at $101 which for me is one of my most trusted and reliable parts suppliers.



So this obviously confirms that the current ebay prices are absolutely ridiculous for a used and undocumented unit, specially the ones currently being offered from China at two to 3 times the Mouser price.
Re: new VXI board ejector handles

 

Thats a very handy thing to know, Dave.
Thanks for posting. I need a few of them so Ill make up an order after Christmas.

A very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to All

Pete
G4GJL
new VXI board ejector handles

 

Hey folks. Since I went to a bit of trouble to identify these and
took the risk on purchasing some to test for compatibility, I figured
I'd share this with the group in case anyone else needs some, for the
benefit of the archives.

The ejector handles on VXI boards are often broken by ham-handed
grunts in the surplus business. I'm talking about the
earlier-generation little black plastic ones, not the current big metal
arm style ones. VXI being an extention of VME, these are the same for
some types of VME boards as well.

They are Schroff part number 20817-330, and Newark Electronics
currently has them in stock for $5.28/ea. The package includes the
plastic handle, the metal bushing, the metal board attachment bracket,
and a blank aluminum ID plate.




I just installed one of these and it is a perfect match.

-Dave

--
Dave McGuire, AK4HZ
New Kensington, PA
Re: Wanted: HP 3458a DVM in non-working condition

 

George,

Thank you again for your detailed answers.

On the subject of a voltage reference upgrade, I do have a couple new LM399s laying around that could potentially be a drop-in vref replacement, I¡¯m sure I could find adequate voltage rails inside the 3468A for the heater, and the battery life wouldn¡¯t be too much reduced, but I don¡¯t have the time to properly age a voltage reference nor the equipment to properly recalibrate the meter after (my university research is in SMPS design; not exactly the most demanding of single digit ppm accuracy). This will be a nice project for when I have time to do it, as it should in theory give it most of the stability of a 6.5 digit DMM. I just hope the thermal gradients from the heat given off by the LM399 won¡¯t cause thermocouple effects within the meter that can¡¯t be nulled out.

The 40 k Vishay resistor seems mighty expensive, but I understand precision isn¡¯t cheap. Definitely a worthwhile upgrade once I find a way to properly calibrate the resistance ranges.

You¡¯ve got me curious; how exactly would I ¡°cheat¡± the meter into the locked out ranges? I¡¯m okay with installing switches or signal relays to add these functions to my meter, and I can just move the decimal point in my head. I currently am playing with various homemade thermocouples, so a 30 mV range would definitely help better measure them. In addition, a 30 ohm range would make roughly characterizing super low Ron power transistors less cumbersome.

Thank you for your explanation of the 0.3 and 3 V range high Z upward drift. I¡¯ll try measuring it with an LCR meter and a stopwatch.

Sincerely,
Dennis Chertkovsky
dchertkovsky@...
Re: HP Agilent 34330a current shunt

 

On Fri, Dec 20, 2019 at 10:31 AM Alex <hpagilentgroup@...> wrote:
But given the ebay price range for a 34330A being at $130-$300,

I went to look at the new price od these, and I find that Newark will sell me a new one at anywhere?from CAD 130 through >CAD 400 (). The price difference is all in the level of calibration and documentation you get with the shunt.
I'm not sure that the calibration shipped with a used shunt of otherwise unknown history is much good for anything?
Re: Wanted: HP 3458a DVM in non-working condition

 

A parts unit just sold for $3250! The serial number is old, 9918. (Item #402001351594)
One plus is that the error flag is not on, but that can be cleared and have it look like it has no errors.

Victor
Re: HP Agilent 34330a current shunt

 

Thank you everyone for their input, specially to Yves.

Yes a cheap shunt will give you a current reading as well as anything else but it needs to be wired into the circuit, requires some conversion math unless used with the properly calibrated meter to go with it, and they are not always ideally suited as the resistance element is plainly exposed, let alone if of dubious far east quality. So in my opinion in practical terms these shunts are better relegated to fixed service operation where they will stay in one place for good.

My interest in the HP 34330A shunt is because its an elegant, efficient and easy solution for those occasions where one just needs to quickly measure a current just a bit above the usual limits of a portable DMM, which I think was the concept to begin with.

I'm placing a watch on ebay limited to a reasonable price limit, and see what eventually comes up. I am in no hurry, so time is not an issue.

Thanks again.
Re: Wanted: HP 3458a DVM in non-working condition

 

Siggi,
You are correct.? The Ohms current source and protection that I developed has never been improved upon.? It has been incorporated in every instrument since the 3468A/78A.? ?It is robust, simple with low parts count and very close to an ideal current source as you may ever find.? The dymanic Norton/Thevenin output impedance is greater than 10^15 ohms and can be made even larger with appropriate choice of Op-Amp that bootstraps the output FET and a few other component changes.? Such an output impedance cannot be maintained when integrated into an instrument.? The equivalent output impedance is degraded by moving the current from the ohms converter thru relays and the input terminals of the instrument not to mention all the nodes that touch the PCB that add unintended parasitic shunt impedances.

Thank you all for getting me to think about these issues again.? This has inspired me to make a huge effort to finish my design tutorial so others can leverage off the years of blood, sweat, and tears I "suffered" to get to where I am today in designing instrument analog front ends.

Wish you all a productive new year in 2020

George Hnatiuk. PE
Re: Wanted: HP 3458a DVM in non-working condition

 

On Sat, Dec 21, 2019 at 12:31 PM ghnatiuk@... <ghnatiuk@...> wrote:

The most challenging aspect of the analog design for me was the overvoltage and? ESD protection of the Ohms converter current source using a minimum of CHEAP off-the-shelf parts.? I spent many months on this design which I will go through in detail in my DMM video tutorial.? ?Some of the design is quite clever in my opinion - (could it be anything else - LOL)

I remember admiring the Ohms current source protection in the 34401A, looks like it derives directly from the 3468A design.
Re: HP Agilent 34330a current shunt

 

Just from the photos those cheap ebay shunts are poor quality.
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