Re: Spring Cleaning----HP Microwave Seminar... Scan and Post
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Sorry, PM to Santiago regarding CLIP
Santiago, I'm in roaming and have some problems with emails. Please send again
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Re: HP 8640b range switch
I have a bunch of these (I think..) slide switches in my stash from a dismantled pulse generator. If you can send me a picture of the dead one, I can check what I have in stock.
Wilko
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Re: HP 8640b range switch
Thanks Adam.
So a slider again. It should be possible to find them from more dead HP devices.
But difficult now to find cheap ones even "dead".
Renaud
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Re: Switched attenuator issue
You may have fixed your problem in the short term, but I wonder about the long term effect on the N-Butyl rubber rings. They tend to last 10-15 years or more in normal lab environments. Did you inspect the contact pad on the attenuator sections, you might need a microscope (10x?), (particularly on the 10dB pad -smallest pad, near the input). I have seen divots on the pads, dimples on contacts where slight overpowering had caused contact welds transferring material from pad to contact, and anomalies in reading repeatability. I solved this issue with alcohol wetted paper pulled between the contact and pad, a mild abrasive. Then loosening the atten pad, repositioning it slightly so the contact hits a new place on the pad. This cured my issues.
Don Bitters
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Re: HP 8640b range switch
The switch i removed the contacts from was the 8640B slide switch used on the AM/FM modulation slider.? There are some other instruments that use this same contact as well, but do not have the details.? There was a thread about it a few years ago.
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Spring Cleaning----HP Microwave Seminar... Scan and Post
Found these in the process of Spring cleaning.?
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I have all the handouts.? If someone is interested in scanning and posting that would be great.?
If they already exist on the net, please let me know and I will toss...?
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Otherwise, free to whomever, just pay media shipping.?
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Re: 3" disks for 8566A/B, 8568A/B on HP 9000 Series 200 Computers - Any interest in images?
Hello,
You can use the LIF Utils. Latest release 2.0 was in Dec 2024 and it was
tested on Win10 and Win11.
Please read the changes for the 2.0 release.
73,
Razvan
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Show quoted text
On 12/03/2025 17:35, Ulf Kylenfall via groups.io wrote: Hello Forum,
I think I posted this before but no harm in bumping...
Together with an HP8568B, I got a number of 3?-inch disks:
85863-10027 Rev C : 85863A Opt 630 Basic Software Library
08568-10004 Rev A: HP 8568B Spectrum Analyzer Operation Verification
08568-10004 Rev A: BASIC Operation Verification for 8568B
85863-10027 Rev B: 85863A Basic Software Library for 8566A and 8568A Opt
630.
All disks (C) 1984 and two of them marked "For HP 9000 Series 200
Computers with Basic 2.0 or 3.0 O/S
Any interest in images? I do not know if any data remains on them.
If so, How to read and make images on a PC running XP or W7?
Cheers
Ulf Kylenfall
SM6GXV
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Re: Switched attenuator issue
Thanks for the notes on this.? I have had a number of issues with the switched attenuators, particularly in HP8753D, E, and ES units.? In my experience they're bad on about 20-30% of the units which I have come across.? They use the 33321Q.? I have had luck with these just opening them up and cleaning the contacts with alcohol, but I like your Deoxit Gold idea as a protection once they're cleaned up.
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Re: HP 8640b range switch
Adam, I believe that contacts from the slide switches of HP8012B and 8013B would do too but that should be verified. What are the reference of those you found please?
Renaud
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Re: 3" disks for 8566A/B, 8568A/B on HP 9000 Series 200 Computers - Any interest in images?
On Wed, Mar 12, 2025 at 5:35?PM Ulf Kylenfall via groups.io <ulf_r_k@...> wrote:
Hello Forum,
I think I posted this before but no harm in bumping...
Together with an HP8568B, I got a number of 3?-inch disks:
85863-10027 Rev C : 85863A Opt 630 Basic Software Library
08568-10004 Rev A: HP 8568B Spectrum Analyzer Operation Verification
08568-10004 Rev A: BASIC Operation Verification for 8568B
85863-10027 Rev B: 85863A Basic Software Library for 8566A and 8568A Opt 630.
All disks (C) 1984 and two of them marked "For HP 9000 Series 200 Computers with Basic 2.0 or 3.0 O/S
Any interest in images? I do not know if any data remains on them.
If so, How to read and make images on a PC running XP or W7?
I'd recommend a greaseweazle board. It's an USB tool that can directly control a PC floppy disk drive and get a flux-level image of (almost) any disk. HTH Frank IZ8DWF
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Re: 3" disks for 8566A/B, 8568A/B on HP 9000 Series 200 Computers - Any interest in images?
On 3/12/25 12:35, Ulf Kylenfall via groups.io wrote: Hello Forum,
I think I posted this before but no harm in bumping...
Together with an HP8568B, I got a number of 3?-inch disks:
85863-10027 Rev C : 85863A Opt 630 Basic Software Library
08568-10004 Rev A: HP 8568B Spectrum Analyzer Operation Verification
08568-10004 Rev A: BASIC Operation Verification for 8568B
85863-10027 Rev B: 85863A Basic Software Library for 8566A and 8568A Opt 630.
All disks (C) 1984 and two of them marked "For HP 9000 Series 200 Computers with Basic 2.0 or 3.0 O/S
Any interest in images? I do not know if any data remains on them.
If so, How to read and make images on a PC running XP or W7? I'd love to have images of those disks. No clue of how to do it with Windows. I use a GreaseWeazle and/or a PC running DOS (DOS, not "a DOS window", to allow direct disk controller register access) with imaging tools. -Dave -- Dave McGuire, AK4HZ New Kensington, PA
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3" disks for 8566A/B, 8568A/B on HP 9000 Series 200 Computers - Any interest in images?
?
Hello Forum,
?
I think I posted this before but no harm in bumping...
Together with an HP8568B, I got a number of 3?-inch disks:
?
85863-10027 Rev C : 85863A Opt 630 Basic Software Library
08568-10004 Rev A: HP 8568B Spectrum Analyzer Operation Verification
08568-10004 Rev A: BASIC Operation Verification for 8568B
85863-10027 Rev B: 85863A Basic Software Library for 8566A and 8568A Opt 630.
?
All disks (C) 1984 and two of them marked "For HP 9000 Series 200 Computers with Basic 2.0 or 3.0 O/S
?
Any interest in images? I do not know if any data remains on them.
If so, How to read and make images on a PC running XP or W7?
?
Cheers
?
Ulf Kylenfall
SM6GXV
?
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Re: HP 8673D synthesized generator - need replace RF out connector - partial front panel removal suggestions
8673D is making RF and working as expected. No more leveling problems. Fan (after first minute or so) sounds OK.
Remaining problem (which existed before, and I will address in future) is very low output in the 10 MHz - 2 GHz range (which uses the lower section.) This problem has existed for the time I've had the unit, and I haven't wanted to tackle repair (as I also have HP 8660 series generator and nowadays a TinySA can reasonably suffice).
Now that I have experience with the unit's (partial) disassembly (and some tools to help move the literal boat anchor around in the workshop), I'll revisit the 10 MHz - 2 GHz issue at some point and report on that adventure.
Thanks for the bandwidth!
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Re: HP 8640b range switch
Mark,? i found some spare HP switches on ebay that used those same contacts.? I cut them out and epoxied to my range wheels.? Loctite makes a clear 2 part plastic bonder that works very well and because its clear, is not very noticeable installed.
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-A
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Re: HP 8673D synthesized generator - need replace RF out connector - partial front panel removal suggestions
Successfully swapped the front panel connector (it's replacement was a used pull.) The main challenge is that the front panel PC board comes fairly close to the back side of the front panel connector, making it a little difficult to get a decent grip on the rear nut. Turns out a 1/4" drive, 1/2" thin wall hex socket on a 1/4" screwdriver-style socket driver handle was sufficient once the front panel assembly was rotated sufficiently around to accommodate the handle.
Now begins reassembly (reverse of disassembly, as the HP manual says.....) - the only steps that should take any special care are getting the top-to-bottom semirigid lines (2) back into position, and avoiding trapping any of the top/bottom section interconnect wires while bringing the two halves back together.
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Re: HP 8673D synthesized generator - need replace RF out connector - partial front panel removal suggestions
Decided "go for broke" --- gently lowered the unit onto the table in front of the shelving where it lives (and onto a piece of carpet material), turned it on it's side (3.5mm front panel connector towards bottom - a better choice would have been 3.5mm front panel connector towards top), and continued fastener removal (in many small labeled bags!)
Got to the point where the two halves are split, but not physically separated.
There are numerous wires (towards the front only) connecting the two halves; only two are UT141-type semi-rigid line (RF to and from the lower unit, I believe.) There appears to be enough slack in the wires (except for the two UT141-type semi-rigid lines) to allow about 100mm of separation without unplugging or unsoldering wires (which represents most of the steps involved in separating the two units by service manual.)
Getting to this stage required removing fasteners along the left and right sides that appeared likely to hold the front panel of the upper section in place, as well as fasteners along the sides that join the two halves. The (diagonal, right side) upper fastener at the front was partly obstructed by a U shaped aluminum section (about 5mm radius). I used small diagonal cutters to chew away some of that until I could remove the fastener. The material turns out to be part of the internal cover that isolates the two units, except for an open area near the center/front. I do not think my small cutting will cause problem.
At this point, the front panel of the upper section would still not separate from the body. Along the back of the unit (between the two units) was a span of thin metal (like top and bottom covers, same type of finish, decorative style) with two screws; I removed that piece (exposing the gap between the two units at the rear), and with this, the two units began to move independently, so I focused back to the front panel separation.
On the next step, I removed the decorative trim from the top of the upper front panel (thin screwdriver to pry away the plastic trim piece); under there were three more fasteners that I removed. Once these were removed, the front panel showed some more possibility of independent movement but still was stuck in position.
At this point (with the rear mid-point cover removed and the two units beginning to move independently), I began separating the two units, but discovered that the two semi-rigid (UT141) hardlines connecting the two halves was preventing much movement. I removed the 3.5mm male connectors from the upper unit termination (one of the two switches alongside the output attenuator). This required temporarily removing one end of two of the local (terminating both ends between the two switches) UT141 hardlines so that I could get better access to one of the two top-to-bottom hardline connectors. Once both of those connectors were removed from their switches (on the top side; no attention to the bottom side of the two cables), I was able separate further the two units (requiring careful steps to navigate the two now-free male hardline connectors.) Although I took some pictures, I will consult the service manual during re-assembly because it is possible to reverse the two top-to-bottom UT141 hardlines.
Once the two halves were separated enough to allow access to the bottom front of the upper section, I found no decorative trim, but three more fasteners of the same type, which I removed. I also saw several threaded (like machine screw end) visible along the same bottom front area, but fortunately these do not impede separation.
At this point the front panel assembly can move freely (still constrained by numerous wires) from the upper unit body, maybe 50mm clearance possible for access to the failed connector through what would be the bottom and side of the unit nearest the connector. The attachment of the internal connector is a simple hex nut, like used on old style potentiometers.
I believe (tomorrow, hopefully) I will be able replace the 3.5mm male connector from the front panel (remove both ends of the UT141 hardline connecting to the output attenuator.
Two photos are attached, one of the partially separated units, and other close-up of the 3.5mm-type switch connectors that are temporarily removed.
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Re: HP 8673D synthesized generator - need replace RF out connector - partial front panel removal suggestions
(Yves - I now see from the picture - you were able restore operation by adding component to the existing connector? In my case, the internals of the connector are damaged so my attempt to add component was not successful - very poor RF path resulted. Sorry for the mis-understanding.)
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Re: HP 8673D synthesized generator - need replace RF out connector - partial front panel removal suggestions
Thank you, Yves - I appreciate your information and agree that the unit is very nice tool (although very heavy!). Fortunately, this unit appears to still work internally, as the problem of leveling/output seems isolated to the periphery of the system, not the internals.
I do not directly see the need to separate the assemblies, provided that I can physically move the upper unit front panel forward slightly to gain access (working inside the gap between the bottom of the relocated upper unit, and the fixed lower unit, it seems access to the mounting nut for the connector should be accessible.
Do you remember what path you followed to reach the connector nut behind the upper unit front panel?
Thank you again!
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Re: HP 8673D synthesized generator - need replace RF out connector - partial front panel removal suggestions
Hi Dave,
I own an 8673D and I'm very satisfied with this generator; it performs quite
well.
I was able to get it back in exchange for another working instrument,
however, this 8673D was considered DEAD.
After several repairs and... several weeks later, I was facing the same
problem as you: separating the two stages to gain access to the 3.5mm
connector I wanted to replace.
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to separate them.
Let's just say I didn't try too hard, but I still removed or freed all the
cables and semi-rigid cables connecting them, and I couldn't find a way to
separate the two front panels.
I thought it was the central screws that were blocking everything.
But according to the procedure you attached, it seems the central screws
weren't involved in the disassembly.
So, I don't know what was preventing the separation.
All the metal support clips were removed.
In my case, it was the external part of the 3.5mm connector that was
slightly damaged.
I had corrected the connector with an exacto, but it was by installing a
3.5mm connector extension that I resolved the problem.
This 3.5mm connector came from a defective (non-repairable) module that
fitted an 83480A.
Since then, it has remained stable and meets specifications.
If you ever find the correct procedure, I would be interested to know it.
Yves
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Dave McGuire
