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So I guess this was made impossible to repair on purpose since there is no schematic or anything available for it?
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This should give you enough information to trace the signal to the mixer
https://youtu.be/ypqJMcVC-z8?t=1483
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Designer of the tinySA
For more info go to
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Thanks but that video is for the tiny SA ultra, not like mine.?
This should give you enough information to trace the signal to the mixer
--
Designer of the tinySA
For more info go to
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If there is no schematic, no block diagram, no physical layout, how do the cloners manage?
We should be thankful Eric has given hamdom (and the schools and professionals) such a capable instrument rather than complaining.? If you broke it and don't have the resources to repair it, the price isn't that great to prevent you from ordering another. ? The design is "relatively" straightforward with the exception of the embedded firmware.? Any reasonably competent ham should be able to trace things out based on the signal flow.?
Dave - W?LEV
So I guess this was made impossible to repair on purpose since there is no schematic or anything available for it?
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Ah, the tinySA Basic is even simpler.
Just follow the block diagram as can be found on the wiki:
I found it by googling for "tinysa block diagram"
--
Designer of the tinySA
For more info go to
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If this were a more mainstream product like a John Deere tractor the Right To Repair people would be all over it!? LOL
Ah, the tinySA Basic is even simpler.
Just follow the block diagram as can be found on the wiki:
I found it by googling for "tinysa block diagram"
--
Designer of the tinySA
For more info go to
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Not so, Steve.? Can you get a schematic or block diagram and instructions to repair your cell phone?? Only to a very limited extent from hackers who have figured it out.? It is very common in mainstream devices for vendors to keep their designs secret to avoid illegal clones?
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More specific to the hooby try to get a schematic for products produced by a company such as DX Engineering. Once it is released it would be cloned by the Chinese.
Mike N2MS
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On 10/18/2024 11:07 AM EDT Stan Dye <standye@...> wrote:
Not so, Steve. Can you get a schematic or block diagram and instructions to repair your cell phone? Only to a very limited extent from hackers who have figured it out. It is very common in mainstream devices for vendors to keep their designs secret to avoid illegal clones
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or MFJ, where no one would want to clone it. :-)
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On 18/10/2024 16:25, Mike N2MS via groups.io wrote: More specific to the hooby try to get a schematic for products produced by a company such as DX Engineering. Once it is released it would be cloned by the Chinese.
Mike N2MS
On 10/18/2024 11:07 AM EDT Stan Dye <standye@...> wrote:
Not so, Steve. Can you get a schematic or block diagram and instructions to repair your cell phone? Only to a very limited extent from hackers who have figured it out. It is very common in mainstream devices for vendors to keep their designs secret to avoid illegal clones
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MFJ did introduce inovation products such as the Antenna Analyzer. Monitoring Times had an interview with Martin Jue. He mentioned that the low cost product line market line was copied and taken over by the Chinese and he could not compete. They quality of the products improved when they went from hand soldering to wave soldering.
I will miss the MFJ tuners. I once had technical questions and excahnged emails with who I assumed was the designer. He was quite clever.
Mike N2MS
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On 10/18/2024 11:29 AM EDT mike <pencoys@...> wrote:
or MFJ, where no one would want to clone it. :-)
On 18/10/2024 16:25, Mike N2MS via groups.io wrote:
More specific to the hooby try to get a schematic for products produced by a company such as DX Engineering. Once it is released it would be cloned by the Chinese.
Mike N2MS
On 10/18/2024 11:07 AM EDT Stan Dye <standye@...> wrote:
Not so, Steve. Can you get a schematic or block diagram and instructions to repair your cell phone? Only to a very limited extent from hackers who have figured it out. It is very common in mainstream devices for vendors to keep their designs secret to avoid illegal clones
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From a Tek Scopes groups forum:
The 492 appeared in the 1982 Tek catalog
at $21,300. The 492P (GPIB Programmable) appeared in the
same catalog for $27,500.
I have a 492 (on my to-be-repaired list).? It came with full
schematics, and was cost effective to repair.? I don't think any
real engineering firm or even advanced hobbyist will be spending
even an hour repairing the tinySA devices.?? The world has changed.?
What are the most common failure modes ?? If it is too large a
signal at the input, insufficient attenuation, I wonder if some
external protective sacrificial circuit could be used.? I don't know
enough to make a real suggestion, but how about the BUF802.
Then, I would 'leak' the schematic and someone in China would make
it and sell it for $6.95 on Aliexpress.?
There is probably some reason that is a bad suggestion.
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It's called an attenuator, and it has been discussed almost constantly on this and other forums.
?
Given that the TinySA and NanoVNA have been pirated so much, I'd say it was sensible not to publish circuits.
?
But if you have the required skills to fix it, then you will probably be able to figure out what has blown pretty quickly. Just trace the signal path, and figure out where it stops.
?
I volunteer in a local "Repair Cafe", and circuits or service handbooks are usually not available for most of the domestic stuff that comes in through the door. It's a throw-away society, but we still manage to fix the vast majority of items.
?
Regards,
?
Martin
?
On Fri, Oct 18, 2024 at 03:48 PM, rich wrote:
I wonder if some external protective sacrificial circuit could be used.
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Steve, .
I own the TinySA. and it was failing the step three or whatever procedure. i also found i was not doing the self test procedure correctly. the main menu is small and i was hitting the wrong stuff on the screen, even with stylus. I have parkinsons so its more difficult for me.
I was getting a failure every test attempt. then i connected one of the cables with both connectors to both ends. it works. Dont fret. just something simple probably. I thought i would have to dig out my signal generator and scope but it was just the settings on the menu that were causing it.
73 David ac9xh
On Friday, October 18, 2024 at 10:29:55 AM CDT, mike <pencoys@...> wrote:
or MFJ, where no one would want to clone it. :-)
On 18/10/2024 16:25, Mike N2MS via groups.io wrote: > More specific to the hooby try to get a schematic for products produced by a company such as DX Engineering. Once it is released it would be cloned by the Chinese. > > Mike N2MS > >> On 10/18/2024 11:07 AM EDT Stan Dye < standye@...> wrote: >> >> >> Not so, Steve. Can you get a schematic or block diagram and instructions to repair your cell phone? Only to a very limited extent from hackers who have figured it out. It is very common in mainstream devices for vendors to keep their designs secret to avoid illegal clones > > > >
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Rich,
?
Sounds good to me. If TinySA would put into the front end a switchable attenuator in the antenna path, you would have loads of units saved from like you stated, overloaded front end. and such. it would attenuate the high level signals that a tech might forget to attenuate with an inline attenuator.
?
It would also protect the unit in some small way from static dicharges sine the attenuator will lessen the discharge in a small way too. it could be added by a simple 3 to 4 position switch or push button. 0 attenuation, 1/3 attenuation,1/2 attenuation,75 percent attenuation.
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Or a mini pot mounted so you can vary the attenuation. doesnt even have to have asoftware update. this would be a mechanical add=on which the user can set the attenuation manually and the TinySa will reflect this in a weaker signal display. Im going to buy another one to use just as a signal generator and use the other TinySa to measure the base signals .
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Anyway ,i love em, they are agravating, and if i could i would throw the small screen away and runit to a 5 or 7 inch screen and put everything into a new cabinet. HMMMMMM might have to see if this is possible.HI HI
?
73
David
ac9xh
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Steve,
?
old school way if you dont have a scope, and such, use the scratch test. uninsulated paperclip or whatever small enough to introduce random noise into the circuit. you can actually use the tinySA display as a scope. watch the screen as you touch stuff with the blade, paperclip end etc as you keep it in your hands. of course make sure ur wrists are using anti static straps. dont have any, wrap some solder around ur wrist and run a test lead from the wrist with solder to the ground point you usually use to protect static sensitive chips and such. when you start ,not at the antenna but from the inputs to the display, work backwards. when you dont see any more change, u probably found the bad section. if you have a signal generator, attenuate it and as you move backwards sloooowwly decrease the attenuation if needed.that way you will verify all the heavy acting circuits going back towards the antenna input.
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More than likely an smd transistor or fet. Lots of? transceiver kits wind up with this problem. being overloaded on the front end at field day or an op amp chip.
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just my hillbilly way of troubleshooting without a scope.
?
73
David
ac9xh
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OK....? I've resisted hitting the keyboard with the following frustration:
The newbies want everything handed to them on a velvet pillow.? When it isn't there, they just complain. ??
Think for yourself.? Reason based on knowledge, not hearsay and opinions of others.? Learn what is needed for the tasks at hand.? Don't be afraid of a bit a algebra (or even simple arithmetic.? Be open minded.? Learn how to apply the gained knowledge.? Dig behind the simple answer to a question.? Be curious.? Ask intelligent questions and expect a bit of background.? Learn to use the Internet search engines.? Stay away from YouToob.?? . . . .? on and on and on and on.......
Sorry, but I couldn't resist any longer.
Dave - W?LEV?
On Fri, Oct 18, 2024 at 5:10?PM Martin via <martin_ehrenfried= [email protected]> wrote: It's called an attenuator, and it has been discussed almost constantly on this and other forums.
?
Given that the TinySA and NanoVNA have been pirated so much, I'd say it was sensible not to publish circuits.
?
But if you have the required skills to fix it, then you will probably be able to figure out what has blown pretty quickly. Just trace the signal path, and figure out where it stops.
?
I volunteer in a local "Repair Cafe", and circuits or service handbooks are usually not available for most of the domestic stuff that comes in through the door. It's a throw-away society, but we still manage to fix the vast majority of items.
?
Regards,
?
Martin
?
On Fri, Oct 18, 2024 at 03:48 PM, rich wrote:
I wonder if some external protective sacrificial circuit could be used.
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Hi Dave, Thank you for your post. I'm sure there are many of us who bit their lips, myself included, every day, at remarking how LAZY some people have gotten in doing their own resurch and work. They have to be told what book, page sentence, and word to start with. Then they have to be told what they just read and what it means. Then what the meaning ment! If that upsets any one, GREAT!!? Again, thank you for post.
Stay safe and healthy, 73's? Clyde KC7BJE?
OK....? I've resisted hitting the keyboard with the following frustration:
The newbies want everything handed to them on a velvet pillow.? When it isn't there, they just complain. ??
Think for yourself.? Reason based on knowledge, not hearsay and opinions of others.? Learn what is needed for the tasks at hand.? Don't be afraid of a bit a algebra (or even simple arithmetic.? Be open minded.? Learn how to apply the gained knowledge.? Dig behind the simple answer to a question.? Be curious.? Ask intelligent questions and expect a bit of background.? Learn to use the Internet search engines.? Stay away from YouToob.?? . . . .? on and on and on and on.......
Sorry, but I couldn't resist any longer.
Dave - W?LEV?
On Fri, Oct 18, 2024 at 5:10?PM Martin via <martin_ehrenfried= [email protected]> wrote: It's called an attenuator, and it has been discussed almost constantly on this and other forums.
?
Given that the TinySA and NanoVNA have been pirated so much, I'd say it was sensible not to publish circuits.
?
But if you have the required skills to fix it, then you will probably be able to figure out what has blown pretty quickly. Just trace the signal path, and figure out where it stops.
?
I volunteer in a local "Repair Cafe", and circuits or service handbooks are usually not available for most of the domestic stuff that comes in through the door. It's a throw-away society, but we still manage to fix the vast majority of items.
?
Regards,
?
Martin
?
On Fri, Oct 18, 2024 at 03:48 PM, rich wrote:
I wonder if some external protective sacrificial circuit could be used.
--
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?
If stay away from YouToob
Then stay away from books?
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Cull the herd?
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For a one that was never blessed with a stellar intellect, I find that my limited ability to think in? a critical manner has found "da Toob" to be more valuable,
on many occasions, than the printed erudite pontification of others.
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Why not respond to questions, as Eric does; provide a cogent answer and reference, or not, and move on without disparaging comments on speculated reasons for a question?
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No Bright Enough,
???????????????????????????? Pete/wa4hei
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Thanks for all the feedback.
Topic closed
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Designer of the tinySA
For more info go to
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mike
Clyde Lambert