Metalwork - Lathe and Mill topics

Sunday, 22 October 2023

Re: [Amateur-repairs] SETTING UP A TEST BENCH

Hi

Equally endorse the tinySA. Use mine regularly when I fix or build stuff. It's partner the nanoVNA is great for filters and antennas but I don't use it as much as the tinySA

Other useful stuff:

Good DMM
elCheapo multimeter with a dial and a needle. If you're looking for a rise or fall in some parameter nothing beats that.

Power supply where you can set a current limit. Plenty of these on the web.
If your budget will run to it get a PSU with buttons and memories. Stops that accidental spinning of the volts knob or putting 12V into a 5V circuit.

Soldering iron and rework station.

Decent function generator - plenty of choice on the web these days.
For receiver tests it's very useful to have an RF signal generator with defined outputs. I bought an Elecraft XG3 years ago. Bit pricy but worth it in those respects.

Decent scope.
My next purchase.
I've been using a Fluke99 ScopeMeter which is good at what it does up to 50MHz. In practice the scope is good up to about 15 MHz. The DMM side is great though so there will always be a place for it.

Power meter and dummy load.

Plenty of spares, components, and junk for improvisation or dealing with unobtainium.

That's my test bench.

Jim. G4EQX

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Saturday, 21 October 2023

Re: [Amateur-repairs] SETTING UP A TEST BENCH

It is the TinySA and TinySA Ultra. Limited places to buy real ones from but their listed in the TinySA Wiki. The dealers not in the list are most likely selling clones that wont update correctly and fail self test.

https://www.tinysa.org/wiki/

From China, order from Aliexpress Zeenko store. They are one of the authorized sellers and probably the cheapest.

Don K5ZRQ

On Sat, Oct 21, 2023 at 1:40 PM, Donald KX8K
<donhellen@roadrunner.com> wrote:

I was told that there is a tiny spectrum analyzer that works amazingly well from
China. It sells for under $100.

Donald KX8K

On Fri, 20 Oct 2023 22:15:57 +0000 (UTC), "Ralph Mowery KU4PT via groups.io"
<ku4pt=yahoo.com@groups.io> wrote:

>There are many items from China that are inexpensive and work very well. Like the function generators. Now almost all electronic has gone to surface mount so unless concentrating on older equipment test equipment has changed. Doubt that the resistor/capacitor subistution box is worth getting now.

----------------------------------------------------
Some ham radio groups you may be interested in:
https://groups.io/g/ICOM https://groups.io/g/Ham-Antennas
https://groups.io/g/HamRadioHelp https://groups.io/g/Baofeng
https://groups.io/g/CHIRP https://rf-amplifiers.groups.io/g/main

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Re: [Amateur-repairs] SETTING UP A TEST BENCH

I was told that there is a tiny spectrum analyzer that works amazingly well from
China. It sells for under $100.

Donald KX8K

On Fri, 20 Oct 2023 22:15:57 +0000 (UTC), "Ralph Mowery KU4PT via groups.io"
<ku4pt=yahoo.com@groups.io> wrote:

>There are many items from China that are inexpensive and work very well. Like the function generators. Now almost all electronic has gone to surface mount so unless concentrating on older equipment test equipment has changed. Doubt that the resistor/capacitor subistution box is worth getting now.

----------------------------------------------------
Some ham radio groups you may be interested in:
https://groups.io/g/ICOM https://groups.io/g/Ham-Antennas
https://groups.io/g/HamRadioHelp https://groups.io/g/Baofeng
https://groups.io/g/CHIRP https://rf-amplifiers.groups.io/g/main

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Friday, 20 October 2023

Re: [Amateur-repairs] SETTING UP A TEST BENCH

I can't speak for non-communications work, but when I got back into repairing radios (mostly ham radios for local hams) I would not work without a good signal generator. I happened to come across an IFR 1200 Super S communications monitor that I find indispensable. If or when it dies and can't be repaired I would probably quit doing repairs again.
Often the signal generator or power meter and deviations etc are not necessary, but without the ability to accurately test a completed unit I would not start.
Also the next most important or perhaps the most important is repair data, service manuals etc.
I have gotten to where I really don't want to work on a radio without a good PDF file that is clear and hopefully searchable and can have noted and drawings made in it.
You also need a good adjustable power supply, hopefully one that has adjustable voltage and current so that a short circuit would be less dramatic.
Good lighting and a magnifying lamp along with lighted magnifying head glasses (whatever you call them!).
Next would be an assortment of good soldering stations and irons along with hot air rework station for SMD devices.
A nice big, comfortable work station, large enough to spread out and arrange your test equipment and tools.
That does bring up the necessity for a good scope adequate for the work intended. I have a solid state 200 HMZ dual trace scope that I use quite a bit tracing signals etc. This is one of the first tools I use, right after the digital meter.
My bench has a large flat screen (TV) on the wall right in front of the bench and I use it all of the time for displaying those PDFs with the service manuals.
Of course you need the hand tools to work on the unit and also a good set of trays and bins for the screws and parts.
Also necessary would be good shelves to hold equipment waiting on parts (more and more these days) and spare parts along with any other daty you might need.
Good luck and remember to add even more space and storage than you think you need right now.

JD
KE4MD

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Re: [Amateur-repairs] SETTING UP A TEST BENCH

There are many items from China that are inexpensive and work very well. Like the function generators.

Now almost all electronic has gone to surface mount so unless concentrating on older equipment test equipment has changed. Doubt that the resistor/capacitor subistution box is worth getting now.

Many super service monitors are on the used market now foe under $ 1000.

Ralph ku4pt

On Friday, October 20, 2023 at 05:15:27 PM EDT, Donald KX8K <donhellen@roadrunner.com> wrote:

This article was in my inbox today. It's about setting up a test and repair

bench, focusing on what test equipment we may need.

It is not focused on amateur radio, but it has some good information for those

just starting out in radio repair, for their own repairs or for a sideline to

make some money.

https://www.nutsvolts.com/magazine/article/October2015_Reed

I'm sure everyone has their own favorite pieces of test gear that they would add

to what's recommended, but I thought it was a good start.

Donald KX8K

Re: [Amateur-repairs] SETTING UP A TEST BENCH

Today we have the TinySA (Spectrum Analyzer), the NanoVNA and the TinyPFA

(Phase Frequency Analyzer. At prices unthinkable 20 years ago.

Also you can have a GPSDO, accuracy traceable to the GPS System.

There are now Digital scopes under $200 that rival the old Tektronix monsters.

You can fit a high class test bench in a briefcase these days.

73, Dick, W1KSZ

From: Amateur-repairs@groups.io <Amateur-repairs@groups.io> on behalf of Donald KX8K <donhellen@roadrunner.com>
Sent: Friday, October 20, 2023 2:15 PM
To: Amateur-repairs@groups.io <Amateur-repairs@groups.io>
Subject: [Amateur-repairs] SETTING UP A TEST BENCH

[Amateur-repairs] SETTING UP A TEST BENCH

This article was in my inbox today. It's about setting up a test and repair
bench, focusing on what test equipment we may need.

It is not focused on amateur radio, but it has some good information for those
just starting out in radio repair, for their own repairs or for a sideline to
make some money.

https://www.nutsvolts.com/magazine/article/October2015_Reed

I'm sure everyone has their own favorite pieces of test gear that they would add
to what's recommended, but I thought it was a good start.

Donald KX8K

----------------------------------------------------
Some ham radio groups you may be interested in:
https://groups.io/g/ICOM https://groups.io/g/Ham-Antennas
https://groups.io/g/HamRadioHelp https://groups.io/g/Baofeng
https://groups.io/g/CHIRP https://rf-amplifiers.groups.io/g/main

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Group Owner: Amateur-repairs+owner@groups.io
Unsubscribe: https://groups.io/g/Amateur-repairs/leave/4530700/693790/458576413/xyzzy [jhjoshan@gmail.com]
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