Metalwork - Lathe and Mill topics

Sunday, 12 October 2025

Re: [Amateur-repairs] Test Leads

Thank you. After doing a little more research I was kind of leaning in that direction.

On 10/12/2025 12:26 PM, Mike N2MS via groups.io wrote:

I have a set of Military surplus screw on test leads and I would not recommend them. The tips come loose resulting in intermittent connections. I now use dedicated test lead sets with fixed tips so I always have a secure connection.

Mike N2MS

On 10/12/2025 2:42 PM EDT K2KKB Gary via groups.io <k2kkb=proton.me@groups.io> wrote:

It is time for me to replace/make new test probes for some of my equipment as well as a newly purchased Tektronix 503 bay, in nearly pristine condition, with DMM, frequency counter, and function generator.

I did not see this addressed in previous discussions so I'll ask it here.

As I'm am relatively new to ham radio repair and not in a commercial set-up, I have been considering test leads with interchangeable tips to help keep the clutter down from a multitude of test probes. My question is: does anyone use this type of test probe? It seems as though the only choices are banana clips or screw-on. I'm curious about any adverse effects of the banana style (and my preference would be the screw-on but I'm also concerned about the availability of the replacement tips). Or, would I be better off to go ahead and have dedicated leads for each job/project?

--   Gary H White K2KKB  Webmaster K7JEP.ORG

Re: [Amateur-repairs] Test Leads

I have a set of Military surplus screw on test leads and I would not recommend them. The tips come loose resulting in intermittent connections. I now use dedicated test lead sets with fixed tips so I always have a secure connection.

Mike N2MS

On 10/12/2025 2:42 PM EDT K2KKB Gary via groups.io <k2kkb=proton.me@groups.io> wrote:

It is time for me to replace/make new test probes for some of my equipment as well as a newly purchased Tektronix 503 bay, in nearly pristine condition, with DMM, frequency counter, and function generator.

I did not see this addressed in previous discussions so I'll ask it here.

As I'm am relatively new to ham radio repair and not in a commercial set-up, I have been considering test leads with interchangeable tips to help keep the clutter down from a multitude of test probes. My question is: does anyone use this type of test probe? It seems as though the only choices are banana clips or screw-on. I'm curious about any adverse effects of the banana style (and my preference would be the screw-on but I'm also concerned about the availability of the replacement tips). Or, would I be better off to go ahead and have dedicated leads for each job/project?

Re: [Amateur-repairs] Test Leads

Gary

The most useful test probe for general troubleshooting is a standard O-Scope probe. Granted, their native impedance, 1M or 10M, can induce attenuation of RF signals, but in most cases, this is not a significant problem as accurate measurement of the RF level is not necessary, you are simply trying to verify its existence or adjust it for max amplitude. The flexibility of an O-Scope probe gives you a clip on grabber, or you can remove that and use the pointed tip. It also affords a close parallel ground terminal that will help significantly in reducing induced RF noise.

For difficult to access test points, I use fine tip grabbers with a wire lead, attach the grabber, clip them to the test point, then attach the scope probe to the wire.

See the following links. You can get a kit with grabbers and leads, from Amazon, very useful, but the clips are a bit fragile.

https://www.amazon.com/BOCEUC-Grabber-Silicone-Analyzer-Electrical/dp/B0BMZD68LJ/ref=sxin_16_pa_sp_search_thematic_sspa

https://www.amazon.com/Goupchn-Breadboard-Flexible-Silicone-Electrical/dp/B08M5GNY47/ref=sr_1_3

https://www.ebay.com/itm/116780774317

The gold standard are grabbers manufactured by Tektronix and HP, but they tend to be available only in quantity to support logic analysis and are typically pricey. Still, well worth having in your test bench kit.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/296267591009

https://www.ebay.com/itm/116780774317

For RF level measurements, it is important to match the impecance of the test point with the test instrument port. I use a 50 ohm coaxial test leads with dual grabbers on one end, BNC male on the other for direct connection to the test equipment. These are common test leads available from many sources. Most are RG58 coaxial cable, which is a bit stiff, I prefer this one from Pamona Electronics with more flexible RG174.

https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/pomona-electronics/5187-K-36/737183

If you find you will be working on Japanese radios produced by Kenwood, Icom, Yaesu, you will find that internal RF signals are often routed via coacial cables terminated with Taiko Denki connectors. These present a challengy for signal monitoring. I used to obtain custom test cables and loose connectors from the RF Connection, the only US based supplier of these now obsolete connectors, but they are no longer in business. Jeff Hilliard, K6IOK, acquired their stock and now provides these test cables. I find these test cables to be indespensible.

https://k6iok.com/products/ols/categories/test-cables

________________
73's
Dave - KB7JS

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Re: [Amateur-repairs] Test Leads

Thank you

On 10/12/2025 12:19 PM, maxwelloau via groups.io wrote:

Tip: Make one of these too. I have made these for 40 or closer to 50years!

Get a felt tipped pen, looks like a normal biro (balltel/pentel or similar) normally constructed with a plugin tip area containing a narrow long felt rod, and a plug in top area keeping the large plastic tube containing the felt wet ink reservoir in place. Use it till it runs dry. Keep them in a jar!

Remove all the felt stuff and throw away.

Use a sewing machine needle, a jeans needle is usually a bit thicker than some, and super glue or araldite this into the pointy tip holder (knock the ball out, drill whatever), drill a hole in the top plug end, size of a silicon 512 strand cable lead (firm fit best).

Assemble silicon lead through a firm top plug hole (got 2 be careful spelling here) and through the body of the pen. Bare some of the silicon wire to stick out the bottom tip area, solder to the flat of the sewing needle (after the glue/araldite dried solid) and push the tip back into the holder. Keep the cap, most important.

Now you have a VERY sharp tipped probe ideal for dense wires and circuitry. I have even gone into the wire insulation itself to make a measurement (only low voltage cabling) to make measurements not available elsewhere.

Ideal for solder pads, IC legs, square IC's, small tabs, etc.

Goes without saying the more tip protruding from the bottom of the pen tip is more prone to snap off (sewing machine needles are brittle) or short stuff!

Of course put the cap on when not in use and that stops getting jabbed later on! Clip top cap onto the silicon wire when probe is in use.

Of course with the inscrutable friends great manufacturing ability and low cost, they now have 4mm banana socket pointy probes and spare probes available too!

Short answer, a lead for each probe ready to go is better than fiddling about with little plugon dodads any day.

Happy probing.

--   Gary H White K2KKB  Webmaster K7JEP.ORG

Re: [Amateur-repairs] Test Leads

Tip: Make one of these too. I have made these for 40 or closer to 50years!

Get a felt tipped pen, looks like a normal biro (balltel/pentel or similar) normally constructed with a plugin tip area containing a narrow long felt rod, and a plug in top area keeping the large plastic tube containing the felt wet ink reservoir in place. Use it till it runs dry. Keep them in a jar!

Remove all the felt stuff and throw away.

Use a sewing machine needle, a jeans needle is usually a bit thicker than some, and super glue or araldite this into the pointy tip holder (knock the ball out, drill whatever), drill a hole in the top plug end, size of a silicon 512 strand cable lead (firm fit best).

Assemble silicon lead through a firm top plug hole (got 2 be careful spelling here) and through the body of the pen. Bare some of the silicon wire to stick out the bottom tip area, solder to the flat of the sewing needle (after the glue/araldite dried solid) and push the tip back into the holder. Keep the cap, most important.

Now you have a VERY sharp tipped probe ideal for dense wires and circuitry. I have even gone into the wire insulation itself to make a measurement (only low voltage cabling) to make measurements not available elsewhere.

Ideal for solder pads, IC legs, square IC's, small tabs, etc.

Goes without saying the more tip protruding from the bottom of the pen tip is more prone to snap off (sewing machine needles are brittle) or short stuff!

Of course put the cap on when not in use and that stops getting jabbed later on! Clip top cap onto the silicon wire when probe is in use.

Of course with the inscrutable friends great manufacturing ability and low cost, they now have 4mm banana socket pointy probes and spare probes available too!

Short answer, a lead for each probe ready to go is better than fiddling about with little plugon dodads any day.

Happy probing.

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[Amateur-repairs] Test Leads

It is time for me to replace/make new test probes for some of my equipment as well as a newly purchased Tektronix 503 bay, in nearly pristine condition, with DMM, frequency counter, and function generator.
I did not see this addressed in previous discussions so I'll ask it here.

As I'm am relatively new to ham radio repair and not in a commercial set-up, I have been considering test leads with interchangeable tips to help keep the clutter down from a multitude of test probes. My question is: does anyone use this type of test probe? It seems as though the only choices are banana clips or screw-on. I'm curious about any adverse effects of the banana style (and my preference would be the screw-on but I'm also concerned about the availability of the replacement tips). Or, would I be better off to go ahead and have dedicated leads for each job/project?

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Friday, 10 October 2025

[electronics101] Test Probes Wash 0402 LED strips

Test Probes:

My standard test probes for electronic work are made from old plastic pen cases. I solder on a sewing needle to the test wire and then glue it into the old pen.

I can measure PCB voltage through the insulation. I can measure PCB current by probing along a track with two probes using a good DVM.

I have even measured current in individual IC leads when looking for problems.

I also use skinny test wires since I am not going to measure high current.

The only time I use off-the shelf probes is for AC line problems digging into a fuse panel.

Bertho

From: electronics101@groups.io <electronics101@groups.io> On Behalf Of Andy via groups.io

On Fri, Oct 10, 2025 at 10:32 AM, sdmonaco wrote:

These probes will allow you to test the LEDs with your dvm while still in the packaging.

Point of interest - Those probes are "wire piercing", which presumably helps when the devices have insulated leads or are soldered to circuits that have insulated wires. These do not. They are leadless. The connection points are already exposed, but tiny.

That kind of ultra-thin probe might also be good for probing individual LEDs when they are still in their carrier, but I am no expert on that. 'sdmonaco' suggests that it does.

Probing 0402 parts must be challenging. Steady hands and good eyesight are essential.

Andy