Classic Electronic Restoration, Vacuum Tube Audio, Technical History, Photography
As of this writing (May 2026) AI Assisted Coding is it’s infancy. However the tools are available and very competent, given proper direction. Over the past few weeks, I have used Claude Code to help write control, logging and calibration applications for the following instruments: My goal as I approached this was to come up…
The Advantest R6581T is an 8.5โdigit, rackโmount digital voltmeter (DVM) built for highโprecision DC measurements; the T variant is a DCโonly field/rack model (no AC TrueRMS option) and is prized on the used market for lab and calibration workโbuyers should expect to source units secondhand and verify display/health before purchase. Overview Notable Features and Design…
This is a follow-up to my previous post about repairing a Tektronix CG551AP/CG5001 Calibration Generator. The CG551 had been sitting for many months and I thought it was time to give it a quick check. Shortly after turning on the TM5000 mainframe that I had plugged the CG551 into, I was assaulted by the tell-tale…
I documented the repair of two Tektronix DM 5010 digital voltmeters here. I will not rehash the entire calibration process here. That is easily found in the manual for the DM 5010 which is available on the Tek Wiki. Rather, I will highlight items which may help readers avoid pitfalls and save time. Equipment Needed:…
The HP 3445A is a compact, rackable plugโin digital voltmeter from HewlettโPackardโs classic 34xx family, offering fast autoranging DC and AC measurements, clear numeric readout, and systemโfriendly outputs that made it a staple in production racks and vintage labs. HP 3445A overview The 3445A is a plugโin digital voltmeter designed for HPโs modular instrument systems,…