Counterfeit LM2596 Regulator Boards

Recently Dick Benson, W1QG, mentioned to me that he had ordered 10 LM2596 adjustable voltage regulator boards from eBay for the incredibly low price of $10.99, including shipping.

Well, this seemed like a great deal to me, too!  So I also placed an order for 10 boards.

Dick received his boards while mine were still in transit.  While testing them, he discovered that the switching frequency was 50 KHz, not the 150 KHz specified for an LM2596 switching regulator.

Hmmm...could the regulators on these boards actually be LM2576 regulators that have been relabeled as LM2596 regulators?  Or (and probably more likely) are these regulators poorly implemented copies of the LM2576 regulator that have been relabeled as LM2596 parts and that might fail later in a disastrous way?  Without looking at the die itself and comparing it with the die of a true LM2576, there's no way for me to know.


Measurements, Original Board:

My boards arrived and I ran some tests of my own...

Below is one of the 10 boards in my test setup.  I configured the setup so that the output voltage would be 5V with an output current of 1 amp (i.e. 5 ohm load resistor).  The input voltage is 12V:

(Click on image to enlarge)

(The 10 watt, 5 ohm resistor will be dissipating 5 watts and thus gets very hot, so I placed it in a clay flower-pot saucer.)

Measurements:

    o Measured Input Current: 0.511A

    o Measured Output Voltage:  5.00V

    o Calculated Input Power:  12.0 * 0.511 = 6.13W

    o Calculated Output Power: (5.00 ^ 2)/5 = 5.0 W

    o Calculated Efficiency: 5.0/6.13 = 82%

The measured Output Ripple:

    o  Amplitude:  234 mVpp

    o  Frequency:   52.8 KHz  -- This part cannot be an LM2596!

See oscilloscope capture, below:

(Click on image to enlarge)

Measurements, Counterfeit regulator replaced with LM2596:

I replaced the fake LM2596 on one of the boards with a real LM2596:

Measurements:

    o Measured Input Current: 0.508A

    o Measured Output Voltage:  4.99V

    o Calculated Input Power:  12.0 * 0.508 = 6.1W

    o Calculated Output Power: (4.99 ^ 2)/5 = 4.98 W

    o Calculated Efficiency: 4.98/6.1 = 82%

The measured Output Ripple:

    o  Amplitude:  102 mVpp
    o  Frequency:  147 KHz

Dick, W1QG, had reported poor ripple performance on his boards due to high-ESR of the output caps.  I thought I'd do some experiments of my own with some capacitors I had on hand.

First...

Replace original 220uF, 35V electrolytic output cap with a 100uF, 10V tantalum cap:

Measurements:

    o Measured Input Current: 0.500A

    o Measured Output Voltage:  4.96V

    o Calculated Input Power:  12.0 * 0.500 = 6.0W

    o Calculated Output Power: (4.96 ^ 2)/5 = 4.92 W

    o Calculated Efficiency: 4.92/6.0 = 82%

The measured Output Ripple:

    o  Amplitude:  54.4 mVpp
    o  Frequency:  146 KHz

Next...

Replace the output cap with a 330uF, 10V, 100 milliohm ESR tantalum cap:

Measurements:

    o Measured Input Current: 0.501A

    o Measured Output Voltage:  4.96V

    o Calculated Input Power:  12.0 * 0.501 = 6.01 W

    o Calculated Output Power: (4.96 ^ 2)/5 = 4.92 W

    o Calculated Efficiency: 4.92/6.01 = 82%

The measured Output Ripple:

    o  Amplitude:  52.8 mVpp
    o  Frequency:  149 KHz  

Note that the ripple amplitude is essentially the same for the 100uF and 330uF tantalum capacitors!  This implies that the ripple current amplitude, for these caps, is probably due to ESR, not capacitance value.

And finally, I thought I'd try a through-hole cap...

Replace the output cap with a 220uF, 63V Elena electrolytic cap:

Measurements:

    o Measured Input Current: 0.501A

    o Measured Output Voltage:  4.96V

    o Calculated Input Power:  12.0 * 0.501 = 6.01 W

    o Calculated Output Power: (4.96 ^ 2)/5 = 4.92 W

    o Calculated Efficiency: 4.92/6.01 = 82%

The measured Output Ripple:

    o  Amplitude:  83.2 mVpp
    o  Frequency:  146 KHz  

Note that the ripple is worse!  

Replacing the potentiometer with a resistor:

Another modification I made was to replace the pot with a fixed resistor.  Pots fail, and when they fail they will usually fail open.  If this happens on this board, the regulator board's output voltage will go to its maximum value, probably frying circuitry downstream.

So I'd much rather replace the potentiometer time-bomb with a resistor!  Fortunately, this is easy to do.

If you remove the potentiometer, you will see under it pads for an SMD resistor.  Simply load the correct value of resistor onto these pads and, voila, you will have a fixed-voltage regulator board!

If you look at the LM2596 datasheet (section 9.2.2.2.2) and compare it to the regulator board, you will see that the datasheet's R1 is already stuffed (with 330 ohms in my case) and that the SMD pads under the potentiometer are for R2.

With an R1 of 330 ohms, then, for a 5V output, R2 should be 1K ohms.

Here's the board I modified to be 5V fixed output:

(This board has also been modified with the correct LM2596 regulator and a 100uF tantalum output cap).

W1QG Measurements:

Dick also ran his own tests on his boards.  Here are his results:

As I mentioned, the ESR of both the input and output caps is substantial.

  

The PCB I used was probably one of the worst, but I cannot confirm this.

       

This 220 uF @ 35V output cap has an ESR of 0.57 ohms, and its actual C is 173 uF (not shown):

       

 In all cases, the input voltage was 12V, and the output was set to 5V into a 5 ohm load.

      

This output cap was replaced with a tantalum rated at 220uF, 10 V:

       

 The ESR is 0.058 ohms which is about 1/10th that of the "stock" version. 

Also note that it's physical size is about 3 to 4X bigger with the voltage rating of only 10V.  Its capacitance was 208 uF. 

The stock cap was replaced with this tantalum, and another measurement made:

    

     

For the last measurement, the counterfeit IC  (LM2576) was replaced with the ON Semi LM2596.

Results:

      

        

Changing to the low ESR Tantalum provided a 13.9 dB reduction in the pp level.

         

Then changing the IC to a "real" LM2596 reduced the pp ripple by 21 dB from the original. 

Other Notes:

The LM2596 datasheet contains a wealth of information regarding component selection.  It is well worth the read.

In my tests the board itself was dissipating about 1 watt of power (for a 1 amp output at 5v and and input voltage of 12v).  The board gets noticeably warm!  If dissipating more power (and perhaps even at this power), I would recommend heat-sinking the board.  To accomplish this, I would scrap away the solder-mask on the back side of the board (under the LM2596's tab) and solder a heatsink to this area (copper would be a great choice for heatsink material).

Here's a schematic I've drawn of the boards that I received from eBay:

I checked the component values (but not voltage ratings) on one of the ten boards I received, and the values are all within 10 to 20% of the values shown on the schematic.

Specifically:

  o  The input 100uF cap measured to be 87uF, ESR of 0.66 ohms.

  o  The output 220uF cap measured to be 200uF, ESR of 0.28 ohms.

  o  The 100nF caps measured to be 117nF and 120nF.

  o  The 47uH inductor measured to be 45uH.

All measurements were made at 1 KHz using a GenRad 1657 Digibridge.

Standard Caveat:

I might have made a mistake in my code, designs, equations, schematics, models, etc.  If anything looks confusing or wrong to you, please feel free to comment below or send me an email.

Also, I will note:

This information is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

Save and Restore HP 3478A Calibration Data with Matlab

 

The HP 3478A is a very nice 5½ digit auto-ranging digital multimeter, first marketed by Hewlett-Packard in the 1980's.

A few years ago I purchased one to log voltages to a computer for some experiments I was performing -- the 3478A has a GPIB interface that allows a computer to control the instrument (I use a National Instruments GPIB-USB-B dongle to connect the 3478A to my laptop's USB port).

I recently found a second one at a swapmeet for a very inexpensive price, and I discovered one reason why it was so cheap when I returned home -- when I powered it up, the first message it displayed was "UNCALIBRATED".  (I also discovered that the DC and AC amp functions were broken, too, which might have been the better reason for its low price).

The broken Amps functions I decided to leave for another time, and instead I decided to tackle the calibration problem.

The cal procedure is straightforward (read the manual before attempting), as long as you have appropriate equipment.  But first I needed to answer the question -- which functions and ranges were out of calibration?  I wanted to avoid recalibrating the entire instrument.

Discovering which ranges are out of cal is quite simple -- if the "CAL" annunciator on the LCD is visible and blinking, that range (for the function selected) is out of calibration.  If no "CAL" is seen, then that range is in calibration.

 (Click on image to enlarge)

Stepping through all ranges of all functions, I discovered that the CAL annunciator was present for the 30 mV and 300 mV DCV ranges and for the 3 Meg Ohm Resistance range.

Using an old Power Designs 5020 Precision DC Source and my HP 34401A as references, I performed the calibration procedure (per the manual) for the 30 mV and 300 mV DCV ranges.

I calibrated the 3 Mohm range with a GenRad Decade Resistor box set to 1.000000 Meg ohms.

After finishing these calibration steps I cycled power on the 3478A -- hurray! the "UNCALIBRATED" message had disappeared and in its place I saw the "SELF TEST OK" message.

This exercise in calibration got me wondering -- how might a 3478A lose its calibration?

The obvious way is if a user attempts a calibration without knowing what they are doing.  For this reason, most cal labs will place a sticker over the front panel's CAL ENABLE switch (see the sticker on the panel in first image of this blog post, above) to keep knob-twisters and button-pushers from inadvertently initiating a calibration cycle.

But there's another way for it to lose its calibration data...

The HP 3478A stores its calibration data in SRAM.  And if power to this memory is lost, its contents (and thus the calibration data) is lost.

To keep this SRAM powered when AC power has been turned off, the 3478A contains an internal 3.0 volt battery whose sole purpose is to keep power applied to this SRAM when the instrument is powered off.  (The SRAM is powered by the diode-or'd combination of this battery and the instrument's 5V DC supply (the latter only there when the instrument is on)).

So, if this internal battery goes dead (while the unit is OFF), a 3478A will lose its calibration data.  Both of my units were manufactured over 30 years ago.  Both of their batteries are original, and both still read 3.0 volts.  But how much longer will they last?  I have no idea.

If one would like to proactively replace this battery, remember that the SRAM must always be powered while the battery is being replaced.  If the SRAM loses power for any reason during this operation, you've lost your calibration data.

That's a sobering thought!

Wouldn't it be nice to somehow first back-up that calibration data to a computer and then, if for whatever reason the meter loses this data, restore it from that backed up file?

The manual does not mention any such GPIB commands, but they exist.  They are just undocumented.  The 'W' command reads the SRAM via the GPIB interface, and 'X' command writes to the SRAM via GPIB.  (A great investigation and discussion of these two commands is here).

I mentioned this to Dick Benson, W1QG, who is a Matlab guru and who had just written a Matlab logging program for the 3478A, and he took a cut at the Matlab code to read the SRAM.

Using his 'SRAM-read' code, I wrote Matlab code to write data back into the SRAM.

Both of these Matlab code-blocks are below...


Below is the Matlab code to save an HP 3478A's calibration data to a file on a computer.

(Note: to better view the code, copy and paste it into an app with a wider page size, e.g. Word, Notepad, or...Matlab).


% Authors: W1QG/K6JCA

% *** Read 3478a Cal Data ***
%
% This Matlab script downloads the calibration data from the
% HP 3478A's SRAM and writes it to a file.
%
% Note: this script also requires the "Instrument Control" toolbox.

% To run, first 'uncomment' the appropriate gpib() routine, below,
% based upon GPIB dongle that connects PC to the HP 3478A.

  %HP_3478a = gpib('AGILENT', 7, 23);  % Use if Agilent dongle
   HP_3478a = gpib('ni', 0, 23);       % Use if NI GPIB-USB-B dongle

   fopen(HP_3478a);

   for k=1:256 
      cmd=uint8(['W',k-1,'\n']); % W, address, newline
      fwrite(HP_3478a,cmd);      % fwrite writes 8 bit unsigned integers.
      value(k)=fscanf(HP_3478a); % read the value addressed.
   end;

   fclose(HP_3478a);
   
% Select the appropriate file into which to save the data by
% "uncommenting" the appropriate save command, below.
   save('HP_3478a_Cal_Data','value'); 
 % save('HP_3478a_Cal_Data_SN_2301A','value');
 % save('HP_3478a_Cal_Data_SN_2520A','value');

% reshape and transpose for easy reading

   val_table = reshape(value,[256/16,16])'   % transpose = '

And here is the Matlab code to write calibration data from a file back into an HP 3478A:

% Authors: W1QG/K6JCA

% *** Write 3478a Cal Data ***
% (Note, this script also requires the "Instrument Control" toolbox.)

%                  !!! DANGER  DANGER  DANGER !!! 
%
% This Matlab script overwrites the HP 3478A's calibration data stored
% in the meter's SRAM.  Be VERY CAREFUL when using it, or you might 
% forever lose your meter's calibration data!!!
%
% In fact, I would recommend: DO NOT USE IT unless the SRAM contents are
% already screwed up.

% NOTE:  Before running, turn the front panel's CAL ENABLED Switch so that
%        its slot is vertical.  This enables the SRAM write signal.
%
%        And don't forget, when finished, to turn the switch so that its
%        slot has been returned back to a horizontal orientation.


% To run, first 'uncomment' the appropriate gpib() routine, 
% based upon GPIB dongle that connects PC to the HP 3478A.
  %HP_3478a = gpib('AGILENT', 7, 23);  % Use if Agilent dongle
   HP_3478a = gpib('ni', 0, 23);       % Use if NI GPIB-USB-B dongle

% Now, select which file containing calibration data (created previously
% using the Read_Cal_Data script) will be loaded into the 3478A's SRAM by 
% *uncommenting* the appropriate statement, below.
%
    load('HP_3478a_Cal_Data','value');
%   load('HP_3478a_Cal_Data_SN_2520A','value');
%   load('HP_3478a_Cal_Data_SN_2301A','value');
% ********************************************

% Display the data from the just-loaded file...
   input_val_table = reshape(value,[256/16,16])' % no ending ';' will print
                                                 % the table in the Command
                                                 % Window

% Now, write this data into the instrument, one SRAM address at a time,
% by sequential writing the following triplet of bytes for each SRAM
% address:
%    0x58    -- 'X'  (The "write" command)
%    Address -- 0x00 to 0xFF
%    Data    -- any value between 0x40 and 0x4F.
   fopen(HP_3478a); 
   for k=1:256
      cmd=uint8(['X',k-1,value(k)]); % X, address, value (3 unsigned ints).
      fwrite(HP_3478a,cmd);        % fwrite writes 8 bit unsigned integers.
   end;

% And, to verify the write operation, read back the SRAM's contents.

   for k=1:256
      cmd=uint8(['W',k-1,'\n']); % W, address, newline
      fwrite(HP_3478a,cmd);      % fwrite writes 8 bit unsigned integers.
      value(k)=fscanf(HP_3478a); 
   end;
   fclose(HP_3478a);
   
   % reshape for easy reading 
   val_table = reshape(value,[256/16,16])' % note that ' transposes the
                                           % matrix

   

Note:  be very careful using this code.  Before launching it, make sure you have backed up the calibration data from the 3478A to your computer so that, if you accidentally nuke the SRAM, you can recover!

And I will add -- I have only tested this code on one 3478A (and that was the meter that gave me the "uncalibrated" error message).  Given this code's potential to wreak havoc with the calibration SRAM, I would recommend running it only when your meter's SRAM calibration data has been lost or corrupted.  (Make sure you back up this data, though, before loss or corruption occurs!)

Note:  to write data into the 3478A's calibration SRAM, the CAL ENABLE switch must be rotated so that its slot is oriented vertically.  (It is shown in its horizontal, cal disabled, position, below).

This switch enables or disables writing to the calibration data SRAM.  But it is not read by the processor.  The processor indirectly verifies if calibration is enabled or disabled by alternating writes of 0x0 and 0xF to Address 0 of this SRAM.  If the data does not change, then the processor infers that the CAL ENABLE switch is disabled.  Otherwise, if the data changes, the processor infers that the calibration is enabled.

Note, when calibration is finished, be sure to rotate the CAL ENABLE switch back to its disabled position.

Here's the schematic.  Note that the CAL ENABLE switch only gates the write signal to the SRAM.  It is not read by the processor.

Verification:

First, I had already read the data from my recently-calibrated 3478A and stored it in a file (using the Matlab "Read" routine, above).  This first test would be to write this file to the 3478A's SRAM (making sure first that the CAL ENABLE switch is in its "enabled" vertical orientation).

With the exception of the first data byte (which can toggle between 0x40 and 0x4F if CAL is ENABLED and the 3478A is alternatively writing 0x0 and 0xF to it (see explanation above)), the data is identical.  (Note, it would be identical, too, if I ran the same Write code but forgot to turn the CAL ENABLE switch to its enabled position).

Next, I read the data from my second 3478A and stored it in a file (using the Read code, above).  I then reconnected my GPIB dongle to my recently-calibrated 3478A, made sure its CAL ENABLE switch was in the disabled position, and attempted to write  my second 3478A's data file into the recently-calibrated 3478A using the Write routine.

Here are the results:

The SRAM data did not update!  Good -- because the meter's CAL ENABLE switch was disabled.

For my third test, I rotated the CAL ENABLE switch on this same 3478A to its enabled position and reran the test above.  This time, the SRAM's data changed to be that of my second 3478A:

After this write I checked a few of the DC voltage ranges and verified that the 3478A still worked (although its readings were, not surprisingly, off -- after all, it now was using a different unit's CAL data).

And finally, I rewrote the 3478's original CAL data into its SRAM and finished by turning the CAL ENABLE switch to its disabled (horizontal) position:

This was not an extensive verification test, but it did verify, for me, that I could both read and write the 3478A's calibration SRAM, and that the meter still operated properly after performing the write.


Notes:

1.  The Matlab code (listed above) requires the "Instrument Control" toolbox to run (to access the  gpib() function).

2.  The 3478A's calibration SRAM is 4 bits wide, but the data readouts above imply that there are five bits (or more).  E.g. the ASCII character '@' is 0x40, and ASCII 'O' is 0x4F.  The SRAM actually contains, in these two cases, 0x0 and 0xF, and the DMM's software OR's this least-significant nybble with 0x40 to create an 8-bit data byte for transmission via the GPIB interface.

3.  HP 3468A/B DMM's also have internal "keep-alive" batteries for their calibration SRAM.  Unfortunately, their instrument-control interfaces are not GPIB (also known as HP-IB), but instead they are the much less common HP-IL interface.  It might be possible to interface them to GPIB controllers with an HP 82169A HP-IL/HP-IB Interface module, should someone like to attempt it.  (Otherwise, if you have an HP 3468A/B, you might want to leave it on!)

4.  PDFs of 3478 Operation and Service manuals can be found on the Keysight site:
 https://www.keysight.com/main/techSupport.jspx?cc=US&lc=eng&nid=-536900193.536897126&pid=3478A%3Aepsg%3Apro&pageMode=OV



Standard Caveat:

I might have made a mistake in my code, designs, equations, schematics, models, etc.  If anything looks confusing or wrong to you, please feel free to comment below or send me an email.

Also, I will note:

This information is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

Repair Log: Tektronix SC-504 Oscilloscope

[Note:  My "Repair Log" blog posts contain my notes on equipment I've recently repaired.  Posted here in case someone else might find them useful.]

After repairing my Tektronix SC 502 oscilloscope module (see this blog post: SC-502), I noticed I also had an SC 504 oscilloscope module squirreled away in a dark corner of a closet shelf.

I had just finished with the '502 and I was still familiar with the disassembly/assembly procedure.  Why not tackle the '504?

So I plugged it into my TM503 chassis and powered it up.  The Power LED came on, but nothing else.

OK, so it's broken.  I knew it was.

The first thing I noticed after removing the covers was that one (of three) fuses on the A3 Trigger board was missing.  This was fuse F3488, a 0.3A slow-blow fuse that is in-line with 33.5VDC to the High Voltage power supply.

I installed a new fuse and reapplied power:  F3488 blew.

OK -- something is making the fuse blow.  Per the SC 504 Manual, F3488 protects transistor Q1380, which is part of the High Voltage supply's voltage regulator.

Poking around Q1380, Q1381, and Q1378, it was clear that the base-emitter and base-collector junctions of Q1380 no longer exhibited a (roughly) 0.7 volt drop, but were instead shorted and that this transistor would need to be replaced.

Digikey had the required  D44H11 transistor,  I ordered a few, they arrived, and I installed one.

The fuse still blew!

If fuse F3488 is blown, I would recommend a much simpler test than I describe  below in this post (which details my steps to discover what the problem was).

First, check Q1380 and replace it if it is no good.  And install a good fuse in F3488.

Then, before powering up the scope, disconnect the wire from T1475 pin 8 (to the HV Multiplier module) and check if the power-supply now comes up when you turn on the AC power. If the HV Multiplier module (Tek p/n 152-0634-00) is the problem (as it was in my unit), the power supply should now start working (without F3488 blowing) and you should measure 70 volts DC on the 70 volt power line.

(Note that the problem might not be the HV Multiplier module, but a short (or low impedance) from its output to ground.  This can be checked by disconnecting the HV connector to the CRT (with the wire from T1475 pin 8 still connected to the HV Module) and checking if the problem goes away, as I describe below.)

As an experiment to see why the "regulator" (which is actually an oscillator) was not oscillating, I attached a current-limited 33.5V bench supply (set to about 20V) to the J3490 side of F3488's fuse clip, and then connected a second bench supply, set to 0V, to pin 6 of T1475 -- this second supply essentially breaks the feedback path: I wanted to see if I could "start" the oscillator by increasing the voltage of this supply.  (Note:  I also needed to parallel this supply's output with 20 ohms because, otherwise, U1270 was forcing this point to be about 1.0 VDC.  The 20 ohm resistor creates enough of a voltage drop through R1370 to allow me to start increasing the voltage from below the turn-on point of Q1378.

As I increased the voltage at T1475.6 to about 0.6V, the regulator circuit started oscillating, but with a very loud audible squeal.  This oscillation stopped when the voltage went beyond about 1.07V, at which point Q1380 seemed to go into saturation.

OK, the HV supply's oscillator can be forced to oscillate, but when this occurs the +70V supply derived from this circuit only goes to up to about +30V, and there is that annoyingly loud squealing.

The squealing probably meant that an abnormal amount of current was flowing through the transformer's windings, causing its windings to vibrate and create an audible squeal.

Was the transformer overloaded?  What would happen if I disconnected T1475.8 from the High Voltage (HV) Multiplier module's input.

The squealing stopped!

Hmmm...maybe the HV Multiplier's load is the issue.  What happens if I leave the HV Multiplier connected to T1475.8, but now disconnect the multiplier's output from the CRT's anode?

The squeal is back!

So, the problem would seem to be the HV Multiplier itself.

Tektronix HV Multiplier, P/N 152-0634-00

I found a replacement HV Multiplier on eBay and purchased it.  When it arrived, I installed it, re-assembled the module, and then powered up the scope...

Success!  A trace!

OK -- that problem was fixed -- what else was wrong?

Channel 2's Vertical Gain knob shaft was broken and the knob spun freely.  This is an integrated knob/shaft combo (Tek P/N 366-1733-01), which I've highlighted in yellow, below:

Unfortunately, this part is difficult to find.  So, until I can find a replacement, I will be using the scope as a single-channel instrument (which was my cunning plan, anyway).

(By the way -- omniscient Google informs me that this Tek knob has an NSN number:  5355-01-186-1111.)

Another problem I had was that the focus shaft had had its tip broken off (to which a now-missing Focus knob attached), thus making the shaft too short.

I had a long length of 1/8" diameter clear plastic rod (available from Tap Plastics) and a spare 1/8" coupler.  So I clipped off a short piece of rod and used my extra coupler to extend the shaft:

(I also dug through my junkbox and found "good enough" replacement knobs for the missing Focus and the broken Intensity knobs).

Finally -- the Time Base knob's skirt had detached from the knob.  Superglue fixed this.

That's it!  Here's the SC 504 on the bench for testing with my FPGA SDR and ATU...

Resources:

Instruction Manual PDFs (which include schematics) can be downloaded here:

http://w140.com/tek_sc504.pdf

http://bama.edebris.com/manuals/tek/sc504/


Standard Caveat:

I might have made a mistake in my designs, equations, schematics, models, etc.  If anything looks confusing or wrong to you, please feel free to comment below or send me an email.

Also, I will note:

This information is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

Replace an HP 16047A Test Fixture with a BK TL89F1

A year or two ago I picked up an inexpensive HP 4274A LCR meter at the De Anza swapmeet in Cupertino, California.

Unfortunately, it did not have a test fixture into which one could plug a component to test, so I needed to scrounge one up.

Hmmm...could I make my own?

Maybe, but the text fixture must have four male BNC connectors to mate with the four female BNC jacks on the LCR meter.

I could probably cobble something together, but why not first look for an HP adapter?

HP made a number of different 4-BNC adapters, and the one which shipped with an HP 4274A was the HP 16047A.  (For other adapters, please refer to:  https://www.alliedelec.com/m/d/11ff3fa41669e4bf3da346504df4abc6.pdf)

HP 16047A Test Fixture:

I happened to find an HP 16047D on eBay -- it is similar to the HP16047A, except its frequency rating is to 40 MHz instead of 13 MHz.

But the HP 16047D only came with one set of component-lead clips.  There are actually 3 different types of clips (as seen in the photo for an HP 16047A, above), and it would be nice to not have to bend leads to fit my sole set of clips.

I could hunt for more clips, but they typically came with test fixtures, and these fixtures, with clips, usually cost in the hundreds of dollars on eBay.

Somehow I happened to stumble across a picture of a BK TL89F1 test fixture, and I was immediately struck by how similar it looked to the HP 16047A.  Given its sub-100 dollar price, it looked like it could be an inexpensive "connector-for-connector" compatible replacement for a 16047A, and it included all 3 styles of component clips.

BK TL89F1 Test Fixture:

How do specifications compare?

HP:

(Click on image to enlarge)

(From: Accessories Selection Guide For Impedance Measurements, Agilent Technologies, April, 2005.)


BK:

Model TL89F1

Test fixture for convenient testing of axial and radial leaded type components.

• Frequency: DC to 10MHz
• DC Bias:+/- 40V peak max (AC+DC)
• Operating Temperature: 0 to 40 degrees C
• Terminal Connection: BNC to 4 terminal insertion slots (radial or axial)

(From https://www.bkprecision.com/products/component-testers/891-300khz-bench-lcr-meter.html)


Specifications were close enough for me (especially given the fact that the HP 4274A is a 100 KHz instruments), so I ordered one.  Here is the test fixture and its various adapters, as received:

And its size, compared to an HP 16047D fixture:

Doing a quick test to compare HP and BK test fixtures...

1.  A 1000 pF dipped-mica capacitor, tested with my HP 16047D test fixture:

2.  And now, the same capacitor, but tested on my BK TL89F1 test fixture:

Not much difference!

There is one physical difference between the two fixtures:  the HP 16047A has a plastic piece to ensure that the bias switch is forced into its lowest positions -- the BK fixture has no such block.  Unless this feature is important to you, I believe the BK TL89F1 would be a satisfactory (and inexpensive) replacement for an HP 16047A.  (But, of course, do your own research to verify!)


Additional Notes:

For testing SMD components, the BK TL89S1 could probably be used in lieu of an HP 16034E:

Standard Caveat:

As always, I might have made a mistake in my equations, assumptions, drawings, or interpretations.  If you see anything you believe to be in error or if anything is confusing, please feel free to contact me or comment below.

And finally, I should add -- this design and any associated information is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

The Hilbert Transform and SSB Modulation

(Below are some brief notes to myself on the Hilbert Transform's use for the "phasing" version of SSB modulation.)

The "Phasing" method of SSB generation was a popular way of generating SSB in the early days of Amateur Radio SSB operation.

Some transmitters, such as the Heathkit TX-1, were designed to utilize outboard phasing accessories, such as the Heathkit SB-10, shown below.  (The TX-1 and SB-10 were my first SSB station while in high school).

Other early SSB transmitters had their phasing networks built in, such as the Hallicrafters HT-37 and the Central Electronics CE-100V.

The phasing method requires that the audio frequencies in the voice signal be shifted by 90 degrees.  In those early transmitters, this shift was accomplished with an analog phase-shift network.  Typically its setup would involve a nulling process using several knobs.

Now, with digital signal processing, the requisite 90 degree shift of the audio signal can be accomplished much more accurately and without tuning using a Hilbert Transform.

Below are two visual representations of the math underlying SSB generation via the Hilbert Transform in terms of sines and cosines.  For visualization I find it useful to express sines and cosines in their complex-exponential form.  E.g:

cos(2πf_ot) = (e^j2πf_ot + e^−j2πf_ot)/2

and

sin(2πf_ot) = j*(e^-j2πf_ot - e^j2πf_ot)/2

Note that j =  e^jπ/2.   When multiplying (e^-j2πf_ot - e^j2πf_ot)/2 by j, the "π/2" term in j's complex-exponential representation results a +90 degree rotation of each of the two exponentials in (e^-j2πf_ot - e^j2πf_ot)/2.  The result is that the negative-frequency exponential (e^-j2πf_ot) is rotated by +90 degrees, and the positive-frequency exponential (- e^j2πf_ot) has a total rotation of 270 degrees: 90 degrees due to the multiplication with j, and an additional 180 degrees due to the minus sign in front of it.

Or, in other words, the positive-frequency exponential is rotated by -90 degrees rather than +90 degrees.

Here's a visual representation of LSB generation:

(Click on image to enlarge)

And second, USB generation:

(Click on image to enlarge)

If the input audio were a sawtooth waveform, the image below shows the signals at various stages of the modulation process.

(Click on image to enlarge)

Note, in the image above, that the resulting SSB signal can have amplitudes larger than the peak values of its input audio (due to the Hilbert Transform's phase shifting).

This difference in input versus output signal magnitudes can be seen more easily in the image, below.  The sawtooth input has had its peak magnitude defined to be 1.0.  The peak value of the modulator's output, however, is 1.8.

A significant difference!

(Click on image to enlarge)

Therefore, because the level of the modulator's output IQ signal level can differ dramatically from the input audio's signal level, feed-forward transmitter gain control is ideally accomplished using the magnitude of the modulator's output IQ signal, rather than the magnitude of the input audio signal.

This conclusion is also true for the Weaver method of SSB generation.

Resources:

http://flylib.com/books/en/2.729.1/hilbert_transform_definition.html

http://k6jca.blogspot.com/2017/02/sdr-notes-weaver-modulation-and.html


Standard Caveat:

I might have made a mistake in my designs, equations, schematics, models, etc.  If anything looks confusing or wrong to you, please feel free to comment below or send me an email.

Also, I will note:

This information is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.